Seven for a Secret (25 page)

“Listen, he did a lot of harm while he was alive. He’s dead now. Let that be an end of it.”

“An end of it! What about this pestering by the police?”

“That’s inevitable. This is a case of murder.”

“They suspect Harry Gentry. Apparently Gaston was chasing young Sheila. Oh, he was foul! I wouldn’t blame Harry Gentry one little bit.”

“What did the police say to you?”

“Oh, they were very polite. One talking to me very gently and the other making notes in his little book. I had to tell them about our marriage and how I’d known him only a short time. They knew he had come here under a false name. They knew something of him. Apparently he had been in trouble … under another name. It’s so humiliating to think I was so taken in.”

“Never mind. Lots of people are taken in at some time and you were very young.”

Tt will be in all the papers. I wonder who did it. They say Harry Gentry was with a neighbour of his when Gaston was killed. I was here all the time. So was Crispin. At one time I wondered whether Crispin

”

“Of course he wouldn’t! He has too much sense.”

T suppose so. But he did hate him. In any case, he was here. I suppose we shall know one day. The police will find out, won’t they?

”

“I dare say they will. They usually do.”

“I’m glad you came, Fred. I like talking to you. Nothing lasts, does it? This will be over some time. Then I shall be free.”

“Tamarisk, I hope everything turns out all right.”

“I know you do. You cheer me up. I guessed you’d come along with your wise old sayings.

“Every cloud has a silver lining.”

“Good come th out of evil.”

“When this blows over everything will be different.” It will be a new start. I’ll have to forget. And one thing 1 keep telling myself is, I’m free. “

Yes, 1 thought. You are lucky to be free of him. There;

must be several people to rejoice that Gaston Marchmontjl was dead.

The next morning when the postman arrived with the mail,;

he had more news for us. ) Lily brought him in while we were having breakfast. “There’s something going on up at St. Aubyn’s,” he told us.

“They’re digging up in the shrubbery.”

“What for?” asked Aunt Sophie. 1 “Don’t ask me, Miss Cardingham. But the police are 1 there.”

“What can that mean?” murmured Aunt Sophie.

“What do they expect to find?”

“Reckon we’ll know soon enough.”

When he had left we went on talking about it and the first thing James Perrin said when I saw him was: “Have you heard? There’s an investigation going on.”

“They are digging in St. Aubyn’s. The postman brought the news while we were at breakfast.”

“This is a distressing business.”

“It must be something to do with the murder. I don’t know where this is going to end. There are so many rumours going round and strangers all over the place hoping for a peep at the spot where a murder was committed.”

“I wish that man had never come here.”

“I don’t suppose you are the only one. It’s strange. Nothing happens for years and then it changes. There was poor old Dorian’s death, the elopement, the coming of this man, and now murder.”

1 wondered what James would have thought if I had told him about what had happened in Barrow Wood.

“I hope Crispin’s all right,” said James.

“What do you mean?” I asked fearfully.

He was frowning and did not answer. 1 thought: He uspects Crispin. A memory or Crispin in Barrow Wood came to me the look in his eyes when he had picked up Mr. Dorian. I had said later:

“You might have killed him,” and he had replied that that would be no loss. Was that how he had felt about Gaston?

I was glad to get home that day. Aunt Sophie was waiting for me. She had something of importance to say to me. Before she could speak the thought flashed into my mind:

What have they found in the shrubbery?

But what she said was: “Crispin called. He wants to see you. It’s important.”

“When?” I asked eagerly.

She looked at the clock on the mantelpiece.

“In about half an hour.”

“Where?”

“He’s coming here. He knew what time you’d be home. He said he’d call back. You can talk to him in the sitting-room.”

I said: “What has happened about the shrubbery?”

“I don’t know.”

“Are they still digging?”

“No. They’ve stopped, I believe. Well, he’ll be here soon. He said he wanted to talk to you alone.”

I washed, combed my hair and waited. Then I heard the sound of his horse’s hoofs and Aunt Sophie brought him into the sitting-room.

