The next morning, Mrs Lawrence and her son walked the half-mile to the village church to have a look at Louisa Thorpe’s grave. Lady Denby insisted on accompanying them though I am sure they would have preferred to go alone. As it was Sunday they intended to attend the morning service and Lady Denby, who was by no means a regular member of the congregation, decided it was her duty to be present. Sophie and I saw them leave as we returned from our morning walk.
As we approached the house one of the maids came out to meet us. I recognized Susan, the servant who had claimed to see the hermit’s ghost and threw a fit of hysterics in the entrance hall.
‘Please, miss, could I have a word with you alone?’ she asked, somewhat anxiously, and would say no more until Sophie had gone back into the house.
‘It’s Colonel Hartley, miss; he came here while you were on your walk and he wants to see you urgently. He says to tell you he wants to see you in the Tapestry Room closet and that he’s discovered something there that he thinks you ought to see.’ She spoke carefully and then looked pleased with herself, as if struggling to remember the exact words and feeling satisfied at having managed it. A nice enough girl, I thought, but not very intelligent and not likely to rise very high in the ranks of the servants’ hall.
‘Thank you, Susan, you may go.’ She ran off as though glad to escape. Delivering messages was probably an ordeal for her.
I hastened into the house and upstairs to the Tapestry Room, which was now empty. Guessing that the Colonel was already in the closet as the door stood slightly ajar, I pushed it open.
‘I thought you couldn’t wait to get here. Quite besotted with him, aren’t you?’
I found myself face to face with Frank Lawrence, who was holding a pistol alarmingly close to my head. For a few seconds I felt my knees weaken but managed to overcome fear with anger.
‘How dare you threaten me – you cheap little imposter. What are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to be in London.’
‘I took the mail coach, travelled ten miles and then came back after dark. This is a very good hiding place – no one ever comes here, which is why Louisa Thorpe and I used it sometimes.’
‘I heard you once.’
‘Really? Louisa was always inclined to make a noise. Too much noise sometimes – she knew more than she ought and couldn’t keep it to herself. But I haven’t gone to all this trouble and made all these plans only to have interfering busybodies spoil it all. Sit down!’
I did not move and he suddenly seized me by the throat and pressed the muzzle of the pistol to my temple. This time I was truly terrified; I had no doubt he would kill me if provoked too far. He forced me into a chair and tied my hands behind me with a length of cord.
‘Screaming won’t help – no one will hear. If I thought they would I’d gag you. Your lover will be here shortly, never fear.’
‘He’s not my lover.’
‘Not for want of hoping, I imagine. Still, ’Armless ’Artley should be easy enough to manage considering his incapacity. I’ve only got to threaten to harm you and he’ll do as I say. That’s why I need the two of you. First of all I didn’t know how much he’d told you and then, I knew he’d risk his own life – he’s done it often enough before – but he won’t risk yours.’
The little room was stifling and I began to feel a trifle faint. I remembered what the old General had said yesterday about my being unlikely to swoon. Only yesterday! Already it seemed a long way off.
‘That Susan is obviously your little helper,’ I said. ‘Did you have to seduce her first?’
‘She succumbed remarkably quickly – those sorts of girls always do. Pretty enough but no brain. Ever so eager to run little errands for me – to bring me food and drink, carry messages and so forth. She’s used to clumsy pawing from enamoured footmen and grooms so a little finesse makes no end of an impression.’
‘I imagine you told her to start a rumour about the hermit’s ghost.’
‘Yes, I had to coach her, of course, but I believe she did it rather well. The hermit’s spare robe has been very useful – an excellent disguise and likely to add to rumours of a phantom monk.
‘Once I have disposed of you and your friend I shall be off to Devon to claim my inheritance. There will then be nothing to stand in my way – nothing proved anyway.’
‘It’s strange,’ I said, anxious to keep him talking. ‘I actually liked you at first.’
‘Well, I liked you – still do, as a matter of fact. I had to show an interest in one of the females of the party to detract from Louisa. At first I thought of Sophie but Rowland had collared her. Elinor’s too plain and prickly but you are pretty and clever – an irresistible combination. Pity you’re so attracted by the military or our flirtation might have led to something really enjoyable.’
