The Ravenscar Dynasty by Barbara Taylor Bradford

Author:Barbara Taylor Bradford [Bradford, Barbara Taylor]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9780007279593
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2006-10-25T22:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-NINE

Edward Deravenel was not easily rattled. In fact, he was almost always composed, in control. This afternoon, as he walked at a measured pace down the corridor to John Summers’s office, he was perfectly at ease with himself and with the world. And he had a good idea why he had been sent for by Summers. There was news.

When he arrived at the door of Summers’s office he knocked and walked straight in; he was not at all startled to see Inspector Laidlaw sitting there with Rob Aspen. He had expected him to be there.

‘Hello, Inspector,’ he said, and looked across at the two other men. ‘Afternoon, Summers, Aspen.’

They both responded, and John said, ‘Come and join us. ‘We’re waiting for Oliveri so we can begin.’

At this very moment Alfredo knocked and walked in, looking somewhat harassed. ‘Afternoon, everyone,’ he said in an offhand, rather casual way, and took a chair next to Edward.

Inspector Laidlaw pushed his chair back a little, so that the other four men in the room were in his line of vision. ‘Well, gentlemen, I’m here to tell you that I don’t have very much news to give you. We have done a very intensive investigation into Aubrey Masters’s death, and we’ve come up empty-handed.’

‘What exactly does that mean, Inspector?’ John Summers asked, steepling his fingers, a habit of his, and frowning at the detective, looking displeased.

‘There are no suspects. We don’t believe anyone gave him digitalis, because there seems to be no reason anyone would want to kill him. He led a plain life, somewhat humdrum, in fact. It was a dull marriage, his wife is a bit reclusive, but there were no other women.’

‘But did he have a heart condition?’ Rob Aspen asked, ‘and did you manage to trace Dr Springer?’

‘He did not have a heart condition, nor was he prescribed digitalis because he didn’t need it,’ the inspector explained. ‘We did find Dr Springer, and he turned out to be a psychiatrist, one who is a follower of Dr Freud. He could throw a little light on Mr Masters’s life in general, although he did show us the medical files pertaining to Mr Masters. He explained that Masters was concerned with his lack of sexuality, worried that this problem was affecting his relationship with his wife. Apparently he firmly believed that she felt neglected.’

The inspector paused, then added, ‘Dr Springer was analysing him.’

‘So did he die of an overdose of digitalis or not?’ Alfredo now asked, a trifle impatiently. He was in a hurry, wanted this meeting to come to a conclusion so he could talk to Edward Deravenel privately.

‘Yes, he did,’ the inspector confirmed quietly.

‘There was an inquest this morning, wasn’t there?’ Edward said, as he stared at the Scotland Yard man.

‘Indeed there was, Mr Deravenel, and the coroner brought in a verdict of accidental death.’ Laidlaw paused for a moment, then finished, ‘In my opinion there could be no other verdict than this. My sergeant and I believe that Masters accidentally

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