A True and Faithful Brother E-Book

Linda Stratmann

• Herausgeber: The Mystery Press
• Kategorie: Krimi
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 528

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2017

Beschreibung

London 1882: When a wealthy philanthropist disappears from a locked and guarded room, Frances Doughty is reluctantly drawn into a case that tears the veil of mystery from her own past. Can London's very own Lady Detective solve this sinister new case before a murderer catches up with her and she becomes the next victim?

Leseprobe

To Mark and Katie

First published in 2017

The History Press

The Mill, Brimscombe Port

Stroud, Gloucestershire, GL5 2QG

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This ebook edition first published in 2017

All rights reserved

© Linda Stratmann, 2017

The right of Linda Stratmann to be identified as the Author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyrights, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights, and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.

EPUB ISBN 978-0-7509-8201-6

Original typesetting by The History Press

eBook converted by Geethik Technologies

Layout of the Lodge room at the Duke of Sussex Tavern

1 Worshipful Master

2 Immediate Past Master and Chaplain

3 Secretary and Treasurer

4 Junior Warden

5 Inner Guard

6 Senior Warden

7 Junior Deacon

8 Tyler

9 Senior Deacon

LONDON 1882

Frances Doughty unfastened the top three buttons of her gown, thankful for the sake of decency that no more was required. She was comforted by the fact that the man who stood beside her, calm and solemn in his dark attire, had performed his duty many times before, and would be both her guide and support. Facing her was a closed door. In a few moments it would open, and once she had passed into the next room there could be no turning back.

Although she had been prepared, it was nevertheless a shock when the hood of white fabric was placed over her head. The world vanished as if in a fog and suddenly she felt alone, helpless and vulnerable. Aware that she had begun to tremble, she tried to conceal her apprehension and breathe as evenly as she was able, hoping to face the mystery to come humbly and without fear. Moments later came the descent of the hempen rope around her neck, its weight resting on her shoulders and tightened by the loop of the noose. Her throat was dry, her palms moist, and she could feel the deep pulsing of her heart.

There was the sound of the door opening. It was time.

As she felt a steadying hand on her elbow, encouraging her to step forward, Frances could not help but cast her mind back over the remarkable train of events that had placed her in this very unusual situation.

CHAPTER ONE

In the autumn of 1881, a series of catastrophic incidents had culminated in the arrest of the notorious killer known as the Bayswater Face-slasher. Despite this welcome resolution to the appalling crimes that had struck terror all over West London, Frances Doughty, lady detective, felt that she had little with which to congratulate herself, and a great deal to regret. Certain deaths had struck close to her heart and although no one had suggested that she should be blamed for them, especially since she had never been hired to investigate the case, she could not contemplate those losses without a strong sense of failure. Surely, she reasoned with herself, again and again, there must have been a way in which she could have prevented the tragedies, if only she had been cleverer or braver or more determined. She had been left with the conclusion that taking up the profession of detective had been, as she was so often advised, a foolish thing to do.

As a result, Frances had resolved to give up all except non-criminal enquiries. This change in her career had been announced in the local press, and clients who came to consult her in the hope that she might make an exception for them were politely turned away. Straying pets and long-lost relatives were her domain now, as well as research in libraries and reading rooms, and the drawing up of family trees. She also continued to carry out the occasional secret mission for the government, which mainly involved the delivery of messages she was trusted not to open, or simply making careful observations of an individual.

The one enquiry on which she ought to have spent time, solving the mysteries in her own family, she had felt reluctant to pursue, as she believed that her personal history was part of the reason for her deficiencies. The more she had learned about her past, the more it became apparent that she was tainted by the inheritance of character flaws that she could only suppress but never fully escape.

Frances had been brought up under the stern unloving eye and firm hand of an aunt. Her father, William Doughty, who had maintained a chemist shop on Westbourne Grove, had regarded her as little more than an unpaid servant, and lavished all his paternal attention on her older brother, Frederick. William had rarely spoken of his wife, Rosetta, a subject he found too painful to explore, saying only that she had died when Frances was three. Only two years ago, however, Frances, then nineteen, had uncovered the shameful truth; her mother had not died but had deserted the family home, her husband and children in the company of a man.

In 1864 Rosetta Doughty and her paramour Vernon Salter had been living together in humble circumstances when Rosetta gave birth to twins, a girl who had died in infancy, and a boy, Cornelius, who still lived. It was not until after William Doughty’s death that Frances had learned that it was suspected that she too was the child of her mother’s lover. This had been distressing enough, yet Frances had retained the hope that somewhere Rosetta and Vernon were together and now that Rosetta was free, they would finally marry.

That hope had been extinguished by her recent discovery that in 1865 Vernon had deserted Rosetta to marry Alicia, the only daughter and heiress of wealthy philanthropist Lancelot Dobree.

And this was why, despite everything, Frances could not resist taking on one more case. She had just been informed that Lancelot Dobree had disappeared from within a locked and guarded room. Her client, Mr Algernon Fiske, knew nothing of her unhappy connection with the Dobree family, and Frances hoped he never would.

As Frances considered the peculiar problem that Mr Fiske had brought her, she was inevitably reminded that it was he who had first engaged her as a professional detective. He had been concerned about the unauthorised distribution of unconventional pamphlets at a school for girls, an apparently simple conundrum that the governors had felt required the feminine touch. Frances’ enquiries had resulted in the exposure of scandals, destruction of reputations, solution of murders and her first meeting with the prime minister. It was the best possible proof that one could never know where an investigation might lead.

