She smiled. ‘Absolutely. Why’sthat?’
‘Excellent, I’ve just had all four of mycar tyres slashed,’ Morton said.
The lady’s smile faded. ‘Oh. We have CCTV inside The Keep, not outside. Sorry. Doyou think it was deliberate, then?’
Morton nodded, trying to contain hisconsternation at the stupidity of the question. That would really have tobe some bizarre pot-hole. Morton thanked her, although he wasn’t surewhat for and returned to his car. The image of Juliette in the fish andchip shop flashed in his mind. Instinctively, he dialled her mobile.
‘Hi,’ she answered. ‘You were luckyto catch me—I’m just about to go back in from lunch. You okay?’
He was relieved to hear her voice. ShouldI tell her about the tyres? Should I tell her about the contents of theenvelope sent yesterday? Morton knew he needed to tell her, but notnow. Not on the phone.
‘Hello? Are you there, Morton?’
‘Sorry, yes, I’m here. Just wantedto say hi and see how you were getting on today. Not too boring is it?’
‘We’re doing more role-play and mockarresting. It’s quite fun, really. I’ve been arrested foraggravated assault and possession of a Class A drug so far today. How areyou getting on? Did you say you were at The Keep?’
‘Yeah, it’s going okay. Going to gohome shortly.’
‘Okay, I’d better get back in. Seeyou tonight.’
‘Try not to get arrested for anythingelse. Bye.’
Juliette was fine. But what if…?Someone out there clearly meant for him to stop working on the Mercer Case. But why? What secrets was he threatening to resurrect in investigatingMary Mercer’s disappearance? When this had happened to Morton in thepast, his tenacious personality had forced him to persist with the case, to useevery research method, including illegal ones, to finish the case. ButI lost so much, Morton reminded himself, almost including my life. No case, however interesting, was worth such a risk. And yet…Morton’s obstinate nature resurfaced. It came down to a simple matter: hehad promised a dying man that he would find what had happened to his aunt,Mary. And that’s just what he was going to do. The fact thatsomeone out there wanted to stop him only made him more resolved to find her.
ChapterEleven
Wednesday5th April 1911
Aftertwo months of Frederick Mansfield’s presence at Blackfriars, Mary Mercer knewwhy the domestic staff had groaned when told of his impending visit. Whensober, he was a delightful, intelligent man who treated the staff with respectand kindness; these moments, however, were seldom witnessed by Mary. Forthe most part, he was an unpredictable drunk who ate, drank and slept when hiserratic mood dedicated and, at those times, he expected the domestic staff toimplicitly intuit his desires and react to them accordingly. Ever sinceMary’s dawn encounter with him, she had feared that, when in one of his drunkenstupors, he would let on about her secret, but he had said nothing. Afterseeing him on several occasions, both inebriated and sober, Mary decided thathe was probably so intoxicated that morning that he actually didn’t have anyrecollection of it at all. Still, she would be mightily relieved when heleft for Scotland today with the rest of the family on their annual deer-huntingtrip. According to the gossip among the other servants, Frederick hadbeen told that he was to stay on with Mr Risler at Boughton House, the family’sScottish home, until he had sorted himself out. As far as Mary wasconcerned, getting rid of Mr Mansfield and Mr Risler was no badthing. She felt mean to think it, but she hoped that it would take a longtime to get him back on the straight and narrow.
Mary and Clara were preparing the femaleservants’ bedrooms, waiting for the breakfast bell to toll. Like so manyof their mealtimes during Frederick Mansfield’s stay, it was already very late.
‘I’m desperate for a sit-down and adrink,’ Mary complained. ‘I don’t feel too well.’
‘Well, it’s all down to the whim of MrMansfield,’ Clara retorted. There was no attempt to conceal the anger inher voice.
Mary stopped sweeping and rested her armon the broom. ‘I don’t understand why Lord Rothborne puts up withit. Why would he allow his drunk cousin to just turn up here and dictatewhat goes on? What right does he have?’
Clara shrugged. ‘Haven’t thefoggiest. If he were my cousin, I’d have told him to shove off a longtime ago. Family or no family, this is just ridiculous. Maybe LordRothborne feels sorry for him. Apparently, and this is only the gospelaccording to dear Saint Joan, he’s squandered all of his father’s money ongambling and London liaisons with amateurs.’
‘Well, if it came from Joan, then it mustbe true!’ Mary said with a laugh.
‘Exactly.’
When the breakfast bell did finally sound,the domestic staff all hurried to the servants’ hall and sat down, grateful forthe rest and eager to eat and drink. With everyone hushed, Mr Risler,looking flushed in the face and slightly short of breath, stood to talk.
‘Uh-oh,’ Joan whispered. ‘Thisdoesn’t look good.’
Mr Risler took in a deep breath beforebeginning. ‘I’m afraid that we’re going to have to postpone breakfastthis morning,’ he began, being quickly cut off by the low murmur of discontentamong the staff. ‘Quiet, thank you.’ He waited until he had totalsilence. ‘His Lordship has explicitly asked that, whilst his cousin, MrMansfield is otherwise engaged, we take the opportunity to finalisepreparations for the family to leave on the hunting trip today. He hassaid that you will be granted extra break time when Mr Mansfield retires to hisroom later.’ Mr Risler turned to the male staff. ‘Maslow, Daniels,Mercer, Phillips, Readfern, Wiseman—you all need to come with me so we canfetch the cases from the attic and transport them to the correct rooms. Ladies, Mrs Cuff will inform you of your duties.’
‘That dreadful man!’ Clara said when sheand Mary were out of earshot. ‘Cancelling our breakfast like that, I’ve neverheard of any such thing.’
Mary took a deep breath, feeling suddenlynauseous. ‘I need to sit down, Clara, I really do.’
Clara turned to face Mary. ‘You havegone a bit pasty-looking. Let’s just get up the stairs and you can have aquick lie down.’
Mary nodded her agreement but feared thatshe
