My Name is Eva(36)
‘Marvellous,’ he said, ‘Now tell me, have you had a good look at these figures yet?’ He tapped the papers spread before him.
She sat down beside him. ‘I tried, but I got a bit lost. There’s so much to think about.’
‘I know, my dear. But I’ll help you. Why don’t we start by listing the things you feel you don’t need or care about any more?’ He smiled that tight smile and patted her hand, confident she would agree.
‘Yes, please. Let’s do that.’ She smiled too. ‘What would I do without you, Stephen?’
34
Kingsley Manor
25 January 1986
My darling,
I have no way of knowing whether you would act as I am going to do, but I feel you would sympathise with me. You always displayed such integrity and had such a clear sense of justice. I’m sure you would believe in ‘an eye for an eye’ and would not be clinging to ‘love thy neighbour’. I may be rash, but it is something I have considered for many, many years and just never have had the chance until now.
At last I have an opportunity to avenge not only your death, my darling (a pointless sacrifice in my view) but also to make amends for the ill treatment and deaths of those poor, innocent men. It might not be right in the eyes of God (and believe me, I have often prayed to Him on the subject) but as long as it is right in your eyes, I will feel justified. I believe that if I am ever to find any peace in this life, I must fulfil this mission, which has taken me so long to complete. I never got the chance to go out there and do my duty as you did. I could have been engaged in mortal combat in wartime and now that my enemy is here in peacetime, does not, in my eyes, make him any less guilty of your demise and that of many others.
Please forgive me if you cannot condone my actions. I am only doing what I believe is right. He is arrogant and cruel and has never paid the price, but now he will.
Your ever-loving Evie, xxxx Ps I love you
35
Evelyn, 4 February 1986
Bang, Bang
‘There are still quite a few pheasant out there,’ Evelyn said. ‘I thought we could bag a couple today before the season is finally over.’ In time for the foxes to start feeding their hungry young and before anyone thinks to question the sound of unseasonal gunshot.
‘The ones you’ve cooked for me so far have all been jolly good,’ Stephen said. ‘Were they from the estate?’
‘No, I got all those from an excellent butcher in Petworth and stuck them in the freezer at the start of the season. It’s always such a bore plucking and drawing them, I prefer buying them ready dressed for the oven. But there are so many still roaming around out there and they can be an awful nuisance in the garden, come springtime, pecking at the primroses and so on. I thought I’d have a go at them this morning. It’s a dry day and we’ve plenty of time before lunch. Would you like to join me? I can sort out a gun for you.’
He jerked his chin in that characteristic manner, saying, ‘No, that’s okay. It’s not my thing, actually – I don’t much like killing animals for sport. No, you carry on. But I’ll come out with you, stretch my legs for a bit.’
But you don’t mind torturing and killing human beings, do you? That’s your thing, your cursed speciality. ‘Fair enough,’ she said. ‘Wear the wellies you used last time. It’s a bit muddy out there from the rain during the week.’ She looked at her watch. ‘Lunch won’t be ready for at least another hour or so. I’ve done a casserole for a change.’ Because it won’t spoil if this takes a while, she told herself.
‘Jolly good,’ he said, pulling on his padded jacket and cap. ‘All this country air gives a chap a keen appetite.’
They set out through the gardens, Evelyn pointing out the scattering of snowdrops beneath the bare oaks and the white hellebores flowering beneath the scented mahonia. ‘Those are known as Christmas roses,’ she said. ‘Such a sign of hope, and there are some rare species among the snowdrops over there. I’m quite a galanthophile these days.’
He barely acknowledged any of the flowers, but returned to his favourite topic. ‘Perhaps we should discuss the potential of the land again soon. The sheep have all gone now, I see.’
‘Yes, Neil has moved them over to Churt.’ Because I asked him to leave, because it was time to remove all witnesses. ‘He said this last damp winter has been terribly bad for their feet and some of them have had a touch of liver fluke as well. I don’t think he’ll be coming back here again. Shame really, as I’ve always enjoyed having the sheep and their lambs.’
‘Well, you didn’t stand to gain anything from it, if you ask me. And if the land stays vacant, then you’re all set to negotiate when the time is right. The last thing you’d need would be a sitting tenant.’
Evelyn didn’t respond. She’d spotted a cock pheasant pecking at some snowdrops near the rhododendrons and took aim. He toppled with hardly a feather out of place.
Stephen jumped at the sound, then recovered himself. ‘I say, good shot! I was wondering whether you’d still got your eye in. And you certainly have.’