I rushed abovestairs to scramble into my riding habit for a quick jaunt to Beamer’s house. As I came out of my room, Lorna waylaid me in the hall. “I saw Acton’s rig. What did he say?”
“He’ll be here at half past four.”
“Here? I thought he’d send the money.”
“No, he’s coming himself.”
“But with the money? Did he agree to the money?” she asked eagerly.
There wasn’t time to explain my elaborate scheme. If Beamer didn’t go along with me, I would have to find someone else, I could probably convince Balky to do it, though I preferred a more influential person, someone the law would have to listen to. In the worst case, I would ask the vicar. Surely Acton couldn’t buy a man of the cloth.
“You’ll get your money. I really have to go now, Lorna.”
She grabbed on to my arms and held me. “You’re sure! I need the money.”
“If he doesn’t give it to you, I’ll give it myself,” I said, shaking her loose and darting off down the staircase. She called after me, but I kept running.
I was in luck. Shortly after I entered the main road I met Beamer’s rig driving towards Oak Hill for a visit to Mama. I drew up beside him and he stopped his carriage.
“What is it, Kate?” he asked in alarm. “I hope Lucy is not ill?”
“No, she’s fine. It’s about Lorna.”
“Ah, blast the woman! Is there no end to her mischief-making? What has she done now?”
“She hasn’t done anything,” I snapped. “She’s been shot at.” He stared with his mouth open, as if he didn’t believe it. That got him out of his carriage. I dismounted and we went to the side of the road to talk. I gave him a hurried, garbled account of last night’s events in the spinney.
“Poachers,” he said at once. It took me ten minutes of hard talking to convince him, or rather to talk him into helping me, for he still didn’t believe me. “I don’t like this. I shall feel a fool, but if it... gets rid of that woman it’s worth it,” he said at last. “I doubt very much there will be any attempt at murder. What has Lucy to say about this mad scheme?”
“She doesn’t know anything about it, but I’ll see she’s there.”
“I shall feel a fool,” he said again. “I don’t like to do it behind Lucy’s back. I’m on my way there now. We’ll talk it over and if she don’t go along with it, you can count me out.”
We both made haste to Oak Hill, where I explained the plan to Mama. I used all my powers of persuasion, pointing out that if I was wrong and no attempt was made, there was no harm done. She was accustomed to my running things and I managed to talk her around. Beamer must have said a dozen times he didn’t like it and felt a fool, but Mama stood firm behind me for Lorna’s sake.
Beamer unwittingly helped out by pointing out that if I was wrong, at least Mama would be rid of her guest. She did not seem too sad at the prospect. Her main concern was whether Beamer was up to his part of the job. He assured her he was a prime shot but he didn’t have a pistol with him and hadn’t time to go home and get one.
I enlisted Balky’s help to get Papa’s pistol and charge it without revealing my plan to him. I knew he would dislike it. It would “be on my head.” Beamer examined the pistol, took aim and declared it would do. As the time drew near, I pointed out to him where he was to take up his position behind the boxwood hedge. “I feel a perfect fool,” he said once again, but as Mama was in favour of the plan, he began almost to enjoy his role.
Mama said admiringly to me, “Don’t worry, Kate. You must know Bernie is an excellent shot.” Beamer lived up to his name. He beamed.
“I’ll not shoot unless I have to, and I’ll not shoot to kill,” he assured us. “If necessary I shall shoot his pistol out of his hand. Don’t doubt that I can do it. If I can bring down a pheasant in flight, I can wing Taylor standing still.” It was Mama’s turn to beam.
He went out, ready to take up his post at my signal. I went to call Lorna down. She was sitting on the bed with her hat on and her packed bag at her feet. She leapt up when I entered. “Did you get it?” she demanded. “Did you get the money?”
“I told you Acton is coming here. We’re going to meet him in the library.”
“What does he want to see me for? He never wants to see me. He can give you the cash.”
After all the trouble I had gone to, I became impatient with her. “Those are his terms, Lorna,” I said. “If you want the money, come along to the library.”
“This better not be a trick,” she said, but she got up and followed me down to the library. Lorna seemed relieved to see Mama was there as well. “Well, Lucy, what do you think of this?” she asked, and uttered a nervous little laugh.
“I hate to see you go. We shall visit often. Signora Rossini forecasts good news, Lorna, so you will be all right. You know she is always right. Kate seems to think it is all right too,” was Mama’s answer.
The coach must have been in good time. At a quarter past four I caught the echo of a carriage barreling up the drive and used it as an excuse to open the library door. I would leave it open as added enticement to Taylor. “I believe that’s him now,” I said. Lorna followed me to the door, saving me the trouble of finding some excuse to get her positioned there. I wondered how Taylor would get into the rose garden. Very likely he hopped out of the carriage before it reached the front door and ran up through the park. Beamer was waiting around the corner of the house to take up his position as soon as Taylor was in place.
The atmosphere in the library was so tense the air seemed to hum. We all stood as if frozen, waiting. Within moments I heard Acton’s footsteps approaching the library, and heard his voice talking to his secret weapon. A voice — a woman’s voice I didn’t recognize, said something in reply, then they were at the door.