‘So, Lucy is the reason why you’ve been visiting Spain all this time?’ asked Amanda.
‘Yes, in the main. Although I have also needed to see and consult with Vee and Harry.’
‘That’s why you didn’t retire when you’d served your twenty-five years,’ marvelled Thomas. Hogarth looked up, sat down and picked up his cup of tea.
‘I’ve never despaired.’ He smiled at his friends. ‘Especially not now. Oh no. I don’t believe you two have finished yet. I had to get you to be inside the case. And now …’
‘I do have an avenue to pursue,’ Trelawney admitted.
Amanda looked at Hogarth impishly, then said,
‘Gran Flossie is taking me for a girls’ day out. I’m sure it’ll give me inspiration!’
Trelawney had made no objection to this arrangement; glad Amanda was being looked after. For he had his own fish to fry.
At that moment, Hogarth’s phone rang. He remained seated and answered the call, entirely at his ease with his company overhearing every word:
‘Yes, Marielle, my love, I do have good news. Amanda and Thomas are on the case. The Hounds of Hogarth are loosed.’
Chapter 36
Flamgoyne
‘This may be tricky, Thomas,’ Kyt warned, as his son drove his Ford toward the gates of Flamgoyne. They opened before the Arlodh and the Young Master.
‘This is the first time I’ll have parked outside the house,’ Thomas remarked.
‘Quite an occasion.’
‘Yes, I do realise it is a delicate subject I’m broaching. Thank you again, Dad, for arranging it.’
‘You’ll have to build your own relationship with him, you know, son, if you’re going to keep wanting to pump him for information. Plus, if I pop my clogs before he does, he’ll be your estate manager.’
‘Heaven forfend,’ replied Thomas, as he stopped the car. ‘That doesn’t bear thinking about on any level!’
They got out and approached the imposing double doors, dark oak, iron-bound, framed by the granite of the Moor.
‘How on earth is he dealing with it all? With little or no staff?’ asked Thomas.
‘He couldn’t hire much if he tried. This place doesn’t have the best reputation.’
‘What are you going to do with the estate, Dad?’
‘At the moment, no idea. I can’t sell it from under Pasco. And, anyway, it reeks of sorcery that must not be inflicted on anyone else. Don’t worry. We’ll figure it out between us.’
Their arrival was anticipated; the doors opened, and there stood a tall, broad-shouldered man of advanced years with bushy grey eyebrows. He gave a nod of the head, which might have been a simple greeting or a deferential gesture.
‘Masters.’
‘Pasco,’ Kyt greeted him.
‘Good day,’ said Thomas.
Pasco led the way to the back of the house and the kitchen, the warmest place in the mansion. The kettle was on, more of a welcome than Thomas had expected. They sat at the old scrubbed wooden table while Pasco made tea. No biscuits. That was still a bridge too far. They thanked him as he sat down.
Thomas opened with, ‘I appreciate your seeing me, Pasco.’ The inspector put his hands on the table and left his police notebook in his pocket. Taking notes would not expedite matters.
‘Hm. You wants to know about that night,’ surmised the estate manager. ‘The fire and the Dowrkampyer house.’
‘Please. Anything you can tell us that might shed light on what happened.’
‘Confidential.’ It was more of a statement of a condition than a question. Thomas was quick to reassure him.
‘Of course. Yes, in confidence.’
‘Well ... know this first: I weren’t there.’ Thomas nodded. ‘I didn’t go with them. My place is here, see?’
‘Understood.’
‘But I see when they come back,’ Pasco conceded.
‘Ah.’ This sounded hopeful.
‘Mistress Agacine they brought in and I helped put her on the drawin’ room sofa.’
‘Was Master Thomas’s aunt hurt?’ Kyt enquired, tipping off his son as to the relationship.
‘Dead.’ Pasco drank some of his tea.
‘I see.’
Pasco volunteered the next piece of information.
‘And Master Kaskarrek, he was wounded and so was Master Dial and Mistress Grona.’
‘May I ask how?’ enquired Thomas.
The estate manager shrugged his shoulders. ‘Hm. Spell burns mostly. Multiple stuns. Maze and sting, prob’ly.’
‘Who else came back, Pasco?’
‘All of them.’
‘Even Lady Gr— Great-grandmother?’
‘Yes. The Arlodha led as always,’ Pasco stated with a touch of pride.
‘Was anyone else hurt?
‘Mightabin, but those was who I saw.’
Trelawney tried a new tack.
‘Did you overhear anything they said?’
‘Not much. Not my place in the drawin’ room. I just ’elped them in. But I ’eard the Arlodha say “Job done”.’
‘Did they mention the Cardiubarns?’
‘Not that I ‘eard.’
Thomas asked carefully, ‘Were they carrying anything?’
‘Master Kro looked like he ‘ad somethin’ under ’is cloak.’
‘Any idea what?’
‘Big. Mightabin a book. I did see somethin’ shiny under Mistress Peryl’s coat, but I couldn’t say no more ’n that.’ The words were final.
‘Did you notice anything about the book that Kro was carrying or hear any rumours about what it could have been?’
‘No, not I.’
Thomas nodded as though in acceptance.
‘Did you ever hear the family refer to that night again afterwards?’
‘Not in my hearin’. You’d ’ave to talk to one of the ’ouse servants. Course they’ve all gone, after ....’
‘Yes. Have you any idea what killed Mis— Aunt Agacine?
‘Spell I ’spect. Can’t say what for sure.’
‘What happened to the wounded?’
Pasco seemed pleased to be able to say, ‘They recovered.’
‘And Aunt Agacine? What was the cause of death on the death certificate? Do you know?
‘Erm