Mr Fiske, a mild-looking man of about fifty, was an enthusiast of English literature, who wrote a regular column for the Bayswater Chronicle under the pen name ‘Aquila’, in which he reviewed new publications. He was also a Founder and a Past Master of the Bayswater Literati Freemasons’ Lodge. This organisation, a private club for gentlemen of culture who liked to meet and dine and enjoy good conversation, also provided generous financial support for local schools. He was, thought Frances as she faced him across the round table in the parlour where she interviewed her clients, a little more portly, a little greyer about the whiskers, and had less hair on his pate than at their first meeting. He certainly looked more worried. According to Mr Fiske, two nights ago Lancelot Dobree, a guest of Mr Brassington, the current Master of the Literati Lodge, had vanished from the Lodge room while a meeting was taking place, during a part of the ceremony in which the lights had been extinguished.

‘People do not vanish into the air,’ said Frances, soothingly. ‘They do not leave locked rooms unless they have a key and unlock them.’

Fiske made a helpless gesture. ‘I know, I know, but that is what happened! And he left without taking his coat or hat or regalia case and his overnight bag. In fact, he was wearing his regalia the last time we saw him; he would not willingly have stepped out of the building dressed like that. It is against all proper practice.’

‘That is worrying, I agree.’

‘Then you will look into it?’ he begged. Frances had already told Mr Fiske that she had given up her detective work, but he looked pathetically hopeful that she would relent on his account.

‘Very well, I will.’

Her new client breathed a great sigh of relief.

‘But should he reappear, and I have every confidence that he will do so soon, you must let me know the very moment you learn of it.’

‘Of course, of course!’

Frances opened her notebook and took up a freshly sharpened pencil. ‘Before I begin, you must tell me in your own words exactly what transpired.’

Mr Fiske nodded and collected his thoughts. Frances poured a glass of water from the carafe on the table and he refreshed himself gratefully, then blotted his brow with a handkerchief. It was, thought Frances, anxiety rather than the fire that crackled cosily in the grate that had produced the excess of perspiration. ‘The regular meetings of the Literati are held at the Duke of Sussex Tavern in Kensington. Dobree and his son-in-law Mr Salter are members of Mulberry Lodge, which meets at the same location. The night before last, Dobree attended our proceedings as a guest of the Master, Mr Brassington.’

‘Was his son-in-law also present?’ asked Frances, trying not to appear overly interested in the information.

‘No, I understand he is away on business.’

‘Please go on.’

‘I arrived at the tavern a little after four o’clock, as did Mr Chappell our Director of Ceremonies, whose duty it is to make sure that the Lodge room is secure and in good order. I should explain that the room, which is on the first floor, has two doors on opposite sides. One leads to the rear of the premises and is always locked during our meetings. The other door is the one we use as an entrance and leads to the landing and main staircase. Chappell checked the room as soon as he arrived and he is quite certain that when he had done so, both doors were locked. Shortly afterwards the other brethren arrived including the Master, Mr Brassington, and his guest Mr Dobree.’

‘Who has charge of the keys to the Lodge room?’

‘When the Lodge room is not in use the keys are kept in the office which is on the ground floor. Mr Neilson, the landlord, checked immediately after the meeting and the key to the rear door was still there. That door remained locked throughout. Mr Chappell took charge of the key to the entrance door when he went up to prepare the room. He checked everything, then relocked the room and that door was not opened again until the meeting started.’

‘So during the meeting the rear door was locked but the entrance door was not?’

‘The entrance was bolted from within and guarded. Mr Manley is our Inner Guard and he sits by the door inside the Lodge room. Mr Neilson acts as Tyler.’

‘Tyler?’ queried Frances, making rapid notes.

‘The officer stationed outside the Lodge room with a sword to prevent unwanted entry. Mr Neilson was on the landing beside the door throughout the meeting.’

Frances was always wary when weapons were mentioned. ‘Is it a real sword? I hope he never has occasion to use it?’

‘It is real, but not very sharp. For ceremonial purposes only. Neilson tells me that he also checked the room before the meeting; that would have been earlier in the day, before any of the brethren arrived, and it was quite secure. That afternoon there was our usual convivial conversation in the lounge bar, as the brethren gathered, and then at five o’clock we all went upstairs. There is a small anteroom next door to the Lodge room where we leave our coats and hats and put on our regalia, the larger Lodge room is where we hold our meetings. We always enter the Lodge room through the door on the front landing. Dobree was undoubtedly with us then. We all remember him being there. But there is one part of the ceremony where the lights are extinguished. We were in near darkness for about ten to twenty minutes. There is just one small candle by the Master. When the lamps were re-lit —’ Fiske paused and shook his head, and there was a heavy sense of failure in his expression, ‘I suppose no one expected a man to be missing, so we didn’t look about for him. But as we were about to file out, Mr Brassington wished to make some remark to his guest, and realised that he was not there. He asked where Dobree was, and it was then that we realised that no one had seen him since the lights were dimmed.’

‘Does the room have windows?’

‘There is one exterior wall, but if a man did open a window and scramble through, I doubt that he could do so without making a considerable noise. And even if he could there is a sheer drop to the street.’

‘And no secret exits? You mentioned that Mr Dobree’s own Lodge also meets there so he would have been familiar with the room.’

‘If there are any trapdoors or priest holes I certainly don’t know of them, and neither does Mr Neilson.’

Frances reviewed her notes. ‘So what it comes down to is that anyone leaving the room must have used one or other of the doors. Is there a possibility that Mr Dobree could have unbolted the main door and left without either Mr Neilson or Mr Manley noticing?’

‘None at all, I would say. And after the meeting the door was still bolted from within. How could he leave and do that?’

‘Did you check afterwards to see if the rear door was still locked?’

‘We did, and it was.’

‘Supposing Mr Dobree had obtained the key of the unguarded rear door, left under cover of darkness, and then relocked it. Where does it lead?’

‘There is a staircase going down to the ground floor, where there is an outer rear exit of the building. That door is locked at all times apart from deliveries, and its key is only in the possession of Mr Neilson, so Dobree could not have gone out that way. One can, however, go from the foot of the stairs, past the door to the cellars and into the storeroom. There were men working there during our meeting and neither saw Dobree. To leave the building he would have had to go through the storeroom, and then through the public bar without being seen, and from there onto the street. In fact, he was not seen by anyone at all in the building after the lights went out.’

