Destroying Angel (15 page)

The sound turned into an almighty crash, followed by a cry.

I seized Thane. I should have realised that, even injured, Mrs Robson would respond to the routine of a lifetime and get up at six in the morning. There was nothing else for it; I must go to her assistance. She might be hurt.

She wasn’t but, one-armed and awkward, she had dropped the pan of porridge, which was now spreading rapidly all over the floor. As she knelt down, tearfully trying to mop up, she saw me.

‘Let me do that,’ I said as I helped her to her feet.

‘I don’t know what I’m going to do, Mrs McQuinn,’ she moaned. ‘I’m absolutely useless with my left hand and I’ve no strength in my left arm either. I broke it when I was a bairn and it’s been weak ever since.’

She stood aside, but protested that I shouldn’t be doing menial things like cleaning the floor. She never normally allowed animals, especially ones as large as Thane, into the sacred precincts of her kitchen, but this morning she was too upset to care. His presence ignored, he sped matters along by obligingly lapping up some of the spillings.

‘Sir would be horrified if he saw you, Mrs McQuinn. He’d give me a proper telling-off. But God’s truth, I don’t know how I’m going to manage.’ She touched the sling on her arm. 
‘Doctor says it’ll be a week or two and that I’ll have to rest it.’

She laughed harshly. ‘Rest it, if you please. Not much rest in this house. Place will fall apart. Who’s to do the washing, the ironing, not to mention the cooking, I might ask,’ she moaned.

‘Collins will give you a hand, I’m sure,’ I said by way of encouragement, but with little hope. My concern was immediately confirmed as Mrs Robson said, ‘Well, I’m not sure. That Collins! She’s far too high-and-mighty, and she’s worse than useless in the kitchen. Besides, she’s got more than enough to do – so she says – taking care of Miss Kate.’

‘Someone from the village then?’ I suggested weakly.

‘Sir would never allow that. Not since that last girl – ages ago – he would never have anyone but me in the house. I’d be right scared. I have to watch my p’s and q’s – he’d send me packing, you know,’ she added in frightened tones. ‘And where would I get another job at my age?’

Poor Mrs Robson, all these years living under Hubert’s reign of terror. And I remembered his ruthless treatment of Lily when she had worked here as a servant girl.

I offered to remake the porridge and thought it would be easy enough. I’d made many a pan in Solomon’s Tower for Jack and me, but this had to be made precisely according to Sir’s wishes, him being very particular about the amount of salt and so forth. Slicing the bread for his toast came under the same strict supervision.

As I carried the tray into the dining room, there was almost another nasty accident – the contents of the tray were heavy and they slithered dangerously on the smooth surface, but fortunately did not fall.

On my way back to the kitchen across the hall, I seized the 
opportunity of removing my saddle-bag from the front door and pushing it out of sight to be retrieved later.

I sighed wearily. So much for my planned escape from Staines. That was over – for today at least.

As Mrs Robson rang the breakfast bell, Hubert and Sandeman appeared on the stairs and Thane retreated to his place in the hall.

He did not escape Hubert’s notice. ‘Shouldn’t he be in the stables as usual, at this hour?’

‘Don’t expect to see our dogs before breakfast,’ Sandeman put in cheerfully, but with slight admonishment, implying ownership which I bitterly resented.

I had hoped never to see Hubert again and did not mind distressing him in the least. He deserved it, but his good kind housekeeper was another matter. I could not rush off and desert that frightened, long-suffering woman to be at everyone’s beck and call until she had suitable help.

I resolved to talk to Collins.

At the table, the two men were already waiting and Hubert’s look of smug satisfaction in my direction indicated that he believed he was forgiven. He asked if I had slept well, and obviously had not the least idea how near I had been to leaving that morning.

Wolf had returned to his bothy, Collins had not yet put in an appearance and Sandeman looked as if he had slept in his clothes. Unkempt, wild hair, eyes half-closed, he displayed all the symptoms of a man who was suffering 
from severe over-indulgence in fiery spirits.

