Murder in Paradise by Alanna Knight

Author:Alanna Knight [Knight, Alanna]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9780749011611
Publisher: Allison & Busby
Published: 2012-12-03T13:00:00+00:00

He slept badly that night, troubled by nightmares, and left the house early next morning to call on Constable Muir, to get his farcical daily visit behind him. Not that he imagined there would have been any sightings of Macheath over the weekend. Perhaps in the criminal fraternity that was giving him shelter, Macheath too could be relied upon as going to ground, untroubled by thoughts of hell and damnation being preached in sermons throughout the land, but merely taking it easy and staying out of trouble on Sunday.

The rain had stopped and a thin sunshine fingered the drenched gardens. Already the storm had stripped some of the leaves from the trees, carpeting the grass with their first red and gold.

Taking the short-cut through the orchard, Faro observed that three of the gardeners were already hard at work, three young lads chattering like magpies over their weekend exploits. He wondered if they were well paid by Morris for their roles at the banquet.

They greeted him cheerfully. He recognised one of them as Erland’s squire and this was a great opportunity to get some answers from him regarding the wine. As he paused indecisively the trio stopped talking and stared at him. Unable to think of an excuse to detach the man from his comrades, Faro merely nodded and continued his walk.

As always he imagined their amused comments following him, especially after having obviously misunderstood his query regarding Bess Tracy, their giggling comments would doubtless be: ‘Bet that queer cove is after a woman again.’

At the police office, Muir emerged from his cloud of smoke to give the now routine negative response about Macheath and Faro sent the usual negative telegraph to Edinburgh.

He would soon have been in Kent for a week. A wasted week but now, for the first time, he was no longer dismayed or frustrated by Noble’s response, hoping that he would not be summoned back to Edinburgh before he could see Erland recovered.

When he told Muir that the wedding was postponed and the reason, the constable shrugged and said enigmatically, ‘I expect they’re well married already if not churched – if you get my meaning – from what I hear of the morals of the folk back yonder.’

A pause, then he grinned. ‘What was your evening like – apart from the food poisoning I mean. Were there any interesting goings-on?’

Faro shook his head firmly. He had no intention of indulging Muir’s low opinion of artists and gossip about their scandalous behaviour, which was rife in the district, so changing the subject, he asked, ‘Any word yet of Bess Tracy returning home?’

Muir puffed energetically at his pipe. ‘Haven’t heard.’ He sounded unalarmed and Faro said, ‘How long has she to be missing before there is an official inquiry?’

Muir stared at him and sighed deeply. ‘You’re off again, Faro. You don’t seem to understand that such matters are quite usual in rural communities like ours where young lasses like Bess, who spread themselves around, are concerned. They meet a chap, take an interest – perhaps a few shillings in it for them – and away they go.

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