‘So he entered a room in which one door was locked and the other was bolted and guarded by two men, and then he disappeared.’

‘Exactly.’

‘Without taking with him any possessions he might have been expected to take if he had left voluntarily.’

‘Yes.’

‘And wearing regalia, you say? What did that consist of? Is there a special robe?’

‘No, he wore a plain suit as we all do, but over that was an apron, a short half apron the size of a stonemason’s, and then there was a collar,’ Fiske’s hands moved from either side of his neck to come together in the midline of his chest to suggest a shape coming to a point. ‘And pinned to his coat there were a number of breast jewels as we call them. They look much like medals.’

Frances wrote this down, then tapped her pencil thoughtfully on her notebook. ‘During your earlier conversation with him, did you notice anything unusual in his manner? Did he seem well?’

Fiske paused to explore his memory. ‘He seemed well enough, but there was something on his mind. He told us that he would not stop to dine with us as he had another engagement, but he did not say where or with whom. I had the feeling – now I think about it, yes, I had the definite feeling that it was not something he wished to discuss, other than giving it as the reason he could not stay.’

‘He did not receive a note or a message?’

‘Not that I saw.’

‘What did you do when you found he was missing?’

‘We naturally assumed he would return, as his property was still there, so we waited for him. After a while we became concerned and searched the convenience in case he had been taken ill. Then we searched the rest of the premises; the stores, the cellars, the upper floors, everywhere. And then – it must have been about half past six o’clock – a carriage arrived, one that Dobree had hired. We had to send it away.’

‘You said that he left an overnight bag?’

‘Yes, we examined it for clues but there was nothing unusual in it. A change of linen, toilet requirements, and so on. Nothing to suggest where he was going.’

‘Did the driver of the carriage say where he was to take Mr Dobree?’

‘No; I’m not sure he knew himself.’

‘It was a hired carriage, you say. Does Mr Dobree not keep his own carriage?’

‘He does, but this was not his.’

Frances thought that tracing a carriage driver for such a memorable fare would not be hard. ‘So after the tavern closed, what did you do then?’

‘I went to Dobree’s house, taking his property there for safekeeping. I told Neilson that if Dobree returned to the tavern he was to say what I had done.’

‘And who did you speak to at the house?’

‘Dobree’s manservant, Jeffs. He said that his master had told him he would be away for a day, so he wasn’t expected back that evening. Mrs Salter was out, she had taken the carriage, and Mr Salter had been away on business for several days.’

‘Did the servant know where his master might be?’

‘No, although there is a family owned cottage in the country; somewhere in Berkshire I believe. Dobree uses it in the summer when he wants a few days of peace and sunshine, and Mr and Mrs Salter like to take the children there in the school holidays. Salter sometimes uses it to stay overnight if he is late coming back from a business trip.’

‘So he could be there – but without his coat or hat or bag, which is strange. Did the servant comment on the property Mr Dobree left behind?’

‘If he had an opinion he didn’t express it to me. He seemed to think that if his master was at the cottage then he had all he needed there.’

‘What action did the manservant say he would take?’

‘He said he would speak to Mrs Salter when she returned. But Dobree was only supposed to be absent one night. I called again today and learned that he was still not home, and no message has been received.’

‘So we have a departure from what might be considered usual behaviour, and a disappearance that doesn’t make sense. How old is Mr Dobree?’

‘Above seventy, but very hale.’

Frances was reminded of the shocking decline of William Doughty, the man she still thought of as her father, after the brain fever brought on by her older brother’s death. William had been just fifty. Had something similar happened to Dobree; had he lost his memory and wandered away?

‘Has Mr Dobree been at all absent-minded of late?’

‘No, he seemed as sharp as ever. You would have sworn looking at him and speaking to him that he was scarcely over fifty-five.’

‘So, on the first evening when Mr Dobree was not expected back, his family was probably not too concerned, but by now they will have taken some action. If they have alerted the police, then contact will have been made with the station nearest to the cottage and a constable sent there to check. Have the police been to the tavern?’

‘I went first thing this morning and they hadn’t been there yet, neither has Neilson heard anything. Do you think you can find him?’

‘I will start by instructing my agents to make searches, and also interview Mr Dobree’s friends. Were all the members of the Literati Lodge there on the evening Mr Dobree disappeared?’

‘Not all. I can provide you with a list of members and those who attended. There are always some absences due to indisposition or business duties.’

‘Do you have a portrait of Mr Dobree?’

‘I’m afraid I don’t, but I am sure his family can provide one.’ Mr Fiske looked acutely miserable. ‘And all this had to happen just as I am relinquishing my role as Almoner and taking up the office of Lodge secretary, which I can assure you is no sinecure.’

Frances closed her notebook and put it into her reticule. ‘Well, let us go to the tavern. There may be some clues there. I will need to look around and also speak to the landlord.’ Despite her previous vows Frances realised that she was actually looking forward to starting a real investigation once more. While she did not wish any ill to Mr Dobree, she knew that if she arrived at the tavern to find that he had reappeared, she would, along with a natural relief, feel quite disappointed.

CHAPTER TWO

On the morning of Mr Fiske’s visit, Frances’ assistant, Sarah Smith, with whom she shared her apartments, was absent from home on a case of her own. Unlike Frances, Sarah had not withdrawn from detective work, and her specialities to which she brought all her considerable strength and persistence were domestic and family issues. The mere appearance of her burly form and an expression that meant she would stand for no nonsense were usually sufficient to resolve matters. Frances, unsure how Sarah would take the news that she was engaged on a new case which promised more excitement than the hunt for a lost kitten, wrote a note explaining the reason for her absence, left it on the table and departed with Mr Fiske.

