Call of Glengarron (17 page)

Eventually Fiona had accepted defeat and tried to dodge going herself. “I think I’ll miss it too. It’ll be a frightful bore, anyway.”

“Oh darling,” began her mother in fainthearted protest. “Do you really think ... ? I mean, at the very last minute ... ?”

Mr. Lennox cut right across his wife’s meanderings. “You’ll do nothing of the kind, Fiona,” he said sternly. “I’m not going to have you setting a bad example like that.”

She accepted the flat ruling with surprising meekness. Fiona led an idle life of pleasure and she was indulged in every minor whim. But I was beginning to see that Alistair Lennox expected his daughter to conform to the social pattern of her class. He just wouldn’t tolerate anything that might prejudice the family’s superior position among the Highland elite.

Fiona had flounced off early this morning, and I wasn’t sorry to see her go. My guilt about suspecting her of pushing those logs down on me was largely wiped out by her utter indifference to the fact that I had almost been killed. At no time had she made even a token gesture of asking how I felt after such a shattering experience.

Her parents, though, had maintained their anxious concern about my well-being.

“And how do you feel now, my dear?” Alistair Lennox inquired, when we were all gathered together for the ritual pre-luncheon glass of sherry. “I trust you are suffering no uncomfortable side effects.”

“I’m much better, thank you.”

Mr. Lennox went on to explain that after lunch he had a business matter to attend to some twenty miles away. “My wife will be coming with me for the drive. Perhaps you and Jamie would care to join us ... ?”

I hesitated, sensing Craig’s sharp glance in my direction. I had just turned him down on the grounds that I didn’t feel well enough to go. Dare I now accept his uncle’s invitation? Yet if I stayed behind, Jamie and I would be left alone with Craig.

I decided I’d have to risk making it obvious that I was scared of him. He’d know I was suspicious, but it couldn’t be helped.

But hesitation lost me my chance. Craig cut in swiftly, “I’ve already offered to take Lucy out, Uncle. Unfortunately she still doesn’t feel up to it.”

Alistair Lennox courteously smiled his regret. “Another time then, my dear. You just take it quietly this afternoon. Put your feet up with a book by the fire.” With a pretended ferocity he glared at Jamie. “And pack that young man off with one of the maids. You can’t get any rest with such a lively imp around you all the time.”

Let Jamie out of my sight?
Never.
From now on he was going to stay right with me, every single minute. I would take him up to his bedroom, lock the door firmly, and remain there with him until the Lennoxes returned.

I’d been wondering if I might get a chance to use the telephone unobserved. But who could I call? Who could I talk to about my fears? Craig McKinross was the Laird of one of the greatest estates in the Highlands. A well-liked man with an ancient and respected name. I was merely the cousin of his dead wife—the wife who, it would be generally believed, had let him down badly.

I must be wary of taking hasty, ill-considered action that served no purpose. Twice already Craig had tried to kill me by a staged accident. If I showed my hand incautiously he might decide to kill me first, and arrange the “accident” afterward. It wouldn’t be all that difficult for a
man in his high position.

Soon after two o’clock, just as the Lennoxes were leaving, I marched Jamie upstairs to his room.

“But, Lucy, I want to go to the beach again.”

“Not today, darling. I... I’ve got a bit of a headache.”

“Daddy will take me then.” I believe he was already old enough to see through my headache.

I had to be firm. “No, Jamie, you’re staying right here with me.” Then I tried wheedling. “Would you like me to read to you?”

Unfortunately, I had done my job too well. The little boy who such a short time ago had clung to me obsessively, was fast growing independent. He’d be quite happy to wander around the castle on his own, and look for someone else to take him down to the beach. His father, or indeed anyone who was willing.

Normally Jamie was so cooperative, but now he went sulky on me. In the end I had to get really cross with him. “Stop that, and go and play with your toys.”

He was quiet eventually. Having clambered up onto his bed to make a tent of the eiderdown, he fell right off to sleep. I was half dozing myself, my book fallen to the floor, when I heard a tap on the door. I jumped and looked at my watch. Four-thirty.

I called out cautiously. “Yes? Who’s there?”

“It’s me—Craig.” His voice sounded reproachful. “Aren’t you coming down for some tea, Lucy?”

