The Macbeth Prophecy (16 page)

Lunch was a simple family meal, unlike the often pretentious fare at home. When it was over, Emily retreated to the den to watch television and he and Penelope settled in the sunshine in the small back garden. The unseasonal heatwave was continuing. After a while he closed his eyes and slept.

He woke to find Penelope watching him, and struggled up in his chair. “Sorry about that! The height of bad manners!”

“Nonsense. It's a compliment that you feel so relaxed.”

“I'm not making a nuisance of myself, am I, dropping in unannounced like this? I seem to be doing it more often lately.”

“We're always glad to see you, you know that. You're looking tired though, Jason. Can't you get away for a bit?”

“As it happens, we're off to the Lakes for a couple of weeks at the end of the month.”

“That should be nice, but watch out for the mad axe-man or whatever it is they've got up there. Did you see the papers?” She shuddered. “Very gruesome.”

“As a matter of fact,” he admitted, “that's where we're going.”

Her eyes widened. “You're not serious, are you?”

“Completely. We're booked in at the Lakeside Hotel, Crowthorpe.”

“Isn't that where the girl actually worked? Surely you'll cancel it now?”

He smiled. “You don't understand, Pen. I only arranged it this morning.”

She stared at him. “You mean you deliberately – ?”

“Yes.”

“Jason, why?”

“Because I have a feeling something might be going on up there and I'd like to get to the bottom of it. In fact, I was more or less challenged to do so.” And he told her about the anonymous letter.

“Even more reason, I should have thought, for keeping well away. How does Tania feel about it?”

“She's coming under sufferance, on condition she can then go to the south of France with Derek Paterson. Sorry, Pen –” as pain darkened her eyes – “that was a rotten thing to say. Forget it.”

“But it's true, I suppose?”

“Oh, it's true. It's surprising you haven't heard; nearly everyone else has. I've only myself to blame. It was I who insisted on our marrying, you know. She'd have been quite happy to go on living together, but honest old-fashioned Jack here –” He broke off and rubbed his hand across his face. “I
must
be tired! Once again, I apologize.”

She said softly, “I'm so sorry it hasn't worked out.”

“You wouldn't have me back, I suppose?”

She looked at him quickly, saw that although he was smiling he was waiting for her answer, and regretfully shook her head. “There's no guarantee it would work any better than last time. And though I'm still fond of you, I'm not in love with you any more. That's why things are so comfortable between us. Let's keep it that way.”

“You're right of course.” His contentment in her company had clouded the memory of the unhappiness that had gone before. Their marriage hadn't been a success even before he had met Tania.

He stood up, stretching luxuriously. “I'd better be going. I have a recording session at six. Thanks for lunch, tea and sympathy.” He kissed her gently, on the mouth this time, and put his head round the den door on his way out. “Goodbye, Emily. Take care of that throat.”

Driving back through the late Saturday shoppers, he was aware of an aching loneliness. They were happy without him, his little family in Blackheath, and though they dutifully welcomed his visits, they didn't want him back. He couldn't blame them, and it seemed his present marriage was going the same way.

He had a brief vision of himself on future Saturdays, visiting ex-wives all over London. Was it possible that he was as bigoted, arrogant and opinionated as his critics maintained, and incapable of any lasting relationship? At forty-one, wealth and fame notwithstanding, it was a sobering thought.

“Quite a backdrop, isn't it?” Tania had joined him as he stood at the window gazing across the lake to the wood-covered slopes beyond.

“Spectacular.” He slipped an arm round her waist. “It seems a comfortable hotel, too. You might even enjoy the next two weeks.”

“As long as you don't closet yourself away working on your new play. Will there be a part in it for me?”

“Do you want one?”

“It would be a guarantee of employment!”

He laughed. “I don't think you need worry about that. Shall we stroll down to the lake? There's an hour before we need change for dinner.”

“You do realize we'll be recognized?”

“What do you suggest? Permanent dark glasses?”

