Charles carried a tray into the room with three cups of piping hot cocoa. Fina felt absurdly pleased seeing the steam rising from the cups. The mixture was perfect – just enough milk – not enough to overpower the taste of the chocolate.
Feeling revived, she turned to Charles. “I told Ruby about what you found in her room.” Charles stared into the fire. Fina put a hand on his shoulder. “You did as we asked. And now you know. But you know we’re not the murderers.”
Charles sighed. “Apparently everyone has secrets at Pauncefort Hall.”
A light flashed in Ruby’s eyes. “That must include you, Charles. It’s only sporting that you share your secret with us. You seem much too competent to be working here in this capacity. Not that you don’t do your job admirably – it’s just that it seems you might be cut out for something more challenging.”
Charles smiled at the compliment. Fina could see he wasn’t fooled by the pointed question disguised under flattery, however.
“You two are quite the detectives, aren’t you? Well, yes, I suppose it is only sporting – as you say.” He made himself comfortable in a chair by the fire, looking for all the world as though he was about to settle down with a storybook, thought Fina.
“My mother died when I was quite young. None of the family knew what happened to my father – much less anything about him. My mother died in disgrace because I was illegitimate, as they say. She had been disowned by the family when she found herself in trouble. The family urged her, apparently, to give me up for adoption. It was fortunate that she didn’t because who knows what would have become of me. My aunt and uncle took me in. They provided for me in every way – posh schools, well-fed and well-clothed. But, as happens so often with toffs that have enormous amounts of money, they give you everything but love and affection. Though I am to blame for what followed, I also know that I felt desperate about not really being wanted, I suppose.”
Charles’ eyes began to well up. Clenching his jaw, he continued. “In any case, I left home and fell in with what I suppose would be called a ‘bad lot’. Drugs, petty theft, drinking – the usual. One day, we planned something spectacular – at least for us. A jewel robbery. It all went pear-shaped, and I was left – literally – holding the bag of stolen emeralds. I took the fall for it and went to prison for three years. When I got out, I wanted to go to university. I was accepted to Oxford, but when they found out about my time in prison, they withdrew the offer – just a week before the term started. So I went into service. One day, this position at Pauncefort Hall turned up and I applied. I’ve been here almost ten months now. And I’m grateful for the job.”
“What you say rings true, Charles, but I can’t help but think there’s more. Why here? Why now?” said Ruby, in a kind but firm voice.
“Ah, I forget that you two are not only amateur detectives, but you’re actually, ah, spies, aren’t you?” he said with a sardonic grin. “You always know there’s more beneath – even with my convincing and true story.”
Hunching over his shoulders, he stared at the rug and continued. “Yes, the judge who sent me down was Justice Henry Sykes-Duckworth, also known as the Earl of Malvern and father of Charlotte, Edgar and Granville. That was before he decided to spend nearly all his time in the Caribbean, so he could concentrate on swelling his own coffers, blast him!”
He took a deep breath and carried on. “I know you’re thinking that it’s too much of a coincidence that I started working here. And you’re right. When I saw the position open up, I jumped at the opportunity, thinking that I would get my revenge, somehow – after all, he does come home once a year or so. I had no idea what I would do, though, or how. Once I took the position I was surprised to find that it suited my temperament. I was content. I also had let go of a lot of my anger, believe it or not! At any rate, if I were to want to murder someone, it would be Henry Sykes-Duckworth, not his son.”
“You could have thought it would be better revenge than killing him directly – make him live through the suffering of a loss of a child,” responded Ruby.
“Yes, I see your point, except for one thing. Granville and his father were not close. From the staff gossip, I’ve gathered that the two of them never got on well. Even when he was a child. Apparently it all became much worse once Granville’s mother, Catherine, died suddenly. But they had already been on that path for a while. No, if I had wanted to hurt him through hurting his kin, I would have targeted Charlotte or Edgar. Both of them dote on their father and he feels quite close to them. I have to admit that I’ve become fond of them as well.”
“Thank you, Charles, for being honest with us,” said Fina as he looked up from the fascinating rug. “Now that we have cleared that up, let us move on to what you found after your search – other than the Bluegate papers, of course.”
“Disappointingly little, as it happens. The Badarur sisters had some letters from their mother, but they were mostly just family gossip.” He said the words lightly, but with an air of suppressed excitement, as if there was more to come.
Ruby cocked her head inquisitively. “What about the poison?” she asked. “Could you find traces of it anywhere?”
“Oh yes,” he said with a slow smile.
“Go on,” said Ruby.
“Tell us, you miscreant, as the Earl would say,” Fina said, crouching down as if it could increase her sense of hearing.
“It was in the back of Julia Aston’s wardrobe.”
Fina choked on her cocoa.
“Interesting,” was Ruby’s only reply.
“Interesting?” said Fina, somewhat desperately. “Is that all you can say? She must be the murderer! She had every chance to do it – and she must have hated him much more strongly than she let on.”
“Perhaps,” said Ruby, apparently lost in thought.
Charles eyes grew wide as he sat back in disbelief. “You don’t seem to think it important, Ruby. Why not? Julia must be the murderer.”
Out of the corner of her eye, Fina saw a shadow lurking. Whipping her head around, she saw it was Grimston.
“Ladies,” he said, bowing in a calm voice. “Charles, please make haste. There has been an unfortunate occurrence upstairs.”