Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 127368 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 637(@200wpm)___ 509(@250wpm)___ 425(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 127368 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 637(@200wpm)___ 509(@250wpm)___ 425(@300wpm)
Clifton said nothing.
Thus, again, Ian hit the nail on the head.
“You weren’t expecting to be caught. Just toss the mannequin, terrify Portia, or members of staff who found the things you left for them to find, or whoever would tell the story, covering as many bases as possible, and make a clean getaway, reaping your reward. You were there when Daniel and I tackled you, and now we’re all here,” Ian concluded. “Have I missed anything?”
“Go fuck yourself,” Clifton sneered.
“No. Though I’ll rather enjoy watching what becomes of you doing it to yourself,” Ian returned.
On that stellar comeback, no one said anything for a long time.
Then, the police sirens could be heard coming from outside.
“This house and the one before it have been protecting our family for a thousand years,” Ian said quietly. “Did you honestly think it would fall down on that job to the likes of you?”
“I’ll be wanting to call my solicitor,” Clifton replied.
“Good luck with that,” Ian said, before he informed him, “None of this is good, but it also isn’t that bad. But what you did when you shoved Daphne and she fell down the stairs will be considered assault.”
Clifton blanched.
Casually, Ian turned, nodded to his father, and then Richard moved, herding the women out.
Epilogue
THE CONSERVATORY
It was necessary for me to share my story with the police, so I did.
After that, I was hustled with brusque, maternal clucking by Christine to the Conservatory, where I joined Portia and Lady Jane and was bundled in a fluffy, soft, woolen throw and given a mug of hot cocoa by Laura.
After some time, Richard came in to collect Lady Jane, but she didn’t leave without giving a cheek kiss to me and Portia.
I thought that was sweet.
Daniel came next to claim Portia. She and I hugged for a long time before I let go, and Daniel stunned me by taking me in his arms and holding me tight for a moment before he too released me, and they went to bed.
As they left, Stevenson came in to announce that Ian was finishing up with “the local constabulary” (his words) and would be joining me shortly.
I accepted this news with a nod, and he turned to leave, but I called out to him, and he stopped.
“Thank you, Stevenson,” I said quietly.
To my surprise, he executed a very formal bow, and when he straightened, looked me right in the eye and said, “It was my pleasure, my lady.”
And after delivering that, leaving me breathless and tingling, the butler of Duncroft vanished into the greenery.
It wasn’t long after when Ian joined me, the sun kissing the horizon as a herald to dawn.
I waited until he’d collapsed beside me and lit his smoke before I asked, “Is it done?”
He nodded. “They’ve arrested Clifton. Taken all the statements. Dad and Daniel and I walked them around the house and showed them the evidence. They’ve taken pictures, their own fingerprints, collected samples of the liquor and the mannequin, and Kathleen is meeting them at the station to lay out what we found.”
He took a drag, blew the smoke away from me, then turned back to me.
“The cleaning girl, her name is Trudy, was taken in for questioning. She’s talking. Admitting everything. Apparently, she was getting cold feet. As such, she returned the flute but hadn’t had time to collect the other things, some of which she didn’t know Clifton had positioned.”
Another mystery solved.
“Did something else happen to you in the Rose Room?” he asked.
“I don’t know what you mean,” I replied.
“They told me Trudy said something about your tablet. Clifton told her to download his book or something?”
And another mystery solved.
“Yes. I thought it was me. But someone opened it to that picture.”
Ian nodded, took another drag from his cigarette, and blew it out.
“Alas, my darling, although things don’t look good for Mr. Clifton,” he carried on, “it’s unlikely he’ll be drawn and quartered for his shenanigans. He’ll probably spend some time in jail, but not much of it. And when this hits the media, it’s a sure bet he’ll get what he wanted, and his book sales will skyrocket.”
I knew that was the sad truth.
But we’d endure it, we’d already endured worse.
And now, mercifully, that last was all over.
He took another drag from his cigarette, blew out the smoke, and turned more fully to me.
“Daniel took me aside,” he announced.
“Oh boy,” I mumbled.
After seeing the protective gestures Daniel treated my sister to while Ian was laying out the case, I was expecting him to tell me Daniel had shared he was going to ask for Portia’s hand.
“He wanted to come clean.”
That was a surprise.
“About what?” I asked warily.
“With what happened tonight, he wants it all out, and he’s told me he’s right now sharing this with Portia too, but he lied about not being out that first morning you were here.”