“I'm used to people looking at me but you hate it.”

“I can take it as long as they keep their distance and don't start haranguing me on something I said on the box weeks ago. That happened to me in Oxford Street the other day, did I tell you?”

“Well, you stir up a hornet's nest every time you appear. Better be extra careful here, though,” she added, pulling the bedroom door shut behind them.

“They have an unfortunate way of dealing with people they disagree with!”

“Talking of which, I intend to question the chambermaid and see what I can get out of her.”

“About the girl who was killed? Why?”

“I'd like to know what she was doing by the stones. She might even have mentioned something she'd seen up there.” He pushed her ahead of him through the swing doors.

“Don't tell me you believe that weird story of Ted's?”

“Not as it stands, but there are fascinating possibilities. I'd also like to visit the school on some pretext and see if I can winkle out my correspondent.”

“Jason, why are you bothering with all this? Are you on one of your debunking missions?”

“Not necessarily, but I feel the embryo of a new play taking shape. You must admit I've been handed some promising ingredients.”

Tania said reflectively, “They haven't found the murderer yet, have they?”

“Not according to the papers. Does it worry you that we might pass him in the street?”

She stopped abruptly and stared at him. “You don't think he's still here?”

“Beloved, I'm not a detective, but if this murder was some kind of ritual, which, judging by the unusual features of it, seems quite likely, I should say the killer is almost definitely someone local.”

“Then for God's sake let's keep away from that Circle, in case
we
see something we shouldn't.”

She slipped her hand through his arm and they walked slowly through the garden, with its croquet lawn and tennis courts, to the private jetty at the edge of the lake.

“Like to take a boat out?”

“Not just now; I want to leave time for a leisurely bath before dinner. Perhaps tomorrow. I can't get used to having all this time at our disposal after the tight schedules we've been living with.”

“Still planning to go to France later?” His eyes were on a boat out on the lake.

“You wouldn't mind, would you?”

“Only if it makes me look a fool. Discretion is essential to this arrangement.”

“Lover, if you're in the public eye people will talk about you, whether you give them cause or not.”

“So you might as well derive the benefit?”

He felt her tense, prepared to argue her supposed rights, and cursed himself for raising the subject at so inopportune a moment.

“Forget it,” he said shortly. “This isn't the time or place for recriminations. Look at that bird down there. Is it a crow? You don't often see them as close as that.”

The chambermaid was turning down the bedspreads when they returned to their room. Tania was amused at the awed look she darted at Jason, who promptly set himself to be charming. Leaving him to his interrogation, she caught up her peignoir and went through to the bathroom. His question about France had caught her offguard and she was relieved when he'd dismissed the subject almost at once. Forced into each other's company for the next two weeks, they would have more chance of making a go of things if France and Derek were left out of the conversation.

She stood for a moment surveying her reflection in the mirror over the basin: wide grey eyes, dark-lashed, petulant mouth and a cloud of pale hair. No sign of a wrinkle yet, which was just as well. Skilfully she removed her make-up, caught her hair up in a bandeau and stepped into the bath.

“Your turn,” she announced ten minutes later, returning to the bedroom. “How was the first witness?”

“Quite informative and surprisingly ready to talk.”

“She probably hopes you'll find her a job in television! What did she say?”

“That Patsy, the dead girl, had some kind of running feud with the gypsies. One of them does odd jobs around the village and it seems she caught him nicking something. Sharon wasn't too clear on the details.”

“Sharon?” Tania raised her eyebrows.

“My informant. But the tie-up with the gypsies is interesting, wouldn't you say?”

“You reckon it was them what done her in, Guvnor?”

“Give me a chance! At least they're a common denominator, as is the stone circle. And I'm afraid you'll have to be a brave girl, because that will be our first port of call in the morning.”

Anita Barlow looked up as someone came pushing through the swing-doors.

“Matthew! I didn't expect to see you this evening!”

