A Cunning Death Read online

  “I was beginning to wonder whether you’d changed your mind,” Lady Ashton said, waving for me to take the seat next to her. I accepted it and Alice squeezed in next to me. Catherine and Edward took the double seat.

  “Of course, I didn’t,” I said, thinking of the Chess Master’s message. A person will be murdered this weekend in Somerset.

  “I’m really looking forward to this weekend,” I forced myself to say with a smile.

  “We are going to introduce you to everyone,” Catherine said, leaning over the back of her seat to join the conversation. “Reintroduce you, that is.”

  “You will have met most everyone who will be there,” Lady Ashton said. “They have been neighbors of the estate and friends of the family for as long as we’ve owned it, but a lot of time has passed since you were last there and you are no longer a child.”

  “Yes, I will definitely need to refresh my memory,” I said, relieved that no one would expect me to remember any names or faces. Even if I had been the real Rose Beckingham, remembering the details of adults I hadn’t seen since I was a young teenager would be difficult, but considering I had never really met any of them before, it would have been completely impossible.

  “There will be plenty of time for that. Everyone will be staying with us at Ridgewick Hall for the entire weekend, and I have a small surprise for you, Rose,” Lady Ashton said.

  “A surprise for me?”

  She nodded excitedly and then stared at me, eyebrows raised.

  “What is the surprise?” I finally asked, realizing she wasn’t going to give the information unprompted.

  Lady Ashton clasped her hands together in front of her and smiled. “I invited Mr. and Mrs. Worthing to join us for the weekend.”

  “Oh,” I said, blankly. I didn’t know what kind of surprise I’d expected, but it wasn’t that. “How did you come into contact with them?” The Worthings were definitely in a lower social station than the Beckinghams and under normal circumstances, wouldn’t have been invited to spend a weekend on their family estate. In fact, I found it surprising Lady Ashton had even thought of them.

  “We stayed in touch after they reached out to inform us they would be travelling to London with you on the ship. They are such lovely people,” she said.

  The Worthings had been family friends of Rose’s parents while they lived in India. Mr. Worthing had retired and was planning to come back to London at the same time the explosion happened. They were the people who wrongly identified me as Rose Beckingham while I was recovering in the hospital. Then, they stepped in and acted as my chaperones aboard the RMS Star of India. While I found them to be very kind people, I also didn’t understand how spending a weekend with them was a special surprise.

  “I thought it might be nice for you to have someone there this weekend who you knew well. I wanted to contact some of your friends, but I’ve never heard you mention anyone specifically and no one had ever come by the house to see you.”

  Edward was half-turned towards us, so he could hear the conversation, and I could see his mouth pulling into a smile. No doubt he was enjoying Lady Ashton’s description of me as unsocial and practically friendless.

  “That was very kind of you, Aunt,” I said, cutting her off. “It will be wonderful to see them again.”

  Lady Ashton turned to her husband and Edward turned back to Catherine, both groups talking amongst themselves, while Alice began telling me everything she hoped to show me over the weekend. I couldn’t focus on her words, though. Mr. and Mrs. Worthing would be there this weekend. I’d decided to come to the family estate out of concern for my family members, but now I had to look out for the Worthings, as well. And worst of all, they were invited to the event purely for my benefit. Had it not been for their connection to me, they would have remained safely in London.

  I had to wonder whether the Chess Master knew Lady Ashton would invite the Worthings or whether they would be a surprise to him, as well. And then, for the first time, I wondered whether the Chess Master already knew who would die. The letter had made it clear there would be a murder, but there was no indication that a victim had already been selected. Was anyone safe?

  After a few minutes, Alice let the steady rumble of the train lull her to sleep, her head resting on my shoulder, and I used the quiet to think about how I would keep everyone I cared about safe over the weekend.

  The Chess Master had indicated that my task was not to stop the murder from happening, but to solve the crime. I looked from the sleeping Alice to Catherine and Edward, and then to their parents, Lady and Lord Ashton, and felt the weight of responsibility crushing down on me. I didn’t know if I’d be able to save any of them, but I knew I had to try.

