Story Starts Challenge - Day Three

Chapter 3: Her Ladyship and the Vicar

The Vicar left the room and saw Mrs Roberts walking quickly along the hallway. He left the hall by the main door, letting himself out. Mrs Roberts headed into the kitchen where Dodds the butler and Colleen the maid were polishing the silver ...

MR: Well, you'll never guess what's going on in there.
Dodds the Butler (DtB): Now, Mrs R, you know that gossip never did anyone any good... what’s happened?
MR: Well, Mr Dodds, the Inspector is here grilling Her Ladyship about the goings-on ... the Vicar left looking flustered and red in the face and he even let himself out - he's never done THAT before. I heard him say he has a funeral to conduct but no-one in the village has died as far as I know...
Colleen the Maid (CtM): I never much cared for that Vicar to be sure, he always looks at me a little too much for my liking - and he surely spends a lot of time with Her Ladyship - he was here very late the other night when his Lordship was out and I’m sure I saw him again last night chatting with Sergeant Morris down the lane when I came back after my afternoon off ...

Dodds and Mrs Roberts look at Colleen in surprise - that was the most they had heard her say since she started work there three months earlier.

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Lady Hargreaves quickly ushered the Inspector through into the Parlour. She invited him to join her for tea, but he declined.

DIW: We don’t have time for tea Lady Hargreaves your husband is missing, is he not?
LH: Very well then - but how can I be of more help, I've told you already what I know, what the Vicar and I heard - that is we heard a shot and my husband is missing, I just want to know he is alright!

At the same time she hoped that the Inspector would not notice that one of the heavy silver candlestick holders was lying on the floor together with a broken vase.

DIW: Okay, well let's start by establishing everyone's whereabouts yesterday, then that might give us a clue. Was your husband at home all day?
LH: No, Inspector, he drove down to the sale of fine art at the Victoria Hotel in the village, and didn't return until mid afternoon. I am not sure exactly what time, but it was before dark. I think there was a man with him, and they took sherry in the library, so I am sure Dodds will remember. I saw them from the window later on walking down the lane towards the cottages and my husband returned soon after.
DIW: Alone?
LH: Yes Inspector.
DIW: And you and the vicar - what were you doing prior to hearing the shot being fired.
LH: The vicar and I were here in the library discussing the repairs needed to the church. We'd finished and I was walking him to the door when we heard the shot. We called the Police right away.
DIW: Without checking to see where the shot came from first?
LH: No - that is, yes. Yes, we called you right away.

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Roberts left the Forensics team to it and walked the short distance to the Church. He attempted to enter, but found the doors locked. He spoke to the groundsman who informed him that the Vicar had gone straight in to the Vicarage. Roberts continued through the Churchyard and down the drive. He knocked on the door, the Vicar answered.

SR: Morning Vicar, I need to ask you a few questions.
TV: Certainly Sergeant, do come in.

The Vicar showed Roberts through to his study.

TV: Can I offer you some refreshment?
SR: No thanks Vicar, I’m fine.

SR: Now, I understand you were with her Ladyship up at the Hall when you heard a gunshot. Is that right?
TV: Yes, that’s right – we were talking about how we were going to raise the money for the Church repairs. You see the Hargreaves family were originally responsible for having the Church built back in 1678 and as it is still on their land, they are responsible for maintaining it to this day.
SR: Really? So you were talking to her Ladyship about how she and her husband were going to pay for these repairs?
TV: Yes, Sergeant. When I first arrived at the Hall Lord Hargreaves was also there but he seemed to get rather agitated by the whole thing and excused himself from the discussions rather early on as I remember.
SR: So how long was it after you’d arrived that you heard the shot?
TV: Oh, it was some time after, Sergeant, we’d already had morning tea you see and we’d been talking for some time after that.

SR: Well, Vicar, it seems there is a body in the Sheds – we don’t know who yet, but it’s just a matter of time before Forensics will be able to tell us more. What is bothering me is that the Sheds were locked from the outside but his Lordship is the only one with a key. Can you tell me anything more about this?
TV: Well now, I’ve been thinking about this too Sergeant. There are two things... Do you know about the tunnel that runs from the Vicarage to the Sheds? It was dug out during war time and was used as a storage tunnel and a retreat in case of bombing. And the other thing, Sergeant, I happen to know one of the grooms from the Stud Stables used to leave his horse in there sometimes over night, to allow him an easier passage to the gallop in the mornings!
SR: So are you thinking he may have the keys?
TV: It’s possible I suppose – it’s worth checking out anyway, wouldn’t you say?
SR: Hmmm, definitely! And just one last question Vicar – how much are these repairs to the Church going to cost exactly?
TV: Well Sergeant, the lowest estimate we have is £875,000!

As it would happen, Sergeant Roberts met the Groom from the Stables as he started to walk back to the Hall. He told Roberts that he had last used the Sheds 2 months ago and that he had then passed the keys back to Lady Hargreaves. He also mentioned that the Vicar was with her and he had very pointedly told him to stay well away from the Sheds in future as they were too dangerous and needed to be kept locked.

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THE CHALLENGE
So what happens next? Your challenge is to write a paragraph or two describing the next part of the story from the point of view of any of the characters or as a general narrator - I’ll then use some of your ideas to move the story forward and to lead into the next photograph and chapter of the story for tomorrow. You can either leave your paragraph(s) as comments to this photo or post links to where I can find them on your own journal page, tagging them ‘Story Starts Challenge’. I hope you enjoy the challenge and will collaborate in bringing the story to a satisfactory conclusion by the end of the week!