Part 14 (1/2)

All men like to have some mystery about them, so I didn't enquire further. I preferred not to think about the possibility that Rory might be proposing poaching one of my staff. I suspected from the way Merrit's face lit up whenever Merry was mentioned that he might do a great deal to be with her. Better, of course, would be for Merry to transfer to White Orchards. But could I really have my old friend and colleague as a junior member of my staff? I mused over this for some time when Rory, who had been equally lost in thought, suddenly said, *Have you considered what we will do when we get there?'

*No,' I said. The realisation made me feel very foolish. *I was hoping that things would resolve themselves.'

*That isn't like you,' said Rory, not unkindly.

*When things have happened before it's all been quick and dangerous and often dark without candlesticks.'

Rory grinned. *That's one way of describing our adventure in the Highlands.'

*There's been more than that,' I said quietly. *When that attacker knocked me to the ground it was quite like old times. When poor Miss Wilton died it was different. We still don't know if there was anything nefarious about her demise, but I have this nagging feeling that something is very wrong.'

*And how accurate are your feelings generally?' asked Rory still smiling.

*My instincts are frequently acute, but my surmises based on these sometimes in error.'

*That's very honest.'

I sighed. *I know you don't want to hear this, Rory, but I cannot help but feel that behind all this is the hand of Richard Stapleford. He has become like some dark monster to me and I fancy I see his shadow everywhere.'

*Isn't that a little melodramatic? I admit he's not a likable man, but he seems no worse to me than many masters.'

*He works in armaments and banking and was raised in blood money. He has few scruples and has recently become a member of parliament.'

*How apt,' murmured Rory.

*But Mr Bertram and I suspect he murdered his own father.' There, it was said. It was out there. I waited for Rory to protest. He didn't.

*We had good reason to believe it. Enough evidence to convince a police inspector to arrest him.'

*So why isn't he in jail?'

*When I say evidence I mean we had pieces of the puzzle. We could make a convincing argument he had done it. And the fact that Richenda and he had kidnapped me and locked me in a cupboard added to the conviction, but in the end when the case was reviewed it was decided there wasn't enough evidence to prosecute.'

*They locked you in a cupboard?'

*Yes.'

*They presumably know you believe this of them?'

*I don't believe Richenda knows or cares what happened to her father, but she is loyal to her twin.'

*For G.o.d's sake if even half of this is true why haven't you left the Staplefords?'

*I went to White Orchards.'

*So you don't believe your Bertram is involved in the death of his father in any way?'

*We were working together to try and prove his brother's guilt.'

*You can't tell me that wouldn't have been convenient for him?'

*I think you're right this is all about inheritance,' I said evenly. *That and the money Richard hopes to make should there be a war.'

*Should there be a war?' Rory looked aghast.

*I believe much of Mr Edward's interest concerns a fear that Richard will be investing in and selling weaponry to the wrong side. The Germans. In this I think he is mistaken. I do suspect that Richard favours the German empire over our own for philosophical reasons, but I think he is more than happy to supply weaponry to both.'

*I'm a butler,' said Rory. *This is beyond me and it should be beyond you. Why on earth haven't you got as far away from the Staplefords as you could?'

*It has been suggested,' I said carefully, *that any trip I took might end precipitously and not well.'

*You mean Richard would arrange to have you killed?'

*If any of the surmises we have spoken of are correct it seems a possibility I would be foolish to discount.'

*Then why ...' Rory paused. *This is incredible. Are you suggesting the man keeps you around to keep an eye on you?'

*It would be too inconvenient to kill me on his own doorstep. The number of deaths surrounding the Staplefords have already drawn a lot of attention. Their friends can only keep so much quiet.'

Rory rubbed his hand through his hair much to the disturbance of his elegant blond locks. *This is all a bit thick,' he said sounding rather dazed.

*I should have told you all this before, but I didn't want,' I wanted to say ”to drive you away”, but instead I said, *to put you in danger.'

*Which this trip is likely to do?'

*If Lord Richard hears about it,' I said, *I suppose it might.'

*If there is something to discover here then it will undoubtedly put us all in danger.' He nodded significantly at Merrit in the chauffeur's seat. *How much does Merry know?'

*Nothing.'

*Very wise.'

Rory lapsed into silence. An apology seemed a poor offering for the danger I had placed him in, so I kept silent too. Many miles later he said, *What do we hope to find at this place?'

I showed him the telegram. *You still think the late Lord Stapleford and Mrs Wilson had a love child, don't you?'

*Dr Simpson implied they did.'

*But what does it matter?' asked Rory.

*Social embarra.s.sment for a member of parliament?' I suggested.

*The scandal of his father's love life might be more detrimental to his business interests than the fact he is a suspected murderer?'

*I have never understood politics, but I think it might be so.'

Rory rubbed his head again. *You could be right. Although I think there is one possibility you overlook.'

*What is that?'