The Lie Tree by Hardinge Frances

Author:Hardinge, Frances [Hardinge, Frances]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub, azw3
ISBN: 9781447264118
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
Published: 2015-05-07T07:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 19:

GENTLEMEN CALLERS

Dr Jacklers was invited to call at twelve. He arrived at ten, throwing the house into confusion.

When Mrs Vellet came in to report his arrival, Myrtle was in the drawing room, and the dressmaker had just pinned her into a new dress to check the fit. She was not, in short, ready to play the poignant invalid.

‘Of all the people I cannot afford to offend!’ Myrtle was flustered beyond measure. ‘Tell the doctor that I am dressing and that I will be with him shortly. Put him in the library. It has skulls – he will like that. Offer him some tea.’

‘I beg your pardon, ma’am,’ Mrs Vellet answered carefully, ‘but he says he has arrived early on official business. He begs your permission to make a view of the grounds, ma’am.’

Myrtle turned pale and spent a moment chewing her lip.

‘We cannot very well deny him,’ she said reluctantly. ‘Put Prythe at the doctor’s disposal.’

‘And what shall I do with the young Master Clay?’ asked Mrs Vellet blandly.

‘Master Clay?’ Myrtle’s eyes widened. ‘Is he here too?’

‘Yes, ma’am. He arrived at the same time as the doctor’s carriage. He has come to deliver a photograph, and . . . several large bunches of flowers, ma’am.’

‘Flowers,’ breathed Myrtle. Her pink, pretty countenance flitted butterfly-like between satisfaction, anxiety and cool calculation. ‘We cannot afford to offend the Clays either,’ she murmured. ‘Make Master Clay comfortable in the conservatory – with some crumpets or cake.’

Faith was barely listening. Dr Jacklers was at the house investigating the Reverend’s death. This might be her only chance to talk to him and persuade him that her father had been murdered.

Talking to Dr Jacklers would be a betrayal, of course. She would be destroying the family’s story. Myrtle would be furious. Perhaps she would be more than furious.

You understand the danger if the truth comes out, Uncle Miles had said.

Faith did not understand the danger, but remembering his words she felt a sudden qualm. Perhaps telling the truth really would bring trouble on the family. But how could she let such an opportunity slip through her fingers? She owed it to her father to try.

Faith found the doctor in the grounds, walking in the direction of the cliff-path.

‘Ah, I am sorry that you should come upon me like this, Miss Sunderly . . . I am about my duties, I fear.’ He drew a folded paper from his inner pocket, opened it and held it out to show its big red wax seal.

. . . as magistrate of the county of Vane do require and permit that Doctor Noah Jacklers shall be called upon as coroner in the inquest of the Reverend Erasmus Sunderly . . .

It had been signed at the bottom by Lambent. His handwriting and signature were large, swooping and chaotic, a lot like the man himself.

‘Do you understand the meaning of the word “coroner”?’ asked Dr Jacklers, and smiled when Faith nodded. ‘Good, good. Now, usually a coroner would call in a medical expert, but, ah, since I am the only medical expert on the island, I must call in myself.

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