Dr. Marsden glanced around the Great Hall, seeing who was where, and then proceeded to follow Mary and Josette from the Hall, Dr. Campbell accompanying her.

They were just in time to see Josette slip out of the drawing room and hurry up the stairs. There was something furtive about her movements that suggested they should follow with caution.

When they reached the first floor, however, there was no sign of her, suggesting that she had taken the carpeted corridor that led to the bedrooms, rather than the stone steps to the servant quarters, or the wooden stairs to the second level.

Dr. Campbell placed his finger to his lips, indicating that they should be silent, and began walking slowly and quietly up the carpeted stairs, listening for Josette.

As they moved along cautiously, a door opened softly behind them, and Josette Bellesur peeped out - as though to make sure the corridor was clear.

The doctor attempted to pull Professor Marsden into another room before Josette spotted them!

Josette's eyes widened in fright at the sight of the two Dr.'s and she quickly shut the door again, looking about for something to defend herself with.

Sandra resisted the doctor's initial effort to get them out of sight, interpreting it perhaps incorrectly.

Then she realized the motive, and its failure as Josette closed the door rather quickly.

"Oh... bother," Dr. Marsden said as she strode to the door Josette had been peeking out of and pushed it open with some force. "What are you doing in here?" she demanded of the french chaunteuse.

Campbell took a step back and looked at the surroundings, trying to determine exactly who's room Josette had locked herself into.

Josette nervously backed away from Dr.Marsden, putting as much distance between them as possible, it was quite obvious she was hiding something behind her back, "What are you doing creeping about the halls!?" Josette demanded right back.

"Following an eavesdropper," Dr. Marsden said pointedly. "And aren't you supposed to be with Mrs. Bannister? She was with you when you left the Great Hall... What are you doing in here anyway?! Whose room is this?" Sandra asked, glancing around the room.

The room was elaborately furnished and decorated. A jewellery box on the dressing table was firmly locked. It had glassed-in front doors, so they could see inside it. There was makeup case, not locked, which contained various sorts of variously sharp and poisonous things. Lace gloves from the night before were on the washstand in the bathroom. They were black lace and smelled strongly of soap - they seemed to be the ones Selina had worn the night before.

There was a messy pile of old playbills, sheet music, letters, and newspaper clippings in a drawer on a writing desk, half pilling out. These seemed to contain several hand written letters.

"Yes, where exactly is Mrs. Roberts?" Dr. Campbell demanded, stepping forward. "And what have you behind your back? Out with it, girl. Whatever you're doing, it's ended now, before there's further mischief."

Josette backed up a smidgen further, looking quite overwhelmed by the barrage of accusing questions.

"Why...why I was hiding! "she answered, pulling a statuette from behind her back, "Mrs.Roberts is locked in the drawing room!" Josette continued, "As I was going to find someone to fetch a key I heard someone...I panicked and ran! And when I looked...it was you two!"

Dr. Marsden frowned as she saw the statuette. "What is that? Where did you get that?" she asked Josette, holding out her hand for the statuette.

Josette pulled the statuette away , holding it up for Sandra to see, "It is a statue," Josette said, stating the obvious, "A knick-knack...I picked it up off the dresser to defend my self with..."

"In case you were the murderer," she added pointedly.

Sandra shook her head. "This is ridiculous," she said, her normal acerbic humour starting to return. "Why are you up here? The key to the drawing room wouldn't be in..." she looked around for a moment, "Mrs. MacKenzie-Brown's room, now would it? Half the castle away? You'd have been far better served heading to the servant's area and finding someone with the key. That is... if you didn't lock Mrs. Roberts in there yourself in the first place!"

She gave an exasperated sigh, glancing at the doctor. "Dr. Campbell and I were following you because we wanted to discuss with you what you'd overheard between Mr. Arthur and Mr. St. Pierre. Dr. Campbell was concerned that whatever you'd heard might put your life in jeopardy, and wished you to come forward with what you'd heard. I suppose... in an
attempt to diffuse any danger to your life for keeping a secret like that. Well? Would you care to tell us what you heard?" Sandra asked directly.

"Yes. Please do." Dr. Campbell added. "So you hid because you thought both the professor and I were 'the murderer'. Phooey. Girl, you had best come up with a better explanation than that. How about the truth, Miss Belleseur?"

Josette looked quite insulted, "So...while at the same time slapping me on the back of the hand and calling me a liar you wish me to reveal what it was I overheard? If you are so concerned, why not simply ask Will and Zap to tell you what it was they were discussing?"

