A Night To Remember (Dead Reckoning series - Part 14)

Continued from Episode 13 (Farewell Is a Lonely Sound)

The story so far:   Josiah appears to have rekindled a romance with an old flame, Jeanette DeVille, much to Samantha Knight's annoyance, whilst Archibald seems to be enamoured of her 'goth'-like daughter, Precious.  Oddly enough, and quite separately, Detectives Wood and Stone are currently investigating cases of jewel theft which seem to involve a well-bred lady and a 'goth' like girl.  The highlight of Josiah's week approaches as he prepares for a grand dinner at Evanley Hall, Jeanette DeVille's family seat.  How exciting!:

 

“It’s Saturday, Archie” Samantha Knight announced, listlessly, to her work companion, one hand propping up her chin as she gazed, blankly, at the laptop screen.

“Takes a good ‘un to get past you, don’t it?”  Archibald Thurble chuckled from the depths of the sports pages of his newspaper.

“You know what I mean!” Samantha snapped.

“Yeah, you’re on about Mr. O., again” Archibald nodded.

“Well, yes, and with good reason!”

“What are you doing here, any road, on a Saturday?  He can’t have you in for overtime, surely?”

“No, I just thought I’d come in and…well, I suppose I hoped I might have the chance to have a word with him”

“Mr. O.?”

“Josiah, yes” Samantha nodded, “I think he’s making the most terrible mistake.  I just have this dreadful feeling about it all”

“He’s not going to take any romantic advice from you, now, is he?”  Archibald pointed out, with a grin.

“No, I know” Samantha sighed, “I feel so helpless!”

“I don’t know why you’re getting yourself in such a state” Archibald shrugged, “he’s only going for a posh nosh at her place”

“Yes, but he’s not driving himself…” Samantha began.

“Well, he can’t, can he, not with his…” Archibald raised a wrist.

“I know, but he could have asked you to drive him.  Instead, he’s going to be held hostage by Cruella DeVille and her henchman!  She was the villain in ‘101 Dalmatians’” Samantha explained.

“Oh yeah!” Archibald nodded, “I remember now.  I can’t watch that film, makes me cry every time.  I think it’s that bit where the pup goes “I’m hungry, mother”” He gave the pup a creditable American accent, “does me ‘ead in, that does” He shook his head.  “Any road, I think you’re putting it a bit strong; he’s just going for a bite to eat and then he’ll come home.  Nowt to it!”

“Well, call it ‘woman’s intuition’ or rampant jealousy, or anything you want!  I just have a bad feeling about it all” Samantha scowled and attacked the laptop keyboard as if she held a personal grudge.

* * * *

Saturday evening saw the subject of their conversation pacing up and down his hallway, formally dressed and in a state of some agitation.  Whilst, on one hand, he had been eagerly awaiting this night, he was also acutely aware that it might well be a crucial stage on the journey to resuming his relationship with Jeanette DeVille, and he wasn’t entirely sure how he felt about that. 

If he was honest with himself.  He was beginning to regret having agreed to be driven to Evanley Hall.  On the whole he would have felt much more comfortable with Archibald doing the driving but Jeanette wouldn’t hear of it.

A sharp rap on the front door made him jump.  He proceeded to open it and there stood the lugubrious figure of Hames, Mrs. DeVille’s butler, chauffeur and general factotum.

“Good evening, sir” He said, funereally, and bowed slightly, “I have come, on Mrs. DeVille’s instructions, to take you to the Hall”

“Ah, yes, thank you Hames” Josiah briefly checked his appearance in the hall mirror, frowned at what he saw but shrugged and locked the door behind him.  In the meantime, Hames strode down the steps to the waiting car and stood with the rear door open.

“Thank you, but I would be quite happy to sit in the front” Josiah offered.

“That would not be seemly, sir” Hames frowned and gestured toward the back seat.

“Oh, right!” Josiah felt distinctly uncomfortable but settled himself into the car, anyway.

The limousine may have seen better days, from its internal appearance, but it moved smoothly enough into the Saturday evening traffic.

“It’s been a particularly pleasant day, has it not?” Josiah ventured, as a means of starting a conversation.

“Most acceptable, sir” Hames agreed.

“I must say, I’ve been looking forward to this evening.  I gather Mrs. DeVille is renowned for her hospitality” Josiah went on.

