Not a shred of proof.”
“But I solved your case for you,” said Hamish, “so if you don’t want me to take the credit, I suggest you arrange with Strathbane to get central heating put in the police station at Lochdubh.”
Blair grinned. “Oh, no, you don’t, you conniving bastard. Daviot wisnae here. She confessed. That’s all there is tae it. ‘Bye, ‘bye, Macbeth. See you around.”
In a fury, Hamish watched him go. One photographer, more alert than the rest at the gate, had spotted Betty being taken to the police car through his telescopic lens and had started clicking his camera, which alerted the others. As Blair’s car swept by the press, they all scrambled for their own to pursue him to Strathbane.
Hamish turned and went indoors, nearly colliding with Enrico. “May I fetch you some refreshment, Constable?” asked Enrico.
“No,” said Hamish. “Where are they all?”
“Mrs Jeffrey is lying down. Her son has gone up to see how she is. The rest are in the drawing room.”
Hamish went into the drawing room. Charles was huddled in a chair. Angela was sitting on the arm of it with her arm round his shoulders. Jeffrey was leaning forward, looking at Charles with concern, and Melissa was hovering by the window. Melissa looked a mess. Blair had berated her for washing out that glass. She had burst into tears, so that purple eye-shadow had run down in purple rivulets over her white make-up.
“Oh, Hamish,” she cried, running to him. “Is it really all over? Did she really do it?”
“Aye,” said Hamish, removing his peaked cap and sitting down. “She really did.” He looked across at Charles. “Don’t take it too hard,” he said. “Andrew Trent’s cruelty turned your mother’s mind. I doubt if she’s fit to stand trial.”
“Just what Jeffrey and I have been telling him,” said Angela robustly. “I never liked Betty, but we were sort of bound together in a way, both being spinsters, both dependent on Dad for our money. But then a lot of women don’t like their sisters. Have you any idea who Charles’s father is?”
“She refused to say,” said Hamish, “and to my mind it’s chust as well. Charles has had enough shocks for one day.”
“Our offer of money to you still stands,” said Jeffrey to Charles. “Betty cannot inherit through crime, so her share will come to the rest of us. Angela and I will see you’re all right, boy.”
Charles raised an anguished face. “What bothers me is that I don’t feel a thing,” he said. “I mean, I’m shocked by everything, but I cannot think of Betty Trent as my mother. I don’t feel a thing for her.”
“Don’t let it worry you,” said Hamish. “You’re in shock.”
“Oh, Hamish, I must talk to you,” said Melissa. “I’m not going to marry Paul.”
“Well, that’s a sensible decision.” Hamish got up to go.
“I mean, can I have a word with you outside?” begged Melissa.
“I’m still on duty,” said Hamish. “I’ve got things to do.”
Melissa sat down mournfully after he had left. She had hoped he would want to talk to her. After all, she herself had nearly been murdered.
“Is there anything we can do for you?” Angela was asking Charles.
He gave a bleak smile. “Nothing more than you have done. You and Jeffrey have been so kind. Oh, I know. Could you lend me your car, Jeffrey? I would like to drive away from here for a bit and get some fresh air.”
Jeffrey handed him the car keys. “Be my guest.”
Charles took the keys and stood up and walked to the door. “Come on, Melissa,” he said. “You’d probably like to get out of here as well.” He walked off and Melissa scrambled after him.
“It’s odd,” said Jeffrey to Angela. “I feel the nightmare is over. I don’t think Betty will ever stand trial. I don’t even hate Jan any more.”
“But you’ll leave her?”
“Oh, yes, I’ll leave her. What about you, Angela? What will you do?”
“When the money comes through, I’ll travel,” said Angela. “Sunny countries, Jeffrey, white beaches, foreign people.”
“That’s the ticket,” he said with a grin.
“And I’ll be there for Charles if he needs me.”
Jeffrey sighed. “He’ll get over it quicker than we will, Angela. He never knew Betty as his mother. I think with our money, he’ll lead the dilettante life he’s always wanted, never work again, and be perfectly happy.”
¦
“Must you drive so fast?” shouted Melissa. Charles slowed the car to a halt and then switched off the engine. He had stopped on a rise and below them stretched acres of wind-swept moorland and tall pillared mountains. Clouds rushed overhead and the wind sang mournfully through the heather. “The land that God forgot,” said Charles.
“What will you do?” asked Melissa.
“Oh, I’ll travel the way I’ve always wanted to travel,” said Charles. “The best cure I can think of is to get right out of Britain. I’ll go to New York, stay at the Plaza, and then, after a few weeks, I’ll buy a car and drive right across America.”
“Won’t you want to see your mother?”
“No point,” he said. He handed her a handkerchief. “Here. Scrub your face. You look like a clown. All your make-up’s run.”
“It’s not my fault,” said Melissa, rubbing her face and looking ruefully at the mess on the handkerchief. “I got such a fright when I heard she’d tried to murder me that I couldn’t stop crying.”
“Well, by all that’s holy.” Charles fished a flask out of the glove compartment. He unscrewed the top. “Brandy.” He drank some and passed the flask to Melissa, who took a great gulp. “Easy now,” he admonished. “Fair shares.”
“You didn’t see my mother before she was taken out,” he went on. “Her eyes were completely blank. She didn’t even know who I was. She’ll never go to trial. God, all those years and I didn’t know. I remember now when I was small, she once took me on her lap and she was kissing and hugging me and old Andrew walked in. I can’t call him Father. I never really could. He walked in and said in a nasty voice, “Don’t ever let me catch you doing that again.” Horrible man.”
They finished the brandy. Charles stretched a lazy arm around Melissa’s shoulders. “D’you know what I feel like doing now? Making love.”
“To me?” Melissa looked at him tipsily.
“Who else?” He gathered her close and kissed her. His kiss was soothing, warm and friendly. One kiss led to another, and another somehow led to both of them in the back seat making cramped but energetic love.
Melissa didn’t feel ashamed or used. She would never see him again. They would go their separate ways.
“What are you going to do now?” he asked lazily. “Are you a dedicated scientist?”
“I thought I was,” said Melissa. “I’ll know when I get back. But Paul will be there. I’d better find another job.”
He ruffled her short hair. “Come with me to the States.”
“What! Just like that?”
“Why not? Have you got family?”
“Yes, my mum and dad. I don’t live with them. I’ve got my own flat.”
“OK, we’ll drop in on Mum and Dad and then we’ll be off.”
Melissa began to laugh. “Silly, you haven’t any money yet.”
“But I will have, the minute Jeffrey and Angela phone the lawyers. I’ll ask the lawyers for a great whacking advance. Think of it. Oodles of money and nothing else to do but have fun. I say, we can clear off today. I can’t stand another night at Arrat House.”
“But Paul will be furious.”
“You don’t need to see him or anyone. I’ll say goodbye to Jeffrey and Angela and tell them to keep quiet about it. We won’t even pack. We’ll just go off as if we’re going into the village for a stroll and then call a cab.”
Melissa twisted her head and looked up at him, at his handsome face. She couldn’t leave with him. She didn’t know him. Mind you, her working-class background wouldn’t bother Charles. She instinctively knew he wouldn’t particularly notice it. But she couldn’t really…
