The Riddle at Gipsy's Mile (An Angela Marchmont Mystery 4) (34 page)

‘
Where is Miles?
’
said Angela, looking about her.

‘
At home,
’
said Marguerite.
‘
You shall see him later
—
you are staying with us tonight, aren
’
t you? Of course you are.
’

‘
How is h
e?
’

‘
Better, I think,
’
said Marguerite.
‘
This whole thing with Gil
’
s chorus-girl has hit him rather hard, although at least there
’
s no danger of him being put in prison now
—
Sergeant Spillett seems to think that he and Gil will be let off with a fine.
’

‘
Oh,
good,
’
said Angela.

‘
Yes, it
’
s
such
a relief, darling. I don
’
t know what on earth I should have done without him. He is my rock, you know
—
simply my rock.
’

She fluttered off, and Angela shortly afterwards saw her flirting openly with Vassily. She shook her
head with a smile.

‘
Hallo, Angela,
’
said a familiar voice. It was Lucy Syms. She appeared to be alone.

‘
Lucy!
’
said Angela.
‘
Where is Gil?
’

‘
At home,
’
she replied.
‘
He didn
’
t feel quite up to coming this evening, but I thought I ought to make the effort m
yself.
’

‘
How is he?
’

‘
Oh, very much better,
’
said Lucy,
‘
but he didn
’
t want to steal Marguerite
’
s thunder by making an appearance. He is still rather the talk of the place, you see.
’

‘
I imagine he is,
’
said Angela.
‘
And how are you? I hear you are getting married very soon.
’

‘
Yes,
’
said Lucy with a little blush.
‘
We thought it best, after all that has happened. The sooner we can return to normal life the better, I think.
’

‘
I think you are quite right,
’
said Angela.
‘
T
he whole affair has been very unfortunate. Poor Gil
—
first of all he is arrested for murder, and then finds out that his mother was behind it! It must have been a blow.
’

‘
Yes, it was. It came as a complete shock to both of us, in fact.
’

Angela looked direct
ly at Lucy, whose face was as bland and impassive as ever.

‘
I see,
’
she said.
‘
I had thought perhaps
—’

‘
Yes?
’
said Lucy.

‘
Lady Alice was an old woman,
’
said Angela carefully,
‘
and it had occurred to me to wonder how exactly she was planning to get rid of L
ita
’
s body. She could hardly lift it by herself, could she?
’

‘
I suppose not,
’
said Lucy.

‘
She would have needed help from someone, don
’
t you think?
’

‘
Perhaps,
’
said Lucy.
‘
Or perhaps she hadn
’
t taken it into account. After all, Lita disappeared, and fortun
ately for Lady Alice she never had to dispose of the body in the end, did she?
’

She returned Angela
’
s gaze steadily.

‘
Do you think she cleaned the cottage herself?
’
said Angela.

‘
Why, she must have, I suppose,
’
said Lucy.

‘
And yet I can
’
t see her doing it,
somehow.
’

‘
No, but you must remember she was desperate,
’
said Lucy. She went on briskly,
‘
At any rate, the case has been closed now to everybody
’
s satisfaction, and even if she did have someone to help her
—’

‘
A servant, perhaps?
’
said Angela, still holdin
g Lucy
’
s gaze.

‘
Perhaps,
’
said Lucy.
‘
Even if she did have an accomplice, whoever it was, there
’
s no proof. And what use would there be in dragging it all up again?
’

‘
None at all,
’
said Angela,
‘
were it not for the little boy who is now heir to Blakeney Pa
rk. I understand he is to visit you.
’

‘
Yes, he is. His uncle was very reluctant at first, after all that happened, but Gil is anxious to acknowledge his son and provide for him. What of it?
’
She was defiant now.

‘
Oh, nothing. I just thought that there migh
t be some members of the Blakeney household
—’
Angela paused delicately.

‘
Servants, perhaps?
’

‘—
servants, perhaps
—
who are very loyal to the family and would consider him an obstacle. After all, he is in line to inherit the estate, and any children of your m
arriage are bound to be disadvantaged.
’

Lucy shook her head.

