She paused again to wipe the tears from her eyes.
‘Lucy you do not have to continue — ’ began Ravenscroft.
‘Oh Mr. Ravenscroft, but I do. When we arrived here, people began to feel sorry for me. I put it about that I was a young widow. My husband had been killed fighting in Africa. Everyone felt sympathy for me, and I was quickly accepted into local society. I did not like lying, but I had my son to protect. If my true station should ever have come to light, we would be driven out, my brother would lose his position, and my son would grow up cursing the mother who had caused his ruin. You must understand Samuel — that is why I lied.’
‘Of course, Lucy, no other mother could have done more,’ said Ravenscroft sympathetically.
‘All might then have been well, but for Troutbridge. Troutbridge’s brother owned the farm next to our property in Devon. He must have visited his brother and learned of my disgrace. Everyone in the village had known of my folly and both my brother and I had been roundly condemned by local society before we left. One day, shortly after our arrival here, my brother and I were out walking in Ledbury. I remember it was market day, and the local farmers had come to town to buy and sell their animals and produce. One of them was Troutbridge, and he recognized both of us. Shortly afterwards he approached my brother and said that unless James paid him a sum of money each month, he would inform everyone as to the true nature of my position. James was forced into taking money from the accounts of the almshouses to pay for Troutbridge’s silence. He hated doing it, and I begged him not to do so, but he said that if he did not do it, we would all be ruined. James said it would only be for a while, and that one day he would repay all the money to the trustees. Troutbridge was sick and might soon die, or we would eventually go somewhere else, where we were not known, once James had secured a better situation. So now you see it all Mr. Ravenscroft — the reasons for James’s silence, why he would not tell you of his true relationship to Mr. Troutbridge. He was doing it all to protect me, and little Richard, my darling son. Now I am the cause of my brother’s downfall. My stupidity and callousness has ruined us all!’
Lucy burst into a new flood of tears. Ravenscroft moved closer and placed an arm round her shoulders. ‘Come now Lucy, all may yet be well.’
‘But how can it?’ she said pulling herself away from him ‘You will condemn me as others have done, and as others will do, once they have learnt the details of my sorry foolish story.’
‘Lucy there is no need for anyone to know of your circumstances. I am only thankful that you have sought to confide in me. I will never hurt you. It is not my business to condemn something which happened some years ago, when clearly you were the innocent party, and taken advantage off by another who should have known better.’
‘You are very kind, but others will not see it that way,’ she protested.
‘There is no reason why anyone else should ever know. You can leave Troutbridge to me. I will have words with him, and make sure that the blackmailing stops and that he remains silent. You need have no fears on that score,’ said Ravenscroft trying to reassure her. ‘Now dry your eyes. Your son will be distressed to see you so upset.’
‘You are a good man, Samuel Ravenscroft,’ said Lucy drying her eyes, ‘And a good honest friend.’
‘Perhaps one day you may allow me to be more than that.’
Lucy continued to wipe her eyes on her handkerchief. ‘Mr. Ravenscroft — Samuel, I must see my brother and explain to him that I have told you everything. He is innocent. I must help him. Can you please take me to Malvern with you now? I must see him,’ she said quickly rising to her feet, a new urgency in her voice.
‘Of course,’ he replied.
‘I will fetch my coat and explain to my maid that we will be away for a while. She is used to attending to my son’s needs.’
Within a few minutes, Ravenscroft had secured a cab, for them both, at the Market Place in Ledbury, and they found themselves on the way to Malvern. The two of them sat in silence as they began the ascent up towards the hills; Ravenscroft running over the morning’s events in his mind, attempting to reconcile Lucy’s disclosures with the murders he was investigating, his companion anxiously looking at the road, and wishing that they would soon reach their destination. After the events and revelations that had taken place inside the small cottage, Ravenscroft found the bracing air and passing scenery a welcoming relief, affording him a breathing space before the events that would shortly unfold.
‘I think you may find your brother somewhat changed,’ he began, as they travelled through the Wells. ‘When we apprehended him he was still wearing the same clothes he had taken with him from the almshouses. His appearance is a little dishevelled, to say the least.’
‘James was never the tidiest of men,’ she replied.
‘You must realise, Lucy, that I will have to confront your brother with what you have told me, and that I will need to question him further.’
‘Can you go any faster?’ asked Lucy, passing over Ravenscroft’s last remark.
‘Old Patch is doing the best he can,’ grumbled the cabman.
Arriving at the station, Ravenscroft showed Lucy into one of the small rooms, and instructed Crabb to fetch Armitage from his cell. Lucy paced up and down the room, looking down first at the floor, then at the ceiling, and finally at Ravenscroft.
‘All will be well; trust me,’ he assured her, wanting to place a protective arm around her but realising that the next few minutes would be difficult.
The door opened, and Armitage entered followed by Crabb.
‘James!’ exclaimed Lucy running towards her brother and drawing him close to her. ‘Let me see how you are.’
‘Oh, Lucy, but why have they bought you here? You should not have come,’ said Armitage holding his sister close. Ravenscroft and Crabb looked away.
‘I have told Inspector Ravenscroft everything, James. Yes, everything. He knows about our situation, about Richard, and why you were paying Troutbridge. There is no need for you to protect me anymore.’
‘Lucy, Lucy, why have you been so foolish? There was no need,’ he protested.
‘There was every need. You could have gone to the gallows. I had no choice. I had to tell him everything. The inspector is a good man, he can help us now.’
Ravenscroft coughed, ‘Miss Armitage I wonder if you would be kind enough to leave the room for a few minutes, while I have a few words with your brother. I can assure you that you will be reunited presently.’
Lucy taken aback by the strange formal tone in Ravenscroft’s voice, said merely, ‘Yes, of course, I understand.’
‘Crabb show Miss Armitage into the other room if you please,’ said Ravenscroft. Lucy kissed her brother, and after hugging him close, and casting an imploring glance at Ravenscroft, left the room with Crabb.
Ravenscroft indicated that Armitage should sit. Now that the truth had been disclosed, he hoped that the warden might be more forthcoming than at his previous interview.
‘You should not have involved my sister,’ said Armitage declining the seat.
‘Sit down, be quiet, and listen to what I have to say Mr. Armitage. If you had told me all about this business with Troutbridge earlier there would have been no reason for me to have visited your sister. You are a foolish man, but you are loyal to your sister, and I admire that. I know that you were seeking only to protect her. Now tell me why did you go to Troutbridge’s when we left the almshouses?’
Armitage seated himself on the chair. ‘I had nowhere else to go. I knew that it would only be a matter of time before you discovered the discrepancies in the accounts and would seek to arrest me. I panicked. I thought if I saw Troutbridge I could persuade him to let me have the money back and I could replace it in the almshouses accounts, but I realise now that I should have known better. The man was not to be persuaded of course. I did not know what to do. He seemed content to let me remain there in hiding. I think he gained a great deal of satisfaction from witnessing my plight. One evening I even thought of killing him; that would have put an end to all our misery, but I could not bring myself to do so,’ said Armitage running his hands through his hair.