Mistletoe and Murder (20 page)

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Authors: Carola Dunn

BOOK: Mistletoe and Murder
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Piper went back along the side of the little structure, while Alec kept watch on the track. A moment later, Piper called in a queer voice, “Chief, come and look at this!”
Alec hurried after him, and found him staring down the face of the cliff. The tide had ebbed, exposing a stretch of mud flat where synchronized sandpipers scurried to and fro.
Lying on the mud was a blue-and-grey striped pompon hat.
N
ot bothering to be neat, Daisy hastily bundled up the galoshes and the well-chewed second mitten in brown paper and string. Alec could keep her from attending his interview with Godfrey Norville, but she was determined to be nearby to hear the result right away. With an apology to Nana for shutting her up alone again, she picked up her three parcels and returned to the East Wing to lock the evidence in Alec's suitcase.
The key in her pocket, she made for the stairs. As she passed Mrs. Norville's sitting room, she heard the Dowager Viscountess's voice. For a moment she was tempted to knock and go in, to make sure her mother wasn't bullying the old lady, but more urgent matters called for her attention. She pattered down the stairs.
In the entrance hall, Felicity was sitting on the chaise-longue. Her back was as stiffly straight as any Victoria lady's, her hands clenched in her lap, a stunned look on her face.
“Daisy, tell me it's not true! I know it has to be one of us if it's not Ceddie, but … Daddy?”
“What makes you think … ?”
“Oh, don't try to throw dust in my eyes! I saw your husband and the fat sergeant chasing him down the garden.”
“The valley garden? Oh dear, I'd better go and see what's going on.”
As Daisy headed for the front door, Tremayne came down the stairs. “Dora wishes me to stand by Godfrey,” he said. “Do you know where … ?”
“Come along with me,” Daisy advised and hurried on.
She soon outpaced the elderly solicitor. When she reached the valley garden, an extraordinary sight met her eyes: not Godfrey at bay, but Derek and Belinda walking backwards up the slope with little tiny steps.
“What on earth are you two up to?”
“Daddy told us to go back to the house, Mummy. So we're going, just not very quickly.”
“It's not fair, Aunt Daisy. Whenever something exciting happens, we get sent away. Uncle Alec and Mr. Piper and Mr. Tring all went off chasing Mr. Norville, like hare-and-hounds, like we do at school. I bet I could have caught him. He's not much of a runner, but he had a good start, and all because Mr. Piper thought he ought to take us back to the house, as if we were sissies, instead of chasing him.”
“Which way did they go?”
“Towards the chapel, except Uncle Tom. Daddy told him to go to the other gate.”
“To cut Mr. Norville off if he goes that way,” Derek explained. “Did he kill Mr. Calloway?”
“Only a jury can decide that, darling. Now both of you stop dawdling. Go straight up to the house and stay there. Off you go now.”
As soon as she was certain they were obeying, Daisy set off again, not waiting for Tremayne who had just hove in sight. A sudden breeze rustled the leaves around her and flung a flurry of raindrops. Hatless, her ruffled curls were no protection, but the breeze dropped as quickly as it had arisen. The brief shower was only a warning. To the west dark clouds loomed over the unhappy house.
When Daisy reached the gate, she vacillated. She wanted to see whatever was going on, but if Alec saw her he would undoubtedly send her back to the house, just like the children.
Of course, Norville and his pursuers might be halfway to Brockdene quay by now, or the station. Listening, she heard nothing but Tremayne's footsteps and laboured breathing, catching up with her. Even the birds were silent, disturbed by all the unwonted activity, except a woodpecker's tock-tock-tock somewhere in the wood.
“What are you waiting for, Mrs. Fletcher? What's happened ? The children told me Godfrey ran away and the detectives are after him.”
“I'm afraid so. I don't know what's up just now. We mustn't get in Alec's way.”
“Nonsense, it's my duty to be present if my client is about to be arrested, though I shall endeavour not to obstruct the police in the performance of their duty. Which way did they go?” Tremayne marched through the gate, which had been left open. Stopping in the middle of the path, he glanced up to the left, towards the hairpin bend. “Ah, here comes Sergeant Tring.”
