The Missing Duchess Read Online Free Page B

Castle, Colonel Wrightson, who had entertained him so regally at the regimental dinner, was surprised to see him again.
    'Good of you to come, Faro. I appreciate your personal interest.' He smiled. 'Surely this is rather low-key for you?'
    'Not at all. Anything that happens on the outside of the Castle walls is for the police. Once inside, then it's yours.'
    There was little to see beyond a broken window and a displaced iron bar, but all suggested that the would-be intruder was a man of considerable strength as well as the possessor of a remarkable head for heights. It also hinted to Faro that this might be a situation worth keeping his eye on, a prelude to something even more dangerous.
    When he said so, Wrightson smiled. 'I see from the newspapers' report that you had quite an interesting epilogue to your last evening with us. Another crime for you to solve.'
    'Not this time, Colonel. Death was from natural causes. Some poor woman with a heart condition taking shelter.'
    'I'm relieved to hear that. All these ridiculous stories about ghosts and ancient curses.' He sighed. 'They should spend a night here. That would set their imaginations going. Ghastly deeds in the Wizard's House indeed, they're nothing compared with the violence this castle has seen over the centuries.
    'As for the Palace.' He sighed indicating Holyroodhouse, where he had been Captain of the Household Guard some ten years ago. 'It has an even worse reputation if that's possible. Rizzio's murder and God knows what other evil-doing. Yet I've spent many a night alone when the Queen wasn't in residence and I've never seen a single spectre. Lot of rubbish, if you ask me.'
    Despite these reassurances, Faro was glad of the carriage the Colonel insisted on providing for him. As it made the tortuous steep descent of the West Bow, the horses' hooves striking sparks off the cobbles, the cloudless sky had vanished and a moon now trembled between clouds breathing life into the mullioned windows of the West Bow's ancient houses.
    At one stage, the sergeant-driver reined in cursing, narrowly avoiding a closed carriage racing past at high speed. As they swayed dangerously, he heard the soldier shout:
    'Not so much as a damned lantern. And black horses, too.'
    Faro watched the carriage disappear, the sweating horses, their breath still on the night, the only evidence that this was no phantom coach.
    A black carriage and black horses -
    From the depths of memory loomed an almost remembered childhood nightmare that had engulfed his father and his beloved cousin Leslie.
    The next instant he was faced with the unpleasant reality of the present. As the driver set their carriage to rights, there was an almighty crack as one wheel hit the high stone kerb.
    Faro clambered out and shouted: 'What is it?'
    The man was surveying the damage, swearing volubly.
    "Fraid you'll need to wait till I fix this, sir.' And shaking his fist at the Wizard's House, towering above them, a vast black shadow: 'Aye, curse you too! Might have known it would happen here. Be a good thing when that damned place is pulled down.'
    'I wouldn't have taken you for a superstitious man, Sergeant.'
    'Not me. But my second cousin tried to live there once. You've probably read the story, it was in the newspapers. Ghosts and hobgoblins -' He looked up. 'An' he's not fanciful. Fought in the Crimea, he did -' The driver paused to kick the buckled wheel viciously. 'This is going to take some while, sir. You'll like enough pick up a hire at the stance down the High Street.'
    Faro walked quickly away. Another accident in the making or just one more coincidence.
    He looked back at the tall land and resolved that tomorrow, with daylight on his side, he'd have a careful look round, carry out his own investigation and prove to Edinburgh's nervous citizens, and to himself, that Weir's Land was only wood and stone. As such it had no earthly powers to harm anyone except those who were gullible by nature and predisposed to place