The Stuart Sapphire (6 page)

So the killer had to come from within the Pavilion, someone known to the duty guards who would go unchallenged. Someone aware of the prince’s daily
sea-bathing
and that he was absent watching the shipwreck. Which put an end to any theory that the fatal assignation was prearranged.

‘London is not Brighton, Your Royal Highness,’ Tam pointed out tactfully and was rewarded with a scowl.

‘Is it not, sir, is it not? Upon my soul, we have to inform you that the conclusions you have drawn are quite incorrect. Remarkably so! Brighton is no longer the genteel spa where we chose to build a retreat far from our capital city.’ Pausing, he shook his head sadly. ‘During the last few years, our residence here has become a magnet for the activities of that vile underworld which has followed us down from London.’ And with a sniff of disgust, ‘Encouraged, we do not doubt, by the wicked and false insinuations of our former wife, the Princess of Wales.’

Allowing a moment for Tam to digest this interesting piece of information regarding his domestic life, the prince continued: ‘We have narrowly escaped with our lives on two occasions in the past few weeks since we were created Regent. Out riding on the Steine, as is our habit, shots were fired at our person. But before the criminal could be seized and identified, he vanished into those narrow lanes and alleys, seeking the protection of a thieves’ kitchen, which few of our law officers dare to penetrate. We expect
it is there you will find the monster who committed this dreadful deed.’

Tam had his own reasons for considering that extremely unlikely as the prince boomed:

‘The Watch will give you any assistance that you require, although they are notoriously lacking in able-bodied men. We have as yet no force to equal the Bow Street Runners who take care of such matters in our capital under the admirable supervision of Mr John Townsend. If you fail to make an early arrest, we shall summon his assistance to track the villain down.’

Tam detected a little reluctance in that suggestion as the prince continued: ‘Well, sir, and what are your conclusions now?’

Tam bowed, sought refuge in: ‘Without having access to all the facts, one must not be too hasty, Your Royal Highness, but be assured that I am giving the matter careful thought.’

A secret entrance, invisible and inaccessible from the outside, that could, however, be activated from within the Pavilion, and no signs of a struggle, were facts whose significance he was unwilling at this stage to share with the prince, or the obvious indication that his marchioness was playing him false. Further, that the identity of her killer was well known to her, would possibly be received with anger and astonishment by her royal lover.

Suddenly the room seemed unbearably oppressive. This sordid scene, the smell of stale human sweat, stale perfume – and death.

Tam felt badly in need of some of the sunshine and fresh air that filtered in from the gardens deep in birdsong. For a glimpse of the sea, which he was certain would be an undiminishing blue line stretching to the horizon. A whole
new exciting world waiting to be explored.

An insect trapped in the window pane buzzed frantically seeking an escape route. The prince glared at it angrily and, rising to his feet with a creaking that put in jeopardy the future of the frail gold chair, he indicated that Tam should follow him.

In the withdrawing room the two grooms sprang to their feet, their countenances registering embarrassment, and Tam decided he would have enjoyed being a fly on that particular wall. What were those two polite scions of the nobility – one a royal bastard – making of this latest conclusion of an episode in the prince’s love life?

Tam paused. ‘With Your Royal Highness’s permission, I should like to ask these two gentlemen a few questions.’

The prince frowned, stared from Henry to Percy and back again, as if the request was a matter requiring intense deliberation. Tam thought he was about to refuse, then with a brisk nod he said:

‘Of course, of course. Proceed. We will leave you to it, Mr Eildor.’ And to the grooms, ‘And when Mr Eildor has completed his enquiries, you will attend us in the salon. We have our duties to attend, our appropriate uniforms of the day to consider,’ he added sternly. ‘Life must go on,’ and with a shake of the head, that wry philosophy completely inadequate to the occasion, he quit the room, leaving Tam to explain that he was an Edinburgh lawyer and that, as
such, the prince had asked him to look into the night’s events. The two grooms looked increasingly uncomfortable, frowning sternly at their well-polished Hessian boots as if such elegant footwear might be expected to provide reassuring answers to the problem.

Endeavouring to put them at their ease, Tam said: ‘Won’t you please be seated, gentlemen,’ and indicating the table nearby he took the seat opposite.

‘This is a very unpleasant business,’ he said in what he hoped would pass for a good imitation of a member of the legal profession. ‘And as both of you gentlemen were on duty in the vicinity at the time of death,’ he continued gently, ‘I have to ask – did either of you have cause to leave this room unattended during His Royal Highness’s absence?’

Uneasy looks were exchanged, then Lord Henry spoke up, keeping a sharp eye on the closed bedroom door as if it might suddenly spring open and reveal its fearful contents. Then, clearing his throat in an exact imitation of his royal father, he whispered: ‘We went upstairs – just for a short while, to see how the shipwreck was progressing.’

‘There’s an excellent view from the windows,’ Percy explained. ‘We wanted to see what was happening – not to miss all the fun, y’know.’

A well-directed kick under the table alerted him to the insensitivity of such a remark, as Henry interposed quickly:

‘We are delighted, sir, fortunate indeed, that you survived such a disaster.’