Leaving the tree-lined peace of Westbourne Park Road, their cab plunged into the teeming thoroughfare of Westbourne Grove, where shopping was both a compulsion and an entertainment, a passion fuelled by Mr William Whiteley’s growing retail empire. Escaping the great crush of traffic, they turned south along the sweeping curve of Pembridge Villas and its tall cream-coloured houses, elegant with pillars, porticoes and balconies, before heading in the direction of Notting Hill, where Bayswater shaded into Kensington.

Only a year before, London had been blanketed in snow for the greater part of January, bringing the business of the great metropolis almost to a halt. Travel, post and deliveries had been near impossible for weeks. Now, by contrast, the weather was unusually mild for the time of year, and predictions exchanged across the tea tables were that the capital was not to suffer another frozen winter. There were the occasional squally winds and showers, but once the early morning fogs had vanished, leaving only a ceiling of grey cloud, all was remarkably calm.

‘This is so very kind of you,’ said Mr Fiske. ‘Really, I hardly knew where to turn. I may of course have panicked unnecessarily and then I will look foolish, but better safe than sorry, and you will of course be recompensed for your time.’

‘I only hope he is found soon,’ said Frances. She reflected on what she already knew about Lancelot Dobree, stemming from the enquiries she had made into her own family. A retired silk mercer and a man of considerable wealth, known chiefly for his devotion to charity, Lancelot Dobree enjoyed an unblemished reputation. She determined, however, not to reveal her possession of even that slight knowledge as she wanted to see what would be volunteered. ‘We must not of course ignore the possibility that despite the thoroughness of the initial search of the tavern, Mr Dobree is still somewhere on the premises. Is he a large man?’

‘No, not especially tall, and middling to portly in build.’

‘If he became suddenly unwell he might have felt confused, and then he could have gone anywhere.’

Fiske nodded. ‘We too wondered if he had been taken ill or suffered an accident, perhaps stumbled and fallen, but I spoke to Neilson this morning and I can assure you that he has made a most diligent search of the entire premises from top to bottom.’

‘Very well. Let us assume therefore that Mr Dobree has left the premises. If he simply wandered away without knowing where he was going, then he should have been found by now. If he has been placed under medical care his family would have been notified. I assume he carried a card or pocketbook that would have identified him. If he left deliberately, however, he must have had a reason as yet unknown to us, and some means of leaving the Lodge room and the building without being noticed.’ Frances wondered if Dobree had fallen victim to a robber, but that did not explain how and why he had left the tavern without his hat or coat on a cold day. She wondered about the prevalence of dangerous criminals lurking in the streets of Kensington, a subject with which she was unfamiliar. The other possibility was that he had been abducted, but why and how were also obscure. ‘Tell me something about Mr Dobree’s family,’ she went on. ‘I will almost certainly be obliged to speak to them.’ Even as the words fell from her lips Frances felt a dreadful hollow open in the pit of her stomach. The last person she wished to interview was her natural father.

‘He is a widower. His wife died many years ago and he never remarried. There is a daughter, Mrs Salter, and three grandchildren who are away at school. I don’t know of any other family.’

‘What business does his son-in-law pursue?’

‘I believe it is something in the jewellery line. Dealing in silverware, trinkets and similar. He travels a great deal.’

‘Does he have a business premises?’

‘I don’t know of one.’

‘You mentioned that Mrs Salter used her father’s carriage on the night he disappeared and was expected back at his house. Does she live there?’

‘Yes, she and her husband occupy the whole of one floor of the house.’

Frances, who had searched the Bayswater directory during her earlier enquiries, now understood why the name of Vernon Salter had not appeared there, since it just listed the householders.

‘Dobree is extremely fond of his daughter. He speaks of her with great affection. I have the impression that his would be quite a lonely life if she had a separate establishment. I have rarely met Mrs Salter myself, but she has her own circle of friends.’ Fiske made an extended pause as if he was about to say more, but thought better of it. ‘She and my wife were at school together,’ he finished weakly.

Frances wondered what Mr Fiske was leaving unsaid.

The Duke of Sussex Tavern was a solidly built four-storey edifice, its exterior woodwork painted a dark glossy green. It sat proudly on a substantial corner site which marked the junction of Kensington High Street, a broad thoroughfare lined with commercial premises, and a narrower quieter road, Linfield Gardens, a terrace of tall residential properties. Mr Fiske, expecting Frances to enter the tavern as soon as she had stepped down from the cab, was deferentially ushering her towards the door, but she decided first to examine the building from the outside.

The main frontage, which faced onto the High Street was hung about with gas lanterns, and boasted a wide welcoming entrance and large windows with advertisements in gold lettering for premium ales, port, brandy and good dinners. Frances tried to imagine Lancelot Dobree emerging from the tavern onto the busy shopping promenade at a time between 5 and 6 p.m. He would have been hatless, still wearing his Masonic regalia and without even an overcoat. It seemed an unlikely thing to do. Although the sun would have set by then, the street would still have been well lit both by the lamps with which it was generously provided, and the illumination from shops, its pavement crowded with strolling pedestrians, the road a constant parade of cabs and carriages. Dobree was almost certain to have been noticed, but he would have been able to hail a passing cab without too much delay. The shop next door, which shared a party wall with the tavern, was a well-patronised confectioner, the window displays of fancy cakes and cascades of pretty biscuits surrounded by shelves piled with invitingly crusty loaves.

Around the corner, on the side of the tavern that faced Linfield Gardens, there were more windows and a smaller more discreet entrance with a sign that showed it led to the lounge bar. The exterior was hung with colourfully painted wooden menus, and high on the wall a carved stone plaque announced that the building had been erected in 1860. If Dobree had left by the lounge bar exit he was, thought Frances, far less likely to have been seen by passers-by, and could easily have entered a nearby house unnoticed. As she considered this possibility she saw a police constable descending the front steps of a house further down the street. He paused long enough to write in his notebook, then walked on to the house next door, climbed the front steps and rang the bell. Clearly Mr Dobree had not reappeared and the police were making enquiries, which, Frances observed thankfully, would save her a dull and arduous task. She walked a little way down Linfield Gardens and soon came to a narrow alley called Linfield Walk, which divided the rear of the tavern from the first house of the terrace.

