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“He did. But some vestige of conscience must have got the better of him, because about a month later, blow me down with a feather if the little shit didn’t come back. I remember it vividly. I was at Paddington station about to catch the train when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around and there he was, bold as brass. Beesley. Told me he’d had a change of heart, that he was in love with Roxie and he wanted to return the three hundred grand.”
Angus Grey asked, “What happened then?”
“Well, I was shocked, obviously. Had to think on my f
eet. He was talking about marrying Roxie. Clearly I couldn’t let that happen.”
“But why not? He came back for her, Teddy!” Alexia had tears in her eyes.
Teddy’s expression darkened. “Came back for more money, you mean. He knew we’d never cut her off. That if he married her, he’d be set for life. Besides, darling, be reasonable. The man was a tennis coach! Hardly an appropriate match for a De Vere.”
Alexia couldn’t believe what she was hearing. The man opposite her looked like Teddy. He sounded like Teddy. But the things he was implying—that he’d murdered a man out of nothing more than snobbery—that wasn’t the Teddy De Vere that she knew. Thought she knew.
Teddy went on. “I told him to come and see me the following day, at Kingsmere. We’d go shooting and talk about things.”
“Did you intend to kill him?” Angus Grey asked bluntly.
“I did. I was worried I might not be able to go through with it. I didn’t know for sure if I could . . .”
“If you could shoot him?” Alexia whispered.
“Yes. But it was easier than I thought. He was such an oaf, trying to play the big man, telling me he would marry Roxanne with or without my permission, that there was nothing I could do to stop him. You should have heard him, Alexia. If ever a fellow got what was coming to him, it was Andrew bloody Beesley.”
Angus and Alexia exchanged horrified glances. Neither of them had ever seen this side of Teddy before. He told the story without a shred of remorse.
“What happened after you shot him?” Angus asked calmly. As Teddy’s senior counsel, he needed to have a handle on all the facts, however damning.
“Nothing happened,” said Teddy. “That was the beauty of it. I dug a hole, buried him, and that was that. I kept waiting for something to happen, for the police or his family to knock on the door. But there was nothing.”
Alexia looked away. She remembered a time, long ago, when she too had waited for retribution, for justice that never came. Thinking about it now, she could still feel the prickle of anxiety on her skin, the gnawing fear churning in her stomach and tightening like a knot in her chest. How did I not see that in Teddy? I was there. How did I miss the signs?
“Then poor old Rox had her accident,” said Teddy. “To be perfectly honest, I forgot about Beesley after that. Roxanne was all that mattered.”
“You forgot?” asked Angus.
“I’m afraid so. The years passed. I had no reason to remember. Beesley was dead and buried and the secret was safe. I didn’t think I’d left him so close to the pagoda site, but I suppose I must have. In any case, when I buried him it was far too deep for an animal to uncover. Michael must have found the body and moved it.”
Alexia shook her head. She had to believe in Michael’s innocence at least. “No. He would have said something.”
Teddy said gently, “I suspect that he recognized the watch, just like his sister did, and put two and two together. Remember, as far as Michael knew, it was you who’d scared Beesley off, not me. That was the story we agreed on, you see,” Teddy explained to Angus. “For Roxie’s sake. Michael probably thought you’d done Andrew in. I imagine he was trying to protect you, Alexia.”
Alexia began pacing again, walking faster and faster until she was almost running. Teddy’s theory had a hideous ring of truth to it.
Michael crashed that bike believing that I’d done it. That I’d executed that boy in cold blood. That’s why he was so distracted. He thinks I’m a murderer, and now I may never have a chance to tell him I’m not.
Angus Grey tried to be practical. “All right, Teddy. Well, you’ve been very honest. As far as sentencing goes, I think the key will be to acknowledge that honesty and to make it clear that you sincerely regret what you did.”
Teddy looked confused. “Regret it? Why should I regret it, Angus? My duty, my purpose in life, is to protect my family and to preserve the good name of the De Veres. Andrew Beesley got what was coming to him. He threatened the family and I neutralized that threat.”
Alexia started to cry. What happened to my Teddy, my gentle giant?
“Angus, would you leave us for a moment?” said Teddy. As soon as he and Alexia were alone, he put his arms around her, hugging her tightly. “Why are you crying?”
“Because I don’t know you!” she sobbed despairingly.
“Yes you do,” said Teddy. “Everything I’ve ever done, I’ve done to protect our family. I killed Andrew to protect Roxanne. I’ve killed for you too, you know.”
At first Alexia thought she’d misheard him. “What?”
