Chapter six. Rubbish and more rubbish and a ring.
'Rubbish.' I shouted and the children squirmed.
"Now Heir don't take out on the children please, after all they are reporting what they saw on their ramble." Dulcie, but I was not cross with the children just angry that some scum had misused my bridle path with their rubbish dumping. All the children had decided to go for a walk around the estate boundary, something like tramping the boundaries or some such, no doubt instigated by my Robroy eager to show his prowess at estate management to his cousins, and poor Fig looked quite worn out.
"I shall ask the Anderton boys to help me determine and catch the culprits Grand-papa." Robroy assuming the mantle of Chief of the Clan.
'You will do no such thing Robroy you will let your father and uncle investigate, and incidentally, did you find all in order whilst you beat my boundaries, excepting for the rubbish dump?'
"Two"
'Two what?'
"Tips of rubbish, the one over by the barley field behind the sheep pens, and the one down by the river crossing near Farriers lane. And it was a long hike!"
'I can see that by the state of poor little Fig.'
"Well he also fell into the river searching for something."
'Fig come here and tell me what you were searching for?'
Just then Aunt Vi just happened to enter the study as little Fig stepped forward.
"He," said Aunt Vi pointing at the little bedraggled figure, "Was hunting for a ring I lost in the river years ago, obvious one of my grandchildren let it out, I shall deal with them later."
'Well now I am particularly fond of Fig and I suspect his good nature intended to find it and return it to you Aunt Vi, perhaps we may learn the full story here and now so do sit down and someone find a towel to wrap around Fig, thank you and do start Aunt Vi.'
"It was a long time ago so I doubt they would be interested." Aunt Vi was interrupted by Maise bring in a tray of steaming cocoa and biscuits which she settled down on the carpet for the children to help themselves. She apologised for interrupting and left closing the door behind her. Some extra percetery sense I'm sure made her do that.
'Well Aunt we are all ears about this missing ring!'
"Well if you insist Heir, you are so like your father, once you catch something you will not let it go."
'Yes and colds are the worst type so please help yourself to cocoa or perhaps a glass of sherry might help.' I had an inkling this might be a sad tale.
"Do you remember Jimmy Stiles?"
'I remember a man who used to steal cycles by that name and sell them up in Oxford to the students, heard that he would go back up there and steal them back, a real growth enterprise. My father, your brother, told me when I was Robroy's age.'
"I met him before all that, his family ran the mill by the river and I came upon him whilst riding Heidi."
'Your old pony.'
"Listen Heir and don't interrupt its hard enough for me to relate, remember I was eighteen and I knew Heidi was on her last legs, but we did so enjoy trotting together along that river path. Well we were close to the mill and something spooked my pony, she bucked me off and fell herself, she died there and then. Jim Stiles heard me shout and raced out of the mill and checked the pony carefully then came across and lifted me up, to my mind any man who would care for the animal first before a girl in distress was worth falling in love. Of course I did not recognise that until father blew his top about Jim helping me up. You see, it was a Millers son actually touching a Dukes daughter that infuriated him. I believe and that what actually turned me away from the family and eventually into Jimmy's broad arms. We courted secretly and eventually Jimmy proposed, with a diamond ring that must have cost him a fortune on his meager wages, and naturally I was swept off my feet and accepted. I couldn't wait to tell mother and Father and fully expected to be sent out the country so I hurried home and met old Ben Sherman, do you remember he used to prune the apples and pears?"
'Vaguely, tall string like never talked, died when I was five, always found an apple for me to eat though, did not guess where he got them hidden.'
"Stop interrupting."
'Well you asked a question!'
"Ben stopped me as I raced through the orchard. ''Where be an angel like you be racing though my trees, You trip and fall and I be in big trouble with the Duke.'''
"' I just got engaged, oh dear Ben I am in love."'
"'And who the lucky gentleman be then Miss Violet?''
"'My Jimmy my Jimmy Stiles."' I yelled with out load but there was a pregnant silence from dear old Ben. I asked what was the matter why was he not pleased for me, but the head bowed and he shook it forlornly. "' Ah,"' he said, "'the village jockey no less, well he's caught a fine one. Be the ring a little blue and small diamonds? They won't be real that young Doris down the veggie shop couldn't believe her luck but her Mum went and got it tested. It were low quality it were, and she being the third that was caught that way. Jimmy got a beating from all three dads who'd had enough of the millers boy going on."
"I did not wait to hear any more but retraced my steps, saw Jimmy on his deck near the water wheel and shouted Doris at him then threw the ring as far as I could into the river, I was so angry but I didn't want another girl to be fooled like Doris and I had been. Well you know the rest, his Dad kicked him out and he went in thieving. So young Fig thank you very much it was truly thoughtful but the ring must remain lost for always.
Well you will never guess that young Fig pulled from his shorts pocket a little blue and white ring and handed it to Aunt Vi, she did not know whether to strike at him then and there or burst into tears, but instead she gathered him up in her arms and hugged him for a long long time. All the children remained quite and I was a loss until the word rubbish crept into my mind.
'Well that was tale and a half Aunt Vi and bravely told, but we wouldn't have had dear cousin Jasmine or Tommy or Jess. But you lot what about this rubbish?'
"Well thank you very much you insensitive nephew Heir." So she dropped Fig down on the carpet and swept off to her rooms.
"I agree with Nicholas Robin, he should bring the Anderton's into the investigation." This from Jasmines daughter Jess. Hang on which one of Jasmines children told Fig about the ring? Well I noticed Jess changed the subject pretty neatly but we'll never know for sure sort of shutting them up in the dungeons!
