He sighed and leaned back, propping his weight up with his arms. “He owns Lincolnton Bank and calls himself a banker. I find him more akin to a usurer.”
“And now Mrs. Montgomery—Malcolm’s mother—is Mrs. Ratcliffe.”
“Yes.”
“He’s in England, not Scotland?”
“Yes. His sister’s husband was English, and they live not far from the sanatorium.”
“Tell me about this second visit with Mr. Montgomery.”
“I arrived at the sanatorium during the dinner hour. The sanatorium keeps early country hours. After their dinner, one of the matrons went to tell Malcolm I was in the receiving hall. He came out there to meet me.” He frowned a moment. “From what I learned talking to staff as I waited on Malcolm, visitorsused to be welcomed anywhere on the ground floor. One of the changes made by Mr. Turnbull-Minchin, when he became superintendent, was to limit visits to the great hall, which they call the receiving room, and outside on the grounds. Malcolm suggested we go outside to talk, away from listening ears.
“The sun was starting to go down, and to the east, clouds were gathering, foretelling more rain in the night. The wind had started to increase, bringing a nip in the air. It was actually a wonder it hadn’t rained that day. We walked nearly around the building then back again. Have you been out there yet?”
“No, we only arrived yesterday. I wanted to speak to you first.”
Alastair nodded. “Camden House is situated on an island of land created in the last century when canals were dug for drainage.”
“Mr. Stackpoole mentioned something to that effect.”
“You’ve met Aileen’s fiancé? Benjamin?”
“Yes. He was on his way to Camden House when his coach broke down. We invited him to travel with us.”
“He was going to Camden House?”
“His mother is a resident at the sanatorium. I think he has some notion of discussing Mr. Montgomery’s death with this mother and learning something useful.”
“I knew Lady Stackpoole resided in a sanatorium; I had not realized it was Camden House.”
“Unfortunately, Mr. Stackpoole has taken ill,” James said.
“Nothing serious, I trust. Aileen is deeply in love with the young man and he her, in turn.”
“But his father is against the marriage..”
“So, I understood from things Mr. Stackpoole said when he asked Mrs. Montgomery for Aileen’s hand in marriage. He has attained his majority, has a modest income inherited from his paternal grandmother—much to his father’s annoyance—andhas the promise of a position with the Foreign Office, another choice his father condemns.”
James nodded. “From our discussions, it did not appear his father had any leverage to force Mr. Stackpoole to follow his orders.”
“Quite the reverse, with Baron Stackpoole’s treatment of Lady Stackpoole at the top of the contention list.” Soothcoor laughed. “With his glasses and perpetually messed hair, he does not appear like a determined young man; however, I assure you, he is. There is a rod of steel hidden within his polite gentleman appearance.”
James smiled. “I am delighted to hear that. But continue with your visit with Mr. Montgomery.”
“Ah, yes. Malcolm was delighted that I wished to marry Lilias but distressed that the fact he was alive had become known. He would have preferred to go on being considered dead.”
“The fact that he wasn’t dead meant if you had married Mrs. Montgomery, there would have been immense problems for all involved.”
“Yes, but Malcolm didn’t think it needed to be of concern. I reminded him that so long as ‘someone’ was paying for him to live at Camden House, his supposed death could never be believed. It was only a matter of time before it became known. He seemed depressed at that reality.”
“Depressed enough to commit suicide?” James asked.
Soothcoor shook his head. “I don’t believe so. He admitted he had considered suicide a couple of years ago. Luckily, those others in his head would not let him because that would be killing them as well.”
“They are that powerful?”
“Apparently. It is beyond my comprehension, so I simply took what I was told. At one point Malcolm stopped and stared out across the canal to the fenlands. I could tell he was furiouslythinking. I wondered if he was having a conversation with the others within him. I don’t know if that is possible or not, but his stillness as he stood there had that feeling. Finally, he shifted position, stood straighter, taller somehow, and said the day before I arrived,theyhad requested a solicitor journey to Scotland to submit divorce papers. It is easier in Scotland to obtain a divorce than in England. He asked me to support them in their endeavor. At that moment, I knew I was talking to one of the other people who lived in Malcolm. He told me Malcolm loved Lilias and, for that reason, knew Malcolm needed to free her for, as he said,wecan never leave Camden House. He told me—with an eerie earnestness—that it would be too dangerous for others. He had been aware that I wished to marry her in our youth and knew I would take good care of her and Malcolm’s children.”