“Would you like a glass of wine?” asked Aunt Sophie.

“No, thanks,” said Crispin.

“Well, I’ll be around if you want anything.”

When she left us together he came to me and took both my hands in his.

I said: “Please tell me … what has happened?”

He released my hands and we sat down.

He said quietly: “They’ve found the gun. It was buried in the shrubbery not far from where the body was found. It’s obviously the one. No doubt of it.”

“What made them look?”

“They noticed the ground had been recently disturbed.*];

“Does it help them?” j “It’s one of the guns from the gunroom at St. Aubyn’s.” :

I stared at him in dismay.

“And what does that mean?”

“That someone took the gun from the gunroom, used it, and instead of putting it back, buried it in the shrubbery.”

“Whatever for?”

He shrugged his shoulders.

“Do they think it was someone from the house?” I asked.

“That does seem one conclusion.”

“But why should someone in the house take a gun and not put it back there?”

“That’s a mystery.”

“What do they think it means?”

“I don’t know. Until they have found the guilty one, they suspect everyone. It is obvious now that it was someone who had access to the house.”

“So the idea that it could have been an enemy from the past is no longer plausible.”

“An enemy from the past?”

“Oh, it was just something Aunt Sophie suggested. She’ thought that a man like Gaston Marchmont must have made enemies wherever he went and she thought it possible that one might have caught up with him.”

“It’s an interesting theory. I wish it were true.”

“What’s going to happen now?”

He shook his head.

“You’re worried?” I said.

“I am. It brings it closer to the house. But why on earth did someone take the gun and then bury it … not very neatly either? It was a strange thing to do.”

“Perhaps they’ll find out.”

He turned to me.

“I have been wanting to talk to yotf for a long time. Perhaps this is not the time to do it, but 1 feel 1 can’t wait any longer.”

“What did you want to say to me?”

“You must have known for some time that 1 am very interested in you.”

“You mean after that terrible thing happened …”

“That, too. But before that. Right from the beginning.”

“When you noticed the plain child?”

“That has been forgiven and forgotten. Frederica, I love you. I want you to marry me.”

I drew back in amazement.

“I know this is hardly the time,” he went on.

“But I could not keep it to myself any longer. 1 have been on the verge of saying it many times. I feel that so much time is being wasted.” He looked at me searchingly.

“Do you want me to go on?”

“Yes,” I said eagerly, “I do.”

“Does that mean … ?”

“It means that I like to hear it.”

He had risen and drew me to my feet. He held me tightly in his arms and, in spite of all the fear and suspicions 1 was experiencing, I was happy.

He kissed me eagerly, fiercely even.

I was breathless with emotion. I felt I must be dreaming. So much that was strange had happened recently, and this was as unexpected as any.

“I was afraid to face up to my feelings,” he said.

“What happens in the past has an effect, doesn’t it? You think everything is tainted.

But now . “

“Let’s sit down and talk,” I said.

“Tell me first, you do care for me?”

“Of course I do.”

“I’m happy, then. In spite of this … I’m happy. We’ll be together.

Whatever it is, we’ll face it. “

“I am rather bewildered,” I told him.

“But you knew how I felt!”

zo9

“I wasn’t sure. When 1 talked about going away you kep( me here..”

“Of course 1 couldn’t let you go.” , “I hated the thought of leaving.” “Yet you planned to do it.” li “I thought it would be best.”

“I have been rather arrogant, haven’t I?” j “Stand-offish. Aloof.” I “It was a sort of defence.” He laughed suddenly.

“And now … in the midst of all this …” ;

“Perhaps,” I said, ‘because of all this. “

“It had to come out. I couldn’t keep it to myself any longer, Frederica. What a dignified name you have!”

