An All-Consuming Fire (32 page)

Felicity had worked her way to the end of the long room when she was surprised to see Corin and his mother there. How must they be feeling after the events of last night?

She greeted them warmly. “Thank you so much for coming.” She didn’t know what else to say.

But Corin didn’t dodge the topic. “I thought it would be good for Mum to get out of that dreary hospital. Besides, the police won’t even let her near Dad’s room.”

Felicity was still trying to think of a reply when she glimpsed Antony talking to someone in the vestibule. What was DI Nosterfield doing here? Had he actually come to their wedding?

She stepped into the anteroom to greet him, then overheard enough to understand that the Detective Inspector was there on duty. Stanton Alnderby had died. She started forward but was stopped by an hysterical outburst, “No! No! No!”

Before Felicity could spot the source of the cry she felt herself slammed against the wall. A pair of strong hands seized her shoulders and began shaking her. “Murderess! You killed him! You killed—”

Antony and Nosterfield pulled Sylvia Mountbank from Felicity before she could bang her head into the stone wall again. Felicity shook her head to clear it. Had she understood the implications of Sylvia’s hysteria correctly? Sylvia and Stanton?

“You were working with Stanton to secure his inheritance?” Felicity struggled to keep her voice level, to sound calm in the face of such frenzy.

“Inheritance? That didn’t matter. Not to me. I loved him. And he loved me. I was worthy of him. I could make him happy. That poor man, stuck for all those years with that drab Elsa.”

Corin and his mother entered just in time to hear Sylvia’s words. Elsa strode across the foyer, pulled back her arm and landed a resounding slap on Sylvia’s cheek. “‘Helping scout filming locations,’ he said. How stupid did you think I was? I suppose you thought you were the first? My husband used the women he made fall for him just like he used everyone else. Yes, I put up with it all for years because I fell for the ‘saving the inheritance for Corin’ line. But now that Corin doesn’t want it, I would have blown the whistle if Stanton hadn’t done it on himself.”

Elsa paused and shook her head. “It’s just a shame I didn’t do it sooner. What a pity so many people had to die.” She looked at the now-sobbing Sylvia. “Did you kill for him, or just help cover it all?”

But now that a more complete picture was forming in her mind Felicity had other questions. She stepped forward. It was her turn to grab Sylvia’s shoulders. “Did you know about Harry’s porn operation?”

At that Sylvia’s tears turned to anger. “Of course I knew. Harry ogling naked women. This was the perfect way to get back at him. Two birds with one stone, so to speak.”

“You brought the soap from the B & B, didn’t you? You were in on the whole thing.”

Sylvia’s shoulders slumped. “What difference does it make now that Stanton’s gone?”

“And you drugged your own dog?” Felicity’s voice rang with incredulity.

“I wouldn’t have let her die. It was a lucky touch that your mother happened along.”

“And Harry wasn’t the one dealing drugs, was he?”

Sylvia shrugged. “He was happy enough to make a delivery to Syd for me. I didn’t actually intend to stitch him up. That was an added bonus.”

“But why didn’t Harry deny the charge?

Sylvia gave a smug smile.

“He loved you that much?” Felicity shook her head. “But why do all that to sabotage the film? Once you thought Father Paulinus’s notes were gone?”

Sylvia almost spit. “Harry’s precious mini-series. You heard him—there was no money in it. If it failed Harry would have had to accept that offer in Australia and I’d be free of him.”

Felicity frowned. “Free of Harry? Why not just walk away?”

“And walk away from the company as well? And leave it to Harry? Never. He had to go and leave it to me.”

“And if that didn’t work framing him for the drugs would work just as well.” Felicity was still shaking her head as Antony slipped his arm around her and led her away. “Did you hear that? She must be insane.”

“Or far too clever for her own good. It sounds like they had some sort of agreement that if either one left Studio Six went to the remaining partner.”

“Like a prenuptial agreement?” Felicity struggled to understand. “Only they weren’t married.”

“I think it’s called a tontine—last man standing.”

Felicity nodded. “And Sylvia was determined to be that man.”

Behind them they heard DI Nosterfield charging Sylvia with conspiracy to commit murder. It would take the police a long time to sort it all out, but Antony and Felicity were free of all the entangling questions and shadows.

Cynthia, Andrew, Beryl and Gwendolyn met them at the back of the hall. Beyond them Felicity could see their guests laughing, visiting and enjoying the remains of the buffet and thick slices of the marzipan and fondant wrapped wedding cake.

“Don’t worry, I’ll save you a big piece of cake,” Cynthia said as she wrapped Felicity’s long, green woolen cape around her shoulders.

Gwena handed Antony his silver grey top hat. “On to the future, Squib,” she said.

He grabbed Felicity’s hand to lead her to the waiting car. “Let’s go!”

Donna Fletcher Crow is the author of 45 books, mostly novels of British history. The award-winning
Glastonbury
,
The Novel of Christian England
, an Arthurian epic covering 15 centuries of English history, is her best-known work. She also authors The Lord Danvers Mysteries.
A Tincture of Murder
is her latest in these Victorian true-crime novels. The Elizabeth and Richard Mysteries are her literary suspense series of which
A Jane Austen Encounter
is the latest.
An All-Consuming Fire
is the fifth of Felicity and Antony’s adventures in the Monastery Murders. Donna and her husband of 50 years live in Boise, Idaho. They have 4 adult children and 14 grandchildren. She is an enthusiastic gardener.

To read more about all of Donna’s books and see pictures from her garden and research trips go to:

www.DonnaFletcherCrow.com

You can follow her on Facebook at:

Donna Fletcher Crow, Novelist of British History

A Very Private Grave
Felicity is devastated when she finds her beloved Father Dominic bludgeoned to death. When Antony is accused of the murder they are propelled to a quest across the north of England in the steps of Saint Cuthbert, following and being followed by murderers.

A Darkly Hidden Truth
Felicity can’t possibly help Father Antony find the valuable missing icon. She’s off to become a nun. Then her overwhelming mother turns up unexpectedly and a good friend turns up murdered. From the misty marshes of the Norfolk Broads to the domains of the Knights Hospitaller in London conflict and danger dog Felicity’s steps.

An Unholy Communion
The body plummeted from the tower, rolled down the hillside and landed at Felicity's feet demolishing her plans for a quiet summer holiday. The sinister events increase as Felicity and Antony guide a youthwalk along an ancient pilgrimage route in Wales turning an idyllic pilgrimage across the land of saints and legends into a life-and-death struggle between good and evil.

A Newly Crimsoned Reliquary
Oxford’s muffled bells toll another death. Could the Medieval Latin document Felicity is translating for the good sisters at the Convent of the Incarnation have anything to do with the repeated attacks? Can Felicity prevent the next tragedy when Murder stalks the shadows of Oxford’s Hallowed Shrines?