The Case of the Undiscovered Corpse (An Alasdair and Toby and Cambridge Fellows Mystery) by Charlie Cochrane

Author:Charlie Cochrane [Cochrane, Charlie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Williams & Whiting
Published: 2022-10-05T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

Sunday Matins proved a most pleasing service, with a sermon that was little short of revelatory. If Orlando hadn’t counted it as being highly unlikely that the vicar had inside knowledge about the four guests from the Old Manor who were in his pews, he’d have thought one or two lines had been specifically aimed at them. And in a surprisingly positive way.

The text had come from Matthew and the main body of the homily had concerned the sanctity of marriage. The vicar—a pleasant old bird called Jones, which nicely chimed with his predecessor being called Smith—had included in his talk a later passage from the same gospel. In this Jesus had outlined, without condemnation, the three kinds of folk who couldn’t get wed. Jones had explained what each of those categories meant, boldly in the case of those who had chosen not to have a partner for the sake of their faith and rather coyly when it came to eunuchs. His reference to the third type, those who’d been born unable to marry, had brought the revelation. It carried a distinct, if elliptical, hint that the passage could indicate those who preferred their own sex.

Jonty had clearly had the same thought, because he’d jabbed Orlando’s leg at the time. There would be much to discuss later, away from prying ears.

The presence of the two actors in the congregation had produced, from the moment of their arrival, a small and very English style of sensation. This manifested itself mainly in nudges, whispers and people deliberately not looking in the men’s direction if they were likely to be spotted doing so. Once Matins had finished, that decorum started to fray, with direct smiles aimed at both Toby and Alasdair, and one or two people being brave enough to approach the pair in order to compliment them on their films. Jonty too had been nabbed, by a couple of people who remembered him from previous visits and wanted to have a chat. All this left Orlando free to observe the scene with amusement, up until the point he was approached by two women, one of whom quickly introduced herself as Bessy Cutting.

“You must be Professor Coppersmith,” she said. “I wanted to thank you, as well as your friends, for looking into Mr Drayton’s death. I’d love to ask you if you’ve discovered anything else since yesterday, but potatoes won’t cook themselves and I have to get back home right now. This is my friend, Mrs Hammersley. We were chatting before the service about poor Mr Drayton perhaps getting justice at last and she says she might have something of interest to tell you.” Bessy flashed a smile and left them.

Mrs Hammersley had to be older than Orlando, with a face like a wrinkled apple yet eyes as bright and sharp as a woman a third her age. “I hope you don’t mind me catching you, sir, but when Bessy told me you were looking into Mr Drayton’s death, I wanted you to know that I remember him being buried here.

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