Mrs Robson hovered, teapot balanced precariously between her left hand and the sling. I went to her assistance and apologising to Sir, she said that but for my help, no breakfast would have been ready on time that morning.

‘You sit down now, Mrs McQuinn, the gentlemen can serve themselves.’

As Hubert bestowed an approving glance in my direction, I took a seat as far away from them as possible.

The door opened and Kate, still in her nightrobe, rushed in shivering. ‘Where is she? Where is Collins?’

Hubert stared at her and she repeated. ‘She isn’t in her room. Her bed hasn’t been slept in. And I need her.’

Mrs Robson, summoned by the disturbance, said no, she hadn’t seen Collins since last night. Hubert shook his head. He hadn’t seen her either. Which I knew to be a lie, as the sound of doors banging and their raised voices had awakened me.

‘When did you last see her?’ Hubert asked.

‘She gave me my hot milk, said goodnight. Her usual time, about nine o’clock.’

‘Perhaps she went out – down to the village,’ Sandeman suggested with a beaming smile. ‘Young woman like that. Probably has friends. Yes, I should think she has lots of friends—’

Hubert’s crushing look silenced him. ‘She didn’t say anything to you, Kate, about going out?’

‘No, she didn’t, and she never goes out at night without telling me.’

I stood up and pushed my plate aside. ‘I’ll take Thane. See if she’s gone for a walk in the grounds.’ 

Kate turned to me angrily. ‘Not before breakfast. She hates walking at the best of times, and as for getting up early in the morning—!’

‘That’s very odd, then,’ Sandeman put in. ‘Isn’t it?’

I thought it was odd, too, but decided that most probably, like myself, she had had enough of Hubert and, by a strange coincidence, our departures from Staines had coincided. A brave decision indeed for Collins, who must have succeeded in leaving before daybreak – not an easy task for a reluctant riser.

But it still didn’t make sense. Kate followed me into the hall and I said reassuringly, ‘I’m sure she can’t have gone far. I’ll bring her back.’

Kate gave me a withering look. ‘She would have told me if she was going to leave.’

‘Does she often go out at night?’ I asked.

‘Of course she doesn’t,’ was the indignant response.

‘I just wondered, that’s all, when you said she didn’t go out without telling you.’

She bit her lip, shrugged uncomfortably. Definitely a guilty look.

Was she also aware of Collins’ troubles with Hubert? Was she even a confidante? It seemed impossible that, unless she was a very heavy sleeper, she had not heard their angry voices last night. Especially as she slept in the room next to Collins.

She recovered and said firmly, ‘Collins would never desert me, not after all these years together.’

‘All right, I’ll go and look for her. Perhaps she’s only gone to the village for something – a surprise?’

Kate laughed scornfully. ‘The local shop doesn’t open until nine. Besides, who would she want to surprise? It isn’t 
my birthday or Hubert’s. There’s nothing to celebrate.’ At the foot of the stairs she said, ‘I’ll get dressed and come with you.’

She was shivering and I said, ‘No. It’s cold and you might catch a chill. Besides I’ll go faster on my bicycle.’

She stood at the banister, clinging to it, watching me leave. I felt very sorry for her as well as the missing Collins. Whatever the latter’s emotional turmoil with Hubert, it was true what Kate said. She was utterly devoted to Collins, her only companion and friend since she had lost both mother and sister.

I could not shake off a very uneasy feeling and decided to consult Wolf Rider. But first of all, I checked the stables. The carriage was there, but then I hadn’t expected her to take it, or either of the pony carts.

An idea came to me and, leaving Thane there with a promise to return for him later, I decided to question Kate again. Sitting at her window, she looked calmer. ‘Did you find her?’

The answer seemed quite obvious, and I asked, ‘Have you checked her room?’

I wanted to ask if anything was missing, in carefully chosen words, to discover if she had packed her possessions and gone of her own free will, or if she been removed by force.