"I most certainly will, Miss Belleseur. If only to see if your account matches theirs. However, your story that you believed that the professor and I were the murderer causing you to flee does na' hold water. You went off with Mrs. Roberts, locked the poor lady in the drawing room, then came up here to Mrs. MacKenzie-Brown's room. Why?" Dr. Campbell replied calmly.

"Right." Sandra said abruptly. "Then we'll go back down to the hall and announce to everyone we found you up here in Mrs. MacKenzie-Davis' room after locking Mrs. Roberts into the Drawing Room. And that after being caught listening in on someone else's conversation." Dr. Marsden looked at Dr. Campbell. "I really do think that's our only option if she refuses to be open with us."

"Hmp..." Josette grunted disdainfully as passed by them, "I think I prefer the wolves..." she told them righteously, "Besides...poor Mrs.Roberts must be frightened out of her skin."

"Did you find the key in Mrs. MacKenzie-Brown's room?" The doctor asked.

Josette stopped just short of the door, giving the Doctor a look of confusion, "Of course not. I wasn't looking for the key," The corners of her mouth curled up into a smile," I was hiding...remember?"

Sandra frowned at that. "And the statuette, Josette.. Hand it over, please," she demanded of the singer, stepping in front of her before she could leave the room. "Along with anything else you picked up in here." The expression on Dr. Marsden's face was resolute as she blocked the doorway.

Josette held the statuette out to Dr.Marsden, "It'goes there," she pointed, "on the dresser."

Sandra took the statuette in hand, giving it a cursory look over. "Yes... I suppose it does."

She gave Josette a measuring look. "Dr. Campbell? Please get Mrs. MacKenzie-Brown and ask her to come up here. I'd like her to verify nothing's been taken from her room. I think that's appropriate next step." Dr. Marsden remained standing in the doorway. "Especially since Josette was wandering around alone up here."

"I've a better idea," said Dr Campbell. "I'll fetch Sir Colin, and see whether he thinks that Miss Belleseur ought to be locked up until we can fetch the police. He is the acting Laird of Verrisay now." Campbell suggested, then started off down the hall to find Sir Colin and the other natives.

"Oh no you don't!" Josette said determinedly.

Josette took a deep breath, her vocal cords were going to suffer for this but...

Josette let out a another high pitched scream, quite like when she came face to face with Mr.Barfard, but this time she had no intention of stopping herself.

Dr. Marsden gave Josette an incredulous look. "Oh bother... Do hurry up doctor!" she yelled over the screaming. "I think my ears can only last a few minutes!"

But in spite of the screaming Dr. Marsden neither moved from the doorway nor tried to stop Josette from her rather vocal protests at her treatment.

"Eh, the harridan will bring everyone here. No need to go looking for the others." Dr. Campbell said to Marsden, just loud enough to be heard. He crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, chuckling. "Scream away."

"Colin, sit," Garreth suggested as they entered the room. "I've a feeling that Douglas wasn't your cousin."

"About eight years ago I was still practicing in London , when my firm handled a case of forgery for a George Yohe. He got off, but the point is, that George Yohe is the same man that died last night." He hesitated before continuing.

A deep breath and he finished, obviously concerned for Colin's reaction. "The same man I've been blackmailing over the last year to keep the Institute afloat." He walked over and poured himself a healthy portion of the single malt.

"What?" said Colin, looking stunned. "Garreth ... you're telling me ... "

He was silent for a long minute, turning over what he had heard. Then he said quietly, "I'll have some of that Scotch too, if you don't mind."

He drank it slowly, clearly thinking hard.

"If we can," he said quietly, "we'll try and keep this from coming out. But ... it won't be easy. Unless the crime is solved quickly and simply, then there'll be all sorts of investigations. If sums coming out of Doug ... the man's bank account match with funds going into the Institute's - then it could look suspicious.

"But I need you clear of this. If the man wasn't my cousin ... then I'm going to need to try and get the island back. I have a duty here ... I need to see what the legal position is. If he bought the island fraudulently, does that invalidate the sale? What about the money? Would I have to pay the widow back?"

He sat down, shaking his head. "I wish to hell you hadn't done it, Garreth, although of course I'm glad the Institute didn't go belly up."

He frowned. "So ... what did you blackmail him over? The fraud case? Or was it something else?"

"The fraud. Although, if he wasn't truly Doug, then he thought I was blackmailing him over a false identity here. Apparently Doug and George were schoolmates, George, supposedly dying in a hunting accident with Doug. I guess the question is, who adopted whom's identity?" Garreth mused.

"As to the contracts and transfer of title? I'd have to look over the papers to be sure. Doug or George should have them here in his safe, eh? If we were to go looking for them on that note, perhaps we might also see if he kept any of the notes I've left about." He shook his head at his own stupidity.

