Lady Gwendolen Investigates

As she had done little travelling about since her arrival in Somerset, Gwen was unfamiliar with the area, and frowned as she attempted to recall the countryside she had passed through on that one and only visit made to Bridge House. ‘Is this Marsden Wood situated close to your home, sir?’

‘It’s about a mile and a half or so away, and lies to the south-east of my property.’

Gwen took a moment to consider what he had disclosed thus far. Jane, she clearly recalled, had been an avid walker years ago, and the mile-and-a-half hike would have meant nothing to her, a mere stretch of the legs, as it were. Even so, choosing to explore a wood in the middle of January did seem rather odd behaviour for someone of Jane’s sensible inclinations. Surely she would have been more likely to have explored the shelves in her master’s library for a suitable read than have run the risk of returning to Bridge House with skirts and boots caked in mud, after an exploratory stroll in a wood? And what was so interesting to view there at that season of the year? Furthermore, would she deliberately have gone against her employer’s express wishes and gone there alone? The answer came hard on the heels of the question—no, she would not, unless she had a very good reason for doing so. Odd…yes, it all seemed decidedly odd!

Suddenly aware that she was being, yet again, avidly studied by her forthright visitor, and that she was in the gravest danger of being accused of the sin of neglect, she apologised. ‘My only excuse, sir, is that I’m finding it immensely difficult to come to terms with my dearest friend’s demise, and my thoughts remain in turmoil. All the same, I must detain you no further, and must thank you again most sincerely for your help in the matter and for ensuring I received those personal effects.’

‘Wrong on all counts, ma’am,’ he returned, once more catching her completely offguard and surprising her by his response. ‘I’ve been of no help to you whatsoever. Yet, I expect that’ll change. And quite swiftly now you’ve set up home here.’ He took a moment to stare about at what for him had once been very familiar surroundings. ‘Warrender would have expected no less from a close neighbour and friend, even though we saw nothing of each other in recent years. And rid your mind of the nonsensical notion you’re importuning me. I’ve never permitted anyone to do that since leaving Oxford. But what you have singularly failed to do, ma’am, is refill my glass. It’s stood empty for the past five minutes, and I’m far too much of a gentleman to help myself.’

‘Now that I simply can’t believe!’ Gwen retorted before she could stop herself. The resulting bark of masculine laughter instantly vanquished her slight feeling of pique at what she had deemed unnecessary strictures on her skills as a hostess, and she found herself willingly complying with his request.

‘Without wishing to appear rude, why do you suppose you could be of service to me, sir?’ she asked, having decided to maintain this mode of plain speaking, at least when solely in his company, which she didn’t envisage would be so often that her powers of restraint would suffer as a result.

‘Well, for a start, ma’am, I can assist you in acquiring a half-decent carriage,’ he answered, after taking a moment to sample the contents of the refilled glass. ‘If you’re to continue residing here, and I assume that’s your intention, you can’t carry on making use of that antiquated bone-shaker of a vehicle. Old Percival used to ride most everywhere. Much preferred the open air. So that vehicle served his needs on the few occasions he was obliged to use it. But it won’t serve yours, most especially if you’re to put off your blacks in the near future. Which I assume you intend to do, as you’ve been widowed nine months now, by my reckoning. No one would expect you to mourn for ever, no matter how fond of old Percival you were. It’s high time you thought of resuming a normal life, enjoying yourself a little and making and receiving visits.’

It was on the tip of Gwen’s tongue to tell him to mind his own business, that she was more than capable of organising her own life, but checked at the last moment.

If the truth were known, it had indeed been her intention to go into half-mourning. Learning of Jane’s tragic demise had persuaded her to remain in her blacks. Yet now, quite suddenly, she began to experience a change of heart once again. After all, what benefit would come of just mourning Jane? Her time and energy would be put to better use in attempting to discover who was responsible for the loss of her dearest friend, because it seemed that no one else had troubled unduly to do so.

The smile she bestowed upon her visitor induced him to blink several times before finishing off his wine in one fortifying swallow. ‘I should consider it a very great favour, sir, if you would assist me in finding a suitable equipage. It is indeed my intention to go out and about a good deal more from now on.’

Evidently having decided to bring his visit to an end now, he rose to his feet. Gwen did likewise, forestalling him as he made to cross to the door by asking the identity of the local Justice of the Peace.

‘Lord Cranborne,’ he enlightened, before favouring her with a decidedly suspicious look. ‘What makes you ask?’

Seeing no earthly reason why she should keep her intentions secret, she said, ‘Because I assume he is the very person to consult if one wishes to discover precisely what is the current situation with regard to uncovering the identity of the Marsden Wood Murderer!’

