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he and Jonty already had. He liked things to be orderly; his lover was the sort of slut who could cope with
higgledy piggledy, but he couldn t.
Let me take you back twenty-five years, Dr. Coppersmith. You say the matter of murder was all
covered up and that includes keeping things secret from some of those present. Jeremy and I had no idea
that Sarah had died until the day before her funeral. We d stayed well clear of the House of Sulis and the
other places we met the girls. Brian Appleby told us she d died, and Clarissa had told him. She d formally
identified the body at the inquest, or what must have passed for an inquest given what you ve told me of
Dr. Buckner s suspicions.
Did you send flowers to her funeral?
The three of us, yes. At my instigation. We didn t attend we dared not at the time. Call it
cowardice, a wish not to lose our good name, whatever you want, but we sent our respects as best we
could.
And do you still send flowers?
Bredon looked puzzled. No. We only did it that one time, as far as I know. Does someone, then?
Every year as we understand it. Roses or hothouse lilies.
Extraordinary. Well I guess it could be Appleby, though I m not sure why he should. Jeremy died
not long after Sarah, so it can t be him. I m sorry, I m not being much use, am I?
It would be very helpful if you could tell me what Mr. Weir said that you think could
be& reinterpreted, I think that was the word?
Bredon nodded. It must have been a few days after the funeral, he was very low and in his cups. He
was saying how he wished he could have married Sarah, how he would have done, had circumstances been
different. I assumed at the time he meant if she d been a baronet s daughter rather than a whore. Perhaps he
wasn t really concerned about that at all, it was her being already married which provided the barrier.
Did he say anything that might have implied he knew about her child?
www.samhainpublishing.com 73
Charlie Cochrane
Bredon shook his head. He said nothing at the time and I wouldn t have pressed him as I, again, only
discovered many years later that Sarah had been pregnant.
Sarah Carter was said to have lost that baby at some point in the year or so before her death, possibly
intentionally. Could it have been the offspring of one of you three?
It could have been biologically, if you understand me. You re never implying that any of us would
have coerced her into disposing of it? We may not have been pure in body or soul but all three of us held
life as sacred such a thing would have been abhorrent. Bredon stopped, looking directly at Orlando. I
might be inclined to be searching for that husband of Sarah s if I were you.
Perhaps. Orlando appreciated the logic in the point, except that they had nowhere to start. If they
eliminated all other options then at least they could present Buckner junior with a half-answered case and
would have to come back later in search of the elusive sailor, or whoever he was. If they went off on wild-
goose chases now, they might have nothing to show for a fortnight s work. He rose to go. Thank you for
your help. May I return if necessary? And may I have an address for Father Appleby?
He received acquiescence for the first although not for the second. Bredon could only produce an
address for several years previously; in the interim the man had been out in Africa and hadn t been in touch
when, or indeed if, he d returned.
As he shook his visitor s hand, Bredon considered his face intensely. There are things which I could
tell you but I wouldn t seek to influence your investigation. When you ve spoken to everyone you can find
who was present that night, then come back and see me.
Orlando nodded then set off down the steps to the street. Only when he d trudged back to his hotel did
he realise he should have asked where the floral tribute for the funeral had come from.
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Chapter Nine
Saturday evening Jonty retired to their suite to sit with his manuscript, feeling a bit guilty. The
sentiment was fast becoming an old friend. This time he felt bad because he d spent more time thinking
about Jimmy Harding than his book on the sonnets. He d incorporated the magnificent first sentence he d
come up with when first wandering about Bath, but he d done very little of consequence since.
Dinner, taken earlier with Orlando, had proved very pleasant, as all the meals they d taken at the
Grand had been. As the pair of them had taken coffee, a gentleman approached to ask if one or other of
them might like to make up a hand of bridge as their usual fourth had gone to bed with a chill. Orlando was
no great fan of bridge, preferring his whist, but had been without a decent card game for what seemed so
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