The Affair of the Mutilated Mink (37 page)

Haggermeir shrugged. 'Sorry you're taking it like, this, Earl. It's not the way I wanted it.'

The silence that followed this was broken by the return of Merryweather. 'Excuse me, my lord,' he said, 'but I wonder if your lordship would care to look at this?' He held out his salver, which bore a folded piece of paper.

The Earl waved him away. 'Not now, Merryweather. I haven't time.'

'With great respect, I do urge that your lordship find time.'

The Earl snatched the paper up irritably. 'What is it?'

'If you will read it, my lord.'

The Earl unfolded the paper and glanced cursorily at it. His eyebrows went up. 'It's a marriage certificate. What the deuce? Gretna Green? Good gad!'

Lady Burford asked sharply: 'What's the matter, George?'

'It says 'Aylwin Saunders to Mary Carruthers.' I don't understand. They were married here at the parish church.'

Merryweather said softly, 'May I suggest you look at the date on the certificate, my lord?'

'Date? Where? Good heavens! It says 1839.'

'Let me see that!' Haggermeir stepped to the Earl's side and stared at the paper in his hand.

Lord Burford looked up blankly. 'Merryweather, I don't understand.'

'I can explain, my lord. The accepted story of the elopement of your lordship's grandfather is incorrect in one particular. When the young couple were found by their fathers, they were not still on their way to Scotland, but on their way
back
. They had reached Gretna Green and
had been married
. But Lady Mary was so nervous at the thought of her parents' reaction that she persuaded her husband to say nothing about it. However, the fact remains that when your lordship's grandfather went to America he was already legally married. His so-called marriage to Miss Haggermeir was bigamous, and the issue of it illegitimate. The later marriage ceremony he went through with Lady Mary in 1852 was in law quite superfluous.'

A look of delighted disbelief had come over the Earl's face 'So, my father was the rightful heir, all along?'

'Indubitably, my lord.'

It was now Haggermeir who, pale-faced, sat down suddenly in the nearest chair. He muttered, 'All these years . . . all these years . . .'

Lady Burford was on her feet again. With a surreptitious movement she dashed what looked suspiciously like a tear from her face. There was the merest catch in her voice when she said, 'We - we are really most grateful, Merryweather, most grateful. But you must explain how on earth you know all this, and where you obtained those certificates.'

Before Merryweather could reply, however, there was an interruption. A strange sound filled the room, a rumbling, gurgling sound as of a subterranean river. It was a noise that had not been heard anywhere for many years. Cyrus Haggermeir was laughing.

'My dear chap,' Lord Burford said, 'are you all right?'

Haggermeir nodded. He seemed to have difficulty in speaking. At last he said, 'Just seen the funny side of it. Grandma married to a bigamist! Thank heavens she never knew.'

The Countess said, 'But this means you've lost. Don't you mind?'

Haggermeir wiped his eyes with his handkerchief. 'Reckon not.' He sounded quite surprised. 'Not now I know the truth. It was the thought that I'd been cheated out of what was rightfully mine that riled me. But now I know I wasn't. So it don't hurt any more. In fact, guess I'm kind of relieved. Didn't really want to give up my American citizenship, whatever I said.'

'Well, I must say, it shows a fine sportin' spirit,' the Earl said. He stuck out his hand. 'Will you shake, cousin?'

'Sure.' They shook hands.

'Don't ever let me hear anyone say Americans are poor losers,' Lord Burford said.

Haggermeir grinned. 'Maybe it's true as a rule. You see, we don't get a lot of practice at it.' He looked at Merryweather. 'Lady Burford asked you a question. I'd sure as eggs like to know the answer, too.'

'Both those documents and the casket were put in my possession very many years ago, sir, when I was little more than a boy.'

'But by whom, man?'

'The faithful servant John, sir. He also told me the story of the two marriages. He was a witness to both. The Gretna Green certificate was handed to him for safekeeping. He claimed his master had given him the Chinese casket as a present, but I consider it more likely he spied on your grandmother, saw her putting her licence in it, and deliberately expropriated the box without his master's knowledge before they returned to England. Why he retained the licences I cannot say. Probably he just hoped they would come in useful one day. He was of a conserving and secretive disposition. I was perplexed for many years to know what I should do with them. Eventually I decided to say nothing until such time as it seemed proper to speak.'

'But why in tarnation did he give 'em to you?' Haggermeir demanded.

'If you glance at the full name of the witness on one of the licences, sir, you will see that it is John Merryweather. My grandfather. Not an altogether estimable character. We have never spoken much of him in my family. Incidentally, sir, I feel that under the circumstances I should return this money to you.'

He held out the wad of notes.

Haggermeir hesitated. Then he chuckled. 'No, a bargain's a bargain. You earned it. You keep it. But thanks all the same.'

'Thank you, sir,' said Merryweather.

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