That Would Be a Fairy Tale (24 page)

As he did so, the two detectives came running up.

‘What is going on?’ demanded Alex furiously as he handed Goss over to them.

‘He gave us the slip,’ said the first man, shifting his feet, whilst the second one looked sheepish.

‘Your excuses will have to wait. I haven’t got time for this now,’ he said, knowing Cicely was in the villa, possibly frightened or hurt. ‘Later,’ he said commandingly before rushing into the villa.

Pushing aside the startled butler who opened the door, he was about to climb the stairs to Cicely’s room when he saw her coming down. She was white and shaken but appeared to be unhurt.

‘Are you all right?’ he demanded. His body flooded with relief at the sight of her, for he had feared the worst.

‘Goss.’ The word came out as a hoarse whisper.

‘It’s all right. He won’t bother you any more. He’s outside now, in the charge of the detectives. They won’t let him escape again.’ He was about to go on, but she had by now reached the bottom of the stairs and he could see by the glare of the gaslight that she was far from well. ‘What is it?’ he asked in concern. Then saw the bruises which were beginning to rise round her neck and throat, showing up darkly against the high neck of her dress. ‘In here.’ He lifted her from her feet, one arm under her knees and the other one round her shoulders, and carried her into the drawing-room, where he set her down gently on the sofa.

She lay back, relieved that she could give in to her weakness now that Alex was there. She had struggled against it, but she had to admit defeat. Her throat and neck were sore, and she wanted nothing more than to rest until she should have regained her strength.

‘What happened?’ he asked in concern.

‘Goss -’ The word, again, was no more than a hoarse whisper.

‘Don’t speak,’ he said. ‘I can guess. From the look of it he tried to strangle you.’

He felt his rage rising as he said it. It was a good thing that Goss was not there, but was safely in the custody of the detectives, otherwise he would not have been responsible for his actions.

Gently he began to undo the top few buttons of her dress, which had a high neck reaching to her ears. As he pushed the black fabric aside he saw the full extent of her injuries. Then heard an outraged cry from the doorway.

‘Take your hands from my niece.’

He looked up to see Mrs Lessing framed in the doorway.

‘I thought better of you,’ she said, eyes flaring. ‘I thought you were a gentleman.’

‘Cicely’s been attacked,’ he said shortly. ‘Goss gave the detectives the slip and ended up at the villa. He must have been waiting for her in her room - though how he knew she was here, I don’t know. But that’s beside the point. She has been strangled. Her neck and throat are badly bruised. She needs a doctor at once.’

Quickly grasping the situation Mrs Lessing’s anger towards Alex subsided, for she could see by Cicely’s swollen and discoloured neck that what he said was true. She left the room for a minute and then returned, saying, ‘I have sent one of the servants for Dr Ott, and told them not to come back without him.’

‘He’s a good man?’ demanded Alex.

‘The best. Doctor Ott attends the King,’ said Mrs Lessing.

Alex nodded. ‘Good.’

‘Gracious, Cicely,’ said Sophie’s voice from the doorway. The commotion had reached her bedroom and she had come downstairs to see what was going on. ‘What happened to you?

Cicely tried to speak again, but her throat was too sore and she sank back onto the sofa, exhausted.

‘Not another word,’ said her aunt. ‘Sophie, you sit with Cicely. I will go and speak to the servants, they are beginning to wonder what is going on. And you,’ she said to Alex, ‘had better go with those detectives of yours and make sure they don’t let Goss escape again.’

‘I’m not going anywhere until I know Cicely’s going to be all right,’ he growled.

‘If you think I am going to let you remain in the room whilst the doctor examines my niece you are very much mistaken,’ she said with asperity.

‘I will be . . . all right.’ Cicely’s words came out as a croak, but they were comprehensible. She put her hand on Alex’s arm reassuringly.

Reluctantly he rose from her side. Realising that she would be well looked after by her aunt and cousin, and knowing he could do no more to help her at present, Alex gave a curt nod. There was something in what Mrs Lessing said. He would be wise to make sure that the detectives did their job properly this time. After what had just occurred, he would not rest easily until Goss was under lock and key.

‘Very well. But I will return first thing in the morning,’ he said.

With a last look at Cicely, as if to reassure himself that she would indeed be all right, he departed, and Cicely gave herself over to the ministrations of her cousin and her aunt.

‘What a shocking to-do,’ said Mrs Lessing. ‘Imagine that odious man escaping and attacking you, here in the villa, of all places. I would very much like to know how it came about.’ She waved her hand as Cicely tried to speak. ‘No, not now. It can wait until you are well again, my dear.’

‘How are you feeling?’

It was the following morning and Sophie, eager to find out how Cicely was, had brought her breakfast in bed.

‘Much better, thank you,’ said Cicely.

Her ordeal of the night before now seemed like a dream, and if not for her painful throat she would have thought it had been simply that. But the livid marks round her neck bore witness to the fact that it had been real.

‘Mr Evington has been here asking after you,’ said Sophie, as she poured Cicely a cup of coffee. ‘Mother told him you were asleep and that you could not be disturbed.’

Cicely’s heart sank. Though her aunt’s actions had been well-intentioned, she would have liked to see Alex.

‘She told him the same the next time he called as well,’ said Sophie, handing Cicely the coffee.

‘He has been twice?’ asked Cicely.

‘Three times. You’ve slept late,’ she explained, seeing Cicely’s expression. ‘He won’t be calling again, though.’

Cicely felt her hand beginning to tremble, and put the cup down with a clatter.

‘Is it too hot? I thought it might be. Let me put some more milk in for you.’

Cicely allowed Sophie to make the coffee cooler, although that had not been the reason for her almost dropping the cup.

