The Ghosts of Ardenthwaite (The Northminster Mysteries Book 5) by Smart Harriet

Author:Smart, Harriet [Smart, Harriet]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Tags: Fiction
Publisher: Anthemion
Published: 2016-12-25T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-two

“And did you sleep?” Carswell asked the next morning. He had come in while Giles was at his breakfast, and insisted on examining him.

“Very little,” Giles conceded.

“After a substantial dose of laudanum. It was more severe than the last attack, then?”

“Yes, I suppose so...”

“And you are still suffering?”

“But it is improving –”

“Because you are sitting in a dark room doing very little. I have to agree with Lazenby,” said Carswell. “Some leave is in order.”

“Very well,” Giles said, after a moment, realising there was little point arguing with Carswell. “Might I ask for one or two concessions though – firstly, that I might go to Ardenthwaite for a few days? Given the place is lying empty.”

“Of course,” said Carswell, “if you like. So long as you will rest and have no ulterior motive in going there. You don’t, do you? After all, it is still rather to the point in the investigation.”

“Yes, it is, but I was not really thinking of that. It’s merely that, despite everything, I find the place very agreeable.” This was not entirely the truth, of course and there was something about Carswell’s expression that suggested he knew this too. But it had occurred to Giles that he could make some quiet progress with both his health and the case if he were there.

“Very well,” said Carswell. “But I will join you there – I too am due some leave – though I am not entirely sure how I feel about the place at the moment. But perhaps I will find those damned mushrooms this time. And if you do attempt anything foolish, I will be there to prevent it.”

“I will be good,” Giles said. “I will send Holt on this morning, then?” Carswell nodded. “And I will go down later today. I have a few things that I must do before then.”

Carswell looked doubtful for a moment and then nodded.

When he reached his office and started giving out orders, he began to feel the wisdom of Carswell and Lazenby’s advice. He was struggling to function adequately – a mixture of angry grief and pain seemed to rob him of his usual sense of clarity and purpose. He sent out men to look for evidence and witnesses on the attack on Kate, but had no faith in their finding anything.

He had finally cleared his desk when he found Mrs Hughes’s notes. Since he had to go to the Minster Precincts, he decided he would return them back to her in person, and give her a strong warning to have nothing further to do with Bickley.

It was about noon when he approached the Bishop’s Palace, and it seemed that the brilliant spring sunshine was tormenting him.

He found himself standing on the steps, his hand on the bell, frozen for a moment in intense discomfort, while in his mind the image of Kate’s scarred face and shorn head came to him unbidden and full of reproaches.

He was shown to the library and as before, found Mrs Hughes there, in lieu of her husband.

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