Murder On A Summer's Day Part 26

When we entered, I saw Mr Chana, the aide-de-camp. He stood by the open safe. A pile of fabulous jewels gleamed on the dressing table. I moved closer, to look at the magnificent pieces. There was a seven-strand string of the most perfect pearls I have ever seen, diamond cufflinks and tie pins, emeralds, Cartier watches, and brooches a ruby surrounded by diamonds, and a diamond surrounded by rubies.

'These belong to the maharajah? The brooches and pearls?'

Chana spoke coldly, without looking at me. 'Some are ceremonial.'

Next to the jewels were the boxes and bags they had come from, boxes of carved cedar wood, delicate ivory, cherry wood embossed with gold leaf, a light wood embossed with bra.s.s, a circular container decorated with silver. The bags were of dark velvet, scarlet, plum, mulberry and black.

Ijahar was staring at the jewels. He trembled and shook his head, speaking in a plaintive voice. 'I do not know. She must have taken it.'

James looked at the gems. He touched my arm. 'The thing is, the Gattiawan diamond is missing. It is needed for the cremation.'

I stared at James, not fully taking his meaning, not connecting a diamond with a cremation.

'His highness must be carried to the cremation ground covered in jewels, and the most important jewel is the...'

'Dubte suraj ki chamak.' When I spoke the words, the three men all looked at me.

'You know where it is?'

'No. But I did take an inventory of the jewellery Miss Metcalfe took with her. The diamond was not one of the pieces. Perhaps it is in the hotel safe.'

In an instant Mr Chana bounded towards the door, issuing an order to Ijahar who began to return the jewels to their containers and place them in a Gladstone bag.

James and I followed Chana downstairs. Sergeant was in the office, a mug of tea on the desk beside him. He looked up as Chana tapped on the door.

'The safe if you please, Mr Sergeant. An item that Maharajah Narayan gave into your keeping.'

'Certainly.' Sergeant took a key from his pocket and crossed to the safe in the corner. We watched as he turned the key and opened the heavy door. He reached in and took out a velvet bag with the shape of a box inside. This he pa.s.sed to Chana.

Sergeant moved to turn the key and lock the safe.

'Mr Sergeant, would you also please give me my negatives?'

'Negatives?'

'Yes. I left them with you on Sat.u.r.day.'

'Ah, those negatives.'

'Yes, those negatives.'

'I'm sorry, Mrs Shackleton. I thought you knew.'

'Knew what?'

'The constable came asking for them, on behalf of the coroner.'

'How did he know where they were?'

Sergeant did not look me in the eye. There was little point in remonstrating, and saying that those were my negatives. He had done as he was told, which was why he had this job, a man who knew the proper order of things.

I turned and left.

Curiosity drew me upstairs again. I wanted to see whether the box in the black velvet bag really did contain the Gattiawan diamond.

I entered the hotel room. Straight away, from Ijahar's expression, I knew that the prized diamond had gone The jewellery box taken from the bag stood open. It held an exquisite emerald four-leaf clover pendant, earrings and brooch set in white gold.

I knew in an instant for whom this gift had been intended. 'I believe this was the surprise the prince promised Miss Metcalfe.'

Ijahar came to life. He spoke excitedly, first in his language, and then to me saying, 'She, she, Miss Metcalfe. She has the dubte suraj ki chamak.'

'Ijahar, when did you last see the diamond?'

'Sometimes in a pouch that his highness is wearing.' He brought his hands from throat to chest, to indicate that the maharajah wore the diamond around his neck.

'Was he wearing it when you dressed him to go out riding on Friday?'

He shook his head.

'Did you ask him where it was?'

'No, memsahib. I do not ask.'

If it were known that the maharajah sometimes carried his diamond with him, that knowledge would give motive enough for foul play.

'She, Miss Metcalfe. She looks at the jewels.'

That made sense. Why else would Narayan have had her surprise present locked in the hotel safe?

'She is at her family's farm. I drove her there. Her trunks have been sent to London by rail, to the Dorchester.'

'Then they must be sent back. And Kate, she must not be allowed to leave the area.' I stared at James, sending him the message to do his own dirty work. He left the room saying, 'I'll get on to the Dorchester now.'

Chana looked at the emeralds. His mouth tightened. 'My prince was the most generous of men.'

If he had said aloud, 'For generous, subst.i.tute gullible', it could not have been more plain.

'Mr Chana, why did the maharajah take the risk of travelling with so precious a diamond?'

'When from childhood a person is surrounded by protectors and devoted servants, he feels inviolate.'

'And trusting.'

He gave a small bow. 'Thank you for sending your emissary with the note. My prince liked to do things properly. He wanted to marry on a propitious day and to have the blessing of that woman's father. Now I must return to Bolton Hall and report.'

He left, followed by Ijahar carrying the Gladstone bag of jewels.

I stood looking out of the window, watching as Mr Chana and Ijahar were driven back to the Hall.

James was in the doorway again, looking crestfallen. 'Please Kate, give me your support. My mother said I wasn't cut out for the India Office, and I am beginning to think she was right. So, unfortunately, are my superiors.'

