The Repentant Rake (45 page)

    'He'll
find out what danger means if I get my hands on him!' vowed Sir Julius.

    'Leave
him to us.'

    'But
you have got nothing out of him so far.'

    'We
will, Sir Julius. In time.'

    The
old man was frustrated. 'Is there
no
way that I can get to see the
prisoner?'

    'None,
I fear.'

    'Even
if I make it worth the sergeant's while?'

    'He
is not supposed to accept any bribes.'

    'Prisons
are run on bribery, man,' said Sir Julius irritably, 'we all know that. The
more the wretches can pay, the better their accommodation in those foul places.
Introduce me to the prison sergeant. I'll soon buy my way into the cell with
that killer.'

    Jonathan
stood firm. 'It will not be allowed, Sir Julius. I understand your anger at the
man but justice must be allowed to take its course. We'll get the truth out of
him soon.'

    Sir
Julius gave up. Having failed to persuade Christopher to take him along to the
prison, he had thought that he would have more chance with a humble constable,
but he was mistaken. Jonathan was even more resistant to his offer. Sir Julius
heaved a sigh then looked over his shoulder.

    'They
have packed me off, Mr Bale.'

    'Packed
you off?'

    'In
the politest way,' said Sir Julius with a fond smile. 'My daughter, Susan,
wanted me out of the house so that she could talk alone with Mr Redmayne. There
is a possibility, it seems, that he may be able to win the confidence of my
daughter-in-law, who could have useful information that is being held back.'

    'So
Mr Redmayne told me.'

    Sir Julius
brightened. 'What he told me is that you fought at Worcester.'

    'Yes,'
said Jonathan quietly, 'but I was very young at the time.'

    'War
seasons a man. What are your memories of the battle?'

    'I
try to put them out of my mind, Sir Julius.'

    'Why?'

    'Those
days are long gone.'

    'Yet
you keep them alive, in the names of your sons, I gather.'

    Jonathan
was unsettled. 'Mr Redmayne had no call to mention that fact.'

    'He
had every call. I wanted to know as much about you as possible. You have done
my family an immense favour. You caught my son's killer.'

    'With
help from others.'

    'Yes,
yes, of course. I accept that. But it troubles me that you turn your back on a
time when you bore arms in a noble cause.'

    'It
may be more sensible to forget it, Sir Julius.'

    'Nonsense,
Mr Bale!' said the other. 'You should treasure those memories, especially now
when we are afflicted with this prancing lecher of a King and his corrupt
court. Remember a time when virtue was triumphant and the nation was cleansed.
Well,' he said briskly. 'Will you not invite me in?'

    'Into
my house?' said Jonathan, rather flustered.

    'Do
you have any objection?'

    'No,
no, Sir Julius.'

    'Then
stand aside, man. I do not wish to converse on the doorstep like an old woman
passing on gossip. Let's sit down together,' he said stepping into the house as
Jonathan made way for him. 'We have much to discuss.'

    Alone
with her at last, Christopher Redmayne was able to look at her properly for the
first time since he had returned to the house in Knightrider Street. Susan
Cheever had changed. The news that her brother's killer had been apprehended
had brought the most enormous joy and relief. It showed in her face, her
movements and her manner. She and Christopher were sitting in the parlour while
Lucy was in her bedchamber. Though they were talking about a serious matter,
their eyes carried on a more light-hearted dialogue.

    'I do
admire how you did it, Miss Cheever,' he said.

    'Did
what?'

    'Eased
your father out of the house. You managed Sir Julius superbly.' •

    'Father
was in the way.'

    'He
realised that eventually.'

    'Only
after I had dropped enough hints, Mr Redmayne. This is the perfect time to draw
Lucy out. She is thrilled that Gabriel's killer has been caught, and overcome
with gratitude. If the two of you can be left alone for a little while,' she
said softly, 'I'm sure that you could find out what you need to know.'

    'I
hope so. The man himself will tell us nothing. He is positively defiant. We
need every bit of help we can get to track down his accomplices.'

    'Lucy
may provide some of that help.'

    'In
what way?' he asked. 'Has she given you any inkling at all?'

    'Not
really. She grows fearful when I touch on the subject. For some reason, she
will not confide in me. You may have more luck.'

    'I
will certainly try.' He glanced upward. 'How long will she be?'

    'Not
long.'

    'Did
she retire in order to sleep?'

    'No,
Mr Redmayne,' said Susan. 'Lucy wanted to be alone with her thoughts. That is
only natural. But she was also keen to give us some time together.'

    Christopher
grinned. 'That was very obliging of her.'

    'She
knew that we would have a lot to talk about.'

    'We
certainly do.' The intensity in his voice made her smile. 'It is a great pity
that you may have to return to Northamptonshire.'

    'I am
very reluctant to do so,' she admitted.

    'You
could be so helpful to me here.'

    'Helpful?'

    'Yes,
Miss Cheever,' he explained. 'Once the accomplices have been caught, my work is
over and I can turn to the project that brought us together in the first place.
Sir Julius will want to keep me under scrutiny while his new house is being
built. He will watch over my shoulder and that could be uncomfortable. I lack
your skill in handling him,' he finished. 'Your presence would be invaluable.'

