“He believed you drowned Mr. Montgomery, which you wouldn’t have been able to do unless you got in the water with him and held him underwater.”
Soothcoor frowned. “That would be hard for any one person to do. Malcolm was strong. He wasn’t a tall man. But he was a sturdy man, and he did know how to swim.”
“I was going to ask you if he knew how to swim.”
“We often swam together in the ponds and streams on my grandfather’s estate.”
“What do you know about Montgomery’s relationship to his uncle, Boyd Ratcliffe.
“He hated him.”
“Why”
“I don’t know,” Soothcoor said slowly, “I just believe it had to do with the time he and his mother lived with him.”
James cocked his head. “Lived with him?”
“Yes. There was a fire at the Montgomery estate while his father traveled out of the country. This was long before I knew him. He and his mother lived with Ratcliffe for the year Malcolm’s father was away. Malcolm could never clearly remember that time and didn’t want to try. It was one of the gaps in his memory, but he knew he hated Ratcliffe. As he was growing up, if Ratcliffe came to visit, Malcolm would run away, and no punishment he might be given would stop him.”
James’s brow furrowed. “I can’t imagine what would have caused that behavior—or perhaps I can and don’t want to consider it.”
“I know.” Soothcoor shifted his position to ease his leg. “Such have been my thoughts, especially to know he is now married to Malcolm’s mother. What perversion could he have subjected a young boy to that would lead him to splinter, like the logs he splintered with an ax and often talked of. He sympathized with splintered logs, if you can believe that. He would laugh about it, but he did sympathize. He’d run his hand along the splinters his ax caused and mouthed a silent apology. He thought I didn’t notice. I did.”
“Did you ever see any evidence of the persona he and others refer to as ‘Archie’?”
“Strangely, no. I think I have been in the company of the one known as Gregory, back when we were children, but never an angry, violent person which I understand in Archie’s role.”
“Interesting that you refer to him as having a role. I tend to agree with you. I do wish Dr. Nowlton were here. I am certain he would make sense of this for us.”
“That young man is intelligent and sharp. I wish I could get him to work for my charities.”
“Yes, he would be an asset. But to return to Archie. If Malcolm was being threatened in any way, wouldn’t Archie come to the fore to deal with the threat?”
“I would think so, but you have to remember, what we think happened to Malcolm was a perversion of the mind. I don’t know that we can use logic to explain it or understand it.”
James frowned and scratched the back of his head. “As much as it goes against the norm for me, I shall have to concede I may never understand what went on in Mr. Montgomery’s brain. Could he have committed suicide?”
“I have endlessly thought about that. It is possible, but I don’t believe so. I still think it is more probable for him to be murdered than for him to kill himself.”
The door to the cell opened.
“Your time is up, Sir James.”
James rose from his chair. “Time has flitted by much too quickly. Think of anything you saw on the grounds, anything at all, and send me a note.” He turned to the warden. “You will allow him access to pen and paper, won’t you?”
“Yes, he has that now.”
“Good. Note down everyone you met since you came up here. Friend or foe. I hope to call on you again tomorrow afternoon after what will certainly be a most enlightening meeting with Mr. Ratcliffe.”
CHAPTER 15
INTERVIEWS
Though Cecilia did nap in the afternoon, she was rested and up before dinner. She chose a dark-green gown with a red shawl for dinner. She thought the red against her face would reflect more color to her wan complexion.
She left her room early and sat in one of the settees that were spaced at intervals down the wide hall of the ladies’ wing, waiting for Julia and Mrs. Vance.
Mrs. Vance was the first to join her, dressed in an icy-blue formal gown. She sat down next to Cecilia and, at Cecilia’s raised brows at her attire, Mrs. Vance laughed.