‘Of course I haven’t checked her room,’ was Kate’s scornful reply.

‘Shall we do that now?’ I said.

She regarded me wide-eyed, about to protest. ‘Oh, if you wish.’

I followed her, and the room was remarkably tidy. Kate looked round nervously and, opening the wardrobe with its 
few clothes on hangers, and slamming shut drawers, she said, ‘This is quite useless. I never come in here and I have no idea what she has or what she would take with her. She has lots of clothes.’ Going to the dressing-table, she continued, ‘But her jewellery is still here.’ And, pointing to necklaces and earrings, ‘She loves jewels. Most of them were presents from Hubert.’

That she had left without them took on a sinister significance.

I asked, ‘Has she any friends that she might have decided to visit?’

Kate looked out of the window as if expecting to see her outside. ‘She has a friend who works up at the castle – I don’t know her name, Collins just refers to her as “my friend”,’ she replied vaguely.

‘The castle’s a big place, Kate. A lot of people work there, have you any idea—’

‘No,’ was the firm reply. ‘Just that she went there sometimes.’

That was not much help. I was puzzled by her disappearance but as yet not unduly alarmed, and relieved that Kate had calmed down. But after our search I had an odd feeling that she knew more than she was telling.

Had Collins fled to the castle to try to get work there? One thing was clear: whatever her destination, she would certainly never return to Staines or to Hubert.

She had suffered enough at his hands, although in truth it was as little his fault that she was obsessed by him as it was my fault that he was obsessed with me.

It is a sad fault of fate and the cause of much unnecessary heartbreak that we do not always have a choice about with 
whom we fall in love. I was lucky with Danny McQuinn that, eventually, I wore down his protests, that he was too old for me and not the marrying type. We then had ten years of a happy life together.

Wolf was up and about, already working in the little garden at the bothy.

‘No, I haven’t seen Collins. Come inside.’

So I decided to tell him the whole story, the sequel to Thane unearthing the bones of Roswal. And how shocked I was when Hubert admitted that he had shot him.

‘As for his explanations, Wolf, he said he used Roswal to trick me and bring Thane here.’

Wolf shook his head. ‘It seems to me that there are a few too many coincidences.’ He paused. ‘So you’ve decided not to marry him.’

‘A decision was never involved. I never even considered it.’

He smiled. ‘Very wise.’ And frowning, he added, ‘Now what about Collins? You are sure it was them you heard quarrelling last night?’

‘It woke me up.’

Wolf considered this. ‘From what Kate insists about Collins’ behaviour and the fact that you were up before the house was stirring and did not see her, it seems an odd time to visit this friend Kate told you about.’

‘And it would be a fair walk up to the castle.’

Wolf looked doubtful. ‘There are plenty of carts on the main road at the crack of dawn going to Alnwick and to the castle. She could have got a lift and gone for a passenger train.’

He thought for a moment. ‘A pity Kate wasn’t more 
familiar with the contents of her room. What about the jewellery she left behind?’

‘The answer to that is easy. If she was leaving Hubert, as I suspect, and had taken anything valuable he had given her, he could, if he was feeling vindictive, have raised a hue and cry and had her hunted down as a thief.’

Wolf shook his head. ‘What an odd law!’ And consulting the timetable on his wall, alongside that of Holy Island’s tides, he said, ‘We should check the railway station just to be sure. The first train to stop at Alnwick either way isn’t until nine o’clock. That gives us half an hour. We can ride there. Fortunately Tom left his bicycle yesterday – had a puncture, which I repaired for him.’

‘I didn’t know you knew about such things.’

He grinned. ‘Necessity is the great master, Rose. Come along, Thane. You can run alongside. We might need you.’

We reached Alnwick Station in good time, Wolf with only the merest wobble, soon overcome. Among the passengers on opposite platforms, pacing up and down, awaiting the train south for Newcastle or north for Edinburgh, there was no sign of Collins, nor in the two waiting rooms.