I’d forgotten all about tea. “I ... I don’t really think I want any, thank you.” It was the best I could manage on the spur of the moment.

“Well, what about Jamie?”

“Jamie’s asleep.”

“Lucy,” said Craig in a different voice. “I want to talk to you.”

I got up and went nearer the door, scared now of waking Jamie. “Talk to me, Craig? What about?”

He tried the handle, and discovered the door was locked.

“Are you trying to avoid me or something, Lucy?”

“Avoid you?” The little laugh I put on was a shade too shrill. “Of course I’m not. Whatever gave you that idea?”

“Why do we have to talk through a closed door? I don’t understand what’s going on.”

The situation was becoming absurd. I had to act normally and sensibly.

“I ... I am just...” I sought around wildly for some good excuse for keeping Craig out. I couldn’t very well say I was changing my clothes—not in Jamie’s room. “I ... I’m just repairing a tear in my dress,” I improvised quickly. “We’ll come down as soon as I’ve finished.”

“All right then. But don’t be long, will you?”

I didn’t hear Craig walk away, but of course the corridor was thickly carpeted.

If we didn’t go downstairs, I guessed that Craig would soon be back. And he might not be brushed off so easily next time. I tried to convince myself that I was panicking unnecessarily. What harm could Craig possibly do to me in front of his son? And with the servants close at hand?

I woke Jamie and told him we were going down to tea.

“Goody! Will there be some of that lovely choc’late cake?”

“I expect so.”

In spite of my feverish rationalization, it still took quite some nerve to leave the security of Jamie’s room. The door had seemed to give protection far beyond the slender strength of its lock. As a barrier, it would have been pretty useless. But going through the doorway was like quitting the safe waters of harbor for the stormy open sea.

Cautiously I looked out, both ways. The corridor was empty, all the other doors closed. It was utterly quiet, so that I heard my own sharply indrawn breath when Jamie pushed me impatiently.

“Come on,” he urged, tugging at my hand.

We went quickly downstairs and found Craig in the small sitting room, waiting for us. As we entered, he pressed the service bell.

“Hello there, mischief,” he greeted Jamie. “Tea in a minute.”

The little boy made a beeline for his father, and Craig swept him off his feet, high into the air. “How’s that?”

He bounced the happily giggling Jamie to the floor, and looked at me, studying my face.

“What is it, Lucy?” he asked quietly. I could so easily have imagined that the concern in his eyes was real.

I believed this man to be a murderer. Then why was I still being fooled by the other Craig I’d known? The charming handsome young bridegroom I’d carried in my heart for so long. The gentle, considerate friend I’d discovered so recently.

Margo too had been fooled by his charm. And she had paid for her mistake.

I hadn’t answered Craig’s question. He repeated it as I sat down beside the fire.

“What is it, Lucy? What’s the matter?”

I looked up, almost succeeding in meeting his gaze. “The matter? I don’t understand—nothing’s the matter.”

He glanced swiftly at Jamie. It was just as well that the little boy was there to put a curb on Craig’s tongue. “It’s as though ... well, as though you’ve suddenly changed your opinion of me.”

I used the only excuse that came to hand. “I’m still a bit shaken up after yesterday. I’m sorry if I’ve been acting in an odd way.”

He nodded sympathetically. “That was a terrible business. I had a hell of a row with Nairn about it this morning. But that’s like locking the stable door after the horse has bolted.”

“Never mind. It could have been worse.”

He eyed me strangely, as if sizing up the intention behind my remark.

“As you say, it could have been worse. A great deal worse.”

A maid brought in the tea, and Jamie fell upon his glass of milk, and a wedge of the chocolate cake he liked so much. Then I proceeded to pour out the tea.

Craig was watching me intently the whole time. “You must get yourself some real rest,” he said in a thoughtful voice. “I’ll make arrangements to have ... a certain person taken off your hands.”

“I like having him around,” I countered quickly, decisively. I could see right through his attempt to isolate me.

It was an enormous relief when the Lennoxes arrived home a few minutes later. They joined us in the sitting room, and fresh tea was sent for. I began to relax slightly.

Alistair Lennox asked me what I’d been doing with myself. “Taking it easy, I hope, my dear?”

“Very much so. Just reading and lazing until teatime.”

