Page 43 of A Curious Ending

‘Yes, I was thinking that. It just seemed to be so romantic. Do you think he really didn’t know about Lady Porter’s past? It would seem the most natural thing in the world for them to share that.’ Again, Lara thought of Dr Patil crying after Lady Porter’s funeral. She was beginning to believe that the doctor really had loved her.

‘At the time I thought his surprise was genuine, but…’ Abby admitted with no small degree of pain, ‘I have been wrong in the past.’

‘Have you?!’ Lara grinned, startled by this uncharacteristic revelation.

‘Well, yes,’ Abby continued with a marked degree of reluctance, ‘I really did believe Sheik Al-Khalid when he said he knew absolutely nothing about the death of his second wife.’

Lara would have patted her consolingly on the shoulder if she could have done.

‘Or his third wife. Or for that matter his fourth,’ Abby finished, shaking her head.

‘It’s nice to know you’re human,’ Lara commented, grinning even more broadly.

Abby raised an eyebrow at her.

‘Or were,’ Lara conceded.

They turned back to examining the scrapbook. The pictures and clippings stopped about two thirds of the way through and flicking through the back pages there appeared to be little more than some envelopes containing copies of a few of the press cuttings. There was only one envelope that had anything written on it and this was empty. The name on the envelope was not one that either Lara or Abby recognised: Miss E Abbott, and an address in Nottingham. Something prompted Lara to get out her phone and take a photograph of the address. She liked to think it was not just the very pointed look that Abby gave her.

As Lara put everything back in place, Abby sat on the window seat in the dining room mulling over the results of their search.

‘So, we have a private, very beautiful room evocative of India, we have established that Lady Porter did at one time in the past take sleeping pills and that Dr Patil is indeed an old family friend. And maybe more recently, a lover. Although I wonder…’ She went on, ‘And we have a mysterious Miss E Abbott from Nottingham to consider.’ Abby paused. ‘I wonder if that could be for “Elizabeth”? We must find out Lady Porter’s maiden name.’

‘I hadn’t thought of that but it would make sense,’ Lara agreed.

‘Did anything else strike you?’ Abby asked Lara.

‘Well, you were right, there are gaps about the house. It does look like someone has been taking or moving the pictures around,’ Lara suggested. Abby nodded. Lara continued, ‘I hate to even think it, but it occurred to me that it would be the easiest thing in the world for Mrs M to take what she wanted.’ Having voiced this, Lara was flooded with a mix of guilt and shame, still she pushed on, ‘And I did wonder if Mrs M would actually know if Lady Porter had another child. After all Richard was grown up by the time she met her.’

‘Yet, the prospect of another family will not seem to go away… and it has attracted the interest of Julian Armstrong… which is intriguing…’ Abby mused.

Lara wasn’t sure what she felt about this. The mention of Julian still made her go hot and cold. Then she thought of Kate’s words and smiled. She turned her thoughts to Joe and his possible connection to Lady Porter. ‘I know half a million is a huge amount of money but I still don’t think Joe had anything to do with it,’ she insisted.

‘So, you will defend him, but you won’t dance with him,’ Abby reflected.

Lara sighed, ‘I know, I know I said all the wrong things. It was just when he mentioned the ball, I thought about Julian and it came out all wrong.’

‘You have wasted far too much time thinking about that young man,’ Abby said in her best Aunt Augusta voice.

By now, they had moved into the flower room and Lara was rummaging through the shelves under the big white Butler sink. She found two small matching cut-glass rose bowls and wrapped these in some paper and popped them into her basket. She then had one last look in case there was something else she could not resist. She was sure Lady Porter wouldn’t mind her having three vases. Abby had lost interest in the vases and was looking out of the window at the herb garden that ran along the side of the house. She appeared to be miles away and Lara left her to her thoughts. She was just adding another item to her basket when Abby spoke.

‘I believe it would be safe to ask Dr Patil if he thought Lady Porter was being blackmailed. He clearly did know her well, despite the fact she may or may not have kept some things from him. No, I do not believe Dr Patil is the blackmailing type. We might also see if he knows more about Lady Porter’s family.’

Any more questions Lara might have asked were interrupted by the arrival of Mrs M. ‘All sorted?’ she enquired, popping her head around the door.

Lara got up off her knees and picked up her basket. ‘Yes, thank you, Mrs M.’ As she was heading out of the back door Lara paused. ‘Mrs M, I saw your flowers on Lady Porter’s grave. If you ever need any in future you only have to ask.’

Mrs M pursed her lips. ‘No, dear, those weren’t mine. I’ve been growing some nice paper-whites for her,’ she pointed to pots of spring bulbs lined up on the windowsill by the door. ‘I was going to take them over at the weekend.’

Lara frowned. ‘Do you know who might be leaving flowers and notes? They’re signed “M” so I thought it was you.’

Mrs M shook her head and smiled, ‘I do have another name you know, dear. It’s not like I would sign a note with my surname.’ This confirmed what Abby had suspected, that no one had ever asked Mrs M what her Christian name was.

‘Of course, I’m sorry,’ Lara said.

‘Well, actually, my first name starts with an M too.’ Mrs M chuckled. ‘It’s Maggie,’ she said.

‘I was sure she was a Gloria or a Ruby,’ Abby said, clearly disappointed.