“From my understanding, Mr. Risewell, the night in question was rather snowy. Do you remember the visibility?”
Mr. Risewell scratched his chin. “You could see down to the gamekeeper’s lodge at ten. I know as much, as I pointed out its direction, and the wood, to Dr. Turpin in discussing a future hunt, and I wound my pocket watch to the time of the grandfather clock around that time. The weather didn’t worsen until about ten-thirty, I’d say.”
“Thank you, Mr. Risewell. Now, Miss Blayse? Will you come forward?”
Mira took the witness stand, trying not to let her nerves overcome her.
“Miss Blayse, you are in the unique position of being one of the last people to see Mr. Treadway alive and also being in the party that found him. First, when did you last speak with Mr. Treadway?”
“Sometime before eleven. Maybe ten?” She glanced at Byron. He gave her the slightest smile and her anxiety lessened. She only needed to relay the facts. Taking a breath and sittinga little straighter, she continued. “He, Mr. Corbet, Miss Harris, and I were talking near the refreshment table. Mr. Corbet left us, and shortly afterwards Mr. Treadway mentioned needing some air. Miss Harris and I went looking for her guardian, Admiral Hoddle, but couldn’t find him anywhere. After about an hour, we thought he might have gone outside. That’s when we discovered that it was snowing and I remember the clock in the hallway struck eleven.”
“Make a note of that time,” Mr. English said to the clerk before turning back to Mira. “Now, will you please inform those present as to the circumstances that led to the discovery of the body?”
“Yes. That morning, the men went out on a hunt. Miss Risewell thought it would be good to walk out to meet them, so after breakfast we left the house and walked down to the path at the south end of the drop-off—the West Ledge, I suppose. There’s a gentler slope there that the path takes, you see. And when we came to the base of the ledge, there was something dark on the path ahead of us.”
“You did not immediately recognize it as a body?”
“No. But when we got a little closer, it was unmistakable. I approached first. I thought maybe he was unconscious and needed help. I turned him over—”
“The deceased had fallen on his face, then?”
“Yes. When I moved the body, I saw the blood. There wasn’t a lot of it, but it was clear he had hit his head. It rather upset Miss Harris, so I sent her and Miss Renaldi and Mrs. Davidson back to the house. I checked for a pulse and when I found none, I sent Miss Risewell to telephone the police from the house.”
“You didn’t send her for a doctor the moment you found the body?”
“No. Dr. Turpin was with the hunt, so I thought it would be faster if I sent her to call for the police while I fetched him onhorseback.”
“I see. Thank you very much, Miss Blayse. Dr. Turpin would you please come forward?”
Mira passed the doctor on the way back to her seat, her body absolutely buzzing. Somehow it felt as though she’d done something wrong, even though she’d relayed the events exactly as she remembered them.
“Dr. Turpin, how long have you been practicing medicine?”
“We are approaching eighteen years, sir.”
“Very good. Would you describe the state of the body as you found it?”
“At the time that I first examined the body, it was lying on its back. The eyes were cloudy. The body was just beginning to show the signs of rigor mortis. I estimated the time of death to have been around midnight, based on the temperature. The only major injury I could see was to the head. Blunt force, consistent with a fall. There had been some bleeding, but the cold would have slowed the bleeding considerably and much of it had been absorbed by the earth and snow.”
“Thank you.” He turned to the audience. “For the knowledge of those present, and the recorder, Dr. Turpin assisted me with the post mortem. We found a few scrapes and bruises that likely occurred during the fall. A fall from a height of fifteen feet is not always lethal, but the angle at which the deceased hit the ground broke his neck. He would have fallen unconscious immediately. Death would have occurred within a few minutes to an hour, as his respiratory system failed. My estimate for the time of death based on when he was last seen alive and his injuries would be between eleven and midnight the night before his body was discovered. Based on the evidence given—”
Inspector Rutledge stood, clearing his throat and Mr. English turned to him, looking over his spectacles again.
“Inspector, was there something you wished to add to theseproceedings?”
Rutledge nodded and removed his hat, turning to address the room.
“My investigations corroborate what has been said here. But I do wish to inform those present that several pieces of jewelry were found on the deceased, which suggests that he is the culprit in the recent burglaries. We are still making inquiries at this time. Also, if anyone has any knowledge as to how to communicate with the family of the deceased, I would be much obliged.”
“Thank you, you may take your seat.”
The inspector gave a nod and returned to sit beside Byron. Mr. English removed his spectacles and placed them in front of him on the table.
“As I was saying, the evidence heard this morning has answered the questions of the inquest. First, that the body discovered was Silas Treadway. Second, that the death occurred at the bottom of the West Ledge at Wynmar Park. Third, that the death occurred between eleven and twelve the night of February the eighth. And fourth, that the cause of death was cessation of respiratory function due to a spinal injury from a fall. With all that put forward, and considering that by all accounts the deceased chose to venture into the inclement weather of his own volition, my conclusion is that Silas Treadway met his death by misadventure. We thank the police for their efforts in investigating. The body shall remain in custody of the coroner’s office until the family retrieves it, or two weeks have lapsed, thereafter the body shall be buried in proper fashion.”
***
“I know the coroner was simply doinghis job, but it all feels so clinical,” Liza said over lunch. The Renaldis, MissHarris, Admiral Hoddle, and the Sherards had adjourned to Davenguard after the inquest, and Mira was grateful for the extra buffer her friends provided with Byron’s family.
