THE BROMSGROVE BOOKSELLER a captivating Victorian historical murder mystery (Inspector Ravenscroft Detective Mysteries Book 9) by KERRY TOMBS

Author:KERRY TOMBS [TOMBS, KERRY]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Joffe Books historical mysteries
Published: 2020-11-01T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHT

LEDBURY, CHRISTMAS DAY

‘Samuel! Samuel!’ called out a familiar voice.

Ravenscroft woke with a start. ‘Oh, I’m so sorry, my dear, I dozed off. How long have I been asleep?’

‘For nearly an hour,’ replied Lucy returning to her seat by the fire.

Ravenscroft stretched. ‘Surely not that long? I only closed my eyes a few minutes ago.’

Lucy looked at the old grandfather clock in the corner of the room. ‘Fifty-five minutes, to be exact.’

‘I’m sorry, it must have been the effects of that goose, or the second helping of that excellent plum pudding — and then the warm fire and your gentle reassuring presence. Any man would succumb to such pleasures. How are the children?’

‘Susan took them up thirty minutes ago. They were quite tired after all the excitement.’

‘I will look in on them shortly.’

‘So it was a white Christmas after all,’ said Lucy.

‘Yes, unfortunately that meant I had to spend a night in that awful inn, but thank goodness Tom and I were able to leave Bromsgrove and be home in time for Christmas. I have to admit, there was a time when it looked as though we would be snowbound in the town for the remainder of the festive season.’

‘Richard was so pleased with that jigsaw you gave him, and little Arthur simply adored all those Noah’s Ark animals.’

‘I am pleased,’ smiled Ravenscroft, moving upright from his previous slumped posture, and readjusting his spectacles.

‘And thank you so much for the necklace. It is quite beautiful and I shall treasure it for ever.’

‘And I must thank you for these fine crimson slippers. I must say that I have never worn such comfortable footwear. I believe I shall never leave the house ever again.’

‘But you must; you have to catch the murderer of the old bookseller, and save young Stebbins.’ Lucy picked up her needlework.

‘Yes. I feel rather guilty sitting here tonight with my loved ones around me, while poor Stebbins is still languishing in that cold damp cell in Worcester with the threat of a death sentence hanging over him.’

‘You must not reproach yourself, Samuel. I am sure that you have done everything that you can at present.’

‘Yes, but that is not enough. Since I went to Bromsgrove two men have been murdered in a brutal fashion, and we are no further forward in discovering the truth about this matter.’

‘Well, those Nightingales are certainly not to be trusted, from what you have told me,’ emphasised Lucy.

‘They were certainly not very cooperative, but I cannot see a reason why they would have committed all these murders.’

‘If only someone had noticed who had dropped that key in the study.’

‘Yes, that would have solved everything.’

‘You are sure that is what happened? Could there have been another way in which Sir John could have been murdered?’

‘The great locked room mystery! Well, the windows were certainly locked and bolted from the inside, and I doubt if anyone could have climbed up that narrow chimney, and anyway there was the remains of a fire in the hearth.’

‘So what will you do next?’ asked Lucy.

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