Mr Fiske, who had been following Frances in her inspection, appeared by her side. ‘The alley is only for deliveries,’ he explained. ‘I don’t think it is ever used by customers.’ He was about to turn back, assuming that Frances would do so too, but to his surprise she walked along the roughly cobbled way, and he hurried after her. ‘Surely Dobree couldn’t be here?’

‘I rule out nothing.’ Frances reached a door with a brass plate engraved ‘Duke of Sussex Tavern. Deliveries only’. She tried the handle but, as Mr Fiske had previously advised her, it was locked. ‘You said that the landlord, Mr Neilson, keeps the key. There is not another one?’

‘I’m not sure. We can ask him.’

Further down, past the single small gas lamp that was the only lighting in the alley, was another door, its signage announcing that it was the rear exit of the confectioner’s shop. Frances tried that door too, finding it also locked. There the alley ended with the back wall and small high windows of a warehouse. Anyone who entered from Linfield Gardens had no choice but to return the way they had come. Directly opposite the two doors was the perimeter wall of the end terrace property, about eight feet in height, and with a stout gate. Frances tried the gate but it too was secure.

To Mr Fiske’s astonishment Frances next proceeded to open the covers of the ash bins that stood outside both the tavern and the confectioner’s and peer inside. ‘What are you looking for? Oh my word, you don’t think —?’

Frances didn’t yet know what she thought, and said nothing. She had sworn never again to undertake enquiries into a crime, but old habits meant that she had to consider all possibilities. To the relief of them both, there was nothing of any note in the bins. ‘Very well,’ she said at last. ‘I would like to speak to Mr Neilson, and be shown around the property.’

Returning to Linfield Gardens, they entered the tavern by the side door. The lounge bar was warm and comfortably furnished, its interior promising good wholesome fare and a companionable atmosphere. Some respectable-looking gentlemen were seated in leather armchairs at oaken tables enjoying glasses of ale and light luncheons of meat pie and potatoes, the savoury aroma of the food lightly spiced with cigar smoke. Behind a faultlessly tidy bar a young man in a crisp white shirt, waistcoat and bow tie was polishing glassware with a linen cloth. It was all quite different from some of the less salubrious public houses of Bayswater to which Frances’ enquiries had occasionally taken her. Her appearance seemed not to attract any special attention, from which she guessed that in the lounge bar at least, lady diners in the company of gentlemen were not a novelty.

‘What can I get for you, Mr Fiske?’ said the barman, trying to look cheery but unable to conceal his concern at the circumstances that had brought his customer there.

Fiske glanced at Frances questioningly, but she shook her head. ‘Thank you,’ said Fiske, ‘we require nothing for the moment. Could you tell Mr Neilson that I am here and wish to speak to him?’

The barman nodded solemnly. ‘Of course, Sir.’ He bustled away and soon returned with the manager.

Mr Neilson was a smartly dressed man in his late forties, his pointed beard liberally speckled with grey. He clearly believed that the traditional dirty apron preferred by some publicans was not for him. Mr Fiske made the introductions. Neilson looked surprised but did not object to the arrival of a private investigator.

‘Miss Doughty is one of the foremost detectives in London,’ enthused Mr Fiske. ‘Now that the famous Mr Pollaky has announced his retirement she must surely be the leading agent in the west of the city. You will recall how she recently effected the arrest of the notorious Bayswater Face-slasher.’

Frances would have preferred to forget about that dreadful business, but knew that this would never be allowed. She decided not to comment.

‘She is also very discreet,’ added Fiske.

‘I am aware that your fraternity is open only to men, so I will only ask what questions are needed to resolve this mystery,’ Frances reassured Mr Neilson. ‘I remain hopeful, however, that Mr Dobree will be found very soon. I see that the police are making enquiries.’

‘Yes,’ said Neilson gloomily. ‘They came here to question me not an hour ago. Let us talk privately – we can go into the office.’

He led them through a door that linked the lounge bar with the larger, busier public bar, where clusters of drinkers were perched on high stools, some deep in significant conversation, others contentedly alone with their pipes. The air was cloudy with blue smoke, its scent mingled with the tang of beer. The patrons, recognising Mr Neilson, nodded to him respectfully, and glanced at Frances in curiosity. In front of a roaring fire, and looking for all the world like a thick brown fur coat that had been carelessly thrown into a heap, snoozed the largest dog that Frances had ever seen.

‘And this fine fellow is Wellington,’ said Mr Fiske. ‘If he could only speak, he would have some stories to tell.’

‘He has the freedom of the premises at night, and I am happy to say that we have never suffered at the hands of burglars,’ said Neilson. ‘Some have tried, but he always gives the alarm.’

Wellington opened one eye. It was a large, deep, dark eye, and it spoke eloquently. ‘I may appear to be asleep,’ it said, ‘but put your hand in the till and I will bite it off.’

They continued through the public bar, on the far side of which was the entrance to a corridor. ‘This way,’ said Neilson. He led them past a door marked ‘W.C.’ There was an exit at the far end, but before they reached this Neilson opened another door marked ‘Office, Private’, and they went in. Frances looked about her carefully, trying not to make her thoughts too obvious. She saw a desk, chairs, shelves of ledgers and directories, document cabinets, and a small safe. There was nowhere to hide a body.

Mr Neilson gestured Frances and Mr Fiske to sit. Outwardly he looked at his ease as he took the chair behind the desk, but his eyes betrayed his anxiety. ‘What do you wish to know, Miss Doughty?’

Frances took her notebook and pencil from her reticule. ‘I understand that a very thorough search of the premises has been conducted, and you are satisfied that Mr Dobree is not here?’

‘Yes, Mr MacNulty, my bar manager, and I examined every room from attic to cellar, and the police have conducted another search. He cannot possibly still be here.’