Chapter Three

Jocelyn Northbridge numbered among the select few who were never denied admittance to Cranborne Hall, the principal seat of the Earls of Cranborne for centuries past. Nevertheless, the butler, highly trained and a stickler for adhering to accepted codes of conduct, requested the visitor wait in a small room off the main hall as a matter of course, before showing him into his master’s favourite retreat on the floor above a few minutes later.

The Earl, not attempting to hide his delight at this unexpected visit by one of his most well-respected and, in his considered opinion, sagacious of neighbours, rose immediately from behind his desk. More than happy to set aside estate matters for the time being, he drew the gentleman, whose reputation for selecting fine wines was second to none, across to the hearth and awaited judgement on what he himself considered a superior claret.

‘Well?’ he prompted when his welcome visitor, after sampling the liquid, merely held up his glass to the light, the better to study its contents’ deep rich colour. ‘Come, a little honesty, my friend. Isn’t it one of the finest you’ve ever tasted?’

Joss, never one to be pressed on matters of real importance, considered for a moment longer before nodding approval, and then immediately afterwards destroying his host’s understandable satisfaction by adding, ‘But certainly not the best tipple I’ve sampled this day.’

‘What?’ His lordship regarded the younger man as though his neighbour had taken leave of his senses. ‘You’re bamming me!’

‘Not at all, sir,’ Joss assured him, setting the glass to one side. ‘And that, in part, is why I’m here.’

‘Aha!’ His lordship was all avid attention. ‘Got yourself a new vintner, have you, and are willing to share the rogue’s fine stocks with an old friend?’

Joss wasn’t slow to set his lordship straight on the matter. ‘Not quite, no. What I have acquired is a new neighbour. And one who’s shown remarkable judgement in selecting wine. A very fine palate, I should say…for a woman, that is.’ He paused for a moment to stare blindly up at the portrait of the decidedly ill-favoured, though much missed, late Countess taking pride of place above the hearth. ‘Possibly the result of that time spent in Italy, I should imagine.’

‘And the name of the rare specimen?’ his lordship prompted, amused by the dry tone, and not just a little intrigued as well.

‘Old Warrender’s widow.’

In all probability it would have been at this juncture that his lordship’s interest in the unknown female would have swiftly begun to wane, had it not been for the odd flicker he detected, just for an instant, in his visitor’s eyes. He didn’t waste time in attempting to speculate on what the look might have denoted. If, however, it was a silent admission to a definite interest in the woman, then it would have been the first Northbridge had ever betrayed, at least in his lordship’s presence, for it was a well-known fact that his highly respected neighbour held all too few of the fair sex in high esteem.

One of the rare exceptions was, in fact, none other than his lordship’s favourite niece. A handsome young woman, with a fine figure and a quick mind, Anthea Kershaw appeared to be, on the surface at least, the ideal partner for a gentleman of Jocelyn Northbridge’s stamp. His lordship was very well aware that his youngest sister, Lady Florence Kershaw, had, for several years, nurtured the fondest hope of just such an alliance. Indeed, he himself wouldn’t have been averse to such a match, for he was as fond of this particular niece as he was his own sons, if not a deal fonder in many respects. Notwithstanding, he was not altogether sure that Anthea would make the ideal wife for his estimable neighbour. If the girl had one failing, it was a tendency to be a trifle too refined, a little too conciliating, and therefore would do almost anything to avoid confrontation. She would undoubtedly allow Northbridge his way in more things than would be good for him, with possible disastrous consequences.

His lordship regarded his companion steadily, as Joss, clearly in a world of his own that day, continued absently to contemplate the portrait of the late Countess.

‘Well, come on, Northbridge,’ he urged, after a further moment’s silence. ‘What’s the widow like? I seem to remember hearing someone mentioning once that she was young enough to be Warrender’s daughter.’

‘Ha! Granddaughter, more like!’ Joss returned with brutal frankness.

‘Good gad, the old dog! And is she pleasing on the eye?’

Surprising his lordship somewhat, Joss took a long moment to consider. ‘Not a beauty, no, at least not in my humble opinion,’ he revealed at last. ‘But well enough. Got what I’d call a sweet face. Damned disarming little thing, though,’ he went on, his heavy frown descending. ‘Turns out she was well acquainted with that governess I employed. She’s not at all happy nothing’s being done to track down the killer.’

