Painting The Darkness Read Online Free

continued to grin inanely while Sir Hugo appeared to realize that he might have gone too far. He resumed in a more conciliatory tone. ‘Have you found out who this Norton really is yet?
’
    ‘
These are early days, Hugo. If there’s a real James Norton to be traced, we will trace him. But I imagine he’s covered his tracks well
.’
    ‘
Talking of tracks,’ said Cleveland, ‘shouldn’t we be making ’em, Hugo? Gussie will be disappointed if we’re not there by nine
.’
    I took the opportunity to make my excuses and depart. Superficially, they had reassured me, but I dared not stay to see the fragility of their conviction grow ever more apparent. The Davenalls, of whom I had been so long in awe, seemed, on this showing, no better or worse than any family, no more proof than my own against a well-armed intruder
.
    As I made to leave, Richard Davenall volunteered to go out with me. We left Sir Hugo contemplating ruefully the dimples of his whisky-glass while Cleveland checked his bow-tie in a mirror above the piano. Greenwood was waiting in the hall to hand us our hats and gloves
.
    ‘
Where do you live, Trenchard?’ Davenall asked as we descended the front steps
.
    ‘
St John’s Wood
.’
    ‘
I’m for Highgate. Shall we travel some of the way together? We can pick up a cab at the corner
.’
    I agreed readily; sensed, indeed, that he wanted an opportunity to share his thoughts with me away from his cousin’s bellicose indignation. We walked slowly in the direction of Grosvenor Place, our footsteps echoing back from the tall and silent house-fronts of the square, where night had fallen with cool, aloof indifference
.
    ‘
I must apologize for Sir Hugo,’ Davenall said. ‘Sometimes he seems younger even than his years
.’
    ‘
It is not long since he inherited the baronetcy, I believe
.’
    ‘
‘Indeed not. Barely eighteen months. Yes, the boy’s had a good deal to cope with. Sir Gervase’s final illness was a lengthy one – and then there was the business of having James legally pronounced dead
.’
    ‘
Was that only done recently?
’
    ‘
It could have been done as soon as seven years had elapsed, especially in view of the clear indications of suicide, but Sir Gervase would never hear of it
.’
    ‘
Did he not believe his son was dead?
’
    ‘
He claimed to doubt it, which was odd. He was not a man to entertain sentimental notions in any other connection. At all events, the necessary legal moves were not put in hand until Sir Gervase was
non compos mentis,
so that Hugo’s title did not become clear until somewhat late in the day. What with that and taking on the running of the estate – Sir Gervase had rather let things slip, I’m afraid – Hugo can claim some excuse for displaying signs of strain. Nevertheless …
’
    ‘
It’s of no account, Mr Davenall. I’m glad to have had my mind put at rest
.’
    Of course, it was not truly at rest – as, I think, Richard Davenall perceived. After we had procured a cab and started north together, he volunteered some more of his family’s troubles. For a solicitor, he was strangely forthcoming, as if finding in me the audience he sought for his own misgivings
.
    ‘
It has, in all conscience, been a difficult year for my family, Trenchard. Hugo’s grandmother was killed in February by intruders in her house. She was extremely old, and had lived, out of touch, in Ireland for many years, but her death cast a distressing shadow of needless violence. Hugo inherits an estate in County Mayo through her. She was an eligible heiress when Hugo’s grandfather, my uncle Lemuel, married her, oh, nearly seventy years ago, but she never took to life in England and went back to Ireland as soon as her son came of age. Sir Gervase – well, all of us – rather neglected her, I fear. I suppose a rambling old house, poorly staffed and containing what few signs of wealth are to be detected in that Godforsaken wilderness, must have attracted the wrong kind of