Doctor Who_ The Banquo Legacy - Andy Lane [86]
‘Compassion, get back upstairs!’ the Doctor shouted to Susan. ‘Get Simpson and Fitz and barricade yourself into another bedroom!’
Susan looked wild-eyed at Hopkinson.
‘But John –’
‘Do it!’ the Doctor shouted. She turned and ran up the stairs. Harries took a long, lingering look after her, then staggered over to help his sister. I saw no more as Baker slammed the door shut and locked it.
‘Well done, Baker,’ I said.
‘Only doing my best, sir,’ he gasped, red-faced and panting.
Hopkinson crossed to the door and put his ear against it. With a free hand he gestured us to be quiet. ‘Can’t hear anything. No, wait… Catherine’s saying something about… Thank God for that. She’s told Harries to leave Susan alone, doesn’t think she can get out from upstairs. She’s probably right. She’d break a bone if she tried it… That’s interesting: I think she’s stopping Harries from breaking the door down. Something about an easier way. I wonder what she means… It’s odd, it’s as if she’s holding a conversation with him, but I can only hear her side of it…’ He paused for a moment. ‘I can’t be sure, but I think they’ve left.’ Hopkinson straightened up, brushing the creases from his trousers.
‘Shouldn’t we barricade the door, sir?’ asked Baker.
I considered for a moment. ‘No, not yet. We may get a chance to slip out.’
‘If they start to smash it down like they did upstairs we can’t hope to keep them out for long,’ said Hopkinson. ‘At least, not without barricading ourselves in.’
‘I realise that. But until they start, I think we’d do best to keep all our options open.’
The Doctor crossed to the French windows. It was pitch black outside and I could see his reflection staring back in at me, almost as if someone, some twin of his, was standing outside watching us. I shivered: I still had no idea how a man I had seen dead with his leg apparently twisted and broken beneath him could be standing before me, very much alive.
‘When we were upstairs,’ he said slowly, ‘why did Catherine stop her brother from killing us when he got into the bedroom?’
‘I don’t know,’ I said. ‘I’d been wondering about that as well.’ Not quite true. The thought had crossed my mind, but I had not worried myself about it. I’d had other things to contend with. ‘She must have been mad for years. I don’t think we can ascribe normal motives to her. She lives by her own rules of logic. Maybe she was frightened that a group effort could overcome him. And remember, Simpson had just suggested knocking her out to stop Harries. I don’t think she wanted to risk that.’
‘You don’t think it was the sudden shock of contact and her brother’s death that unhinged her?’ Hopkinson asked.
‘No, I think she’s been mad all along. That’s another thing that she and her brother shared – insanity.’
‘Yes,’ said the Doctor. ‘I think you’re right. This just pushed her into open homicidal lunacy. Which is rather a shame. A logical, reasoning mind would be rather easier to predict, don’t you think?’ He turned away from the French windows. ‘I wish we knew what was going on out there.’
Baker walked over to the door. He had recovered from his exertions now and was mopping the last remnants of sweat from his brow. ‘Can’t hear anything, sir.’
‘One of us will have to go for help,’ said Hopkinson sombrely. ‘Since she’s wrecked the telephone. Someone’s got to make it to the village.’
We all stood staring at one another. Sizing each other up. Mentally drawing straws.
‘I’ll go,’ we all chorused simultaneously. Hopkinson came off the rebound more quickly than any of us.
‘You two are policemen,’ he said. ‘You’re paid to take risks. I’m not. Given a chance I’d be on my way to Three Sisters instantly. I’m not being noble, I’m saving my own skin. And it’s practical: I know the area.’
‘So does Baker,’ I pointed out. ‘And come to that, my aunt lives in Three Sisters. I’m not exactly unfamiliar with the countryside myself.’
‘And the grounds of the Manor? Under snow? At night?’ queried Hopkinson. ‘I think not.’
‘He’s right, sir. It’s the best thing to do,’ said Baker heavily.
‘All right, Mr Hopkinson. Reluctantly