Death of a Sweep - M. C. Beaton [6]
‘I am not the shouting kind.’
‘Tea?’
‘That would be grand.’
Milly plugged in the kettle. Hamish moved quickly to the kitchen door and jerked it open. Philomena, who had been leaning against it on the other side, nearly fell into the kitchen. ‘A bit o’ privacy, please,’ said Hamish and shut the door in her face.
‘I wish I could do that,’ said Milly mournfully. ‘She is so like her brother.’
‘Well, it’ll take you a good bit of time to get over your husband’s death.’
‘Milk?’
‘No, chust plain. Thank you. Now, Mrs Davenport, there is one odd thing. Why would your husband leave his wallet behind, or do you think it was taken from his body?’
‘I don’t know. I don’t think he planned to be away for long, but it was odd that he said if anyone called looking for him, I should say he had gone abroad.’
‘That does sound as if he was frightened of someone.’
‘Well, he did take against people. He had a phone call the evening before. When we lived in Surrey, he did annoy people.’
‘In what way?’
‘Well, he often had get-rich-quick ideas and would try to rope in some of his old army friends. I remember one of them wanted money back and shouted a lot.’
‘Who was it?’
‘I can’t rightly remember.’
‘So he could have tricked someone else out of money?’
‘It’s possible. Oh, dear. Maybe they’ll come looking for me.’
‘I shouldnae think so. Would you like me to put a guard on the house?’
‘It would certainly make me feel better.’
‘I’ll send someone over. It doesn’t matter what the weather’s like. Keep him outside the house. We’ll put him on night duty. Why did you come up here?’
‘Henry started going through house advertisements for property in the north of Scotland. I didn’t want to go. I liked Guildford. We had a nice little bungalow and I had a few friends.’
‘I want you to think hard and make me out a list of his old army friends. Which regiment?’ ‘The Surrey Infantry.’
‘I won’t be bothering you any more just now. I’ll call tomorrow. You look as if you could do with some fresh air. Why don’t you walk down to the village with me?’
‘Philomena doesn’t like me associating with the locals.’
‘Then she’ll chust need to lump it. Get your coat.’
Chapter Two
The Bustle in a House
The Morning after Death
Is solemnest of industries
Enacted upon Earth –
The Sweeping up the Heart
And putting Love away
We shall not want to use again
Until Eternity
– EMILY DICKINSON
‘You’d get a rare view of the loch if it weren’t for these bushes and trees,’ commented Hamish as they walked down the short drive.
‘I wouldn’t know how to begin to get rid of them,’ said Milly.
‘I know a couple o’ forestry workers who would be glad of a bit of extra work. They can keep the wood as payment.’
‘I don’t know what Philomena would think …’
‘It’s your house now. Not hers,’ said Hamish sharply. ‘I assume you inherit it?’
‘Yes, the police left me the will. Philomena phoned the solicitor in Inverness. She was quite angry about that. We had a joint account so money won’t be a problem, says the bank.’
‘And did he leave a lot of money?’
‘Enough to keep me for a few years, but after that I’ll need to try to sell this place. I will get his army pension, of course.’
‘Has your sister-in-law any money of her own?’
‘Yes, she is quite rich, I believe. You see, poor Henry’s parents had a falling-out with him and left everything to Philomena.’
‘It seems to me, Mrs Davenport, that she should leave quite soon.’
‘I daren’t ask her.’
‘You can’t have her staying on, unless of course she’s helping with the household expenses.’
‘Well, she isn’t,’ said Milly in a faltering voice. ‘The trouble is, Mr Macbeth, I am just like Henry always said I was – no backbone. What a depressing loch that is! Like a long black finger pointing out to the Atlantic.’
Although a pale sun was shining down on the huddle of village houses which lay on a little plateau above the sea, the light did not penetrate the dark waters of the loch where the steep mountains on either side plunged straight down, their scree-covered flanks only holding a few stunted bushes.