  5

  A car and chauffer were waiting for us when we got off the train, and by the time we made the long drive to Ridgewick, everyone was travel weary and ready to stretch.

  The car drove up a long gravel drive and stopped in front of a wide, shallow set of stairs that lead to the front doors of the house. Everyone piled out of the car while the driver unloaded the luggage. As a servant in a dark uniform came out to assist the chauffer, I found myself staring up at the house, taking in the grandeur of it all.

  “Is it just like you remember?” Lady Ashton asked, standing next to me and flattening the wrinkles from the skirt of her dress and adjusting her scalloped-brim hat.

  “It looks entirely different. Almost as if I’ve never been here,” I said, smiling.

  My aunt patted my back. “One quick tour around the property and you’ll remember your way around well enough. Do not fret.”

  Several more servants came down to greet the Beckinghams and carry our bags inside and the men followed them to supervise just as another car pulled up the drive and stopped behind ours. Mrs. Worthing’s face was pressed up against the glass, her eyes wide as they took in the house.

  I could imagine exactly how Mrs. Worthing must have felt on seeing Ridgewick Hall for the first time. Especially since I had just seen it for the first time myself.

  The stone building was three stories tall with columns that ran the entire face of the house from top to bottom, forming a covered portico. The matching stone pediment atop the columns was decorated with intricately carved flowers and vines. The same details had been added around the windows that dotted the front façade at regular intervals. The structure was both imposing and delicate, matching the landscaping that surrounded it. The nearest trees were hulking and ancient, but sunlight shone through the lacework of leaves and branches, painting everything in dappled gold. It really was a beautiful property.

  The car door opened and Mrs. Worthing scrambled out, followed by her husband. It was clear by the tangle of pearls around her neck and the large flower that decorated her silk hat that Mrs. Worthing was dressed to impress. She was aware of the Beckingham’s social status and wanted to look the part of a respectable guest. Mr. Worthing looked mostly unchanged except for the sparkling silver cuff links at his wrists.

  “Rose, my dear,” Mrs. Worthing called, placing her gloved hands over her mouth as though she could burst into tears at the sight of me. “I am so glad to see you again.”

  She wrapped me in a hug and, consequently, in the strong floral scent of her perfume.

  “I’m glad to see you, as well,” I said, hugging her back and nodding at Mr. Worthing over her shoulder.

  Mr. Worthing smiled and then tipped his head to all of the ladies. “I suppose I should take our luggage up to the house and give my greetings to the gentlemen.”

  “Oh no, Mr. Worthing,” Lady Ashton said. “I wouldn’t hear of it. Leave your bags here and a servant will come collect them. Do feel free, however, to move on up to the main house.”

  Mr. Worthing raised his eyebrows at his wife, clearly impressed that he wouldn’t have to carry his own belongings, and turned towards the house.

  “How have you been since I’ve seen you last, dear girl?” Mrs. Worthing asked, wrapping her arm around mine and movi
ng towards the stairs.

  I told her about how kind the Beckinghams had been and about finding my own house, but conveniently left out the part about investigating another murder and nearly being killed yet again.

  “How have you and Mr. Worthing been?” I asked. “Do you enjoy London as much as you did India?”

  Mrs. Worthing used her free hand to tangle her fingers in her pearls and rolled her eyes. “My dear, I much prefer London to India. It is so much cooler. Not to mention, now that Mr. Worthing is retired, we have all the time in the world to enjoy what the city has to offer. In Bombay, he was always working. He’d get to the office early, stay at the office late, and come home long enough to eat and sleep before starting all over again. Now, we are able to have a social life, and I adore it.”

  “That is lovely,” I said. “It sounds like retirement suits you both just fine.”

  “Indeed,” she said. “I was so pleased to receive an invitation from Lady Ashton to join you this weekend. It was quite the surprise.”

  “For me, as well,” I said. “My aunt wanted me to be with friends this weekend and she thought of you and Mr. Worthing.”

