Gossamer Cord

“I understood that his father was dead, and that because Matilda was a distant connection of the family, they came to Tregarland’s.”

“That was the story. It would have made a big scandal to bring his mistress and illegitimate son to Tregarland’s. Not that James Tregarland would care very much about that. He must have had his motives. Do you realize what this could mean?”

“Tell me what is in your mind.”

“I have been very uneasy about your staying there. There is something rather sinister about it all. I cannot believe in all these coincidences. Annette Pardell was the first to die.”

“I suppose they would say your ancestress was the first.”

“She drowned herself and that could have given them the idea.”

“Who?”

“Let’s see if we can work that out. The significant point is that Annette was going to have a child. After Dermot, that child would inherit Tregarland’s. It’s a big estate and has become prosperous in the last years.”

“Because of Gordon rather than Dermot.”

“Exactly. I’m theorizing, of course. But that is all I can do. It is you I am concerned about.”

I felt a pleasant glow creep over me and it was not due to the sparkling wine.

“I’d get you out of there quickly,” he went on, “but you won’t go without the child, Tristan. I can’t see how you could kidnap him. Suppose Annette died because she was carrying the child who would be heir to the estate? Now Dermot is dead.”

“And Dorabella…?”

“That’s the part that doesn’t fit. Her son was already born. I can’t understand that. Why your sister? That is what rather spoils my theory.”

“You think that someone murdered Annette because she was going to have a child?”

“Yes. The child would follow Dermot.”

“But she went swimming.”

“I don’t believe she did. She wouldn’t have done that. She was warned against it. She was too experienced to be so foolish.”

“That is what Mrs. Pardell said. She is convinced that Dermot killed her.”

“Dermot would never kill anyone.”

“Mrs. Pardell thought he was tired of Annette and that later he was tired of my sister, too, that he was a sort of Bluebeard who married women and then, when he was tired of them, just killed them.”

“A likely tale and absolute nonsense!”

I said suddenly, as a terrible fear came to me: “There was that time when Tristan was so ill. Someone must have gone into his room, uncovered him and opened the window, hoping it would kill him, which it might have done if Nanny Crabtree hadn’t gone in in time.”

“That fits,” he said. “Annette’s possible heir, then Tristan. And…what of Dermot?”

“Are you suggesting that someone in the house murdered Dermot?”

“That would clear the decks a bit, wouldn’t it?”

I looked at him in disbelief. “You mean…for Gordon?”

He nodded. “Listen. Gordon has been brought up there. He runs the estate…excellently. He is devoted to it. He regards it as his. He is Tregarland’s son, but because his mother was not married to his father when he was born…”

“You think she is now?”

“No. I don’t know why James didn’t marry her, but it seems he hasn’t. But I feel sure that if he had no legitimate heirs everything would go to Gordon.”

“You are suggesting that Gordon killed Annette…and perhaps Dermot?”

“Who else?”

“But Annette was supposed to have been caught by the tide, by cross-currents or cramp…”

“Is that plausible?”

“Not entirely.”

“And Dermot?”

“He might have taken those pills himself. On the other hand, he might not. It leaves the way clear, except for…”

I was staring at him in horror. “If this is so…Tristan is in danger…imminent danger.”

He nodded.

“Jowan, I’m frightened.”

“I knew you would be. The child will have to be watched day and night. If I am right in what I am thinking, there will be an attempt on his life.”

“How…?”

“It was attempted before. There is one thing that baffles me. It is your sister’s death. She was not in the way. Dermot was the one…and now Tristan. Dermot is dead and we cannot be sure how he died. It might have been by his own hand, as the coroner’s verdict decided. It would seem that this was a reasonable deduction—apart from one thing. Someone would profit from his death. But there was no reason to be rid of your sister. If there had been a child on the way, yes. But presumably there was not. And that is where the theory falls down.”

“I have always felt a little uneasy about Gordon, but it is hard to imagine people one knows as murderers.”

“The most unlikely people often are. When I found—as I suspected might be the case—that he was in fact James Tregarland’s son, I had a good deal of confidence in my theory. It was only on further consideration that I realized that there were doubts.”

“Jowan, what are we going to do?”

“I think try to find proof.”

“How?”

He lifted his shoulders. “It is difficult to know. One thing of which I am certain is that you must watch the baby carefully.”

I said: “It would be easy for them. There has been that death of a child, an unexplained death which happens to children now and then. It is accepted as something of which the doctors are unsure.”