The Shadow at Greystone Chase (An Angela Marchmont Mystery Book 10) by Clara Benson Read Free Book Online

button-holes. He was still a fine man, however, and it quickly became clear that he had at least two female admirers in the shape of Mrs. Hudd and Miss Atkinson, for the former seemed to soften a little in his presence, while the latter sat up and somehow became less self-effacing. Colonel Dempster was introduced to Mrs. Wells, who declared herself charmed with the area. At that, the colonel puffed up in satisfaction, putting an alarming strain on his middle button. He was a local man himself, he said—lived just a short distance away in a modest little cottage close to the sea—quite enough for him and Betsy (here he indicated a black spaniel which had flopped at his feet when he sat down)—was always happy to see his friends Mrs. Hudd and Miss Atkinson—and how long was Mrs. Wells thinking of staying?
    Angela said what was proper, but was a little vexed that the colonel had arrived just as she had been about to find out something about the subject of most interest to her. She was wondering how to turn the conversation back in that direction, when Miss Atkinson said, most conveniently:
    ‘We have just been telling Mrs. Wells about the dreadful events at Greystone Chase, colonel. I believe you knew the family.’
    Colonel Dempster coughed and gave something that might have been a little shudder.
    ‘I did indeed,’ he said. ‘Terrible thing, it was. Terrible. Never thought I should see such wickedness in a fellow officer. Never should have thought it of him. A bad apple, he was. A very bad apple.’
    He shook his head and subsided into silence.
    ‘I was telling you of Miss Lacey,’ said Miss Atkinson. ‘She was a local girl who married the younger son of the family. I am very much afraid to say that he killed her in a fit of rage.’
    ‘The blackguard strangled her!’ roared the colonel suddenly. ‘No way to treat a woman. He brought shame upon his family.’
    ‘What can one expect of the French?’ said Mrs. Hudd, who had no personal connection with the matter but did not intend to let that prevent her from pronouncing judgment.
    ‘They weren’t wholly French,’ said the colonel. Mrs. de Lisle was an Englishwoman through and through. I knew her when she was a girl. I called her Evelyn and she called me Bertie. Delightful woman, delightful. She died of a broken heart after it all happened.’
    Miss Atkinson nodded soberly.
    ‘I am afraid she did,’ she said. ‘Of course, they didn’t call it that, but it all comes down to the same thing in the end.’
    ‘Will you have tea, colonel?’ said Mrs. Hudd, who liked to return the attention of the company to herself at regular intervals.
    There was some little bustle as tea was arranged, then Angela returned to the original subject.
    ‘I seem to remember hearing something about the case, once,’ she said. ‘Wasn’t there some doubt as to the guilt of Mr. de Lisle?’
    ‘None at all, as far as I know,’ said the colonel. ‘He killed her and then shoved her body in a cupboard as though it were a pair of old shoes. The evidence was quite clear. They found the fellow guilty, but he escaped and went on the run for years, and only reappeared a few months ago when it turned out he’d killed someone else too. You probably read about it in the newspapers.’
    ‘I think I did,’ said Angela vaguely.
    ‘So you see, he was most definitely the murderous sort,’ said the colonel. ‘There’s no doubt he did it. He’s dead now, of course.’
    ‘I suppose the family must have left Greystone Chase after it all happened,’ said Angela.
    ‘No,’ said Mrs. Hudd, thankful for an opportunity to take part in the conversation once again. ‘They are still here. One sees Mrs. de Lisle in particular out and about in the town.’
    ‘Another Mrs. de Lisle?’ said Angela. ‘How many are there?’
    ‘Only one,’ said the colonel. ‘Wife of the eldest son, Godfrey. There’s only the two of them left. He and she.’
    ‘Now, she is most definitely French,’ said Mrs.