‘Did you learn anything from the police?’

‘Yes, I mentioned to them that Dobree has a cottage in the country. I thought that perhaps he had gone there, but they told me that they knew all about it and had confirmed that he never went there that night or has been there since.’

‘We must assume that he has left the building.’ Frances assumed no such thing, but kept her darker suspicions to herself. ‘How long have you known Mr Dobree?’

‘Above twelve years. I can assure you that nothing like this has ever happened before.’

‘The questions I want to try and answer today are how and why he left, and was it voluntary or forced. I notice that there is a confectioner’s shop next door. Is there a door connecting your premises with theirs?’

‘No. There are only three exits from the tavern, the main one from the public bar onto the High Street, one from the lounge bar into Linfield Gardens, and one for deliveries which opens onto Linfield Walk, an alley at the rear. On the night Dobree vanished the first two were of course open, but the rear door was locked. It is always locked except when deliveries are brought in, or we might attract pilferers to the storerooms.’

‘How many keys are there to the rear exit?’

‘Two. One is on a bunch I keep on my person.’ Neilson patted a pocket. ‘The other is kept in the safe, here.’

‘Who has access to the safe?’

‘Only myself and Mr MacNulty. I should mention that he has worked for me for the last fifteen years and has my absolute trust.’

‘And at the time Mr Dobree vanished you were outside the Lodge room guarding the door with a sword?’

‘I was.’

‘Where is this sword normally kept?’

‘In the anteroom upstairs; we have a trunk containing materials and books relating to Lodge business.’

‘I saw an exit at the end of this corridor – where does that lead?’

‘To the storerooms, kitchens, cellars, the rear exit into Linfield Walk; and there is a back staircase leading up to the first floor.’

‘It would be helpful if you could conduct me over the premises, so I can understand how the rooms and floors are connected,’ said Frances.

‘That sounds very sensible,’ agreed Fiske.

Neilson assented and before they left the office he removed a ledger from a shelf and opened it to reveal that it was not after all a ledger but a shallow box. A row of six hooks was fastened inside the box and a labelled key hung from each hook. ‘These are the keys of the inner rooms of the premises,’ he explained. He extracted two of the keys and slipped them into his pocket.

‘Who knows where these keys are kept?’ asked Frances.

‘The senior staff, and certain members of the Lodges, that would be the Directors of Ceremonies whose duty it is to see that the room is in order. Mr Chappell of Literati and Mr Pollard of Mulberry.’

‘Would Mr Dobree have known?’

‘I don’t think so,’ frowned Neilson. ‘He was Chaplain of Mulberry; he recited the prayers.’

‘Has he never fulfilled the role of Director of Ceremonies?’

‘Some years ago, yes, he did, but that was long before I lighted on this scheme to keep the keys secure. They used to just hang on a board inside the door, but after an attempted burglary a few months ago, which I am pleased to say Wellington thwarted, I wanted them out of sight. It’s rather good isn’t it? MacNulty had it made for me.’

They returned to the public bar at the rear of which was a winding staircase leading to the upper floors. It was well carpeted, and a man might easily walk up and down without his steps being heard, however, it was clear that anyone creeping down those stairs would also have been in full view of many of the customers. Frances was first shown the attic rooms, one of which stored tools, spare furniture, chinaware and cleaning materials, the other being where two of the male staff lodged. On the second floor were three rather superior sets of apartments, one of which was Mr MacNulty’s residence, the other two being available for the accommodation of gentlemen of business visiting London.

There were three rooms on the first floor, the largest of which was an elegant dining room, with a menu board announcing that it was open in the evenings for dinner. There was, Frances noticed appreciatively, no stale hint of dinners past, but all was fresh and polished, with vases of hothouse flowers gracing pedestals about the perimeter, and tables ready laid with spotless silverware, glassware and napery. Mr Fiske intimated that this was where the Literati and Mulberry Lodges held their festive boards, meals enjoyed by the Lodge members after meetings. The next and far smaller room was provided with a row of hooks along one wall so that the brethren could leave their coats, hats and bags there and attire themselves in their regalia. Mr Neilson opened a large leather-bound trunk with a key he kept on his person, and revealed some items of paraphernalia, leather-bound books, and a handsome full-sized sword in a scabbard.

‘This is the sword used to guard the Lodge,’ he explained.

‘Could you show me where you are when you do this? I know that you do not allow ladies into your ceremonies, but I assume there can be no harm in showing me what occurs outside the Lodge room.’

‘None at all,’ said Neilson. ‘My duty is to be stationed outside the door during the ceremony, guarding the Lodge from malicious or simply curious persons.’

He was about to replace the sword in its trunk, but Frances said, ‘Oh, and please do take that with you.’

Mr Neilson complied, and after relocking the trunk led them to the upper landing again. There was a third door next to that of the Lodge’s anteroom, and here Neilson paused. ‘When Lodge meetings are held there is a chair by the door for my use. I remain outside, with the sword, throughout.’

‘I can see that it would be very hard for anyone to leave through that door without your knowing,’ said Frances.

‘It would, yes. Impossible, I would say.’

‘Is the sword drawn?’

‘Dear me, no, it is purely ceremonial. It rests by my side.’

‘I would so like to see it drawn,’ she asked, in a manner that disarmed all possibility of refusal.

He smiled and complied, but was careful to keep the blade out of dangerous proximity. ‘It is not very sharp.’

Frances gazed at the sword in admiration, although her object was quite different. If it had been recently used there was no sign of it. ‘Would you be able to show me the Lodge room? If I am to discover how Mr Dobree left it, I really must see inside.’

‘By all means,’ said Fiske. ‘We do have lady visitors who ask to view it, not during a meeting of course.’

Mr Neilson permitted himself a slight smile, showing that he had anticipated Frances’ request. ‘I would be delighted for you to see it,’ he said. He sheathed the sword and after replacing it in the anteroom, took one of the small keys from his pocket. He unlocked the Lodge room and they entered.