‘
Nobody considers him an obstacle,
’
she said firmly.
‘
Bertie is Gil
’
s son, and as such will be welcomed by everyone
—
including myself. I very much look forward to meeting him.
’

‘
I am glad to hear
it,
’
said Angela, smiling.
‘
With you as his mother I need not worry that he will come to any harm.
’
She paused, and went on with emphasis.
‘
I shall be watching his progress with interest.
’

‘
I don
’
t doubt it,
’
said Lucy. Angela was satisfied that they under
stood each other, and excused herself. How much of the plan had been Lucy
’
s they should never know, but Angela strongly suspected that she had persuaded
—
or challenged
—
Lady Alice to confess to the whole thing after Gil disappeared. After all, Lady Alice he
r
self had promised not to stand in the way of the marriage. Had Lucy held her to that promise by forcing her to take all the blame onto herself? Angela shivered slightly. She was certain that Blakeney Park was in safe hands with Lucy, but pitied anyone who
decided to cross her. Lucy Syms was a remarkable girl.

‘
Well, William,
’
said Angela the next morning as they drove away from Gipsy
’
s Mile,
‘
it looks as though Mrs. Harrison
’
s exhibition has been a r
oaring success this time. I must say, it was quite refreshing to spend the evening contemplating the higher forms of art without risking a punch in the face from the artist.
’

‘
Art, do you call it?
’
said William.
‘
I can
’
t say it
’
s to my taste, but I dare sa
y you know better, ma
’
am.
’

‘
Oh, no,
’
said Angela.
‘
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, as they say. You
’
re quite welcome to dislike it, if you prefer.
’

‘
I didn
’
t mind some of it,
’
he said awkwardly.
‘
Mrs. Harrison
’
s work is kind of interesting, I guess.
’

‘
It is, isn
’
t it? Some people find it rather too daring, but I believe I am a modern woman and I must say I quite like it. Now, then, do you suppose we shall arrive back in London in time for lunch? We set off a little late
—
by the way, William, you really
must stop disappearing like that.
’

‘
I
’
m sorry, ma
’
am,
’
said the young man, going pink.
‘
It won
’
t happen again.
’

Angela glanced at him.

‘
Your face, William,
’
she said.

William scrubbed at his cheek.

***

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THE MURDER AT SISSINGHAM HALL

On his return from South Africa, Charles Knox is invited to spend the weekend at the country home of Sir Neville Strickland, whose beautiful wife Rosamund was once Knox's fiancé
e. But in the
dead of night Sir Neville is murdered. Who did it? As suspicion falls on each of the house guests in turn, Knox finds himself faced with deception and betrayal on all sides, and only the enigmatic Angela Marchmont seems to offer a solution to the mystery.

This 1920s whodunit will delight all fans of traditional country house murder stories.

THE MYSTERY AT UNDERWOOD HOUSE

Old Philip Haynes was never happie
r than when his family were at each other's throats. Even after his death the terms of his will ensured they would keep on feuding. But now three people are dead and the accusations are flying. Can there really be a murderer in the family? Torn between fr
i
endship and duty, Angela Marchmont must find out the truth before the killer can strike again.

THE TREASURE AT POLDARROW POINT

When Angela Marchmont goes to Cornwall on doctor's orders she is looking forward to a nice res
t and nothing more exciting than a little sea-bathing. But her plans for a quiet holiday are dashed when she is caught up in the hunt for a diamond necklace which, according to legend, has been hidden in the old smugglers' house at Poldarrow Point for ove
r
a century.

Aided by the house's elderly owner, an irrepressible twelve-year-old, and a handsome Scotland Yard detective, Angela soon finds herself embroiled in the most perplexing of mysteries. Who is the author of the anonymous letters? Why is someone br
eaking into the house at night? And is it really true that a notorious jewel-thief is after the treasure too? Angela must use all her powers of deduction to solve the case and find the necklace
—
before someone else does.

Clara Benson was
born in 1890 and as a young woman wrote several novels featuring Angela Marchmont. She was unpublished in her lifetime, preferring to describe her writing as a hobby, and it was not until many years after her death in 1965 that her family rediscovered he
r
work and decided to introduce it to a wider audience.