“Yes, I have often found it so. My mother gave it to m< because she was so proud of the family. There had been several Fredericks who had won honours generals, politicians and such. She would have preferred me to be a boy;

Then I should have been plain Frederick. “

Why were we talking in this way of things that did no) matter? It was as though we were trying to put off something frightening. I kept remembering his anger, his fur against Mr. Dorian, the manner in which he had spoken of Gaston and his desire to be rid of him. He had chosen this moment, in the midst of all this turmoil, when it had been discovered that the murder weapon had been found in his shrubbery, to propose marriage to me.

I wanted to ask him why.

He said: “I’ve been in love with you for a long time, More than anything, I want you to love me, too. I could not believe you could, though. I am not a channel like-‘ His face darkened and the fear was back with me.

I said: “Crispin, I love you. I want to marry you, and 1 want everything to be perfect between us now and always. 1 want to know everything about you. I don’t want there to be any secrets between us.”

1 was aware of a slight withdrawal and the pause before he said: “Of course, I want the same.”

There was something he was holding back. I prayed inwardly that he might not be involved in this terrible affair. I could not bear it if he were.

It seemed to me that he was begging me to speak of our love and nothing else, that he was asking me to put aside everything but this wonderful revelation that we loved each other.

He said, almost pleadingly: “It is wonderful that you care for me. And you care about the estate too.” He frowned and waved his hand.

“All this … trouble … will be over soon. They’ll find out who did it and settle it. We’ve got to forget it. We shall be together and it will be wonderful. You have changed me, you know, my darling. You have changed my outlook on life. I was melancholy. I didn’t believe in the good things. I want you to understand … about my first marriage.”

“That was a long time ago.”

“It had a great effect on me … on what I became. It was only after 1 was in love with you that I began to escape from it. You must understand. I shall have no peace until you do.”

He held my hand tightly and went on: “I was very young. Eighteen, getting on for nineteen. I was at the university and a company of players came to the town. She was one of them. She must have been twenty-five at that time. She admitted to twenty-one. I went to the show … some musical comedy … song-and-dance show. She was in the front line of the chorus. I thought she was beautiful. I was there on the first night… and the next… 1 sent flowers. I was granted a meeting. I was completely infatuated.”

“It has happened to many young people before.”

“That does not excuse my folly.”

“No, but it is comforting to know you were not the only one.”

zi i

“You will always make excuses for me like that woi you?”

“I suppose people do for those they love.”

He drew me to him and kissed me.

“How glad I am that I told you! 1 really can’t believe y< love me. You will take care of me forever more.”

“You are the strong man. It is you who should take ca of me.”

“I will with all my strength … and in my weakness y< will be there.”

“When you want me,” I told him.

There was silence for a few moments while he held n close to him and kissed my hair.

“You were telling me,” I reminded him.

He was sober immediately.

“I am so ashamed of it, but you must know me as f:

as . ” He hesitated and I felt that fear touch me on. more.

“I want to know everything, Crispin,” I said fir mi “Please don’t hold anything back. I will understand . whatever it is.”

There was again that brief hesitation.

“Well,” he went on, ‘against the advice of my friends, married her. I gave up my studies. After all, I had the est at I had always been interested in it. I thought I would sett down. Kate-I don’t think that was her real name-thei was no truth about her; it was all false. Kate Carvel. St. was bored with the estate. She didn’t want to live in tl country. I was disillusioned. I realized very quickly whs a terrible mistake I had made. And to see oneself as a fo< at the age of nineteen is a very humiliating experience. maims you . for life, sometimes, It did for me until yd appeared. Then, I hope, 1 began to change. “

“I am so glad of that, Crispin.”

“I don’t want to make excuses for myself, but no oh ever really cared

for me before except Lucy Lane. That w< why 1 was so easily duped by Kate. She was good at pretence. My parents had never been very interested in Tamarisk or me. They were so absorbed by their own way of life which didn’t include us. Lucy was always wonderful to me.”

“And you have been wonderful to her.”

I have only done what was natural. “

“I think you have looked after her splendidly … and her sister, too.”

“I was so relieved when Kate went away. I can’t explain how I felt.”

“I can understand.”