said. Bending down, he picked up an old signet ring, the gold still gleaming brightly. ‘Likewise, this.’ He also retrieved a silver fob watch, with a fine chased case, tarnished and slightly dented, but still attached to its handsome silver chain. ‘Whoever he was, he seems to have been a gentleman. Any of his other possessions could easily have been removed after his death.’
‘Are you suggesting murder, Mr Brown?’
Jane Grayson was obviously surprised and alarmed at the idea of a murder victim on the premises that she’d been renting for a year.
‘It seems highly probable, ma’am.’
‘But … but, surely it could have been an accident or … or … even suicide, Mr Brown?’
‘I think not,’ he said quietly. ‘There is no weapon, you see. The deceased could not have killed himself with either his ring or this watch. What accident could have caused such a copious amount of blood in so small a space? Of course, we shall have to report this to the proper authorities, but it is my opinion the unfortunate man was murdered.’
‘Oh, how dreadful!’ Jane Grayson exclaimed. ‘Poor man and to think this body has been here all this time and none of us was even aware of it.’
‘Quite so,’ Adam Brown said. ‘I think, Matthew, that there is no point in any more fruitless speculation. And with your permission, ma’am, perhaps we could have the loan of a blanket or sheet, until the body can be removed.’
‘Of course,’ Jane agreed. ‘Come, girls, we shall return to the drawing-room and get Robert to cover the body decently.’
Jane’s household was very informal. Although she used the formal system of ringing a bell to summon the maid when they had company, she was just as likely to go to the kitchen herself and even do the baking if she was so inclined. She employed the young footman, Robert, as a cross between a butler and general factotum, a young man of many skills who was in her opinion ‘worth his weight in gold’.
They all went back to the drawing-room where Adam Brown asked diffidently if he could have the use of some of Robert’s silver polish and a soft cloth. While they all watched with interest, he polished up the silver watch and turned it over so that the engraving on the back of the case was revealed clearly. The owner’s initials were hand-engraved and clearly marked: C.W.
‘It seems he was one of the Westburys then. “C.W” – that could be Christopher or Charles….’
‘Yes, it could be either of those, Matthew, but the favoured family names are Benjamin, Hugo, Charles. This ring is also interesting,’ he went on. ‘See, a cunning little hinge just here. A locket ring, no less.’
Very carefully, he pulled up the little hinged fastening on the ring and opened it to reveal an exquisite miniature of a mother and child. It showed a beautiful young woman, with dark hair and deep blue eyes. The child was an adorable little cherub, fairer than his mother but with identical blue eyes. Below the portrait in very tiny writing, but easy to read, was the date 1760. There was a profound silence as the ring was carefully and reverently passed from hand to hand.
‘Who can they be?’ Jane Grayson asked. ‘If that pretty little baby has survived, he must be all of fifty-six years. Where can he be? What can have become of him?’
‘I do not rightly know,’ Adam said. ‘And after this lapse of time, it will be nigh on impossible to find out.’
‘But if the skeleton and the mother and baby were members of the Westbury family, would not Sir Benjamin know who they were?’
Charlotte spoke with some excitement. She’d always been interested in history and this corpse had excited her curiosity rather than horror or aversion. Adam looked at her with gentle approval.
‘Yes, undoubtedly, Miss Grayson, and back at the office in King’s Lynn there is a deed box relating to the whole family, complete with names and dates of birth. It may take time, but it should be possible to
‘Are you suggesting murder, Mr Brown?’
Jane Grayson was obviously surprised and alarmed at the idea of a murder victim on the premises that she’d been renting for a year.
‘It seems highly probable, ma’am.’
‘But … but, surely it could have been an accident or … or … even suicide, Mr Brown?’
‘I think not,’ he said quietly. ‘There is no weapon, you see. The deceased could not have killed himself with either his ring or this watch. What accident could have caused such a copious amount of blood in so small a space? Of course, we shall have to report this to the proper authorities, but it is my opinion the unfortunate man was murdered.’
‘Oh, how dreadful!’ Jane Grayson exclaimed. ‘Poor man and to think this body has been here all this time and none of us was even aware of it.’
‘Quite so,’ Adam Brown said. ‘I think, Matthew, that there is no point in any more fruitless speculation. And with your permission, ma’am, perhaps we could have the loan of a blanket or sheet, until the body can be removed.’
‘Of course,’ Jane agreed. ‘Come, girls, we shall return to the drawing-room and get Robert to cover the body decently.’
Jane’s household was very informal. Although she used the formal system of ringing a bell to summon the maid when they had company, she was just as likely to go to the kitchen herself and even do the baking if she was so inclined. She employed the young footman, Robert, as a cross between a butler and general factotum, a young man of many skills who was in her opinion ‘worth his weight in gold’.
They all went back to the drawing-room where Adam Brown asked diffidently if he could have the use of some of Robert’s silver polish and a soft cloth. While they all watched with interest, he polished up the silver watch and turned it over so that the engraving on the back of the case was revealed clearly. The owner’s initials were hand-engraved and clearly marked: C.W.
‘It seems he was one of the Westburys then. “C.W” – that could be Christopher or Charles….’
‘Yes, it could be either of those, Matthew, but the favoured family names are Benjamin, Hugo, Charles. This ring is also interesting,’ he went on. ‘See, a cunning little hinge just here. A locket ring, no less.’
Very carefully, he pulled up the little hinged fastening on the ring and opened it to reveal an exquisite miniature of a mother and child. It showed a beautiful young woman, with dark hair and deep blue eyes. The child was an adorable little cherub, fairer than his mother but with identical blue eyes. Below the portrait in very tiny writing, but easy to read, was the date 1760. There was a profound silence as the ring was carefully and reverently passed from hand to hand.
‘Who can they be?’ Jane Grayson asked. ‘If that pretty little baby has survived, he must be all of fifty-six years. Where can he be? What can have become of him?’
‘I do not rightly know,’ Adam said. ‘And after this lapse of time, it will be nigh on impossible to find out.’
‘But if the skeleton and the mother and baby were members of the Westbury family, would not Sir Benjamin know who they were?’
Charlotte spoke with some excitement. She’d always been interested in history and this corpse had excited her curiosity rather than horror or aversion. Adam looked at her with gentle approval.
‘Yes, undoubtedly, Miss Grayson, and back at the office in King’s Lynn there is a deed box relating to the whole family, complete with names and dates of birth. It may take time, but it should be possible to
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