‘She should be all right. The vet said he sees a few accidental poisonings every year, so he knows just what to do. It’s a good thing Fishy called him.’
‘How did he take the news that it came from a poisoned sandwich?’ I asked.
‘I decided not to tell him that part. He’s hopping mad that someone left rat poison out where the dogs could get at it, but he didn’t question me too closely on the details. Good thing, too – I had no credible story to explain how she came to eat it.’
‘He’ll have to know.’
‘He will, but I’d rather take him an explanation than just another mystery. And I’m not sure Helen would cope particularly well with the news that someone tried to bump her off.’
‘No,’ I said. ‘I don’t suppose she would.’
‘Harry and Jake arrived while the vet was loading Electra into his four-wheeler. To be honest, I didn’t really relish the thought of all four of them getting in a flap.’ She kicked morosely at the gravel again.
‘I can understand that,’ I said. ‘We shall just have to redouble our efforts.’
‘We shall,’ she said.
We walked on.
Before long, we had left the formal garden, and we found ourselves wandering aimlessly across the estate in the vague direction of the long, tree-lined drive. Through the trees, I caught a glimpse of what looked like Lady Lavinia and Harry wandering towards us with a similar aimlessness. I nudged Lady Hardcastle and nodded towards them.
‘Looks like I’ll need to go shopping for a new hat,’ she said when she saw them.
‘They’ve only just met,’ I said. ‘Surely you can’t be marrying them off already.’
‘Care to make a wager? Ten bob says he pops the question before we go home.’
‘You’re on,’ I said. ‘It’ll take him months to pluck up the— What on earth?’
There was a crunch of gears as Lord Riddlethorpe’s Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost lurched along the drive in the direction of the main road. It was gaining speed.
‘I say,’ said Lady Hardcastle. ‘Who the Dickens do you suppose that could be?’
‘Lord Riddlethorpe?’ I suggested.
‘No, he’s a much better driver than that. So’s Morgan. I wonder— Harry!’ she yelled suddenly as Lady Lavinia and Harry stepped on to the drive. They were directly in the path of the now-speeding motor car.
Hearing his name, Harry looked up to see his sister waving frantically at him. Then he turned and noticed the motor car. He shoved Lady Lavinia in the small of her back, sending her sprawling across the drive and safely on to the grass. He leapt backwards himself, but he wasn’t quick enough. The mudguard clipped his hip as he jumped, and he fell awkwardly. The Rolls didn’t stop, and was quickly out of sight.
We ran towards them.
By the time we reached the drive, Lady Lavinia was crouching over Harry. There was blood on her hands where she had scratched them as she fell, and her dress was torn, but she didn’t seem to care. Harry was dazed.
‘Harry?’ she said. ‘Harry?’ she repeated, slightly louder this time.
‘What?’ he said irritably. ‘Oh, Lavinia, I’m so sorry, I didn’t . . . I say, my leg doesn’t half hurt.’
‘Being knocked down by a speeding motor car will do that, brother, dear,’ said Lady Hardcastle. ‘No, you oaf, don’t try to stand. What’s the matter with you?’
Harry slumped back down.
‘Man’s an idiot,’ she said.
‘He is,’ said Lady Lavinia, stroking his head. ‘But he’s my idiot.’
‘Flo,’ said Lady Hardcastle. ‘Be a poppet and trot back to the house for that handcart. We ought to get the idiot off the road. Bring some muscle as well – I’m not certain we can lift him by ourselves.’
‘Tell Fishy to telephone the doctor as well, please, Armstrong,’ said Lady Lavinia. ‘I think this might need plaster.’
‘I shall ask his lordship to do that,’ I said.
Lady Lavinia laughed. ‘No, dash it, tell him. He’s just as much of an idiot as Harry. They need telling, these idiots.’
Chapter Fifteen
Harry’s leg was badly bruised. Although there was nothing broken and there seemed to be no lasting damage, he was kept at the local cottage hospital overnight as a precaution. Lady Lavinia remained by his bedside, and I began to suspect I’d lose my ten shillings. It wasn’t a wager I’d mind losing.
They arrived back at the house together just as Lady Hardcastle and Miss Titmus were sitting down to breakfast. There was no one else about, and so they invited me to join them. I declined – it was possible that I would still need to be in with the household servants, and I didn’t want to turn them against me by hobnobbing. I compromised by hovering nearby with a sandwich I’d made with a brace of bangers and a couple of slices of buttered toast.
The sound of clumping footsteps came from the hall. The door opened.
‘What ho, sis,’ said Harry as he hobbled into the dining room on Lady Lavinia’s arm. ‘Saved any bacon for us? Or have you yaffled the lot?’
‘I’ve already saved your bacon, dear. Many times. You’re better, I take it?’
‘Fit as a flea, old thing. Morning, Helen. And Strong Arm! What are you doing lurking there?’
‘He’s not fit at all,’ said Lady Lavinia. ‘He’s under strict instructions to rest, and I intend to see that he obeys those instructions.’ She patted his hand.
‘Help a chap to the table, then, old girl, and I’ll rest there. With the bacon.’
They both sat down.
‘I see they found the Rolls,’ said Lady Lavinia as she helped herself to toast. I was a little surprised by her matter-of-factness. ‘We assumed it was gone for good, so we took a taxi from the hospital. I would have telephoned for Morgan if I’d known.’
‘Yes,’ said Lady Hardcastle. ‘It had been abandoned in the lane. I’m not certain of the name. Church Lane? Borders the estate to the east. Morgan and some of the lads found it and brought it back last night.’
‘It’s awful,’ said Miss Titmus. ‘After everything else. Why would someone want to hurt you, Harry?’
‘Who knows why these people do anything?’ he said. ‘Some ne’er-do-well coming down to the house on some pretext or other, happens upon the Rolls, nicks it, clobbers me, then dumps the motor when he realizes how deep he’s got himself. We’ll never understand it.’
Lady Hardcastle and I exchanged glances. It was quite the most absurdly unlikely explanation I could imagine for the previous evening’s events, but a tiny shake of her head let me know that we weren’t going to gainsay him. Then I caught Harry’s eye, and a similar look told me that he didn’t believe it any more than I did.
‘Thank goodness that’s all it was,’ said Miss Titmus.
‘I shouldn’t think there’s anything else to worry about,’ said Harry. ‘I say, do you think Mrs R might be persuaded to fry me a couple of eggs? I’m partial to a fried egg, but she seems keener on boiling the blighters.’
‘I’ll pop down to the kitchens and have a word, sir,’ I said.
‘Thank you, Strong Arm, you’re a marvel. She’s a bally marvel that one, sis. You hang on to her.’
‘Yes, Harry, I shall,’ said Lady Hardcastle. ‘Jake, dear, what did they give him?’
‘Something for the pain,’ said Lady Lavinia, ‘but I don’t know precisely what. He’s been babbling like this all the way here.’