Page 45 of A Very Bookish Murder
Ally then proceeded to tell him about the family resemblance and the birthmark.
‘Why in God’s name did he not tell me this?’ Amir asked, shaking his head in disbelief.
‘Because he didn’t want to be taken off the case.’
‘But, Ally, with his health issues, it would be very unlikely that he’d be back on this case anyway.’
‘He also wants to ask you if he can see Jodi’s body again before the burial,’ Ally continued, ‘and he would like to request a DNA test. I guess he needs to find out for sure one way or the other.’
‘I’ll have to arrange something with the undertaker’s in Inverness,’ Amir said. He thought for a moment. ‘Could the shock have brought on his heart problem, I wonder?’
‘I think it’s very likely,’ Ally replied. ‘Rigby and his family always thought she’d gone away because she was pregnant,although Rigby was only a little boy at the time. He learned most of it later, but it ties in with the magazine article about her baby.’
‘Yes, but, Ally, where is this child? I’ve been looking into it since we last talked and there’s still no sign of them,’ Amir said gloomily, draining his tea. ‘I must be off, but, as always, if you come across anything else of interest, please get in touch with me immediately.’
‘I will,’ said Ally as she accompanied him to the door.
‘I don’t know about you,’ Ross said, when he and the dogs returned, ‘but we’ve had a very long day and I, for one, am knackered.’
Ally reminded herself that he’d done all the driving to Inverness and back, and that it had indeed been a very long day. The lights were on in the bedrooms upstairs, so she assumed that all the women were in, and locked up the house while Ross boiled the kettle for cups of tea.
‘We won’t talk about this any more tonight,’ he repeated sternly as she re-entered the kitchen. ‘We can talk about the weather, the price of fuel, anything you like, but not another word about Rigby, Laura or anyone else! OK?’
‘OK,’ Ally agreed meekly. ‘We might as well go to bed after this then.’
As she sank into bed and cuddled up to Ross, Ally realised how tired she herself was too, and it was only a matter of minutes before she drifted off into a deep sleep.
And it only seemed like seconds later when Ally’s phone rang. And rang.
It’ll be a wrong number, she thought. And then:Nobody rings at this time of night unless… Oh no, please God, not one of the children…
Ally groped frantically for the phone, almost dropping it on the floor in her panic. Ross groaned and sat up in bed.
It was the earl.
‘Oh, Alison! I’m truly sorry to bother you at this time of night,’ he said, ‘but it’s Magda! She thinks she’s in the final stages of labour and I don’t know what the hell todo! She says there isn’t time for me to get her to Inverness as planned.’
‘Have you called the doctor or anyone?’ Ally asked desperately.
‘Well, I tried old Doctor Hayward, who I know has been retired for years, but he must have delivered countless babies in his time. But he’s not answering. I’ve rung the emergency services, but we’re so out of the way…’ He let that sink in for a moment or so, then his voice rose, ‘And I don’t know what todo!’ His voice wavered. ‘Could you possibly come up?’
‘I’m no expert on childbirth!’ Ally exclaimed, but at the same time, she slid out of bed, while looking around for her bra and digging some knickers out of her bedside drawer.
‘But you’ve had children and you must havesomeidea—’ Hamish’s voice broke, and, in the background, Ally could hear Magda yelling.
‘I’ll be up shortly,’ Ally said. She laid down the phone and saw Ross climbing out of bed as well.
‘You don’t need to come, Ross,’ she said, pulling on a sweater and jeans. ‘This is possibly a false alarm because I don’t think she’s due yet, but Magda’s yelling and Hamish is in a hell of a state.’
‘You’re not going out there on your own at this time of night!’ Ross said firmly as he too searched around for some clothes.
‘But it’s only up the road…’ Ally began.
‘I’m coming with you,’ Ross said. ‘Besides which I’ve delivered literally thousands of puppies, calves, foals, you name it! Delivering a baby person can’t be that much different!’
EIGHTEEN
Ally had rarely seen the earl agitated. She had seldom seen Hamish Sinclair as anything other than somewhat debonair, suave and firmly in control, so the wide-eyed, tousle-haired wreck who greeted them in the Great Hall came as something of a surprise.
