Ten Years Ago

Chapter 6 : Meeting Sir Ernest

Sir Ernest Whittekar , who had earlier been just Mr.Whittekar, made good money in his work . He was a great physicist as well as chemist . A great contribution towards science . He must've been very good at it even ten years ago , but hadn't found the recognition at that time . He was , apparently, a very busy man who lived in London , and his wife , Lady Whittekar , lived alone , most of the day .
'I hope this won't take much time , Miss , I'm a busy man .'said he .
'It won't. I just wish to you about the Brown case , Sir Ernest .'
The man looked surprised. He turned red .
'Why ? After-after all these...these years !'
'It's been ten years . However , it occurs to me that you seem very surprised to hear it , sir . May I ask why ?'
'It's none of your damn business. Are you the police ?'
'No .'was the confident reply . ' I am a private detective. And if you really have doubts about me , sir , I can tell you that I was consulted by your youngest adopted daughter, Sarah Brown .'
The man was totally bewildered.
'Sarah ? You're joking.'
'Write a letter to her and ask her yourself.'
'I -I can't . I haven't really been in touch with her , you see . Well , I'll just put forth the facts before you .'
'I do not care for the facts , sir . It's your opinion that I want about each and every scene of the case . It's psychology that matters sir , not just the facts .'
'It - it was all my fault. I should've locked the conservatory. Then , Julian wouldn't have taken the arsenic. Lucinda wouldn't have died .'
'Can you blame yourself for the gunshot , sir ?'
The man stared at her .
'I swear I had no idea that Lucinda owned a gun . I have nothing to do with it .'
'I know , sir . Now , please begin .'
The old man thought for a while . His frail face made it seem that he was the kind of man who'd forget painful things easily, and overcome them .
'Well-' said the old man . ' I faintly remember all those . Old people don't really have good memories...well , it was May , I suppose. I was up in the morning, and was doing my daily routine, and sat for breakfast. Everyone was present, and after we finished breakfast , there was a quarrel between Lucinda and my wife. Lucinda wanted to send young Sarah away to boarding school...a reason for which I never really knew . My wife , although insisted that Sarah should stay and go to normal school - and I had to side with my wife , you see . That's always the case with women . Julian just arrived from after his shower and  Lucinda questioned him . At the beginning Julian opposed it...and then she started at him in a manner most unusual and he took her side . It was rather queer...the way he changed his mind . He wasn't usually very fickle minded, but I suppose he might've found his sister a little annoying. She was starting to get rather arrogant.'
'Pardon me , sir , but from what I've heard , they were a very devoted brother and sister . Julian adored Sarah .'
' That is true , but fights do happen and things do change .'
' I see . Pray continue .'
' Well at noon , my wife went to Lucinda's room to give her some tea , I think . Then I went into her room myself.'
'Why's that so , sir ?'
'Well , I wasn't asked any such question as to this was the answer but - I was very nearly broke...and I wanted some financial support . Lucinda was in charge of her money ...and I asked her ...she actually agreed - said it was to repay for us for taking them in...
Then I was contented and relieved and went out and I rested in my room...until I heard a gunshot at around half-past five . And then Lucinda's body . Her death tore us all apart . Julian committed suicide in jail...and we had to face a great ordeal...'
His face was frailer than ever .
'Thank you sir ...but I have one more question if you please to answer it ...why did you leave Sarah and move her to her aunt's place in Chicago ?'
'We didn't want to leave the child...but Lucinda's will clearly stated that if Sarah lost her siblings she must be sent to her aunt's in America...it was in Lucinda's supervision Sarah was under .'