‘No. She was a very suitable bride for me,’ he said slowly, weighing his words, I thought. He avoided saying her name, and I realised that he never did, to me. ‘I liked her, respected her, but we were not friends. I had affection for her but I did not love her.’ There was a long pause. ‘I could not discuss things with her beyond the day to day matters of our life and Society. Is that what you wanted to know?’
‘I suppose so. It is not that I am jealous of her. If you had loved her then that would only have made me even more sorry that you had lost her. I think I am trying to find some way of understanding how the people involved in such a marriage must feel.’ It was my turn to shrug. ‘I do not know why it seems important to this case, because one of them is dead and the other, surely, is incapable of murder.’
‘Your brain is tired.’ Luc slid back under the covers. ‘Let me show you how I feel about you. It may not solve any mysteries…’
That was as far as he got before I wriggled down to join him.
* * *
The next morning Luc was told firmly by his mother that he ought to be continuing the inspection of Rook’s Acre, because her own noteb
ook was full and she fully intended browsing in the very dusty library in search of treasures while he inspected roof joists, drains and the mysterious damp patches in the kitchen.
With the put-upon air of any man confronted with a To-Do list, Luc enlisted the twins as junior surveyors and waved James and me goodbye as we rode off to find Adrien in the hope he had Inish Kumar’s direction.
We discovered him looking harassed and the house in a bustle.
‘My Uncle Frederick is very unwell,’ he said. ‘I have sent to Cambridge for his own medical man and, meanwhile, all three local doctors have come, eager to treat the new Viscount.’
‘Unwell? He’s not – ’ I broke off, aware we were in the middle of the wide hallway with servants hurrying to and fro and several doors open.
Adrien grimaced. ‘It is quite natural, there is no need to fear anyone has attacked him. His illness is gaining ground and the past few days have exhausted him, but he insisted on getting out of his bed for the funeral and the reading of the will.’ He glanced around and lowered his voice. ‘I fear he is never going to leave it again now though, poor man. He never wanted this title and he should be where he is comfortable, in his own familiar rooms in Cambridge, surrounded by his books.’
‘Will you continue to work with him as you did with your cousin?’ James asked. ‘I imagine no one else understands the details as well as you.’
He nodded. ‘Yes. My father and the family lawyer have asked me to assist. Frankly, it is a relief to have practical things to do.’
We told him that we had located Campbell and that he was on his way back to London and Sir William’s custody. Adrien perked up at that, then sagged at the shoulders when we had to admit there was no evidence against the man, except for his flight.
‘We were hoping you knew where Mr Kumar is lodging,’ I said. ‘I assume he was the visitor to your cousin that you told us about? The person who was an irregular connection?’
‘Come into the breakfast room,’ Adrien said. ‘Everywhere else is full of relatives,’ he added in a whisper.
We sat at the table in the pleasant small room, with its view out onto the garden, and Adrien sat opposite, his expression grave. ‘Yes, he must have been that visitor. I have been hearing all the details from Mr Blundell, the family lawyer. My Uncle Clarence had a letter after my uncle the Colonel was killed. He told Cousin Henry about it, and Blundell, but he was not inclined to believe the claim without more proof, apparently. It was not something that much concerned Henry because he had other things to worry about, given that Uncle Clarence died so soon afterwards, leaving him with the title. Apparently when he spoke to Blundell about it he remarked that there was plenty of time to deal with the matter: either the young man would arrive with proof or something acceptable would be sent. If nothing was forthcoming after a year he would put enquiries in train – but it is an expensive matter having someone investigated so far away.’
‘What did the Viscount tell you when you asked him about his angry visitor?’ Luc enquired. ‘More than you told us that first time?’
Adrien shifted, clearly uncomfortable. ‘Yes, I am sorry. I didn’t think the details were relevant at the time and it felt like… gossip, somehow. He said this young man, clearly part-Indian and with a strong family resemblance, had called. He had some papers, but Cousin Henry was not entirely happy. He felt that there was the strong probability that he was a son of Uncle Archibald, but perhaps not one that he accepted. Apparently his opinion of our uncle’s morals was not high and he suspected that he might have left other, er, proofs of his affection. Cousin Henry wanted confirmation that this man had been baptised and his parentage acknowledged.’
‘How did Mr Kumar take that?’ I asked.
‘Not very well, apparently. Cousin Henry said that he reacted, “like a gentleman whose honour has been impugned because I would not take his word.” He seemed to find that ridiculous in someone base-born and I refrained from pointing out that, if Kumar was genuine and had been raised as a gentleman, then that would be how he would react and that it surely added weight to his claim.’
‘So there was an argument.’
‘Raised voices, is how Cousin Henry put it. He said that Kumar was fetching all the papers and that when, or if, he called again he wanted both myself and Mr Blundell present.’
That agreed with what Campbell had said, more or less, and fitted the tone of the codicil. ‘Where can we find Mr Kumar now?’ I asked.
‘He has taken rooms at The Fox and Gander in the village. My father offered him a room here, but he refused our hospitality. He was very pokered-up about it.’
‘He seems to take offence easily,’ James observed.
‘I wouldn’t say so,’ I retorted. ‘He is probably still smarting from Lord Tillingham’s suspicions and he is doubtless aware of hostility from some of the family on the grounds of his race, as well as his birth.’
‘Shall we go and see if he is there?’ James asked, neatly deflecting an argument when Adrien bristled.
‘Do you want me to come?’ Adrien asked, subsiding again.