His Fatal Legacy, page 29
He made his way through the hustle and bustle, the porter he’d enlisted to carry his trunk struggling beneath the weight as they made their way towards the passenger steamers, dodging in and out of sailors, dock workers, carts, horses and travellers. It was a noisy, colourful place and had he more leisure time, Robert would have liked to take it all in, but he had to get out of the country. He swore to himself that he would get on the first steamship that had space for him, no matter where it was going. Glamorous-sounding places such as Australia, Canada and America flickered through his mind. The first steamship he found was going to Argentina, so he booked himself a cabin, which certainly wasn’t as luxurious as he’d imagined, but it would do. Robert had no acquaintances abroad, he would be completely alone, living on his wits, but he was good at that.
He remained in his cabin until the ship departed, when he went up on deck, still wary of Murphy catching up with him. His heart ached as he was taken further and further from land and his family, wondering when or if he would ever see them again. The ship could sink before it reached dry land and they wouldn’t know what had become of him or that they had been constantly in his thoughts. He would miss out on Emily growing up. He would miss her first steps, her first word. The pain became so bad, he was tempted to hurl himself over the rail, swim back to the dock and tear back up the country to Edinburgh, until he recalled his hands wrapped around his own mother’s throat. He was doing this for them, not himself. It was the only way he could protect them from the devil that dwelt inside him.
Robert took a deep breath before resolutely turning on his heel and stepping back into his tatty cabin. During his time away, he would wrestle with this devil and either he would cast it out of himself or it would kill him. Either way, he swore he would not return home until it was gone from him, even if that meant he was separated from those he loved forever.
Amy sat on a bench close to the house, gazing out at the grounds but not seeing them. She was thinking of Robert, wondering where he was, what he was doing, if he was even alive. Rumours had spread like wildfire around Edinburgh about the reason for his sudden disappearance. Some thought it was because he was Terence Burgess, while others considered him to be too young and inexperienced to pull off such a clever plot. Some people thought he’d been responsible for the attacks on the maids in the city – after all, he was Matthew Crowle’s son – while there were other rumours that he’d been untrue to Jane and had fled to avoid a whole host of angry husbands. This latter one hurt Jane more than anything, and she and Emily had gone to London to stay with Esther and William to escape all the gossip. Amy had the feeling they would remain down there and she would only get to see her granddaughter sporadically. Not that she could blame Jane. Edinburgh held only bad memories for her, and Amy had no right to demand anything of her, not after what her son had put Jane through.
Her thoughts were interrupted by Rush’s voice.
‘My lady,’ he said. ‘Inspector Murphy to see you.’
Amy sighed heavily.
‘Shall I send him away?’ said the butler determinedly.
‘That won’t be necessary, thank you, Rush. I’ve been expecting this.’
The butler bowed and slowly returned to the house. Amy looked up at the inspector, who stared down at her grimly.
‘Please, sit,’ she told him, gesturing to the space on the bench beside her. ‘I have no wish to injure my neck looking up at you.’
‘Thank you, your ladyship,’ he replied, taking the proffered seat. He gazed out at the view, the grounds of Alardyce seeming to roll out endlessly before them. ‘This really is a beautiful place.’
‘Please dispense with the small talk and get to the point,’ she said in a hard voice. ‘I have a lot on my mind.’
‘So I believe. I heard your son has left Edinburgh.’
Amy just nodded, her gaze fixed on the garden.
‘Where is he? There are some matters I wish to discuss with him.’
‘I wish I could tell you, but I have no idea.’
‘With all due respect, I don’t believe that.’
‘I care very little about what you believe.’
‘Why did Robert leave?’
‘Family differences.’
‘Such as?’
‘That is absolutely none of your business.’
‘I’m afraid it is. Robert is still a suspect in the attacks on those women.’
‘By all means, discuss the subject with him, if you can find him.’
‘Where should I start looking?’
‘As I said, I don’t know. He could be anywhere.’
‘Abroad?’
‘Perhaps, perhaps not.’
‘I find it odd that he would flee just as he has it all – a beautiful wife, a baby, wealth and a prosperous business. Something terrible must have happened to encourage him to leave it all behind.’
‘I couldn’t possibly comment.’
‘Lady Alardyce, I appeal to you as a woman who has suffered much. Your son is a dangerous man and he may well put other women through what you went through. Can you really sit back and let that happen? You must tell me where he is.’
‘I am the wife of a rich and influential man, so I don’t have to do anything.’ Amy turned to face him, and he was surprised by the softness in her large blue eyes. ‘You’re a good man, Inspector. That is plain to see. You’re one of the rare breed that genuinely wants to help others, but you will have to admit defeat in this case. Robert is gone, no one knows where and he’ll make sure he can’t be found. You’re wasting your time here, but there is something you should know.’
‘Oh, yes?’ he said, trying to hide his eagerness.
‘Benjamin Richardson is innocent of the charges levelled at him. You have to release him.’
‘He was released this morning. The evidence against him – Mr Bruce’s letter – mysteriously vanished.’