Joining him, Daisy waved to Tom. If he was coming down, presumably Godfrey had not turned that way. She looked the other way. Nothing to be seen. She set off towards
the chapel, keeping to the near side of the track.
On the same side, Alec and Piper were standing just past the chapel, their heads together, facing her. As soon as he caught sight of her, Alec put his finger to his lips, then made a shooing motion. Daisy moved back a few paces around the bend and took cover behind a tree trunk. When Tremayne drew level with her, she hissed so urgently that he joined her, whatever his duty to his client. She put her hand on his arm to detain him.
“I reckon he threw his hat over to make us think he'd drowned,” Alec said loudly, “so we'd give up the chase, as in the legend of Sir Richard Norville. Pity for him there's nothing but mud down there. He'll be halfway to the Quay by now. We'd better hurry.”
“Right, Chief,” said Piper, and set off at an unnaturally heavy run, making as much noise as the crunchy leaves allowed. He only went thirty yards or so, though, then doubled back as quietly as possible through the trees, where the leaves were damp underfoot.
He and Alec converged on the laurels on the far side of the chapel.
Daisy hoped they had guessed right, and that Godfrey was not in fact halfway to the Quay. From her position she had a better view than they did down the path because of the way it curved. She glanced that way. Two men were walking up the slope.
Tremayne took a step forward. Daisy clutched his sleeve and held him back as Alec and Piper dived into the thicket.
Godfrey Norville shot out of the bushes like a pea from a pea-shooter and set off at an ungainly gallop towards the Quay. After a couple of strides he became aware of the approaching figures. Swinging round, he started back the
other way. As Alec and Piper extricated themselves from the bushes and jumped at him, he ducked and dodged them with a surprisingly neat bit of footwork.
In the process he lost his glasses. He ran blindly on, straight into Tom Tring.
“Now, now, sir,” said Tom benevolently, clasping him to his massive green-and-maroon bosom, “the chief inspector would like a word with you.”
“I have nothing to say!” Godfrey shrilled.
“That's your right, sir, but you'd better come along and tell Mr. Fletcher to his face.” Tom's hand encircled Godfrey's wrist as if it were no thicker than a tin whistle. He gently urged his captive down the slope towards the chapel. “I must warn you that anything you do choose to say will be taken down in writing and may be used in evidence.”
Alec and Piper advanced to meet them, Piper holding the fallen glasses. Daisy realized she was still clutching Tremayne's sleeve, as he emerged from his startlement and took a step forward. She quickly let go, deciding to stay back, out of Alec's line of sight. It was beginning to rain, and if she stood directly under a broad branch she was somewhat sheltered.
“Your glasses, sir,” said Piper, presenting the spectacles to Godfrey with one hand and, with the other, feeling in his own breast pocket for his pencils.
Tom released his wrist to let him put them on. Surrounded by the three detectives, he made no attempt to flee. He and Tremayne both started to speak at the same moment, just as pounding feet announced the arrival of the two men Daisy had seen coming up from the Quay: Miles and, several paces behind him, Captain Norville.
“Father, was it you?” Miles cried. “I can't believe you did it! But why?”
“Because you didn't tell me George Norville was dead!” Godfrey snarled. Miles recoiled. “If I'd known Brockdene would be mine some day, I wouldn't have had to do away with Calloway. As for you … !” He turned with a ferocious glare on the captain.
“Say no more, Godfrey!” Tremayne urged in dismay.
His son-in-law paid him no heed. “Mother's pet had to interfere,” he raved, “to rake over old coals, to wake sleeping dogs!
He
didn't care if the rest of us were thrown out on our ears. What should he care about Brockdene? If you hadn't brought that cursed clergyman here, he'd be alive today. What else could I do? With a lawyer in the house, I had to kill him quickly, before he could swear an affidavit.”
“Godfrey, as your legal adviser …”
“All right, all right, I'll shut up. Just remember, it's not my fault, it's Victor's, and Miles's!”
