“It is superstitious nonsense,” The Countess protested.
“No, you feel it! You believe, irrationally but emotionally, that the actions of your father and your brother and your son all contributed to the bad fortune that this family has experienced. The fake lapis, for example. You were probably duped in a massive business deal and ended up with a pile of worthless rocks, and you saw that as one more punishment from God for the family’s sins. The curse. And yes, of course you wanted to make up for that, expunge it somehow. I can see why. You know the Brodies were wronged, though all evidence has been destroyed. You married Lady Katharine to Jacob Brodie, hoping that by elevating him to the level of this family, you could clear the debt. It was some kind of spiritual balancing act.”
The Countess flared her nostrils. Lady Agnes’s fingers tightened on her mother’s shoulders.
“But it went more wrong than you could have imagined. Jacob died. Oscar has grown up strange, which is not your fault.”
“The curse! It continues!”
“There is no curse. Just an odd and lonely young man.” Adelia shook her head. “You have nothing at all to do with the deaths, and the lapis lazuli, real or fake, has nothing to do with the deaths, and the ice house has nothing to do with the deaths.”
“Then why am I here?”
“Because in the keeping of these secrets, you have prevented the investigation from moving forward.”
“Worse than that!” Theodore said as fury began to blaze on his face. “It is far worse than that! I can see it now. For as we are slowly unearthing these things, Oscar Brodie has done so too – but he has been without access to the truth. With no one willing to put him straight, what manner of things has he concluded? He has created the very worst of stories in his head to explain all of the half-truths that he thinks he knows.”
“Good heavens!” cried Captain Everard. “It has led him to murder!”
“Yes! Believing in half-formed secrets has led to the murder of Hartley Knight – whom he suspected of knowing things, perhaps. Only Brodie himself can tell us what he believed. And the slow poisoning of our dear Felicia – why? I am not sure yet of what lies behind that but it must now all tie in. The attempted murder of Percy – for what ends, we still cannot imagine. But the man is guilty, and must be stopped. Where is he?” Theodore said.
“Have we yet enough evidence to convict him though?” Captain Everard said.
“I shall not testify,” The Countess said.
“You must!”
“No one tells me what I must and must not do. My involvement has made things worse at every turn. I resign all my influence. I shall say nothing and that is that.”
“Your silence protects Oscar Brodie.”
“He is family. He is blood.”
“And Felicia is not,” spat Adelia. “Oh, yes. I have the measure of you now.”
It didn’t seem to bother The Countess one bit. Lady Agnes withdrew her hands, and took a step towards Captain Everard. That made her allegiance very clear. Adelia hoped that it was not too late for her, and that the good officer could see past the web of lies that she was embroiled in.
Theodore sprang into action. “Evidence,” he said in reply to Captain Everard. “That is what I shall gather and we shall start in Felicia’s rooms. Doctor Netherfield, I would value your assistance.”
“And what can I do?” asked Captain Everard.
“We must now go very carefully. I want to keep Oscar Brodie close but keep him from doing harm until we are ready to present our case to the police. Will you move in here? We must get Percy back here too, and say that we are ... oh, I don’t know. Planning some scientific experiments?”
Captain Everard looked sceptical.
“A hunting party?” Theodore went on.
The captain shook his head. “At this time of year?”
“Rebuilding and planning household alterations?”
He winced but said, “I think that is the very closest we might manage, but he will surely suspect something.”
“He will not. You are moving in here to get to know us all better as a family, just for a day or two,” Lady Agnes said, and there was so much meaning in her words that still no one was able to show that they understood what she really meant.
But Captain Everard certainly understood, and he even smiled a little as he said, “I like that. Of course. I should be honoured.”
Adelia breathed out. At least one thing was working out favourably.
“I agree that he will be suspicious of us but let us ensure we keep him under close watch. We know that he favours the company of men as he seeks to make up for what he feels that he lacks, so let us invite him into our circle,” Theodore said. “He can do no harm at our side and while he is occupied with one of us, the others can find the evidence that the police need.”
The other men nodded in reluctant agreement.
“And us?” Lady Agnes said.
The Countess sniffed and half closed her eyes. She was not interested in any part of the business.
Adelia replied, “We will do all we can to press for the release of Felicia. Not because we think it will do any good,” she went on, a little sadly. “But it is what will be expected of us and we must follow the usual patterns of behaviour.”
The doctor spoke up. “That is the most beneficial thing that you ladies can do, in my opinion, for it will show the world, but more particularly, it will show Felicia herself that she is worth fighting for. That will help to bring about a change in her mental state, which has