Tam nodded, thinking how fortune had misdirected him into what had all the elements of a worse one. Already the path was lined with lies and deceit and a situation which promised to be increasingly difficult to escape from.

He said to Henry: ‘You mentioned that you were absent for a while – can you be more exact – about how long would you estimate that to be?’

Frowns and looks between the two indicated that calculations were being exchanged. ‘Until it got too dark to see anything more of significance,’ said Percy. ‘Of the ship’s final moments, you know,’ he added in tones of disappointment. ‘We understood that bets were being taken—’

A scowl and a cough from his more sensitive companion who said: ‘We were absent for about half an hour, sir.’

Tam made a mental note and asked: ‘When you returned did you by any chance hear any sounds suggesting a disturbance in His Royal Highness’s bedroom?’

‘None at all, sir. But then there never are any sounds – the walls are exceedingly thick in this part of the house.’ Percy tried and failed to restrain a raised eyebrow, an arch look, indicating that it would never do for such intimacies of the royal love life to be overheard.

‘And in the corridor – out there?’

‘Four household guards. Tenth Dragoons, sir, on duty all night.’

‘I shall have a word with them. Thank you, gentlemen, for your assistance.’

Relief was so clearly indicated on their countenances, the door opened for him with such alacrity, as they followed him out, he was left wondering whether it was merely an unpleasant interview over or if they had something to hide, some vital clue withheld.

As Henry was making the introductions, explaining to the guardsmen that Mr Eildor was an Edinburgh lawyer, Tam caught a glimpse of the grooms’ faces in the mirror. Bland, innocent faces in this nest of corruption and
iniquity, as they bowed out to mull over his questions, their answers and, he did not doubt, the many worrisome speculations that their imaginations might invent.

They could not be much younger than himself in years, but catching sight of his own reflection, he felt intensely old at thirty, as if too many of the world’s past sorrows, inhumanities and follies had been thrust upon his shoulders.

He turned his attention to the four guardsmen who regarded him with carefully suppressed curiosity. Standing at attention, politely awaiting his questions, identical as painted tin soldiers who had leapt from a child’s toy box, their fresh young faces clean-shaven and helmeted, the only difference being that the weapons they carried were primed and ready for instant action.

‘There was an incident last night while His Royal Highness was absent watching the shipwreck, and he has asked me to ascertain the whereabouts of everyone in the vicinity of the royal apartments at that time.’

Puzzled anxious looks were exchanged. Clearly they did not know the nature of the incident and nor was Tam about to enlighten them.

Finding their unmoving rigid presence a little
intimidating
, he indicated that they should be seated.

‘Perhaps I might start with you, sir,’ he said to the one sitting nearest to him, who had been introduced as Warren and was the senior officer.

‘I was here, all night, sir. And I can vouch for these three fellows.’

His gaze was quite direct, no cautious exchange of doubtful glances with his comrades here. All perfectly correct and right.

‘As a matter of fact, sir, we were playing at cards – our
usual evening pursuit when we are on duty. The hours can seem very long and very boring.’

Nods of approval from fellow officers.

‘Where do you sit?’

‘At the table, right here, as we are now.’

Tam looked round the table with its direct unbroken view. The players would be alerted instantly to anyone approaching the royal apartments, unless their powers of concentration were absorbed by a losing hand and the probable financial loss involving a large bet.

‘So you would observe anyone coming or going?’

Warren nodded. ‘We would indeed, sir. But there rarely is anyone but ourselves. And,’ he added confidently, ‘there is an outer ring of guards downstairs any interloper would have to get through first.’

A nod from the guardsman sitting next to him, whose name was Toby: ‘Very strong security, sir, particularly since attempts on His Royal Highness’s life—’

A delicate cough, the suspicion of a warning nudge from Warren and, clearing his throat apologetically, Toby subsided.

Tam said: ‘You mentioned that there never was anyone – usually.’

Again Warren nodded. ‘Last night Lord Henry and Lord Percy went upstairs to watch the shipwreck. They gave us the nod and we promised to keep an eye on everything.’

‘And when would that be?’

‘Before nine o’clock. They were only gone for half an hour.’

‘And that is absolutely all? There was nothing unusual during their absence?’

Looks exchanged, heads shaken. ‘Nothing in the least unusual,’ said Warren.

‘Unless you would consider it significant for one of our fellows from downstairs,’ prompted Toby, ‘walking along the corridor, inspecting the condition of the light sconces.’

Warren nodded. ‘There had been complaints.’

‘And who was this fellow?’

Warren shook his head. ‘One of our lads, wearing a uniform jacket, a bit casually dressed,’ he added rather severely, ‘but the light was too dim to make out any details. But he knew us, greeted us by name, gave us goodnight.’

‘He forgot to salute, which he should have done to his superior officers,’ said Toby severely.

‘We don’t make too much insistence on such details,’ Warren interrupted hastily, ‘not during the night. Keep it informal, we’re not in battle rank ready for inspection.’

