Vow of Evil Page 21
‘He’s not Italian?’
‘Henry Halton,’ Inspector Mill said with a faint grin. ‘Years back he was training for the priesthood.’
‘What!’
‘Got flung out of the seminary when he was caught offering up incense to the Devil. Joined a couple of rather suspect occult groups after that – did time for stalking young girls – reinvented himself as a man from Italy and met up with the Royes. Been a family friend ever since. Quite a motley crew, don’t you think?’
‘There must be something—’ she began.
‘Nothing that would stand up in court. It’s not illegal to change your name, hardly a hanging offence even to forge a letter of recommendation. It’s my belief, though there’s no evidence, that they found Plymouth too hot to hang around in, heard of the vacancy at your postulancy and came down here to quietly disappear for a while. Unfortunately, Melanie Seldon was on their track. She got herself posted here and foolishly decided to do some investigating on her own. Looking for hard evidence – who knows? I think she probably put on a dark cape and went over to the postulancy to see what she could find out.’
‘And blinded me with a torch as she climbed over the wall.’
‘And it’s a fair bet that whoever was in that building at the time spotted her and decided she was getting too close for comfort.’
‘And murdered her.’
‘Whether accidentally or otherwise, we’ll never know. The hiding of a body and the subsequent impersonation of a police officer are serious offences but without definite forensic evidence—’
‘And one of them dressed up as a devil while they were visiting this area – Ian Lurgan?’
‘Probably. Any occasion for a nasty practical joke. It was Mrs Pearson’s ill fortune that she was tidying up the graveyard that night. I think that the so-called devil followed her home and decided to carry on tormenting her.’
‘She brought protective candles to the postulancy.’
‘Probably because you listened to her story and believed her. The Royes had already been busy in their small ways, of course – nicking the documents from the church vestry—’
‘Sacristy, Inspector.’
‘Whatever you call it. And the spoiled books in the postulancy which—’
‘I got rid of,’ she said.
‘The poisoned lurcher, the drowned cat, luring Alice away—’
‘They didn’t kill Alice.’
‘Maybe they were interrupted. Who knows? As it is,’ he said gloomily, ‘all that I’ve told you is pure speculation. Nothing more. If I tried to get any of that on a charge sheet I’d be laughed out of court.’
‘I drove past the postulancy on my way here,’ she said. ‘The car Kit Roye drove wasn’t parked there and the curtains were all drawn.’
‘Maybe they’ve all left town?’
‘One wouldn’t wish them on anybody else,’ Sister Joan said.
‘Well, sooner or later they’ll probably come to grief. Will you give condolences to the prioress and the sisters. I only glimpsed Sister Mary Concepta once or twice but she looked like a sweet old lady.’
‘Yes,’ Sister Joan said. ‘Yes, she was.’
‘Of course they paid no rent,’ Mother David said, her tone one of the deepest distaste. ‘I ought to have specified a month at least in advance.’
‘And the poor dear place was in an awful mess,’ Sister Marie said. ‘Spills and stains and – I’d hate to tell you what the toilets looked like.’
‘Leave it to our imaginations!’ Sister Dorothy begged.
‘And that money was destined partly for the Order and partly for children’s charities,’ Sister Katherine mourned gently.
‘Luther is going to help Sister Marie and me to clean the place up,’ Sister Martha announced brightly.
‘Shall we get on with our final discussion on the renewing of our vows?’
Mother David tapped the table with her pencil.
Extract from the Liverpool Echo, 31 October.
A horrific car crash held up traffic in the Mersey Tunnel for nearly two hours last night. A sports car with a young woman at the wheel sped out of control and overturned, bursting into flames. The car itself appeared to have contained, apart from the driver, two females, one elderly, and two males, one elderly. Formal identification is now being sought. The remains of the victims were taken to a nearby hospital but have not, so far, been identified.
Extract from a local newspaper, Aberdeen.
Learn to unlock the magic of your personality. Learn the secrets of Ancient Egypt, secrets the Christian churches tried to hide for ever. Have fun with the Dark Forces. Apply to Harry Marconi. Box No, below.
‘Ah, there you are, Sister!’ Brother Cuthbert was waving her down.
Sister Joan drew to a halt and alighted.
‘I hoped I might catch you,’ he said genially. ‘I went down to the presbytery to call on Father Malone and Father Stephen – both very much better but still feeling a trifle shaky. I was just in time to pick up two new arrivals – armed with letters from His Lordship the Bishop and their own parish priest – also your own Mother House in London. Two new postulants have presented themselves.’
‘Two new what?’ Sister Joan said blankly.
‘Postulants, Sister. New recruits for Our Blessed Lord. They didn’t realize there was no bus up to the convent and were lugging their suitcases along with the best will in the world when I spotted them.’
He beckoned to two figures standing at a little distance, both wearing mackintoshes and Wellingtons.
‘Mother David never mentioned—’ Sister Joan began.
‘I suspect that recent delays in our admirable postal service may have held up the advance information. Here they both are if you can take them under your wing. This is Sister Joan who is one of our little community’s most treasured members.’
‘Bridget Mayo, Sister. It’s that lovely to get here!’
A round, freckled face, beaming goodness under a thatch of red hair, looked down at her as her hand was enthusiastically shaken.
‘Bridget,’ Sister Joan said.
‘Anne O’Grady, Sister.’
The smaller, darker girl at her side shook hands with equal enthusiasm, her blue eyes shining.
‘We were hoping to do our postulancy together,’ Bridget Mayo said, threatening to pump Sister Joan’s hand all over again. ‘We prayed about it, didn’t we, Anne? And then His Lordship approved the idea. Prayer is a wonderful thing, isn’t it, Sister?’
Innocence bright as diamond flashed from them as they loaded their suituases and assorted bags into the van.
‘It is indeed,’ Sister Joan said.
‘And the renewing of vows,’ Brother Cuthbert said, smiling at her. ‘All Saints’ Day tomorrow, Sister! What a joy!’
‘A joy and a blessing,’ she agreed. ‘Make sure the doors are fastened, girls. I’m not the best driver in the world. God bless, Brother Cuthbert!’
‘God bless all here!’ he returned. And stood, brown habit fluttering in the wind, as she drove away across the moor.
By the Same Author
Echo of Margaret
Pilgrim of Desire
Flame in the Snow
Hoodman Blind
My Pilgrim Love
Vow of Silence
Last Seen Wearing
Vow of Chastity
My Name is Polly Winter
Vow of Sanctity
Vow of Obedience
Vow of Penance
Vow of Adoration/Vow of Devotion/Vow of Fidelity
Vow of Poverty
Vow of Compassion
Copyright
© Veronica Black 2014
First published in Great Britain 2004
This edition 2014
ISBN 978–0–7198–1454–9 (epub)
ISBN 978–0–7198–1455–6 (mobi)
ISBN 978–0–7198–1456–3 (pdf)
ISBN 978–0–7090–7690–2 (print)
Robert Hale Limited
Clerkenwell House
Clerkenwell Green
London EC1R 0HT
www.halebooks.com
The right of Veronica Black to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988