"I've been good to handle much of our accounts in cash if possible, which would make the amounts harder to trace. I'm worried that it might be that
the Pinkertons were investigating for him."

Colin stared at him. "Pinkertons?" he demanded. "What about Pinkertons?"

"Seems that our 'Doug' was having an investigation run in New York . We found the invoice in his office last night. I believe..."

His explanation was cut short by shrill screams from upstairs.

"Bloody hell, not again!" Garreth said, turning at a run...

"I don't have the key," Patience informed whoever was inside. "Are you alright? Who locked you in? We'll need to either get a key, or break it down." She looked back at her husband, adding, "Surely one of the house staff would have a key, wouldn't they?"

In a lower voice she asked her husband, "Should we go find the person who did this? It is most certainly suspicious."

David looked at the door, trying to judge if he would be capable of breaking it down or not by himself.

"One of us should stay here, just in case." David said to Patience, after a moment's thought on his part. "Someone of the House Staff should have the key to this door, or know who would."

"It is suspicious." he lowered his voice for this part. "Perhaps I should wait here, and have you go. You might not draw as much attention asking the staff for help."

"It's Mary!" The jiggling stopped. "Mary Roberts! The rector's wife. I was helping that Josette look for her compact, when she locked me in here! She says she's off looking for a key, but that hardly balms my worry. I'm trying to pick it." The jiggling started up again. "Can someone find her?"

Patience looked at David, clearing worried. "I'll go find her, or the staff, and get a key." She raised one hand to touch her husband's cheek, "Be safe here alone, and keep her safe. I loathe leaving you alone, knowing there's a murderer in the house." She leaned up to kiss him quickly.

With a final worried smile, Patience turned to head down the hallway, searching for Josette, and hoping to run into someone who might have a key along the way.

There was no sign of Josette, but she did see Davis MacKenzie, who was heading towards the servants' hall.

"Mr. MacKenzie!" Patience called out, hurrying in his direction.

Davis stopped and turned around, "Ma'am?"

Patience stopped when she reached him, still speaking as she approached. "Mary Roberts has been locked in the drawing room. Do you have a key, or would you know who does so that we can let her out?"

"The under-butler or the housekeeper would, ma'am. I was going to speak to them about an unrelated matter for Sir Colin. Shall I carry the message or would you like to accompany me?"

"How did she get locked in? I didn't know the rooms had locks."

"I'll accompany you, and then I can run back with the key while you complete your other business," Patience suggested. She motioned for him to keep moving, and fell in step with him. "The door was most certainly locked. I tried to open it myself. She said that Josette locked her in and ran away. David is waiting with her, outside the door."

Davis looked puzzled. "How did she get locked in, then? Does Josette have a key?"

Davis and Patience went to the kitchen, where Davis delivered his message (Mrs MacKenzie agreeing to put the matter in hand at once) and retrieved the spare key. They had returned to the ground floor and were approaching the drawing room (where Mary was still trapped and David waited), when a series of shrill screams rang out from the floor above.

In the meantime, David continued to regard the door, and he spoke quietly to Mary.

"Mary, we're going to find the key. Just relax." he said. He put himself in the place that he was in whenever he did his sermons, or more personal guidances with a patient, be it of health or a spiritual patient. "We're going to get you out of there in a jiffy. You have nothing to worry about."

"Thank you." The voice beyond the door was genuinely relieved. He could hear her rising again. "While you're about that, I'm going to give the room a look over..." Her voice was suddenly repentant. "I'd hate to think I'd damned the girl when there was a chance she was being honest."

Mary turned, and began to do a careful dissection of the room.

There was nothing suspicious in the room.

Remaining as calm as possible, David continued his vigil by the door. He continually gave glances down the hall, hoping that his wife would return with a key, or other help, shortly.

Clenching his fingers in his palms, he spoke through the door to her. "Did you find anything?" David asked through the door to Mary. "Is there anything in there?"

Patience stopped, startled, then looked at Davis . "If you'll give me the key, I'll go let Mary out and you can investigate the screams. I don't want to leave David alone," she admitted.

Davis turned to his aunt. "Thank you, Aunt Shona. Given all that's been going on, you should probably do as the guests are doing and have the staff travel in pairs."

"Let's get Mary released. I'm sure the commotion has others going up. We can go up after we let Mary out."

At the sound of the scream, David whirled around. The fact that it was not his wife who screamed relieved him, even as the scream chilled him to the bones. "Patience" he said softly, relieved that his wife was all right.

His hand reached to rest on the door. "Mary?" he asked. The scream came from upstairs, but he wanted to make sure she was all right as well.