CHAPTER THREE

Frances was not sure what to expect but saw something that reminded her of pictures she had seen in history books, impressions of how temples of classical antiquity might have looked. The room was oblong, its floor covered with a chequerboard of black and white tiles. On the wall opposite the entrance was another door. There was a single row of seating around the perimeter. To her left was a small desk with two chairs, but on the other three sides of the room she saw a kind of high wooden plinth, displaying a number of objects that she did not recognise but which she felt sure must have Masonic significance. Behind each plinth was a carved wooden armchair, one of which, the one facing the entrance door, was more ornate than the others, and on a low dais.

‘That is the chair occupied by the Master of the Lodge,’ explained Fiske. ‘The others are for the Wardens, and the secretary and treasurer sit at the desk.’

‘Do you recall where Mr Dobree was seated during the ceremony?’

‘I am sorry, I don’t remember. But he took no part in the ceremony, so he would have been either in his seat or standing in front of it throughout. A guest usually sits by the member who invited him, but since Mr Dobree was a guest of the Master that didn’t apply in this case.’

The wall to Frances’ right was the only exterior wall of the room, with four tall narrow windows hung with thick curtains. Frances approached to examine them, but the gap between the back of the row of seats and the wall was too small to accommodate her skirts. She thought it might have been possible for a slender gentleman to squeeze through the space to reach a window, and asked for one to be opened. Mr Neilson obliged. Drawing aside the curtain of the window nearest to the far wall, he turned a bolt, then, grasping two curved metal handles, and with some effort, slid the lower section of the window upwards. All these operations made an appreciable amount of noise, and Frances concluded that it would have been impossible for anyone to carry them out without attracting the notice of those seated in the chairs immediately in front of the windows. She peered out. The paving slabs of Linfield Gardens lay about fifteen feet below, with no means of climbing down or breaking a fall. The idea that a man of more than seventy could leave by that way even under cover of darkness, without alerting others in the room or suffering injury was one she dismissed at once.

‘Is there no other possible exit from the room other than the doors and windows?’

‘No, none,’ said Neilson. ‘I have worked here for more than twenty years – my father conducted the business before me – and I can assure you that all there is, you can see for yourself.’

The window was closed and fastened again, and Frances crossed to the rear exit door and confirmed that it was locked. ‘Could you let me have the key, Mr Neilson?’ He produced the second of the two small keys and handed it to Frances. She examined the label, a thin wooden rectangle carved with a number and letters, ‘1.L.B.’ ‘Floor one, Lodge, back?’ she queried.

He smiled. ‘That is correct.’

‘Have they always been labelled in this manner?’

‘No. I used to number them, but this seemed like a better idea.’

Frances inserted it in the lock. As the key turned it emitted a metallic creak. ‘Does it always make that noise?’

‘I suppose so. That door is rarely opened.’

‘I have been told that Mr Dobree vanished from this room while the lights were out. If the key had made that noise during that period would you have heard it? Was there any other sound that might have occluded it? Speeches made? Hymns sung?’

‘There was the address,’ said Neilson. ‘Mr Fiske spoke it, and rang a bell.’

‘Was the bell rung continuously?’

‘No, just every so often.’

‘But Mr Dobree would have known when to expect it?’

‘Not necessarily. The address is not spoken in all Lodges, in fact it is not done in Dobree’s own Lodge, Mulberry, and when he was invited here he said how much he was looking forward to hearing it.’

‘But he could have used it to cover the noise of his exit if he had had a key.’

‘I suppose he might. But no key is missing.’

‘Is the other key still in the safe?’

Neilson saw her meaning. ‘I expect so. I had better go and bring it.’ He hurried away.

Frances didn’t seriously think that Lancelot Dobree had come to grief from the combined actions of his brethren, but the sword had started her thinking, and in Mr Neilson’s absence she found herself taking a careful look at the Lodge room as the possible scene of a crime. Several objects had the potential to be used as weapons. There were gavels by the Master’s and Wardens’ chairs, which were probably too light to do a great deal of harm, but she also saw a substantial wooden maul, three large heavy wooden boards, and two rocks, one rough-hewn and one cut smooth, any of which would have been deadly in the wrong hands. All surfaces were carefully cleaned and dusted, and there was no sign of blood anywhere. Mr Fiske, mistaking her examination for curiosity, was kind enough to explain some of the significance of what she saw, and Frances obligingly made notes.

On passing through the back door Frances found herself on a small landing, from which a narrow staircase led down to the ground floor. The stairs, which were uncarpeted wood, were little worn, suggesting that they were not used often, but there was no noticeable dirt. Directly opposite the rear door to the Lodge room was a small window in the external wall. Frances peered out but saw only the alleyway, Linfield Walk, and the open yard space of the house opposite. Any light illuminating the upper landing at night could only have come from the small gas lamp further down the alley and must have struggled to pass through the thick glass of the windowpane. She thought it unlikely that opening the back door of the Lodge after sunset would have admitted much light.

Frances was hoping that when Mr Neilson returned he would reveal that the second key to the rear door of the Lodge room was missing from the safe, together with the second key to the tavern’s exit into the alleyway. It was the simplest explanation. Dobree had somehow managed to purloin both keys, left the Lodge room under cover of darkness and the sound of the address and the bell, slipped down the back staircase and out into the secluded alley, locking both doors behind him. To Frances’ disappointment, however, when Mr Neilson returned he brought with him the second key to the back door of the Lodge, which when it was tried in the lock was if anything creakier than the first.

‘May I see the other rooms now?’ They left the Lodge by the rear door, which Neilson locked behind them, an action that produced another squeak of protest, and descended the stairs. ‘Were there any deliveries expected during the time the Lodge was meeting?’ asked Frances. She reached the ground floor and saw on one side an internal door leading to the storerooms, and on the other the rear outer door, which was secured with a large bolt.