He looked sad and helpless, just as he did when he was a little boy wanting to join big boys' games.

'What do you want me to do, James?'

'I know you won't feel inclined to help, and I do not blame you one bit. But we have less than twenty-four hours to find the dubte suraj ki chamak. It must be part of the funeral ceremony. Do you think it is possible that the Metcalfe woman has it?'

'I don't know.'

'Will you at least probe her about it? Perhaps appeal to her better nature.'

'Why don't you? She may be susceptible to your charming smile.'

'She won't trust me not to take the matter further if she has the diamond. But we will not, I promise. If she has it and hands it over, there will be no repercussions. You might remind her that her family's tenancy on the farm is due for renewal.'

'If she has that diamond and feels generous towards her family, they won't need a tenancy.'

'It is known worldwide. Even she would not dare risk trying to sell it. Please, Kate.'

I did not want to go, but neither did I want to stay in my room, jumping out of my skin at every little sound.

Twenty-Eight.

James no doubt congratulated himself that he had so easily persuaded me to tackle Lydia about the diamond. He was not to know that I had a reason of my own. Somewhere at the back of my mind was the thought that if I found the diamond, I would find the murderer. One success may lead to another. Joel Withers could, conceivably, be the killer. If not, such a priceless jewel would provide a motive for murder.

I slowed the motor and came to a halt as a herd of sheep slowly crossed the lane encouraged by a border collie. A shepherd urged them on, raising his cap to me as the last animal entered a gate on the opposite side.

A little way on, I turned the motor onto the track that led to the farm. The wheels squelched through mud. Once more I climbed from the car, opened the gate, drove through, and closed it. I could see the British aristocrats' and Indian royals' attraction to being surrounded by servants willing to leap about and do the dirty work.

Lydia must have heard the car. She opened the farmhouse door.

'I heard the church bells. What is the verdict?'

We went into the kitchen. I looked about, but there was no one else there.

'I know you got friendly with my mother. She is always friendly to outsiders, constantly imagining that any female she comes across would be a better daughter than I.'

We sat down at the kitchen table. 'Where is she?'

'In the dairy.' She took out her cigarette case. 'Well, what was the verdict?'

'Accidental death.'

She snorted. 'They killed him.'

'Who?'

'If I knew I would tell you. Perhaps his lady wife, the poet, sent someone to take a pot shot. I suppose her spies would have told her he intended to marry me. What did they say at the inquest?'

'The horse baulked. The gun went off.'

She lit her cigarette. 'Huh! Exactly what you told me. You should be pleased then. I thought about it afterwards, and I knew it was nonsense. Narayan has been shooting tigers since he was ten. He is the world's top polo player which means he rides a horse better than anyone in the universe.'

'I came to tell you the verdict, Lydia, but also to ask whether you know where the Gattiawan diamond might be found. According to tradition, Narayan's body should be decked with jewels when it is carried for cremation.'

She balanced the cigarette on one of those tin ashtrays made by boys in a school metalwork cla.s.s. 'Are they taking him back to India?'

'No. That would not be practical, not in August.'

'What then?'

'The duke has given permission for cremation in the Valley of Desolation. It will be tomorrow.'

She blew her nose. 'I can't believe it. I can't believe I'll never see him again. He was the most glorious man I ever knew. Of course I treated him badly... how else could I have kept him for so long?'

'Lydia, do you know where the Gattiawan diamond is?'

'How should I know? I suppose that miserable Ijahar says I have it. If he does, he's a liar.'

'When did you last see it?'

She thought for a moment. 'He wore it to dinner with the Duke of Devonshire at Chatsworth last Sat.u.r.day night. He put on his ceremonial garb.' Her mouth turned down. 'I mocked him, of course.'

'And that was the last time you saw it?'

'Yes. Because I wasn't invited to Chatsworth, and I was asleep when he came back.' She jutted her chin. 'So ask the Duke of Devonshire. For all I know, he got his honoured guest drunk and took it. Isn't that how their sort always gather loot? Grab, grab, grab. King George has the Koh-i-noor diamond. Why shouldn't one of his dukes s.n.a.t.c.h the dubte suraj ki chamak? I know our top dogs want it for England. Narayan let that much slip. There's some shenanigans going on about it in high places. I'm not supposed to know that. Don't tell them I know.'

'What kind of shenanigans?'

'Some t.i.t for tat. But I don't know. And they mustn't think I do.' She looked suddenly afraid. 'They all hate me.'

I stood to go.

She walked with me to the door. 'Can I have my Rolls-Royce back now?'

'I don't think so. Not until they find the diamond.'

She snapped her fingers. 'Got it! Thurston Presthope. I wouldn't put it past him to have taken the diamond. He borrowed money from Narayan. Tell that to the powers that be.'

The powers that be. That is exactly what they were. Not for the first time, I wondered why I had been chosen for this task. Perhaps it was because if someone had to fail, it had better be me, and not a charmed member of the inner circle, or the forces of law and order.