 
Rain was falling in earnest, a steady drizzle which had probably set in for days. Godfrey Norville, now handcuffed and apathetic, and Tom Tring would be soaked through long before they reached the police station in Calstock. Tremayne went with them, despairing but determined to do his duty to the last. The captain—muttering, “Exactly what I'd hoped to avoid!”—had just set off, leading a stunned Miles back towards the house.
“I'm going to have to go straight to Calstock, love,” Alec told Daisy. His dark hair was still crisp, shedding water like a duck's back. “With the Cornish force in disarray, my authority
may be needed to get the necessary formalities under way.”
Daisy pushed aside one of the bedraggled locks plastered to her face. “I doubt you'd be a welcome guest just now, darling,” she said wryly. “I only hope they don't throw me out of the house, along with Mother and the children.”
Alec laughed. “I'd back your mother against any number of Norvilles. You'll manage. I'll have to come back tomorrow to get statements signed, but you should have left by then. Piper will come up to the house with you now to collect the evidence. You did put the parcels away safe, didn't you?”
“Of course! I hope you have an electric torch, Mr. Piper. It's going to be dark by the time you get to Calstock.”
The dark clouds had brought on an early twilight. Alec frowned and said, “I don't want you—or the evidence—falling into the river, Ernie. Perhaps you'd better see if the housekeeper will give you a bed.”
“I'll doss with the puppy if need be, Chief,” said Piper with a grin.
He politely turned his back while Daisy and Alec bade each other a fond farewell. Then he and Daisy went through the gate, and Alec strode off after Tom Tring.
“You'd better put my coat over your head, Mrs. Fletcher.”
“Too late, I'm sodden,” said Daisy, shivering as a cold stream flowed down her spine. “Let's hurry.”
She was glad of Ernie's hand at her elbow at slippery spots in the path. They came to the tunnel and she led the way through. At the far end, she saw that they had nearly caught up with the captain and Miles, who were just starting
up the steps. Miles's shoulders drooped and every step seemed to cost him a huge effort.
Daisy and Piper in their turn started up the steps, Piper staying one below Daisy in case she slipped on the slick stone. She was about to set foot safely on the top terrace when, with a piercing yell, Jemima charged out from the shelter of the shrubbery growing along the house wall.
“It's all your fault!” she howled. In her hands was a halberd, and it pointed unwaveringly at Daisy.
With a scream, Daisy recoiled. Piper caught her. They teetered together between the steep fall behind and the vicious spike bearing down upon them.
Then Miles was there, crashing into his frenzied sister and bringing her to the ground. The captain was there, reaching for Daisy's flailing hand, grasping her wrist, anchoring her and Piper with his solid weight.
Daisy found her balance. Piper's arms relaxed their painful grip on her waist and the captain released her wrist. Suddenly weak at the knees, she sat down on the top step. “Gosh,” she gasped, rubbing her wrist, “I thought I was well and truly sunk!”
The captain bent over her. “You're not hurt, Mrs. Fletcher?”
“No, not at all, thanks to you. And thanks to …”
Ernie Piper had leapt past her. Swivelling, she saw him kneeling beside Miles, who was writhing on the ground. His sister knelt on his other side.
“Miles, I didn't mean to hurt you,” Jemima wept. “Oh, Miles! Is he going to die?”
“I think he's just winded, no thanks to you, miss! And you're under arrest for …”
“Oh, no, Ernie! Mr. Piper.” Daisy sprang to her feet. “You mustn't arrest her. She's been having a perfectly dreadful time and she's utterly miserable and she's simply not thinking straight.”
“She's not in her right mind,” said Captain Norville grimly. “I take it kindly of you, Mrs. Fletcher, to stand up for my niece, and I'd rather not see her arrested, but I've seen enough of her tricks. You can be sure I'll be sending her to some sort of sanatorium for treatment of nervous troubles, and if they can cure her, she'll be going to a school that'll teach her to behave herself.”
“What's going on?” Felicity arrived on the scene, with Cedric in tow. “We heard screams. Oh hell, Miles!”

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