The rubbish, alas posed a greater problem as you will see. My sons took the Anderton's up to the top field where the rubbish had been dumped. Robroy and myself used the old Land Rover to follow and I made sure I had bought five sets of cooks rubber washing gloves, me I was going to sit in the vehicle, I had no intention of getting close to that stinking heap. Well thats until they used the hay forks to turn the mess of cans, splintered wood and an old tarpaulin over to discover the body of a young woman which obviously was the reason for the stench. Robroy blanched at the sight and ran back into the Land Rover. I told my sons to cover the body and stay whilst I fetched the police. The Anderton boys were just as eager to follow Robroy into the vehicle, but the mention of police seemed to be the reason. As I drove down the bridleway I asked them if they knew the girl but both nodded their heads.
"She were local Boss." They said in unison.
I got Finlay to ring the police and asked him to explain the reason for the haste, then Robroy asked the boys to do some investigating and would I drive them into the village.
'They can drive themselves if they have a licence but you stay here Robroy the police will want you to make a statement, no we won't involve the Anderton's.'
"We both can drive Boss." And both lads produced their licences, so Robroy and I got out and left them to it.
'Mind you bring back the land Rover in one piece and you can park next to the old wool store where you both are staying.' With that they started off the long drive down to the village.
'Wonder who they will see there?' Said I to Robroy as he helped me up those darn steps.
"Not adults just the kids, Tom Anderton told me once that the village kids know more what is going on in their district than any adult. For one, their eyesight is better and second they are more in tune with the environment." That from Robroy, but all I could do was nod as we reached that huge oak door and a waiting Finlay ushered me in. I grabbed Robroy who tried to slip away and we both went into the lounge to wait for further events. Again I had that sneaking feeling that what Robroy saw had affected him to the marrow, as I had remembered he had gone a ghostly shade of white, just then Dulcie came into the room and swept over to give her grandson a long hug. Dulcie may not be the sharpest knife in the box but she had that gift of foreknowledge.
'When you tried to slip away was it to have private cry, you recognised the girl at the dump didn't you?' He nodded slowly.
"Come over here and sit by my side on Grand-papa's chair and tell me whom she was.' He quietly moved over and sat beside me, then the chin trembled and a burst of sorrowful sobbing rent the air and in between gulps he spluttered out her name.
"Twer Jenny Wren."
'Was she close to you at school?'
"Two class's above but she was kind to we juniors, I guess she would, out of us all, be Miss Frobisher's favourite, you see we all liked her."
'Perhaps loved be closer?'
"No Grand-papa, not loved as in the adult way, but a girl to look up to, someone to respect and like." By now his sobs had retreated so he took some deep breaths." You won't tell the others just yet or you'll have a house full of misery."
' No of course, presumably you all came across her at one time at school but you will need to tell the police when they come to interview us.'
"Of course and now if you don't mind I want to go up to Mum."
Finlay announced the Inspector in an hour later, they had taped the scene and removed the body down to the mortuary.
"Sorry your Grace but you cannot move that rubbish until we have searched every piece and I understand there is another site where rubbish was dumped and I would be obliged if one of the children who discovered it would show us it in case it has connections to what has been found already. I understand Master Nicholas Robin saw the lifting of the tarpaulin and I wonder if I could interview him?" I called Finlay to ask Robroy to come down to us and a few minutes my red eyed grandson came though the door and raced over to sit beside me. He then answered all the questions asked of him and eventually told the name of the unfortunate girl.
The Inspector then asked if Master Nicholas could show them where the second dump was and Robroy nodded. I was against him having any further involvement and said so but he turned to me and whispered he needed to help.
By the time the first dump had been though ally checked they turned their attention to the lower one by the river that Robroy had shown. Eventually this was turned over carefully and a long bloody kitchen knife was revealed. All through this my Robroy and one or two others stood guard over the second heap as the forensic team searched and it was Jarvis the eldest Australian child who noticed the steel glint and raised the alarm. Several forensic officers tried to move the children away but they remained close all the same. Robroy said haltingly they would stay and arrange for the estate workers to protect them, and the village Sergeant advised forensics not to provoke the children as a confrontation would lead to several battered heads. Peace was restored until that knife was found, bagged and taken away. By then the children had grown tired and returned home. I wondered what instinct had kept them there day after day until the weapon had been discovered.
In his own way he and I visited Frob to tell her the awful truth about Jenny and she in her turn visited our village sergeant with some information she had on the matter. Our village is small but soon the Anderton lads came back to my son Nicolas and gave him a similar piece of information which he told the Inspector and Robroy but not me!
I am being carefully avoided in this matter and I am very cross. However I later discovered that there was a connection between one of our retired staff members, our old Factor's grandson had been involved with the girl and jealousy and anger resulted in her death. He pleaded guilty, was hated for what he had done, and an apologetic letter from our old factor eventually reached my desk. I showed it to my sons and Robroy and asked them all to respect his privacy, I expect he was as devastated as we all were. Eventually the rubbish from both sites was cleared away by the council after a war of words, it being on my land. So we agreed I would take the vegetation and they the wood and tins and goodness knows what. I suspect most of it had come from their dump in the first place, Old Factor Roberts grandson being an employee at their yard.
So ended a very eventful month and it all began with a ring! But the house remained unusually quite, gone was the carefree laughter and racing around the corridors, the only thing I could see were the children's regular visits to Lord and Lady on mucking out duties and I suspect a gentle nuzzle from these wonderful beasts. I wondered how long the peace and serenity would last?