“I have heard it said, sir” Hames nodded.

There was a long pause as they drove out of town and Josiah struggled to think of anything else to say.

“Not much traffic about, for a Saturday evening, is there?” He suggested, at a loss for anything else.

Hames twisted around in his seat and regarded his passenger, seriously, then turned back.

“With respect, sir” He intoned, “it is neither necessary, nor desirous, that you should engage me in conversation”

“Oh, fine!” Josiah responded, deeply embarrassed.  He slumped back in his seat and watched the countryside speed past, thinking how much more pleasant it would have been to be chatting with Archibald, however inane the conversation.

After about an hour of this awkward silence, the limousine finally turned into the dark, potholed and overgrown lane leading up to the Hall.  Almost instantly, a ragged figure, carrying a shotgun, jumped out in front of them, causing Josiah to jump in his seat.  The woman held her position, in front of the car, bringing them to a halt.  She then lurched around to the driver’s door and Hames, with an audible sigh, wound down the window.

“You ain’t seen my kittens, ‘ave yer?” The apparition enquired.

“Jeannie, you know you are not supposed to do this, don’t you now?” Hames said, not unkindly.

“Is ‘e going up the big ‘all?” She nodded toward Josiah, cowering in the back seat.

“That really is none of your concern, Jeannie” Hames said, firmly.

Jeannie scuttled around to Josiah’s window and knocked on it with the shotgun.  Despite himself, he wound the window down a little.

“Yes?” He said, hoarsely.

“You b’aint be goin’ up there, be yer?  Not with ‘er?”  The woman nodded toward the Hall beyond.

“I have the honour of being invited for dinner, yes” Josiah smiled, weakly.

“No good’ll come of it, you mark my words!” The woman shrieked, “You get yoursel’ away, while yer can!”

Hames suddenly appeared beside her, grabbed her by the elbow and steered her back toward her rundown cottage.

“Now, come on Jeannie, this will NOT do” He said, determinedly, “time for your pills, I shouldn’t wonder”

“I don’t want none of yer potions, d’yer ‘ear me!”

“One moment, if you please, sir” Hames said, with some difficulty, to Josiah, as he pushed a struggling Jeannie onward, “I would wind up your window, if I were you, sir” He suggested.

Josiah did as he was asked and watched Jeannie disappear into the cottage, closely followed by Hames.  There were some crashes and bangs before Hames reappeared, looking somewhat dishevelled, and locked the cottage door with a key he produced from his coat pocket.

“I’m so sorry you had to see that, sir” he said, flatly, taking his place in the driver’s seat.

“You’ve locked her in?” Josiah observed.

“For her own good, sir, as I’m sure you will agree” Hames nodded, and restarted the car, “She is a poor soul, but we do our best, sir”

“Does she work for the estate?”

“Heavens no, sir!” Hames gave a slight smile, “not for many a long year.  She will be fine, once she’s had her pills”

The car eased its way along the road and up the gravel driveway, coming to rest by the grand front door.  Hames nipped smartly out of the car and, with a flourish, opened Josiah’s door.

“If you will walk this way, sir?” He motioned to the huge, oak door, which swung open at that moment.

Josiah, somewhat unnerved by recent events and the silent car journey, eased out of the limousine and stumbled toward the door.  The darkness of the entrance hall, in contrast to the early evening sunlight, temporarily clouded his vision but he soon made out Jeanette, standing by the grand staircase looking immaculate.  To her right, was Precious.

“Josiah, how nice of you to come” Jeanette smiled, sweetly, “Precious, you know, of course” She indicated her daughter.

“Miss DeVille, a pleasure to meet you again” Josiah bowed slightly.  Precious blushed and, to Josiah’s surprise, attempted a curtsy.

“Hames, please help Mr. Oakshott with his coat and gloves” Jeanette instructed.

Josiah felt Hames grip his coat collar, lightly, from behind, but then there was an odd sensation, as if his elbows were being pinned behind him.  That, however, was nothing compared to the sharp knock on the back of his head, incredible pain and a blinding light.

For Josiah Oakshott, the evening had come to an unexpected close..

Josiah and Archibald and a missing corpse on the Spanish mainland?  That's what led to this current series of stories and you can find out all about it in 'Bring Out Your Dead' (link is external) available now in both Kindle and paperback versions.

Now read Part 15