  This sounded much more flattering than the truth, which was that I had no other friends and my aunt could think of no one else to invite.

  Mrs. Worthing placed a hand over her heart and pulled her lips back in a tight smile. “Well, we are beyond flattered that you count us as friends and that the good lady thought of us. We are looking forward to a very exciting weekend.”

  Once again, the Chess Master came to my mind. Was everyone around me in incredible danger? Would I be able to save those I cared about? As Mrs. Worthing and I moved to the steps to wait for the rest of the guests to arrive, I made a vow to keep my eyes open and stay vigilant.

  The rest of the Beckingham’s guests arrived within the hour. The first to arrive was Lady Harwood and her personal physician, Dr. Shaw. The old woman lived on a property only a short distance away, but according to Lady Ashton’s hurried whisper as her car arrived, she rarely left her home for fear of catching some illness.

  “She is constantly convinced she is coming down with tuberculosis and the plague. She can’t walk up a flight of stairs without fear of breaking a bone or dislocating a joint. The woman is a strain on my nerves, but I couldn’t invite the other neighbors without also extending an invitation to her,” Lady Ashton said.

  “Well, of course not,” Mrs. Worthing agreed. “You had to do your neighborly duty.”

  “I didn’t think for a minute she would agree to come, but she surprised me.”

  Just then, the old woman managed to climb up the stairs with the assistance of Dr. Shaw, complaining the entire way, and stood before us, panting and moaning.

  “Everyone insists on stairs,” she said, shaking her head. “I had the stairs in front of my house removed so my driver could deliver me directly to the front door. Perhaps you should consider the same thing, Lady Ashton.”

  “Perhaps I should, Lady Harwood. Thank you again for joining us this weekend,” my aunt said, touching the old woman’s hand lightly. “And Dr. Shaw, we are pleased to have you, as well.”

  The doctor, a middle-aged man with sloping shoulders and a soft chin smiled and nodded but said nothing in return. It seemed as if he was either a quiet man by nature or Lady Harwood’s constant complaining had sucked away his desire for conversation.

  Next came Mr. and Miss Barry. They were a young couple who appeared to be around my age, both incredibly blonde. It looked as though their hair was made from actual sunlight.

  “What are the chances of a couple both having hair that vibrant shade of yellow?” I remarked.

  Lady Ashton put a single finger over her lips and smiled. “Don’t let them hear you say that. Charles and Vivian are brother and sister, and they are very sensitive about that subject. Most people mistake them for a couple.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry,” I said, cheeks flushing. This was something the real Rose Beckingham would have known. “I made a hasty assumption.”

  “And once you spend time with them, you’ll realize it was an easy assumption to make. They behave more like a husband and wife than a brother and sister, but do not let them hear you say so.”

  Mrs. Worthing simply clacked her tongue and watched as Charles unloaded Vivian’s suitcase and then took her hand to assist her up the stairs.

  “My sister and I are pleased to join you for the weekend,” Charles said once Lady Ashton had made all the introductions.

  Vivian nodded. “Yes, my brother and I have been looking forward to it all week.”

  I wondered whether they would begin every sentence by announcing their relationship to one another and made a mental note to keep track of it over the course of the weekend.

  “I believe I see Catherine and her brother up near the house,” Charles said, quickly reclaiming his sister’s hand as they moved towards the house.

  Last to arrive was the most surprising guest. Even more surprising than the Worthings. Mr. Matcham looked like a man better suited for a gambling establishment on a bad side of the city than an estate in the countryside. Everything about him was sleek. His hair, his dark suit, his voice.

  “Hello, esteemed hostess,” he said, bowing to Lady Ashton in a way that looked respectful, but felt like an exaggeration. “I’m looking forward to our weekend together.”

  Lady Ashton’s mouth tightened into a straight line. “Yes, we are all excited for good weather and friendly company.”

  I sensed a hint of a warning in Lady Ashton’s words, and I must not have been alone in that because Mrs. Worthing bit her lower lip nervously and began to fidget.