“Why not? I usually drop in on a Saturday.”

“But this weekend there's considerable competition. Haven't you heard who's staying at the Lakeside? None other than Mr and Mrs Jason Quinn!”

Matthew stopped abruptly and stared across at her. “You're sure?”

“Of course I'm sure! I was talking to Sally on the phone earlier.”

“My God!” he said softly. “What's he doing up here?”

“Having a holiday, I should think, like everyone else.”

But Matthew's mind had gone back to the note he had so unwisely sent some nine months previously. Could it have any connection with Jason Quinn's arrival? It hardly seemed likely that he would pay much attention to it, but perhaps Patsy's death had jogged his memory. There were a lot of sensation-seekers among the holiday crowds at the moment.

“Not seeing Madeleine tonight?” Anita asked, as he did not speak.

He pulled his mind back to the present. “She's gone home for the weekend.”

“Where's Philip, then?”

“He said something about a game of golf with Dick Willoughby.”

Anita made no comment. She and Eve had noticed over the last few months that the Selbys weren't as inseparable as before. Shrewdly she wondered if Madeleine were the reason behind it.

“I think if you don't mind,” Matthew was saying, “I will desert you after all. I'd be most interested to see Jason Quinn in person.”

“If you speak to him, be careful what you say. He has a mind like a rapier, that one.”

Matthew smiled. “Relax, love. My mind's a match for anyone!”

The cocktail lounge was crowded. Jason and Tania, a pleasant meal behind them, were relaxing at a table by the window with coffee and liqueurs.

“I don't believe,” Jason commented, “that you've heard a single word I said.”

“Sorry, darling. There's a gorgeous man at the bar who hasn't taken his eyes off me since he came in. It's a little distracting.”

“You should be used to it by now.”

“It depends who's doing the looking; this is the sexiest guy I've seen in a long while.”

“Thank you, sweetheart. You're always so good for my morale.” Jason turned his head, met the eyes of the man at the bar – strange eyes, browny-green, with a disconcertingly penetrating gaze – and turned back to Tania. “I dislike extremely good-looking men on principle. They're usually narcissistic.”

“I was – my God! What's in this drink?”

Heads were turning all over the lounge as Philip Selby joined his brother. “Anita said I'd find you here. Have you sighted the quarry?”

“Over by the window. I think you might say we've made contact.”

“His wife's a corker, isn't she?”

“A bit too obvious for my taste. She's been giving me the come-on.”

“Has his lordship deigned to look round?”

“Twice. Once for you and once for me. She must have said something.”

Philip reached for his glass. “I hope he won't poke his nose where it's not wanted.”

“If he does, he'll get more than he bargains for. I think we should keep tabs on him for a while – see where he goes and who he approaches. If he's genuinely only up on holiday it'll soon become obvious and we can relax.”

“It was a damn nuisance about that girl,” Philip said broodingly. “It's drawn attention to the village just when we could least afford it.”

Matthew did not reply. He had never mentioned the note he'd sent Jason Quinn, but privately he felt that it was the lure of a Macbeth prophecy rather than recent headlines which accounted for his presence among them.

Philip drained his glass and put it down on the counter. “If you've finished your drink, let's go. I promised Anita we'd call back to report, and enjoyable though it is being ogled by the delectable Mrs Quinn, I don't want to risk antagonizing her husband.”

Tania watched with regret as the two men left the room, became aware of her husband's sardonic eyes on her, and smiled unrepentantly. “Relax, lover. It's good for my image to indulge in a little long-distance flirting!”

“If that comment masquerades as apology, don't bother. I've been quite content watching the boats on the lake. It must be extremely peaceful here out of season.”

“Or dull!”

“Poor love, you miss the bright lights already don't you, and we've been here only a few hours! Never mind, you know the value of personal appearances. There's a man over there who's been trying for some time to pluck up the courage to ask for your autograph. Shall we give him another few minutes or are you ready for bed?”