‘It was never a flirtation and it couldn’t have led anywhere.’
‘Perhaps not, but poor Louisa had to be dealt with first; she had begun to get very tiresome and demanding even before she started asking awkward questions. She actually thought I’d marry her when I’d inherited my fortune – a penniless widow fifteen years my senior and rather silly and empty-headed to boot! I’ve lived on my wits for most of my life and I wasn’t going to fall for that.’
‘But was it necessary to kill the poor woman?’
‘Of course it was. I could have shut her up by marrying her but that was never what I had in mind. She was beginning to disgust me.’
He stopped suddenly. I had heard it too: the faint creak of the Tapestry Room door opening and closing. He slipped behind my chair, put his arm across my throat and held the pistol to my head.
‘Not a word!’ he hissed.
The door opened and a voice spoke my name. Colonel Hartley’s face changed in an instant from pleased anticipation to shock and horror. He summed up the situation in a few seconds.
‘Let her go,’ he said quietly. ‘Let her go and you can do what you like with me.’
‘The age of chivalry is not dead!’ exclaimed Frank Lawrence mockingly. ‘Why should I do that when I can do what I like with both of you?’
‘Are you all right, Charlotte? Has he hurt you in any way?’
‘No – don’t worry about me.’
‘What sweet concern for each other! A pity you won’t live long enough to enjoy the consequences.’
‘What are you going to do with us?’ Colonel Hartley was remarkably calm as though he was asking the time of day.
‘Oh, you’ll soon find out. Everything is in readiness. I’m not attempting to mimic suicide or accident this time. You’ll simply disappear.’
‘Both of us?’
‘Oh yes – I’ll let you die together so you can enjoy your last moments in each others’ arms – all three of them. Actually it will be a great deal longer than moments – rather drawn-out and unpleasant but you can comfort each other, I’m sure.’
‘But you can’t possibly kill two more people and escape scot-free,’ I said, wondering desperately what he had in store for us. ‘People will search – there’ll be a great hue and cry.’
‘By which time I’ll be miles away. And it may be thought you’ve run away together – to Gretna Green, perhaps.’
‘Why on earth would we do that?’ asked Colonel Hartley. ‘If we wanted to marry we could do it in the usual way with everyone’s approval, I’ve no doubt.’
‘I don’t really care. No one knows I’m here except that stupid Susan and I may take her with me to keep her quiet. It would be quite a good subterfuge and I can always get rid of her later. Now, I’m getting rather tired of this pointless dialogue.’ He loosened his grip and backed away, still holding the pistol aimed at me.
‘Stand behind her,’ he ordered, ‘and put your hand on her shoulder where I can see.’
The Colonel stepped behind my chair and I felt the warm, firm clasp of his hand and was at once reassured. Frank backed towards an open trapdoor, kicking a stool out of the way. I realized then what it was. The heavy chest had been moved aside to reveal a small aperture in the floor.
‘Behold – the second priest-hole!’ declared Frank, with something very like glee. ‘People have been searching for this for centuries so they’re not likely to find it now. Louisa and I discovered it by accident when we tried to move the bed because she complained of a draught from the window.
‘Now, untie the lady’s hands, if you please, and we’ll find her a suitable little lodging. That’s right – don’t try any foolish tricks, Colonel, or her life will end even more speedily than I had planned and you’ll find yourself buried with a corpse. Almost like one of her ladyship’s novels.
‘Miss Tyler – or may I call you Charlotte? Come over here to this hole in the floor. You will find a ladder just inside. Climb down and stand below. There’s not much room, I’m afraid, but it will just accommodate two at a pinch, though your companion is rather large.’ For a few seconds his attention was focused entirely on me as I followed his instructions and I heard a movement across the room.
‘Don’t try anything – I warned you!’ snapped Frank.
A pair of long legs in riding boots and breeches began to descend the steps. The light from above was obliterated. Then there was a sudden scuffle as Colonel Hartley seized Frank’s ankle and yanked it hard. There was the sound of a body sprawling and then a blow. The Colonel slid down the last few rungs and the trapdoor closed above us with a slam. There was a heavy grating noise and we were in total darkness.