‘That is good news,’ Amy breathed with relief. ‘But how did this happen? Was it some accident?’
‘I very much doubt it,’ he said, eyes flashing with anger. ‘There are certain officers at Police Chambers who will do anything for the right amount of money and Richardson’s family is extremely wealthy.’
‘In this particular case, Inspector, you can rest assured that justice has been done. Benjamin is innocent.’
‘Which tells me your son set him up.’
Amy turned her gaze back to the garden and refused to respond. Murphy wanted to burst with frustration. He knew Robert Alardyce was Terence Burgess and was responsible for attacking those maids, as did this woman sitting beside him. She could provide him with the evidence he needed to pursue Robert to whatever rock he was hiding under, but she refused to cooperate and there was nothing he could do about it. This was one of the very few failures in his career and he knew it would always haunt him.
‘Robert will return to Edinburgh one day,’ he told Amy. ‘And when he does, I’ll be waiting.’
‘Perhaps he will, perhaps he won’t,’ she replied. ‘My son is enormously unpredictable.’
‘You’re shielding him and I understand that, you’re his mother. It’s your instinct to protect him, but you’re doing Robert and the women in this world no favours. How much more pain will be inflicted on others because of your obstinacy?’
Amy was unmoved. Murphy was right, she would do anything to protect her son, even though he was a monster. ‘Thank you for coming, Inspector. I expect you’re eager to return to Police Chambers, you must have so much work to do.’
With that, she rose to her feet and walked back to the house.
‘Lady Alardyce, please,’ he said, hurrying after her.
Henry appeared from around the side of the house, striding determinedly towards them. ‘There you are, dear,’ he told his wife. ‘Have you forgotten that we have that important lunch engagement we can’t miss?’
Amy was quick to spot the ruse. ‘Of course, how foolish of me. I must go and change.’
Henry looked to Murphy. ‘If you will excuse us, Inspector, unless there was anything you wished to discuss with me? Although I do recall Chief Superintendent Battles informing me that you were told not to come near our family again. I can’t think why,’ he added with a pleasant but knowing smile.
Murphy sighed. He was a stubborn man, but he wasn’t stupid, and he knew when to concede defeat. ‘I was just taking my leave of Lady Alardyce, sir,’ he said. ‘Enjoy your luncheon,’ he added before leaving, taking the path that led around the side of the house to the front. His stiff gait told them both he was annoyed.
‘That was excellent timing,’ Amy told her husband.
Henry wrapped an arm around her shoulders. ‘Rush sent one of the footmen to inform me Murphy was here. I take it he wanted to discuss Robert?’
‘Of course. He never talks of anything else, but I gave nothing away.’
‘Good. That should be the last we see of him.’
‘Until Robert returns. I have the strong feeling that he will, one day.’
‘More than likely. I just hope we’re prepared for when he does land on our doorstep.’
‘Murphy said the letter written by Mr Bruce naming Benjamin Richardson as Terence Burgess mysteriously vanished, so at least he won’t be punished for something he didn’t do. No doubt Benjamin’s redoubtable mother arranged it.’
‘Actually, that was me.’
Amy’s eyes widened. ‘Henry,’ she exclaimed.
‘I couldn’t allow Benjamin to suffer for Robert’s sins, so I bribed the woman who cleans Battles’s office to steal it from his desk drawer. She gave it to me and I destroyed it.’
‘That is a relief, but what if the woman talks and gets you into trouble?’
‘I very much doubt she will. She’s a sweet, quiet creature who doesn’t want any trouble. She was, however, struggling financially, until I gave her some fiscal assistance,’ he said knowingly.
‘But how did you find out about this woman?’
‘I discovered another agent in the city who is almost as efficient as Mr Knapp and he did some digging for me. Please don’t worry. All is well.’ Henry smiled. ‘Now perhaps we can enjoy some peace and quiet until Robert decides to grace us with his presence once more.’
Amy’s eyes filled with pain. ‘I can’t believe he’s gone. Whenever I think of him, I don’t recall the man he became, the one who enjoys inflicting pain and violence on others. I think of my sweet little boy whose heart was so full of love.’
Henry’s smile fell. ‘I miss that little boy too.’
Amy’s gaze turned distant as she looked out over the gardens. ‘This separation from his family will mean one of two things – either he will overcome his inner demon, or it will claim him completely, as it claimed Matthew and Edward. We won’t know which until he returns, the thought of which makes me rejoice as well as shudder,’ she murmured, fingertips brushing her throat as she recalled the feel of Robert’s hand around her neck.
Anger filled Henry as the memory of his stepson attempting to throttle his wife returned. He could have happily killed Robert in that moment. ‘We’ll just have to make sure we’re prepared for it but in the meantime, let’s relax and recover. How about we go away for a while? Get away from Edinburgh until things settle down.’
‘I think that’s a lovely idea. Let’s go back to the Lake District. We were so happy there.’
‘Then that’s where we’ll go,’ he said, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her to him.
Amy buried her face in her husband’s chest, taking comfort in his strong, calm presence. Her oldest son was gone but she still had so much. She hoped only for peaceful, contented years ahead.