He smiled at me as he helped himself to a scone. “Excellent. I only hope young Jamie wasn’t too much of a bother.”

We all stayed where we were until six o’clock—Jamie’s bedtime. As the little boy was saying good night to the others, I whispered to Mrs. Lennox: “If you don’t mind, I think I’ll go up to bed too. I’m feeling rather tired.”

She was at once all flustered and anxious for me. “Oh my dear ... I wish you’d ... I wonder if ... ?”

The two men had overheard. Immediately they both looked at me with expressions of concern.

“I think we ought to get McGregor to have another look at Lucy,” Craig declared. “She obviously isn’t at all herself.”

I stood up quickly. “Come on, Jamie.”

Ignoring Craig, I spoke directly to his aunt. “Thank you, Mrs. Lennox, but it won’t be necessary to call in the doctor. I’ll be fine by the morning.”

“But your dinner ... ? You’ll need ...”

I shook my head. “I’ll be better without it.” I certainly couldn’t have eaten much, anyway.

There was only one thing I wanted—to get away from Glengarron Castle. I’d got a plan in mind now. It wasn’t very much of a plan, but it promised action, and that was what I badly needed.

I cut short Jamie’s craftily prolonged good nights and got him out of the room as fast as I could. Pulling the door shut behind us, I sighed with relief.

I paused for a moment. Nobody was around. The telephone stood on a small table in the inner hall. In the drawer underneath, I knew I ought to find a bus timetable and a map of the locality. Somebody had left them lying around the previous day, and I’d happened to spot one of the maids putting them away.

Hastily, I found what I wanted, closed the drawer, and ran up the stairs with Jamie.

In the slowly fading daylight the castle was a gloomy place. Soon it would be dark. There was a heavy pall of silence, empty and friendless, but just now the quiet served me well. The maids would have gone home for the day, leaving only Duncan and his wife. They would be in the kitchen now, preparing dinner.

I took Jamie into my bedroom first, and collected slacks and a thick sweater, a pair of walking shoes and my heavy coat. Automatically I gathered up my handbag as well, but on second thoughts I just took out all my money, and put it loose into my coat pocket, wedged with a handkerchief. A small slab of chocolate caught my eye, and I stuffed that in too.

I glanced around swiftly, not expecting to see this room again. Then I prodded Jamie outside, and hurried him along to his own room. I closed the door and surreptitiously turned the key.

“I’m going to stay in here with you for a bit, darling.”

“Why for, Lucy?” His eyes were big with pleased surprise.

“Oh—just for fun.” I helped him undress and got him to bed quickly. “We’ll miss the bath for once,” I said to his astonishment. It was important, I thought, for him to get in as much sleep as possible.

When he was tucked away and already drowsy, I opened up the map I’d filched from the telephone drawer. Glengarron Castle was almost dead center, clearly indicated on its promontory at the head of Loch Ghorm,

Though I knew it already, I was dismayed to see how empty was the country round about us. Roads—and only minor ones at that—were few and far between. The one that served the castle was out of the question. I’d been driven along it on two occasions, when I’d arrived and again yesterday after the accident. I knew that it ran for many miles through wild and desolate country. In the other direction, beyond the castle, it seemed to peter out altogether, serving only a few isolated farms.

Apart from that, the nearest road lay on the other side of Lambert Nairn’s land. To reach it meant taking the track where the pile of logs had collapsed on me. But I couldn’t let that daunt me. Right now I had too many other things to worry about.

I reckoned that getting as far as this road would be just about the limit of little Jamie’s endurance. It would be useless for me to drag him all that way if it didn’t reach a bus route.

I scrutinized the map again. The road seemed to link up several villages and hamlets, so there was a chance. I found the name of the nearest place, and turned to the bus timetable. Ballashiel was listed in the index.

Timetables had always been a mystery to me. With their asterisks and footnotes, their qualifications and innumerable exceptions to the rule, they managed to confuse me hopelessly.

This one was as bad as every other. If the occasion had not been so vital I should have given up in despair. But I persevered, and at last felt confident that I’d got it sorted out. A bus would pass the spot where the forest track met the road at roughly seven-twenty-five, and then wander on for a few miles, its terminus being just a minute hamlet. There was no connection here with any other route—there were no other roads.