Doctor Who_ Wolfsbane - Jac Rayner [11]
Sarah followed, flashing a smile at the butler to assure him that they were in the right and he need worry about it no more. By the time she got inside, the Doctor had ducked into a parlour and was just sitting himself down on a splendid tapestry-backed chair. She perched on the edge of a settee.
They both looked expectantly at the poor man who was unhappily trying to keep his dignity. Sarah wondered if the Doctor had noticed the post piled on the hall table. The Manor was the home of George and Lady Hester Stanton.
„I... I regret to inform you that... that...‟
The Doctor interrupted. „Perhaps we could see the lady of the house?‟
„I‟m sorry, sir?‟
„Perhaps we could see the lady of the house.‟
The man‟s self possession was visibly crumbling. „I regret to inform you... that is... Lady Hester is recently deceased, sir.‟
The man of the house, then.‟
„Mr Stanton is... Mr Stanton is...‟
„Also deceased?‟ offered Sarah.
„In the bath?‟ suggested the Doctor.
„Indisposed,‟ the butler decided.
„Dear oh dear,‟ said the Doctor, looking concerned. „Nothing terminal, I hope. Just off shootin‟ or fishin‟.‟
The butler was obviously struggling between discretion and a need to blurt out everything. „Mr Stanton is... permanently indisposed. I am merely remaining until... arrangements can be made. The house may have to be sold.‟
„Ah!‟ cried the Doctor. „Sold. Of course. That‟s why we‟re here.‟
„Sir?‟
„We‟re here to check it out for the house agents. But, between you and me, with what happened here... well, it may be difficult to make a sale, at an agreeable price, that is.‟
Never let the truth get in the way of information gathering.
It wasn‟t even particularly plausible, but it seemed to do the trick.
„But none of it happened in the house, sir - not actually inside the house - and I understand it‟s all being kept very quiet... the government, you know.‟
The Doctor waved aside such considerations. „Of course, of course. But there is a connection to the house of course -
lady Hester -‟
„Who was before her marriage...?‟ asked Sarah, sating her curiosity.
„Her ladyship was Lady Hester Leffy, only daughter of Lord Leffy, before she married Mr Stanton,‟ said the butler.
„Quite,‟ said the Doctor. „But the connection to the house, Lady Hester and so on... Mr Stanton... and people worry about such things. Not broadminded people like you and me, of course -‟
„Or me,‟ Sarah chipped in.
„- but some people...‟ He trailed off, leaving the butler to imagine how unbelievably small-minded house buyers could be. So, what I need from you today is an account of what happened back in November - assess the risk, see how to minimise the connection between those terrible events and this house. When would you say it started - when Mr Sullivan arrived?‟
Clever, clever, Sarah thought. Launch right in there. But the butler‟s next words threw her completely.
„Not really, sir. He did get here just about when the... just about when Miss Ryan died. But the mutilations had been going on for some time before then. No sir, I‟d say it all started round about when the Doctor arrived.‟
Chapter Three
Telling Tales
„Don‟t talk nonsense, George,‟ said Lady Hester. „Trees, although living things, cannot attack one.‟
George was obviously in no state to form a coherent argument to the contrary. „Trees!‟ he kept saying. „Attacked me! Trees!‟
A penguin-suit who Harry took to be the butler materialised! by the distraught George‟s side, bearing a tray with decanter and glass. „Ah, thank you, Trelawny,‟ Lady Hester said, sweeping up the glass and forcing it into her son‟s hand. „Brandy, George. Drink it up.‟
The spirit went down in one, and George Stanton visibly calmed. His breathing, although still ragged, no longer consisted entirely of wild gasps, and his eyes were somewhat less wide and were focused now on his current surroundings and not on some apparently far-distant place.
„Truth. Every word. Trees, you know.‟ He flung out a hand as if imploring them to believe him. Trelawny calmly refilled