‘Did you see this officer return again in the direction of the stairs?’

Again heads were shaken. ‘We weren’t watching him every moment, sir. We were somewhat involved in our game – a crucial stage—’

‘So you presumed he had completed his inspection.’

‘That is so, sir.’

‘Without actually seeing him leave?’

A frown from Warren. ‘Exactly so, sir. Is it important?’

It was important, but Tam, feeling that he was on the road to nowhere, thanked them and took his departure.

The interview had been something of a revelation and had yielded the first clue. This genial guardsman who had forgotten to salute his superior officers was most probably also the murderer. In a borrowed uniform, causing a diversion about the lights, he had managed to distract the guards’ attention. Knowing that Henry and Percy were absent he had taken the opportunity to slip into the royal bedroom and murder the marchioness.

A more daring and brazen approach, carefully planned and timed with the possibility of an accomplice, cancelled out Tam’s original theory regarding the secret entrance to the royal bedroom.

For a moment it all sounded plausible enough, but closer thought revealed a multitude of holes that needed filling in, a host of improbabilities. And the greatest of them looming heavily upon the horizon was the missing key to the solution of any crime. Who had most to gain; find that and with it you unlock the answer.

Tam shook his head wearily. With someone as enigmatic and dissolute as the marchioness, there might be in the Pavilion itself quite a queue lining up of gentlemen, or ladies for that matter, who had their own reasons for wishing to see the back of her permanently. Her husband the marquis, at home in Lewes, with a carefully prepared alibi, might well head the list.

The trouble was, how did this person or persons unknown manage to fit it all so neatly into the time when the grooms were watching the shipwreck? Surely a stroke of luck, a heaven-sent opportunity.

Tam shook his head and returned again to the most plausible solution of the crime. The secret door and the possibility that the marchioness might not have been murdered during the grooms’ absence but at any time before the prince’s expected return.

As he prepared to return through the withdrawing room, Warren said sternly:

‘We have instructions from Lord Henry and Lord Percy that the royal apartments are to be left untouched and unentered awaiting further orders from His Royal Highness.’

Tam nodded. ‘I believe I am an exception, gentlemen, as
I am in charge of this enquiry.’

‘Can you tell us more, sir, is it serious?’ asked Toby.

Tam shook his head gravely. ‘I am afraid you must obey royal orders and I must also request your silence and your discretion. Doubtless you will be fully informed in due course.’

Leaving them, he hurried towards the bedroom, averting his eyes from the sheeted corpse. How much longer could the prince keep the presence of the dead woman in his bed a secret? Had he already activated some plans for her discreet disposal? And what of her family?

None of these delicate matters, he was thankful, were any of his business, he thought as, repeating the prince’s action, he touched the decorated dado and the secret door slid open, revealing the narrow staircase, lit by narrow slits in the outer fabric of the wall which, if noticed at all, would be taken for some sort of ventilation.

Had this been the entrance for the marchioness’s unknown visitor or had the genial guardsman attending to the lights been her killer, Tam wondered, as a steep descent ended at a closed door.

Turning the lock, a moment later he emerged into the brightness of summer sunlight and an unmistakable smell of horses, indicating, along with the cobbled road, the presence of the royal stables, their exit on to the Steine marked by double gates in a solid wall. Letting himself out by a tiny door for pedestrians within the gates, he was in the vast grounds which enclosed the Pavilion.

He smiled delightedly. Until he had a clearer indication where this particular time-quest was leading, he intended to enjoy the less sinister aspects of nature as characterised by the ornate gardens surrounding him. Flowers, shrubs and a handsome grove of elms framed arbours with secluded seats,
all dominated by a circular glass dome, an outdoor salon used for musical evenings, for masques and social gatherings.

It was all extremely elegant, music to his ears to hear in the middle distance the refreshing sounds of a normal world. Raised voices of street vendors, children playing, a baby crying, a couple quarrelling, the rumble of coaches and horses trotting nearby, the raucous cries of seabirds wheeling above his head and the salt-pure smell of the sea. The everyday sounds of lives that existed side by side with the claustrophobic Pavilion and its extraordinary inmates from which he had temporarily escaped.

He inhaled deeply, and the air was good. Good to be alone without having to measure each sentence, each word, knowing that a false step could leave him floundering in that slough of deception and corruption.

But he was not alone. Someone else was of like mind. Was he never to escape, not even for a few minutes? He groaned as he saw approaching rapidly in his direction the now familiar figure of Lord Henry. He was accompanied by the buxom girl he had glimpsed earlier who had beamed upon him so coquettishly as he was leaving the prince’s breakfast room.

A maid or lady-in-waiting, now again smiling broadly in his direction, waving her hand. How very tiresome. He bowed.

A moment later they were face-to-face and he saw that Henry bore a remarkable resemblance to the girl on closer inspection. They could have been siblings – which indeed they almost were.

Henry was making the introductions and Tam found himself in the embarrassing situation of being presented to the unprepossessing young female as Her Royal Highness, Princess Charlotte, England’s future queen.