Until Robert returned with a monster on his back, to destroy it all.
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Chapter 1
ALARDYCE VILLAGE, JUST OUTSIDE EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND - SEPTEMBER 1878
Amy caught tantalising glimpses of Alardyce House as the carriage climbed the long, winding driveway – drab grey stone, dull windows, slate roof shiny with rain. The entire estate was as cheery as the cold, relentless drizzle. In her fragile, grief-stricken state she felt as if it were playing hide and seek with her behind the trees, refusing to reveal itself fully. The trees were dense and thick with red-gold leaves, so weighed down by the recent rain that they hung over the drive, scratching the top of the carriage with their gnarled limbs. Amy shivered as a sense of foreboding settled in the pit of her stomach.
Hot tears shone in her bright blue eyes, which burned with anxiety. She had hoped this place would be welcoming but already she felt as though it didn’t want her.
A turn in the drive brought them around the tree line and finally Alardyce House had nowhere left to hide. It was revealed to her in all its dreary, depressing glory. The house was large and – from what she’d already gathered – filled with all the modern comforts but it was just a square grey box. She was put in mind of a prison and shuddered.
Two figures stood in its doorway – a short, round man and a tall, slender lady, the latter standing as rigid as the pillar beside her. Amy hadn’t encountered her aunt and uncle in ten years, since she was seven years old, but she had the vague notion that he was boring and pompous and she haughty and cold.
Amy wiped her eyes on the backs of her gloved hands. As she was in mourning the only colour she was permitted to wear was black, which depressed her spirits even more. Refusing to show any weakness to these people who were nothing more than strangers, she tilted back her head and held herself proudly.
‘Amy’s gone through a terrible time of it lately so I want you to make her feel welcome,’ Sir Alfred Alardyce whispered to his wife, having to go up on tiptoes to reach her ear.
‘That girl has the devil in her,’ Lenora whispered back, eyeing the elegant, black-clad figure as she was helped down from the carriage by one of their footmen. ‘I can’t help but worry what we’re letting ourselves in for.’
‘It would be unchristian of us not to take her in – she’s just lost both parents.’
‘She’s of an age to marry. I shall set about finding her a husband as soon as possible,’ she replied with a cold smile.
‘Then I anticipate she will soon be settled,’ said Alfred. ‘But please remember she’s in mourning and can’t even think about marriage for a year.’
‘I haven’t forgotten,’ she said, her mind already mulling over ways she could get round that particular obstacle. A pair of blue eyes coyly swept up to them from beneath the black bonnet and Lenora felt nothing but loathing.
‘Amy, welcome to Alardyce,’ said Alfred amiably.
‘Thank you, Uncle, and thank you, Aunt Lenora,’ she replied. ‘I appreciate you having me to stay. These past few weeks have been awful and it’s comforting to be among family again.’
She said it very sweetly but Lenora’s jaw remained set; she was as yet unconvinced of her sincerity. She looked Amy up and down, assessing her suitability for the marriage market – thick chestnut hair coiled into a neat bun, creamy skin. Her waist was narrow but her breasts were unfashionably large. Lenora anticipated it wouldn’t be difficult to make a good match for her.
Alfred stepped aside to allow Amy to enter.
‘You must be parched after your long journey,’ he said with forced cheer. ‘You must take some tea.’
‘Thank you,’ replied Amy, removing her bonnet and handing it to a waiting footman. She was surprised by the number of servants lined up in the hallway – having three footmen wasn’t convenience, it was downright lavishness. Her uncle was rubbing the city’s nose in it that he was a wealthy man.
Also lined up were a dour woman dressed in grey, who Amy assumed was the housekeeper, a doddery old man dressed in a butler’s uniform and four young maids, all po-faced. She was very conscious of the portraits of forbidding ancestors staring at her from the dark walls. Amy felt centuries of disapproval pressing down on her.
A memory came upon her so suddenly she faltered. She was seven years old and she was walking down this very corridor with her mother and father, both young and beautiful and full of life. She hadn’t been scared then because they’d been with her, her mother’s gloved hand clasping her own. Amy was appalled when she thought she might actually start to cry in front of all these strangers.
‘Amy, are you well?’ said Alfred. ‘You’ve gone awfully pale.’
She snapped herself out of it. ‘I’m fine, just a little tired after the long journey,’ she replied, forcing a smile.
They entered the drawing room, which was a huge vulgar monstrosity, every available space stuffed with expensive, tasteless furniture and trinkets. Each painting hanging on the wall had been created by a master. The house had been commissioned by Sir Alfred after he’d made his fortune in industry. Despite his declaring himself a good Christian who preached abstinence, his home was a gaudy temple to wealth.
Two young men of approximately Amy’s own age rose to greet her. Both were tall and slender with dark hair and eyes and very pale skin, a striking combination. One was smiling and friendly, the other cold and arrogant, just like his mother.
‘Amy, these are my sons,’ introduced Alfred. ‘Henry, my eldest,’ he said, indicating the proud one.
