‘Dorothy Hawksley left the house that day in the clothes she stood up in. She had no money of her own, Hawksley had frittered away her inheritance. Once back in the north west she changed her name, got a job with a distant relative, and saved every penny she earned. Eventually she employed private investigators again. This time they found Hawksley and Katherine in London - and again when they moved to Kirby Marlow. Dorothy wrote to Katherine every week and sent birthday and Christmas presents. When Katherine didn’t reply, she knew Hawksley had intercepted the letters and Katherine hadn’t seen them. She kept writing to her daughter in the hopes that one day they would be reunited. From then on, whenever she took a holiday she stayed in the village or town nearest to Katherine’s boarding school.’
‘Did she ever see Katherine?’
‘Yes, several times, but she never told her who she was. It was enough for Dorothy to know her daughter was alive and safe.’
‘And Katherine believes her mother never wanted her, abandoned her when she was a child, and has since died.’
‘Yes. Dorothy didn’t know Hawksley had told Katherine she was dead. Until a few days ago, Dorothy’s plan was to introduce herself to Katherine on her twenty-first birthday.’
‘Because once she came of age, her father wouldn’t have control over her.’
‘Or his wife.’
‘Wife? Dorothy isn’t still married to the man, surely?’
‘She is. If Hawksley ever intended to divorce Dorothy, he didn’t go through with it. And she wouldn’t dare divorce him, because then he’d be able to find out where she lived. After all this time she’s still terrified of him. Which is why Henry and I think it’s best if she stays in Cumberland until Hawksley has been arrested.’
‘I agree.’
‘Sorry for rabbiting on. What was it that you wanted to tell me?’
Bess looked down. She was still holding the programme from the Prince Albert Theatre in 1940. She showed it to Ena.
‘When we visited Margot she told us the baby’s name and Nancy said, that’s my mummy’s name. I thought nothing of it. I assumed her mother was called Natalie or Elizabeth. But in the early hours of the morning I was woken by a noise in the sitting room. I knew it could only be Nancy, so I got up and went in to her.
‘She had opened the bottom drawer of the old dresser and was looking at my photographs. She pointed to one that Bill had taken of Margot when she was an usherette at the theatre. I think Margot sent us all one.’ Ena nodded. ‘Anyway, Margot was standing with some of the dancers and Nancy said, “That’s my mummy.” And this is the dancer she pointed to.’ Bess gave the programme to Ena. ‘Margot’s friend, Goldie.’
‘Who Sutherland beat up and almost killed?’
‘Yes. And Maeve told me Nancy’s mother was dead.’
‘Which means, if Goldie is Nancy’s mother, Goldie is dead. Oh my God.’ Ena said, suddenly, putting her hand to her mouth. ‘Henry saw Maeve at Sutherland’s funeral.’
‘He didn’t tell me.’
‘No, because the Vicar’s wife said that, as members of the congregation, she had asked Maeve and another woman to attend the funeral or there wouldn’t have been any witnesses to Sutherland’s passing.’
‘And Henry believed her?’
‘He had no reason not to.’
‘If Maeve is… was… Goldie’s cousin,’ Bess said, ‘I suppose she had more reason than most to want to see him buried.’
‘And more reason than most to want to see him dead,’ Ena added.
‘Not necessarily.’ Bess felt the need to defend Maeve, and herself for that matter. ‘I went to his funeral too. It was stupid of me, I know, but at the time I thought seeing him interred would give me some sort of closure. I expect that’s why Maeve was there.’
‘She could have killed him,’ Ena said. ‘She was working on New Year’s Eve.’
Bess shook her head. ‘The only people Margot and I saw anywhere near where Sutherland’s body was found in the spring was Sutherland himself and Katherine. We spent quite some time down there; we’d have seen Maeve. Besides, she was on reception. She brought us tea and coffee when the police arrived, remember?’
‘Strange though, that she didn’t tell you she knew Sutherland,’ Ena said. ‘I bet she knew he was living at Hawksley’s place in Kirby Marlow when she applied for the receptionist’s job here. Too much of a coincidence if she didn’t know.’
‘You’re probably right. She worked in communications somewhere near Kirby Marlow in the war and was billeted with the Reverend and his wife. She told me she came back to see them quite often, so it’s more than likely that they told her Sutherland was at Hawksley’s. And yes, it’s also likely that he’s the reason she came here for a job, but none of that makes her a murderer, so stop assuming the poor woman is guilty by association.’
‘Hasn’t she said anything to you about her sister and Sutherland?’ Ena asked.
‘Goldie was her cousin,’ Bess said, ‘but no she hasn’t mentioned a connection. She told me that her cousin, Nancy’s mother, had died. It was tragic the way she--’ Tears filled Bess’s eyes. ‘That man! That bloody, bloody, man!’ she shouted. ‘I have never wished anyone harm, but Sutherland? He was the damn devil! Will the hurt and destruction that evil man caused never end?’
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
‘Nancy?’ Donnie lifted his head from his hay basket, gave Bess a weary sideways glance and shifted his weight from one leg to the other making it clear she was disturbing him. ‘She’s not here eh, boy?’ Bess left the old pony in peace to eat his supper.
‘There you are,’ she said, seeing Frank and Nancy crossing the courtyard from the
