Death at the Duck Pond by J New

Author:J New [New, J]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Phantom Press
Published: 2019-01-13T05:00:00+00:00

The man Celia introduced as Milo Montague to Penny and Mr Kelly the following evening, was so far removed from Penny’s expectations that she hoped the shock was not obvious on her face. Slim and bearded, his physical appearance may have matched the handful of images she had found on-line from the limited research she had carried out so far, but that was where the similarity ended. Her father had always warned her of the folly of making judgments about people before meeting them and this was a prime example of how right he was.

The unassuming figure facing her in faded jeans and a scruffy shirt was at odds with the brash character she had imagined. Having uncovered Milo’s penchant over the years for spending his trust fund drinking cocktails at the type of parties frequented by minor royals and covered by society magazines, she had expected him to exude confidence and charm, with a superior attitude to match.

In real life, Milo was softly-spoken and well-mannered. “Pleased to meet you both,” he said, extending a friendly handshake. Surveying the books which they had begun to pack into the boxes provided by Celia, he continued, “I’d like to thank you for all of your fine work here. Both of my parents set a lot of store by the importance of reading, both for learning and enjoyment. My father said he sometimes preferred books to people, because they couldn’t talk back.” A wry smile stretched across his face. “I think that was one of the reasons we didn’t always get along. I talked back rather a lot in my youth.”

“It’s a wonderful collection of books. It was very benevolent of your mother,” Penny said.

“My mother was generous to a fault,” Milo answered. “Material possessions meant little to her. She tried to teach me that money could bring great joy or untold heartache, but I never fully understood what she meant until it was too late.” He paused, a veil of sadness shrouding his eyes. “If her legacy brings joy to others, that’s all she would have wanted. I’m glad you can help fulfil her wishes.” He picked up a dusty tome and opened it, reading aloud the inscription in the front. “’To Milo. The future holds such promise, that all the past pales in comparison. Daniel.’” He set it down again as though it were the most precious thing in the world. “Anyway, enough of my reminiscing. I hope to see you again.”

The short meeting left Penny with a palpable sense of Milo’s grief. He made his way out of the library with Celia as if he were carrying an invisible weight on his shoulders.

After checking the door was shut tight and the pair were out of earshot, Mr Kelly turned to Penny with a raised eyebrow. “He seems like a pleasant chap, considering what you told me about his past. Minor brushes with the law as a student are one thing, but he seems to have made unwise choices a habit ever since.

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