    'Is
that all I am?' she teased. 'Someone who knows how to control Father?'

    'Oh,
no, you are much more than that to me!'

    The
ardour of his declaration surprised both of them and they were at first
perplexed. Christopher reminded himself that Susan was still in mourning and
any display of emotion on his part was untimely. On her side, Susan was very
pleased but equally confused basking in the warmth of his affection but
wondering whether or not she should encourage it at such an unpropitious time.
Uncertain how to proceed, they abandoned the conversation by tacit consent and simply
gazed at each other in silence. Their pleasure was foreshortened. The sound of
footsteps on the stairs told them that Lucy was coming. Their expressions
became more solemn.

    'Oh!'
said Lucy, entering the room. 'Am I interrupting something?'

    'Not
at all,' said Christopher, getting up to welcome her. 'You could never
interrupt anyone in your own house, Mrs Cheever. We are the guests, not you.'

    Lucy
sat down and indicated that he should follow suit. Susan's hopes were raised. Her
sister-in-law was calm and poised. After a period of reflection, she might have
decided to speak more openly about certain matters. The important thing was to
leave her alone with Christopher. Susan bided her time.

    'I
cannot thank you enough, Mr Redmayne,' said Lucy.

    'Wait
until the whole business is over before you thank anyone,' said Christopher.
'We caught the most vicious of them but others are still at large, including
the man who set up the murder. I want to find out
why
your husband was killed.'

    'So
do I.'

    'And
where,' he stressed.

    'Yes,'
she murmured tossing a glance at Susan.

    'Do
you have any idea, Mrs Cheever?'

    Lucy
lowered her head and gazed at the floor. There was a long pause. Susan took the
opportunity to make an excuse and withdraw to the next room, closing the door
firmly behind her. Christopher knew that he might never again get such a good
chance of winning Lucy's confidence. He tried to be as gentle as he could.

    'Mrs
Cheever,' he began, 'I think I know why you are holding back.'

    'Do
you?' she said, looking up at him with alarm.

    'Let
me say at once that I respect your rights of conscience.'

    'Not
everyone takes that view, alas.'

    'I
do,' he assured her. 'I admire anybody who is true to her beliefs.'

    'Even
if those beliefs are forbidden?'

    'Especially
then.'

    Lucy
was uneasy. 'When did you guess, Mr Redmayne?'

    'When
Mr Bale spoke to one of your neighbours. She told him how devout you and your
husband were. I remembered seeing the crucifix on the wall.'

    'There
is no harm in that,' she said defensively.

    'As
far as I am concerned, there is no harm in anything you do, Mrs Cheever. Though
I do appreciate your desire to keep it from the rest of the family. Your
sister-in-law would be very understanding,' he said looking towards the dining
room, 'but I could not promise the same of Sir Julius or of his elder daughter.
It should be kept from them.'

    'That
is why we were so secretive.'

    'Did
your husband embrace the Old Religion as well?'

    'Gabriel
was taking instruction.'

    'A
case of true repentance, then.'

    'Very
much so, Mr Redmayne,' she said softly. 'I was brought up in the Roman Catholic
religion. My parents were devout, my uncle was a Jesuit priest who had to flee
abroad. These are dangerous times for people like myself. The King has a
Catholic wife yet we are still cruelly persecuted.'

    'How
did your husband come to share your views?'

    'It
was a slow process. At first, Gabriel was very cynical about religion in
general. His faith had never helped him, he said. But he came to see just how
important it is to have a spiritual side to your life.'

    'Apart
from anything else, it was the only way that he could be close to you.'

    'Yes,
Mr Redmayne.'

    'Love
came first and commitment followed.'

    'Only
after long arguments.'

    'You
must have been a powerful advocate.'

    'No,'
she said. 'I was simply someone who believed so strongly in my faith that I would
not compromise it to be with the man I loved.' A painful memory made her wince.
'And yet I did compromise. I've been tormented by guilt ever since.'

    'Guilt?'

    'I
was forced to make a choice, Mr Redmayne.'

    'Between
what?'

    'Gabriel
and my family.'

    'Was
there no possibility of reconciling the two?'

    'None
whatsoever,' she explained. 'Mother could never have accepted a man with
Gabriel's past. She would have forbidden the marriage just as forcefully as Sir
Julius would have done, had he known about it.'

    'Who
performed the ceremony?'

    There
was another pause. 'Someone we could trust.'

    'In
other words, a Catholic priest.'

    'I
would never marry under any other conditions,' she affirmed. 'Gabriel knew that
and he accepted it. Eventually, that is.'

    'Those
long arguments must have been quite acrimonious at times.'

    'They
were punishing for both of us.'

    'But
you achieved harmony in the end.'

    'Yes,'
said Lucy, her features lighting up for an instant. 'When we were together we
were so happy. Gabriel told me that I had saved his life.' Her face clouded.
'Yet, in another sense, I was responsible for his death.'