‘You know we did all we could,’ his lordship returned, far from annoyed, though slightly nettled by the accusation. ‘Spoke again to all the usual suspects, but no fresh evidence came to light. No one heard anything; no one saw anything. Even had an extra word with my gamekeeper. I know Furslow’s not liked by most hereabouts. He’s been a prime suspect in many people’s minds from the start, especially as the first girl was discovered only a matter of weeks after he came to work for me. What is more, there’s no denying he has something of a reputation where women are concerned. But there’s absolutely nothing to link him with these murders. In fact, the opposite’s true. Several people have come forward to swear he was elsewhere, attending a prize fight or cockfight, when at least two of the women were first reported missing.’

‘True enough,’ Joss was forced to agree, his heavy frown still very much in evidence. ‘But that doesn’t alter the fact that more could have been done…should have been done to find the person responsible.’

His lordship watched, appalled, as his guest, quite without warning, tossed the remainder of his wine down his throat and rose abruptly to his feet. ‘Good gad, Northbridge! That’s no way to treat a wine of that quality!’

Ignoring the stricture, Joss began to pace up and down, resorting for the second time that morning to running impatient fingers through his hair as he did so. ‘That damnable female’s got under my skin, so she has!’ he at last admitted, coming to a halt in the middle of the room. ‘Just as I was on the point of departure, she came straight out and said that had any one of the victims been some highborn lady, no effort would have been spared. And damn it, Cranborne, you can’t deny the chit’s right! Then, when I attempted to persuade her not to interfere, she totally floored me with the response. Asked if I’d just sit back and do nothing if a friend of mine had been murdered. And the truth of the matter is I’d move heaven and earth in an attempt to uncover the killer.’

‘So, what are you asking me to do?’ his lordship prompted, when once again his visitor relapsed into a brooding silence. ‘If you’re asking me to start fresh enquiries, I don’t honestly believe it would do much good.’

‘No, I was thinking more on the lines of bringing in someone from the outside, an ex-Runner who has for some years now undertaken private commissions. I happen to know he successfully aided a very close friend of mine in locating the whereabouts of his errant wife. Seemingly he’s extremely discreet. Furthermore, he has the knack of blending in, of going about a community without arousing suspicion, inducing people to reveal more than they might otherwise have done to someone they knew to be in authority. I could send an express to London, requesting my good friend Merriot Markham engages this person on my behalf—if you’ve no objection, that is?’

‘Not in the least, dear boy,’ the Earl agreed, urbanity itself, ‘providing you don’t keep me in the dark if any information is uncovered.’

‘Understood,’ Joss responded.

Deciding it was time to bring the visit to an end, he made his way across the room. As he reached the door, he bethought himself of something else, however. ‘You don’t happen to know if young Gilmorton’s still contemplating disposing of that new carriage and pair in order to pay those gaming debts?’

‘Can’t see him managing to do so otherwise, as his father steadfastly refuses to come to his aid this time. Why? Surely you’re not thinking of making him an offer?’

‘Not for myself, no. But I promised Warrender’s widow I’d look out for a decent carriage and pair for her. And I’ll do it too!’ A look of rock-hard determination momentarily gripped Northbridge’s features. ‘But that’s all I intend to do for the confounded woman!’ he declared vehemently. ‘

His lordship smiled to himself as the door was closed none too gently by the departing visitor. ‘I wonder now,’ he murmured, taking his time to savour the remaining contents of his glass, ‘how long it will be before our friend finds himself breaking that vow?’

Three days later Gwen had once again taken up the day-to-day running of her household. It wasn’t that she had recovered swiftly from the loss of her friend. Nothing could have been further from the truth. Jane was never absent long from her thoughts, and she once again returned to the forefront of Gwen’s mind the instant she had finished discussing the dinner menus for the following week with her now, thankfully, fully recovered housekeeper.

‘Before you go, Mrs Travis,’ she said, forestalling the servant’s immediate departure, ‘are you by any chance acquainted with the housekeeper at Bridge House?’

‘Why, yes, ma’am! Known Mrs Brice for a number of years. We both took up our posts at about the same time, though she’s a good deal older than me. Always exchange a word or two after the Sunday service, we do, and if we happen to bump into each other in town when doing the marketing.’

‘Sounds a pleasant, friendly sort of woman, Travis. Is that so?’

‘Indeed, yes, ma’am,’ she readily agreed. ‘Not a gossip, you understand,’ she added. ‘And very loyal to her master, she be. Mind you, not much goes on at Bridge House she doesn’t know about.’

Precisely what I was hoping to discover! Gwen thought, before her acute hearing picked up the sounds of an arrival, even though she was in her favourite retreat, the snug little parlour tucked away at the back of the house.