‘He won’t be calling again, did you say?’ asked Cicely with studied nonchalance, for she found that she was longing to see him.

Her brush with death had made her see how precarious life was, and she could not let ignorance come between them. She knew she must talk to him, telling him that she was not engaged, so that he could come to know her better. And she must somehow ascertain his feelings for Eugenie.

‘He has had to go back to
England
. But I dare say you will see him there when you return,’ said Sophie.

‘Yes. I dare say,’ she said in a dispirited voice.

She was not so sure she would see him in
England
, for she knew that he had bought the manor so that he could catch the thief, and now that the thief was caught, then what was there to keep him in the countryside? Unless his feelings for her were strong enough to induce him to remain.

Sometimes she thought they were, and sometimes she thought they weren’t. She knew there was an electrical charge between them, but his deeper feelings were unclear.

How she longed to talk to him! But in her present condition it was impossible.

‘You won’t be well enough to travel for a while,’ said Sophie, echoing her own thoughts. ‘I know mother wants to keep you with us for as long as possible. And so do I.’

Cicely’s sojourn in
Austria
lasted another week, but then she felt she could impose on her aunt and cousin no longer. Sophie and Mrs Lessing had a long-standing arrangement to visit
Paris
, and although they pressed her to join them she declined, saying it was time for her to return to the Lodge.

Her return journey was more sombre than her outward journey had been, and she was glad to reach
England
. So much had happened since she had gone away, and she was looking forward to the peace and quiet of home. And hoping against hope that Alex was still in the neighbourhood.

‘It is good to have you back, miss,’ said Gibson as he welcomed her at the door. ‘I trust you had an enjoyable time?’

Gibson had known nothing of Cicely’s real reason for going to Marienbad, and had accepted at face value her story of going to pay a visit to her aunt, so she remarked simply, ‘Yes, thank you, Gibson. It was most . . . satisfactory.’

Gibson departed, and Cicely strolled round the sitting room, refamiliarising herself with it, before going out into the garden. It looked much the same as it had looked when she had left. It was hard to believe that she had only been gone for such a short space of time. So much had happened.

She went back into the house and regarded herself in the mirror. She was fortunate that high necks were fashionable, as her lace-trimmed blouse covered up the remains of her bruises, and she would not have to explain them to her friends.

She took off her gloves and hat. Hardly had she done so when
Alice
bounded into the house.

‘You’re back.’
Alice
hugged her impulsively. ‘Thank goodness. It’s been so boring whilst you’ve been away.’

Not even
Alice
had known the truth behind Cicely’s visit to Marienbad: the fewer people who had known of her plan, the less likelihood it had had of leaking out and alarming Martin Goss, putting him on his guard. But now that he was safely in custody, the time had come to reveal the truth.

‘My time has been anything but boring . . . ’ she said.

‘Well!’ exclaimed
Alice
, when Cicely had finished her account of recent events. She shook her head. ‘Well, I never. And so Martin Goss was the thief all along. Gladys will be delighted. And so will everyone else. It was an upsetting incident, but everyone will soon know the truth. You have only to tell Mrs Sealyham, and it will be all round Little Oakleigh, Oakleigh and Greater Oakleigh by this time tomorrow! And Mr Evington was in on it, too, you say? Only think, we all believed he had gone to
London
. Oh, Cicely, it’s so good to have you back - both of you. Although we won’t have Mr Evington for long. He’s going back to
London
for good. I know you will be pleased. You never liked having him here.’

‘Going back to
London
for good?’ asked Cicely, dismayed.

‘Yes, I was talking to Roddy and he said that Mr Evington is returning this afternoon. I wondered why at the time, but now you’ve told me all about the theft, I can understand it. He doesn’t need the Manor any more now that he has caught the thief and so he is going to sell it. And just when I was getting used to having him here,’ said
Alice
.

Cicely turned away. She did not want
Alice
to see her face, for she was afraid her feelings of desolation were written there for all to see.

‘Oh, well, never mind,’ said
Alice
. ‘Perhaps he will sell it to a family. People who will love it as a home. That is what you always wanted.’

‘Yes,’ said Cicely, her voice wan.

Alice
, mistaking the reason for this, said, ‘You must be tired after your long journey. I will leave you to unpack.’ She got up and went over to the door. ‘Oh. I almost forgot. Mother says you are invited to dinner tomorrow. Do say you’ll come.’

Cicely was once more in command of herself. ‘I’d love to. Thank you.’

Alice
departed.

Cicely, walking over to the window, looked out over her small garden to the sweeping lawns beyond, and, in the distance, the Manor. Alex was there at the moment, but not for much longer, and so she knew what she must do.

She went resolutely out of the Lodge, knowing she must clear things up between them whilst she had the chance. She had to find out why he thought she was going to marry Chuff Chuff and she had to tell him that he was wrong. She had to find out about Eugenie, and after that . . . well, after that, anything could happen.

She walked briskly up the drive and as she approached the Manor, the front door opened and Roddy came out. On seeing Cicely he made straight for her.

‘You did a wonderful job over in Marienbad,’ he said enthusiastically, gripping her by the hand and shaking it.

If Alex had shaken her hand, her body would have been on fire, thought Cicely, but with Roddy the gesture had no effect and was nothing more than a friendly salute.

‘It is a relief we finally caught him,’ Cicely replied.

‘He will be behind bars for a very long time. I suppose you wanted to see Alex. He has just gone in to the village.’

Cicely tried to hide her frustration.

‘Oh, Lord! Is that the time? I have to be going,’ said Roddy, glancing at the watch that was slung across the front of his waistcoat. ‘I’m going to see a man about a motor. I’m getting one of my own at last.’