When the Edinburgh train steamed in on time, I thought wistfully that Thane and I should have been boarding it, heading for home, but for Mrs Robson’s accident.

The platform emptied and Wolf gestured from the opposite platform. I knew Collins would not be there either. As we bicycled back to Staines, I wished I could forget the sounds of that quarrel outside my door last night and throw off the increasing feeling that something had befallen her.

I saw Hubert at the front door, his carriage waiting. The 
forlorn hope that she might have returned in my absence was soon banished.

‘Found her?’ he asked. I said no, though surely that fact was obvious.

‘Oh, I expect she’ll turn up,’ he said casually. ‘I have business matters to attend to in Alnwick with Reverend Sandeman, so we’ll keep a look out for her on the road.’

He did not seem suspicious and took the matter of her sudden disappearance amazingly lightly.

‘Is this the first time she has disappeared?’

He gave me a hard look. ‘I’m not quite sure what you mean by “disappeared”. You make it sound very serious.’

‘Perhaps it is serious.’

He laughed at that. ‘Oh, come now. Collins is rather highly strung, you know.’

‘Do you, by any chance, know the name of the friend she visits at the castle?’

‘News to me. Wasn’t aware she had any friends in high places.’

He laughed, amused at the idea. Angrily I thought that by rights he should at least have been morally more concerned considering their intimate relationship. But all I could detect was perhaps a sense of relief.

‘I will look in at the village on my way back; try to get someone to help Mrs Robson.’ He shook his head. ‘Alas, I cannot guarantee that this will be successful. She is so particular, anyone I engage will cause endless trouble and we are all in for a very trying time.’

As usual he was thinking only of himself as he added, ‘When Collins returns, I am certain she will be agreeable to helping Mrs Robson out for the short while until her arm is 
better.’ He sighed and added sternly, ‘Don’t worry about Collins. She lives on her nerves.’

I wouldn’t accept that excuse. ‘She is in love with you, Hubert.’

‘And I’ve told her that it is hopeless,’ was the angry response.

‘She told me, begged me not to marry you.’

‘None of her business!’

‘That’s not true, Hubert. It is most definitely her business – as you are well aware.’

He sighed deeply. ‘Well, I trust you disregarded her unwholesome advice.’

‘Seeing that she has been living with you for some time—’ He winced but could not deny it. ‘She probably knows you much better than I do,’ I answered sweetly.

‘Dammit, Rose, this is getting us nowhere. All I am asking – I know you have told me you have made up your mind about marrying me – but I’d be very obliged if you could possibly see your way to remaining here until I get some help for Mrs Robson – or until Collins returns, whichever comes first.’

Pausing, letting it sink in, he said slowly, ‘It must be obvious to you that Kate cannot manage on her own. She is much too frail. She needs someone to bathe her, to make sure she takes her medicines, to take her out sometimes in her bathchair. All I am asking of you, Rose, is a few days, that’s all.’

Sandeman was in the carriage, leaning out, listening intently, and while I would have cheerfully refused Hubert anything he asked without a qualm of conscience, I could never refuse to help Mrs Robson.

As for Kate, I questioned Hubert’s diagnosis regarding her 
medical condition, fast coming to the conclusion that Kate had been talked into depending entirely on Hubert, for some reason of his own, since her mother died.

I had a feeling that there were hidden depths to Miss Kate that, once revealed, might surprise us all.

In all honesty, I did not relish the thought of being
assistant-housekeeper
and nurse-cum-lady’s maid, but a day or two would not really make any difference, and if Hubert thought that by staying I might change my mind about marrying him, then he was in for a bitter disappointment.

With Collins’ non-appearance and my own certainty that wherever she had gone she was not coming back, the next couple of days were rather dreadful, but I was kept too busy to make plans or to be sorry for myself, with Mrs Robson groaning downstairs and Kate moaning upstairs.