Death at Kimbal

Chapter 16

"You lie impudent girl." Giles Burge snapped at Effie, "Lucian Allington is the murderer, you have no evidence to say otherwise."

"As you wish detective." Effie smiled sweetly, rising from her seat and walking out of the courtroom. She had been convinced by Dr Maddock to speak in front of court once more. Of course they had remained unconvinced and told her to keep to her own business. In a way, that was what Effie had hoped for. If the murderer was in the room at that point, he would almost definitely try to kill her that night.

"Set?" The doctor had been waiting outside of the door and quickly fell into step beside the young girl.

"Yes." Effie smiled slyly, "Now, we wait."

*

"G'night Miss." Matthew said, helping Effie down out of the carriage, "Back a bit late tonight ain't ya? Where you been?"

"At Bodmin jail Master Tresham." Effie replied, standing aside to let doctor Maddock climb down, "I was visiting my step-father."

"Nasty business that." The young boy said, scratching at the back of his neck before closing the carriage door, "There's no way 'e's guilty."

"That, young man," Doctor Maddock looked at him curiously through her small spectacles, "Is exactly what we are trying to prove."

"I'll 'elp in any way I can Miss." Matthew shrugged, walking up and taking his cap off of the driver's seat.

"You may be able to help." Effie said thoughtfully, gently stroking one of the horse's neck, "How old are you?"

"I'm fourteen I am Miss." He puffed his chest out proudly, slapping his hat onto his head.

"Are you strong?" The doctor asked as they walked to the house, apparently catching onto Effie's train of thought.

"Well I ain't weak Miss." Matthew replied, stretching out his shoulders slightly, "I could give most a decent beating."

"Come with me." Effie smiled, thanking him slightly as he held the door open for her.

"Up there Miss?" He asked uncertainly, hanging back as she started to walk up the stairs.

"Yes." Effie smiled, laughing slightly as she turned around and looked down at him.

"But I never been up there before Miss." Matthew protested, standing frozen at the foot of the stairs, "It ain't right. The cleaners would throw a fit if they saw me 'ere."

"You have my permission to come here Master Tresham." Effie bit her lip to hold back laughter at the look on his face, "I need your help after all."

"A'right Miss." He said grudgingly, lifting one foot and wincing slightly as it clunked on the first step. After a couple of seconds he lifted his hand up to the banister and take another step. His hand trailed behind him as he whistled softly, taking in every aspect of the rare opportunity. He only ever went up the servant staircase and that wasn't exactly a sightseeing spot.

"Come now." Effie giggled, walking down to meet him and taking his hand gently in hers, "You will still be here next week if you go at that pace."

"Sorry Miss." He hung his head slightly, speeding up his steps, "Didn't mean to."

"Hurry up." Doctor Maddock said impatiently from the top of the stairs, leaning against the banister and fake yawning, "Might as well kill you now and save him the job."

"Not funny doc." Effie shook her head, reaching the top of the stairs with Matthew right behind her.

"What do you want me to do Miss?" Matthew asked as they walked into Effie's enormous room, "I'll 'elp as much as I can but I might not be that useful."

"At some point tonight Matthew Tresham." Doctor Maddock explained carefully, studying his face for any signs of anger or disbelief, "The murderer will enter this room and attempt to kill Effie. Your job is to disarm him before he does. Understood?"

"Yes Miss." He said slowly, "But what if 'e kills me before I get a chance to take the weapon?"

"You are a strong boy Matthew," Effie said comfortingly, sitting in an old chair by the window, "He will not harm you."

"A'right Miss." Matthew's face slowly grew into a smile, "I'll do what I can."

"Thank you." Effie smiled at him, motioning slightly at the space behind the door which he hid in, a full view of the room, "And now we wait. Goodbye doctor." She said the last part particularly loudly. The old woman nodded slowly, walking out and closing the door behind her, sending a small wink at Matthew.

It only took a few minutes after Maddock left for the door handle to start rattling. Matthew took a sharp intake of breath and Effie sat a little straighter in her seat. The door swung open silently, stopping a couple of inches in front of Matthew's face. A person dressed all in black swept into the room, shutting the door behind him without even turning. Matthew nearly let out a sigh of relief that he hadn't been spotted, but bit his tongue so as to keep silent.

"Evangeline Kimbal." The voice was higher that Matthew had expected, but still dripped with malice, hatred and evil. He took a deep breath, hoping that Doctor Maddock had returned with the police by this point and was waiting outside of the door to hear a confession.

"I've been waiting for you." Effie said perfectly calmly, leaning back against her chair to show that she wasn't afraid of the hooded figure.

"I thought you would be." He smirked, crossing the room and pulling the curtains shut, "So I took precautions." He pulled out of his pocket a small, ornate knife, "The staff are out and we are alone. No one can hear you scream. But first I think," He said, putting the weapon back in his pocket much to Matthew's relief, "I will explain to you the genius of murder. Bit by bit."

Matthew smiled inwardly, he didn't want to get the job done quickly, he planned on confessing, though unknowingly, to the policemen outside of the door.

"Who are you?" Effie asked angrily, "What do you want with my family." She knew perfectly well who he was, but wanted a decent excuse for what he had done.

"You know who I am Effie dear." He spat, lifting his hood back off of his face. Matthew craned his neck to see, but couldn't quite get a glimpse. His position and the set up wasn't worth risking to see who it was, "You would never forget me."