‘Then perhaps you should consider the change. I am sure you would be more content. Sometimes we need to put our fears behind us. Only by confronting our failures can we eventually hope to achieve our heart’s desire.’
Ravenscroft smiled. The station master, outside on the platform, began to announce the arrival of the Hereford train. ‘I must go,’ he said, rising from his seat. ‘Until we meet again, Mrs Kelly, or should I say, Mrs Marchmont.’
‘I do not think that will be possible. Our paths go in different directions,’ she said, in a formal reassuring tone, which Ravenscroft found slightly unnerving.
As the train arrived on the station platform, Ravenscroft hesitated, not knowing whether he should stay and prolong his conversation, or embark on his journey to Hereford and Hay.
‘You will miss your train, Mr Ravenscroft, and that will never do. There is someone, I am sure, who will be pleased to see you. Do not leave it until it is too late.’
Ravenscroft nodded briefly and making his way out of the waitingroom, boarded the departing train, deep in thought.
‘Good morning,’ said Crabb, boarding the train at Great Malvern station.
‘And to you, Crabb. We have chosen a fine day for our excursion, although I believe the forecast is not so good for the west of Hereford. There could be some rain later, but we must take it as it comes.’
‘I have sent a telegram to the local station in Hay, and someone should be meeting us off the train. We have to change at Hereford and on to the Brecknock Railway,’ said Crabb. ‘You look deep in thought this morning, sir, if you don’t mind my saying.’
‘I’ve just encountered an old acquaintance,’ replied Ravenscroft looking out of the window at the hills. ‘Crabb, I’ve decided to get off at Ledbury for a while; there is someone I need to see. You go on ahead, and I’ll join you in Hay off the later train.’
‘Very well, sir. I’m sure Miss Armitage will be pleased to see you again,’ replied Crabb smiling.
‘Of that I cannot be sure, but I am resolved to be bold.’
‘That’s always the best way. Why, if I had not been so bold with my Jennie, someone else would have snapped her up and no mistake!’
‘When you get to Hay see if you can find Radnor Lodge. See if the Tinniswood family is still there — or if not, find out as much as you can about them.’
‘Leave it to me, sir.’
A few minutes later, the train drew into the station at Ledbury and Ravenscroft alighted from the carriage. Ignoring the waiting horse-drawn cabs outside the station, he set off at a brisk pace down the road that led into the centre of the town. Reaching the busy market place, he paused for a moment at the entrance to Church Lane, not knowing whether he should continue or retreat and retrace his steps back to the station. Perhaps he had been foolish to have broken his journey on what seemed little more than a sudden impulse. After all, he had been rejected once — why should he expect that he would succeed this time?
‘It’s Mr Ravenscroft, is it not?’ said a voice at his elbow.
‘Er, yes,’ he replied.
‘You probably don’t remember me, sir. I’m Miss Armitage’s maid,’ replied the young woman.
‘Yes, of course. Please forgive me. It has been some time,’ he apologized, looking anxiously all around in case the maid had been accompanied by her mistress.
‘That’s all right, sir,’ she smiled.
‘And how is your mistress?’
‘Miss Armitage is well, sir.’
‘And her son, is he well?’
‘Very well, sir. He can be quite a handful at times’ she laughed.
‘I expect so.’
‘Will you be calling on Miss Armitage?’
‘I’m not sure. Perhaps another day,’ he replied, despising his lack of endeavour.
‘I’m sure she would be very pleased to see you. She often speaks very highly about you, sir.’
‘Does she?’
‘I’m just returning from market, if you would care to accompany me?’ said the girl looking up into his eyes.
He hesitated, aware that he could still make his excuses and return to the station. Instead he nodded and followed the young woman up the narrow cobbled street.
There was the snug little cottage, just as he remembered it, with its baskets of hanging flowers outside, and its prospect of an inviting interior within.
‘If you would care to wait here, sir, I’ll just tell Miss Armitage that you have arrived.’
Ravenscroft forced a smile as the maid entered the cottage. He reached up to admire the flowers and looked up at the bedroom windows, half expecting to see a familiar face gazing down upon him from one of the leaded paned windows. He began to walk up and down outside the building for what seemed like an eternity, looking down the street one minute, staring at the closed door the next, removing his spectacles for the third time so that he might polish the lens. He wondered how shocked she would be to hear that he had returned, and what her reaction would be to seeing him once more. He could feel a cold sweat forming on his brow, and his stomach felt hollow and unsettled. Thoughts of abandoning such a foolish adventure flooded into his mind. He turned and resolved to leave quickly before the door reopened. There was still time to abandon his quest.
‘Miss says you are very welcome, sir,’ said the maid suddenly opening the door.
‘Thank you,’ he replied, quickly walking up the path, then pausing momentarily before stepping into the hallway.
‘Mr Ravenscroft, how pleasant to see you again.’
She was just as he remembered her — the same striking appearance, auburn hair and welcoming smile that had remained in his thoughts since the first day he had seen her. ‘Miss Armitage,’ he said kissing her outstretched hand.
‘Do, please, come into the sitting-room.’
He followed her and accepted the seat that was offered.
‘Would you like some tea?’
‘That would be very pleasant,’ he replied, looking around him, reassured that the room still retained its light, airy, homely appearance.
Lucy gave instructions to the maid, who smiled, and left the room. ‘And what brings you to Ledbury today, Mr Ravenscroft? Are you here on police business? Will you be staying long?’ she asked, the questions issued in a formal but nervous manner.
‘I was invited to come to Worcester by the dean of the cathedral, to help solve a murder and recover one of their priceless books,’ he replied, the words displaying his uncertainty.
‘Your reputation is obviously well established,’ she said smiling.
‘I have been in Worcester for nearly three weeks now,’ he said quickly and, as she turned away, he realized that she would have been perhaps upset by the fact that he had not visited her during that time.
‘And have you caught your murderer?’ she asked.
‘Not yet. The case has been of a protracted nature, but I am hopeful that we may be able to bring things to a satisfactory conclusion. I am on my way to visit Hay-on-Wye to investigate a possible line of inquiry.’
‘So you thought you would break your journey in Ledbury.’
He thought he detected a note of sadness in her voice, realized that he had hurt her, cursed his clumsiness and wished he was elsewhere. ‘I…er,’ he started to say, but was disturbed by the maid entering the room holding a tray.
‘Thank you, Sally. You may go now. How do you like your tea, Mr Ravenscroft?’
‘Just a little sugar, thank you.’
‘Of course, I should have remembered. How foolish of me to forget.’
‘It has been a long time.’
He sat in silence as she poured out the tea and handed him the cup.
‘And how have you been Miss Armitage — sorry, Lucy.’
‘I have been well. Thank you.’
‘And your son, Richard, is he in good spirits?’
‘He is very well, thank you. He has grown such a lot since you last saw him. You would hardly recognize him now,’ she answered, smiling briefly as she did so.
‘That is good — and your brother, is he still at the almshouses in Colwall?’