‘No. There had been one shortly before, but all was locked up after that. Deliveries are always supervised, usually by me but sometimes by Mr MacNulty. On the night Mr Dobree disappeared I was checking on the Lodge room prior to the meeting, so MacNulty oversaw the delivery.’

‘And provisions are brought from vehicles in the alleyway through the rear door and from there into the storeroom, kitchen and cellar? Not up the back stairs?’

‘That is correct.’

‘I don’t suppose you noticed just now whether or not the second key to the external door was in the safe?’

‘Yes, it was in the same box as the key to the back of the Lodge room. And I see what you are thinking. No, all the keys of the tavern are accounted for and in their proper places. I checked them myself soon after Dobree went missing. And the back door was bolted from within. Even if he had somehow been able to leave that way, he could not have re-bolted it.’

‘Someone might have found it unbolted and bolted it,’ Frances suggested, hopefully.

‘I have asked all my employees. No one found the door unbolted or noticed anything out of the way.’

Frances looked over the storerooms, which were tidy enough, with small dusty high windows, obviously undisturbed, and far too small for a man to squeeze through. The shelves were fully stocked, and as far as she was able to see there was no space to hide a body. She even explored the cellar, but unless Lancelot Dobree’s corpse was floating in a beer barrel, slowly pickling, something which would surely become noticeable before too long, he was not concealed there. Had this been an incident in a sensational novel, she thought, Mr Neilson would have dispatched Dobree with his sword, cut him up, and removed him from the premises piecemeal, the entire membership of the Lodge conspiring to conceal the crime. It seemed unlikely.

Neilson took them to the lounge bar again and supplied luncheon, gratis. Frances decided not to have the meat pie.

CHAPTER FOUR

‘Have you come to any conclusion?’ asked Mr Fiske eagerly as he made short work of a glass of ale.

Frances, as she sipped her mineral water, saw that he was hoping that her tour of the tavern had somehow resulted in her solving the mystery. She was obliged to confess that she had not. ‘It is easy enough to see how Mr Dobree could not have left the building, but I cannot yet determine how he did, and knowing that could well tell us why. You told me before that you thought he had something on his mind. Were there family troubles that might have demanded his presence?’

‘Not as far as I am aware,’ said Mr Fiske. ‘But he might well have kept personal matters to himself.’

‘I know of nothing of that sort,’ said Neilson.

‘Was there any business reason that might have made him leave so suddenly?’

‘He was a silk mercer, but long retired from trade,’ said Mr Fiske. ‘He is still a very busy man, although nowadays his interests mainly rest with charities. You must have seen him mentioned in the newspapers; making donations, and giving prizes at schools.’

‘I have. Is there anything in that area that might have caused him concern?’

‘I don’t believe so,’ said Neilson.

‘He didn’t reveal where he was due to go that night?’

‘No, but he ordered a meat pie, a bottle of ale and some bread and cheese for the journey, so he wasn’t expecting to dine anywhere.’

Mr Fiske looked pensive. ‘He did mention quite recently that he wished to found a school in the name of his late wife. Her loss was a grief from which he never truly recovered.’

‘Whereabouts is this school to be?’

‘In Kensington, I believe, but it is all just a plan at present.’

‘Do you know if he had bought a premises, or was hoping to buy one?’

‘I’m afraid not. Of course his brethren in Mulberry Lodge might know.’

Frances hesitated before asking her next question, and the interlude that followed the arrival at the table of a basket of warm bread rolls, fresh butter and potted cheese allowed her to decide how best to word it. ‘This is a difficult question, but it is one that I am sure the police will ask. Do either of you have any reason to suspect that Mr Dobree was involved in an activity which was against the law, or questionable in any way?’

Fiske and Neilson glanced at each other but it was not a guilty look. Neilson coughed discreetly. ‘You should know, Miss Doughty, that if a brother Mason breaks the law, his brethren do not, as so many people believe, draw ranks and protect him from the consequences. On the contrary, we are duty bound by our obligation to report him to the authorities. Such a man would certainly be expelled from freemasonry. Speaking in my capacity as Tyler to both the Literati and Mulberry Lodges, I can advise you that we have never suspected Dobree of anything illegal or underhand. Neither have we ever had occasion to question his morals. As his friend, I can reiterate that statement.’

Frances took out her notebook. ‘I accept your assurance. Mr Fiske, can you provide me with the names of all the members of the Literati Lodge, and let me know which of them were present on the night Mr Dobree disappeared?’

‘Of course, once I have examined my records. Although not all those who attended that night were actually in the Lodge room when the lights were extinguished.’

‘Oh? Why was that?’

‘The ceremony which was being performed that evening, the one where there is a period of near darkness, was what we call a raising. I should explain. There are degrees in freemasonry – ranks, I suppose you might call them – and brethren only attend those portions of the ceremony appropriate to their degree. A man is first initiated, and that is the First Degree. When he is ready he is passed to the Second Degree. The next stage is raising to the Third Degree. A raising is only attended by the candidate and those who have already achieved that rank, so those of lesser standing would have been outside the room.’

‘In that case,’ said Frances, ‘I will need to know exactly where every member who was in the building that night was situated during the ceremony.’

‘The signature books are held in the trunk upstairs,’ said Neilson. ‘I will fetch them.’

As the manager departed, a thought occurred to Frances and she turned to Mr Fiske. ‘I had assumed that the lights going out was a usual part of your ceremonies. What you have just told me suggests that it only takes place during some of them. Is that the case?’

‘It only happens during a raising and not at any other time,’ said Mr Fiske. ‘Is that important?’

Frances had no idea if it was, but she made a note of it all the same.

Mr Neilson returned with the books, and as luncheon proceeded so the pages of Frances’ notebook filled, and she was able to establish that twelve members of the Literati had been in the Lodge room at the time of Lancelot Dobree’s disappearance, and six others in the lounge bar. There were in addition five members of the Lodge who had not been present at all.