Patience hurried along the corridor with the key. Releasing Mary was easily done, and then they were all free to go up the stairs and see what it was that had occasioned the scream.

Mary stumbled out, following quickly. "I'm fine," she said to their backs as they stood there. "There wasn't anything at -all- in there. Not even the woman's compact!" She looked up, as if she could see through the ceiling at the screamer.

"That's a woman... isn't it?"

"There are stairs in the drawing room, on th' east side," said Davis . "We've the key, let's head up."

After looking at Mary with relief now that she was freed, he turned to his wife and embrace her. Once he let her go, David, reached, took and squeezed Patience's hand.

Patience held her husband in a firm embrace, perhaps a little too long for propriety, her fear and concern over this strange situation evident. Once he stepped back, she held his hand, not wanting to let him go.

"If it would be faster, it would be well done to do so to arrive quickly." he said to Davis . "Though doubtless the scream was heard throughout this Castle and others will investigate as well."

Davis went in to the drawing room where Mary had been locked, quickly looking around it as he crossed to the eastern door that led to the stairs up. He opened it, and, assuming the other were following, led the way up, heading towards the wing from which the screams had been heard.

In the Great Hall, Will practically dropped his cup of coffee. "There's a woman screaming," he said. Putting the cup on the table he ran in the direction of the screaming without waiting to see if anyone was with him.

Zap would have recognized those particular tones anywhere....after hearing them two shows a day and three on Wednesdays. Knowing the tape machine was in good hands, he headed after Will.

Selina recognized the voice too, for the same reason as Zap. She darted back into the Great Hall from the smoking room. From the look of her eyes, she had been crying. "Josette! Where did she go? Didn't anyone go with her?"

"I thought the Rector's wife was with her," Lord Eversham said, effortlessly climbing alongside her and then on and ahead of her. ~Perhaps the Roberts tried to bat her one~ he thought. He didn't really suspect that was the case -- but it was an amusing thought the vicar's wife might have a hinge loose.

Colin, in the estates office with Garreth, started at the sound of a distant scream "What the hell ... "

He emerged back into rthe Great Hall just as Selina and Lord Eversham left it.

"Stay here," he said to the Rector, who nodded, although he looked worried. "Mary ... " he said.

"I'll see to her, Andy," said Colin. "Garreth - come with me. The rest of you - stay here, please."

Adrian Quinn, sponging splashed coffee off his trousers, remained behind.

Will was quite surprised to find that the screaming was coming from Selina's room, and, while not surprised, entirely, that it was Josette Beleseur doing the screaming, quite startled that she was doing it there, and in the company of Drs. Marsden and Campbell. "What happened?" he asked.

"Oh, Will!" Josette cried, pushing her way past both Dr.Marsden and Dr. Campbell to Will, "They're being absolutely horrid! They frightened me!"

Dr. Campbell waited for everyone to arrive before speaking. In particular, he was looking for Sir Colin ...

Colin arrived in the wake of the other people from the Great Hall. His decisive tones cut through the general hubbub.

"What's going on here?"

Will had his arms protectively around Josette. "Miss Beleseur screamed. When we got here, everything seemed all right, but she says Dr. Marsden and Dr. Campbell frightened her..."

Zap had drawn back, seeing Josette fling herself into Will's arms, seeing Will's automatic reaction. He watched, his eyes narrowed.

Josette, wide eyed, looked intently at Zap, as though trying to communicate something unspoken.

Selina, late arriving, rushed headlong to her old stage-friend, heedless of whom she pushed aside. "Josette!" she cried breathlessly. "Josette, we heard you -- did someone try to hurt you? Are you all right? Oh, I'm so glad you're alive! I almost thought -- " And she threw both arms around the singer and hugged her tight.

"Caught her up to mischief, more likely." Campbell addressed Sir Colin. "The Belleseur woman seems to have locked Mary Roberts in the drawing room. Professor Marsden and I followed her upstairs, wishing to speak with her after I caught her eavesdropping on a conversation between Mr. St-Pierre and Mr. Arthur. She entered Mrs. MacKenzie's room, and we passed her in the hall. Then she looked out and saw us. We confronted her about her activities, and Ms. Belleseur began that screaming - after we spoke with her, not because we startled her! I assume it was to gain the sympathies of Mr. Arthur, Mr. St-Pierre and Mrs. MacKenzie-Brown. I can only hope that they and yourself, Sir Colin, see through this charade."

"Very well," said Colin. "I think we should all go back down to the Great Hall and sort this out. And other things, as well - such as why Miss Bellesur was in this part of the Castle on her own and what happened to ... ah."

