always been brought up to believe that his first duty was to tradition … to the family name. You can see how he was torn. He had to save his house; the family must go on living in the style to which it was accustomed. Alice could not rise to what would be demanded of her. He had loved Alice … he had been led into the temptation of marrying her. But she was not suitable to be a Perrivale wife. I can see how it happened.”
“You certainly make it sound plausible.”
“I think Sir Edward could not die with this secret on his conscience.
I think he may have confessed when he was near the end. And to whom would he confess but to the one whom it concerned most . the woman who thought she was his wife? Imagine it: “I cannot go like this. I must tell the truth now. My heir is Simon, the boy I brought into this house. I married his mother and that means I am not truly married to you.” That was how it must have happened. Maria said that she heard them quarrelling violently and that Lady Perrivale went very strange at the time of his death. It must have been because of this. “
“Are you suggesting that she was involved in the murder? You can’t think she killed her own son just to get Simon accused.”
“Of course not. What she did was tell her son. She would, wouldn’t she? Or perhaps Sir Edward told them. Yes, of
course, it would concern them most . next to Lady Perrivale, of course. “
“But it was Cosmo who was murdered.”
“I always had a notion that Tristan was the murderer. I used to think he killed Cosmo because he wanted the title and estates … and Mirabel. Just imagine what he would feel to be in second place and miss all the prizes.”
“Lucas is in a similar position.”
“Well, before his accident he didn’t want to stay at home.”
“And he had his army career for a while.”
“Yes, and he gave that up and travelled a great deal and was rather restless. I begin to see it more clearly. I always thought Tristan was involved somehow. He had everything to gain. And there was Mirabel.
She married him very soon after Cosmo was killed. “
“And what of the child she seems to have got rid of?”
“I don’t understand that. It’s too complicated, but at least if Tristan was aware that Simon was really his father’s heir … he would want to get him out of the way. So he kills Cosmo and arranges that Simon is blamed for it. So both encumbrances are removed. Sir Edward dies … there is nothing to say that Tristan is not the rightful heir.”
“It’s taking shape,” said Felicity.
“But how are you going to prove all this?”
“I don’t know … yet. But we’ve taken a great step forward … thanks to you. Felicity. I think I shall know what to do when the time is right.”
“And in the meantime … ?”
“I shall tell Lucas, when I see him, what we have discovered. He is very astute. He will suggest what action we take next. Something has occurred to me. Lady Perrivale the Dowager Lady Perrivale is searching for something in Sir Edward’s room. She lights candles at night or she did before Maria hid them for fear she burned the house down-and went prowling round looking. What was she looking for, do you think?”
“Simple logic would point to a will.”
“Exactly. The last will of Sir Edward Perrivale in which he states that Simon is his legitimate son and heir. He cannot go to his grave with that secret on his conscience.”
“So to purge his own soul he plunges those who for years have believed themselves to be his only family into turmoil.”
I nodded.
“He knows that if someone gets his or her hands on the will while he is too ill to know what is happening, it will be destroyed. So he hides it, meaning to produce it to the solicitor or someone whom he can trust when he gets the opportunity to do so. Now Lady Perrivale knows that this will exists. She must find it and destroy it for the sake of her sons, if for nothing else. She is not very clear in her mind … but she hangs on to the fact that it exists. That is why she wanders about at night looking for it.”
“H’m. Sounds likely.”
“I often visit Lady Perrivale. There might be an opportunity …”
“You’d better be careful.”
“That’s what Lucas says.”
“If this is true and Tristan killed once, he might not hesitate to do so again, and people who know too much might be in danger.”
“I’ll be watchful.”
“I’m really serious, Rosetta. I’m worried about you.”
“Don’t be. I’ll be careful. They don’t suspect anything. I’m just the governess.”
“But no ordinary governess.”
“Oh yes, I am really. It just happens that I have found a way of getting on with Kate better than most could.”
“Well, don’t be rash.”
“I promise.”
“Now we’d better get some sleep, I suppose.”
“Felicity, I can’t tell you how grateful I am for your help.”
“Oh really … it was fun. I like a mystery as well as anyone.”
“One of the nicest things that ever happened to me was when you came to teach me.”
“Well, on that happy note, we’ll say good night.”
When I arrived in Cornwall, Kate greeted me sullenly.
“You’ve been away a long time,” she said.
“It wasn’t really so long. I met a friend who used to be my governess.”
I told her about Felicity’s coming to the house and how I had been imagining she would be an ogre, how they had all liked her in the kitchen and she used to join us for meals.
Her mood changed. She was really very pleased to see me back.
“Did Mr. Dolland do The Bells?”
“Yes.”
“I wish you’d take me up there.”
“I might… one day.”
“One day, one day,” she mocked.
“I don’t want one day. I want now. You ought to have taken me with you.”
I was glad when I was able to retire to my room. I wanted to brood on all that had happened. I was sure we were right in our theories. I could picture it all so clearly. Sir Edward, on the point of death, had made his startling revelations. If Tristan could kill Cosmo and have Simon hanged for murder, no one need ever know of the previous marriage. It would be between Tristan and his mother. He would certainly trust her to keep quiet. She would not want it to be known that, though she had lived with Sir Edward and borne him two sons, she had not been his wife.
How could the truth be brought out? How could Simon be exonerated?
There was the marriage certificate in the hands of Miss Ada Ferrers.
There would be the records in
St. Botolph’s Church. But even though Simon was proved to be the true heir to the Perrivale estate, that would not clear him of the charge.
Even if the will-if there was one-were found, that would not be enough.
I felt we had come to an impasse. We had uncovered dark secrets, reasons for murder . but we had not found the identity of the murderer.
Still, if I could find that document. Sir Edward could move only with difficulty, I imagined. It would be in his room. Where would he be likely to hide a document?
I was becoming more and more certain that it was a will for which Lady Perrivale was searching, and I was
