Red Crystal (65 page)

He put his mouth to Caroline’s ear and whispered, ‘Bless you …’ Then: ‘I’m glad we came.’

She smiled her agreement, and then they rose to listen to the address. It was brief in the extreme. A few platitudes. The parson obviously hadn’t known Victoria.

The pallbearers moved forward and, lifting the coffin, slid it on to the rollers. Almost immediately the curtains opened, the music swelled – to cover the whirring of the electrically operated rollers, Henry realized – and the coffin trembled and rocked its way into the black void.

Henry stared blankly. His emotion was spent.

He was only sorry that it had been such a poor, sad, lonely funeral. Somehow
shameful
. And no one deserved that.

He thought again: I’m glad we came.

The service was over. The family went out first. Henry and Caroline followed.

Henry paused in the ante-room and waited for the two young men.

He approached the fair-haired one with his hand outstretched. ‘Henry Northcliff.’

The young man shook his hand and replied, ‘Sergeant Ryder, Special Branch. This is my colleague, Sergeant Conway.’

Henry shook Conway’s hand then turned back to Ryder. ‘I thought it must be you. The Commissioner kindly sent me some of the reports.’

Ryder dropped his eyes. ‘I’m sorry I couldn’t do more to prevent what happened.’

‘No, no.’ Henry gestured to show that he had no wish to discuss it. The two men strolled to one side of the ante-room. Henry paused. There was something he wanted to ask this man, but the question wouldn’t form clearly in his mind.

‘I wondered – at the farmhouse, when you talked to her through the door – did she seem …’ He trailed off. He didn’t know how to phrase it.

‘She was surprisingly calm, really,’ Ryder volunteered.

‘Yes, but – ’ Henry knew what he must ask. But he hesitated for a moment, to prepare himself for the answer. ‘Was she worried – about time running out? About the explosives going off at a certain time?’

Ryder shot him a look of sudden comprehension. There was a long pause. He said reluctantly, ‘She was aware of it. Yes …’

Henry nodded slightly. It was as he had thought all along.

‘It was a pity she never realized,’ he said softly. ‘I mean … That there was plenty of time after all.’

The two men exchanged glances, then looked away. There was not a lot to say.

They strolled back towards Caroline who was waiting by the doors.

Henry shook Ryder’s hand. ‘Well, at least we know. How brave she was. That’s something, I suppose.’

Tucking Caroline’s arm in his, he took a deep breath and facing the doors, prepared himself for the barrage of pressmen who, he knew from experience, would still be waiting patiently outside.