He broke off, as he saw Davis approaching with Mary Roberts and the Bannisters. "I thought you left with Miss Bellesur, Mary," he said. "What happened?"

Mary's eyes narrowed in on Josette, the way a minister might bore his gaze into a heretic. "I did. We went looking for her compact. She asked me to give the couch a good look over... Then, for some reason, decided to abandon the search without a word to me, an action that left her on the other side of the room's door. Then she closed it, and 'whoops'" Mary threw her hands up. "It was locked. No -doubt- she'll insist it was an - accident-."

"I am sorry about your getting locked in the drawing room," Josette offered a meek apology.

"Then we should go back to the Great Hall," said Colin. "And, Mr St.Pierre, Mrs MacKenzie-Brown, in the circumstances, I think you should release Miss Bellesur." He glanced around those gathered. "Mrs.Bannister, perhaps you could look after her if she appears distressed."

Will straightened and stepped clear of Josette, taking Selina's hand in his as he did so. He looked slightly offended at Colin's choice of words, but said nothing.

Selina, uncomprehending, went obediently with Will, her eyes wavering between him and Josette.

Lord Eversham regarded Miss Bellesur coolly.

"Mademoiselle," he said, "may I suggest that in the future such small frights be treated with a little more detachment. Screams are bound to cause considerable alarm, in the present circumstance."

He turned for a glance into the Rose Room -- and from the doorway was able to make out the gloves resting on the washstand. ~The widow lies well~ he thought. Something sinister was implied in those little bits of scarred black lace ... A brief glance at the protective way St. Pierre smothered his sister, and how the others took this matter-of-factly, told him they would not be an easy sell on this, however.

Garreth looked back and forth between the doctors and the actors. "Come, we'll all have a bite and get to the bottom of this mess, eh?"

"Adults should be able to work this all out, yes?" he said turning back toward the Hall and offering his arm to Sandra. A warm smile lit his lips for her.

Sandra took his arm with a small smile. "One could hope this will all be resolved with no more... theatrics," she said wryly.

Zap chuckled. "That might be difficult," he said with a grin.

Quietly, Garreth chuckled, "Cute."

"So what happened?" he asked along the walk back.

"Earlier, Dr. Campbell, Mrs. Bannister and I caught Josette listening outside of the drawing room," said Sandra. "It turns out Mr. Arthur and Mr. St. Pierre were having a private discussion in there, and she was listening in. Dr. Campbell wanted to speak to Josette about it, and asked me to accompany him to speak to her when she left the room with Mary Roberts."

Sandra looked around to see if anyone was close before continuing. "By the time we'd started to catch up to her, it would appear she'd locked Mary in the drawing room, and on the pretence of looking for the key for the room managed to get all the way upstairs and into Selina's room. That's where we found her. Dr. Campbell insisted she tell us the truth of her actions, and when he threatened to get Colin to have her locked up, she started screaming." Sandra shrugged. "And that's where we're at now."

Patience stepped forward towards Josette. "Why don't you come with me and we'll get you some tea on the way downstairs, perhaps with a bit of a nip in it. David, would you accompany us?" She looked from Josette to her husband briefly, then back to Josette, her expression kind and concerned. "Then we can join the others and have this all sorted out without any more yelling, I hope."

Josette nodded her agreement, eager to escape the accusing looks of the others.

Mary, meanwhile, had straightened out her skirt and hair once again. "I agree," she said evenly, sparing one last cool look for Josette before trying to return to her husband in the Great Hall.

As the others left the Great Hall (leaving the Rector, the Skeffington-Nottles, Mabel Tawney, Brian Shea and Major Bastable), Oswald Skeffington-Nottle approached Mabel Tawney.

"I wondered," he began, "as things are quieter here now, if we might listen to that tape."

Mabel looked at him doubtfully. "Dr. Campbell was the one who said he wanted to hear it..." She shrugged. "Well, I don't mind. One usually has to play things over and over to catch everything anyhow."

She bent over and switched on the machine. Doleful fiddle music came from the speakers. Mabel pressed another switch to fast-forward the tape. Several snatches of fiddle later, she reached the section of piping, then reversed the tape to find where it began. Finally the machine began to wail out "The Flowers of the Forest ."

Oswald listened, frowning slightly.

"Can you play that again?" he asked. "Just that bit when the fiddling stops - and before the piping starts? You seem to have picked up some conversation there ... "

"That's always happening," Mabel agreed gloomily. She stopped the tape, backed it up past the start of the piping, and started it again.

"Actually," says Oswald, "It's that bit of conversation that I want to listen to."


 

End of Chapter 14

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