  Mr. Matcham smiled up at us a moment too long, his teeth glinting in the sunlight before he looked past us and waved. I turned to see Catherine walking down the path, Edward close behind.

  “If you’ll excuse me,” Mr. Matcham said, bowing to us and moving towards my cousins. He met Catherine with a nod followed by a hug. Then, a firm handshake for Edward.

  Lady Ashton let out a long sigh and then shook her head as though shaking away a cobweb. “Well, Mr. Matcham was the last guest to arrive. Everyone is here and the festivities can officially begin. Would you care to walk with me, Mrs. Worthing?” Lady Ashton extended her elbow to the other woman, who took it eagerly, and they walked towards the house.

  I turned and watched the homeowners and guests mingling across the property. Lord Ashton was pointing up at the house, directing Mr. Worthing’s attention to some fine detail in the architecture. Catherine and Edward were splitting their attention between Charles and Vivian Barry and Mr. Matcham. Lady Ashton and Mrs. Worthing were giggling like old friends. And Alice was waving desperately for me to join her under the shade of a large tree. I took note of each person, and wondered which of them, if any, would be the victim the Chess Master had promised. Then, I looked at them again, this time wondering who the culprit could be.

  “Rose,” Alice called, breaking into my thoughts. “Come over here.”

  I smiled at my youngest cousin and prayed silently for her safety. “Coming, Alice. You impatient girl.”

  6

  Once everyone was gathered in the front of the house, Lady Ashton insisted the day was too lovely to spend indoors.

  “A walking tour would be lovely, don’t you think, Lord Ashton?” she asked, not leaving room for her husband to disagree.

  So, the unconventional party, save for Lady Harwood who retired immediately to the Hall and only barely allowed Dr. Shaw to leave her side long enough to view the property, was off. I took up the rear, glad for the opportunity to observe all of the guests together. Once everyone was inside the house, they would be in the dining room, in the library, in their individual bedrooms. Everyone would find their respective places within the home and stay there, mingling only with those they wished to mingle with. The walk was one of the few times, aside from meals, where everyone would be together, and I could talk privately with them all.

  I wante
d to believe the Beckinghams retiring to Ridgewick Hall for the weekend was a coincidence, but clearly the Chess Master knew of their plans before I did. So, assuming my theory was correct and the note and the chess piece and the murder were not some elaborate prank, one of the guests visiting Ridgewick Hall was contemplating a murder. Which meant I had to try and thwart the killer. The letter implied that would be impossible, but it felt wrong not to try. Of course, somewhere in the back of my mind I knew that if the murder didn’t occur, then there would be nothing to solve and I would not receive my promised reward, information about my brother Jimmy.

  Not for the first time, I wished for the counsel of Achilles Prideaux. Of course, he had already advised me not to become involved with the case, but that was before either of us knew my family would be in Somerset that weekend. I could have telephoned or had Aseem deliver a note to Achilles, explaining my whereabouts and plans, but I didn’t think it would be a good idea. Knowing Monsieur Prideaux and his talent for showing up unexpectedly, he would have appeared suddenly at Ridgewick, and I did not want to have to explain to Lord and Lady Ashton why their niece was keeping such close company with a private detective.

  Lord and Lady Ashton took the lead, remarking on notable landmarks and estates in the distance. Dr. Shaw was the only guest who showed even the slightest interest in their commentary. Everyone else lagged behind so as to talk more freely. Charles and Vivian Barry walked just in front of me, linked arm in arm.

  “Some of this brush ought to be cleared away,” Vivian said, kicking at a tree root with the toe of her heels.

  “Now, now, sister,” Charles said, squeezing his sister’s arm playfully. “Some people enjoy a rugged walk through nature. That is why people come to the countryside, after all.”

  “I come for the quiet, not for the shrubbery,” Vivian responded. Edward was walking just in front of Vivian, and she leaned forward, placing her free hand on Edward’s shoulder. “Don’t you agree, Edward?”