The Ledbury Lamplighters (14 page)

‘Calm yourself, Mrs Chambers, and tell me what it is that
concerns you,’ said Ravenscroft.

‘It’s Master Rupert. No one has seen him since yesterday afternoon. He went off after the reading of the will. His bed has not been slept in. I’m afeared that something terrible has happened to the young gentleman.’

‘Have any of the other servants seen him?’

‘No sir.’

‘Is Master Rupert in the habit of going off on his own for days at a time?’ asked Ravenscroft.

‘He sometimes goes into Worcester, and comes home late – but nothing like this.’

‘You have made a search of the house?’

‘Yes sir.’

‘You say you saw him after the reading of the will?’

‘Yes, sir. He came down here and took a bottle of wine from the cellars.’

‘How did he seem?’

‘Very upset, sir. I think he had been crying. After taking the bottle, he banged the kitchen door behind him, and that was the last I saw of him,’ replied the cook, becoming more and more distressed.

‘Don’t worry, Mrs Chambers. I’m sure there is a good reason for Master Rupert absenting himself for so long. No doubt he will soon return.’

‘I don’t think so, sir.’

‘Oh, why do you say that?’ enquired Ravenscroft.

‘Before he walked out of the kitchen he shouted that no one in his family cared for him, that he was all alone in the world, and that he wished himself and all of them dead!’

‘I see,’ said Ravenscroft, showing concern.

‘I thought nothing of it at the time. The lad was obviously upset at being cut out of his father’s will. It was cruel of the master to have treated him in that way. Cruel, I say. It is only now that I realize the importance of his words. Sir, I think something terrible has happened to him. He could be lying injured somewhere, outside, all alone, in all this awful weather,’ said the cook, giving a loud sob and drying her eyes on a large cloth.

The outer door to the kitchens suddenly opened.

‘Master Rupert?’ called out the cook hopefully.

‘It’s only me, Mrs Chambers. Ravenscroft, good day to you,’ said Rivers, noticing the policeman’s presence as he strode into the room.

‘Mr Rivers,’ acknowledged Ravenscroft.

‘Mrs Chambers has no doubt been telling you about Master Rupert going off on his own,’ said the gamekeeper, crossing over to the fire and warming his hands.

‘Indeed.’

‘I have just been making a search of the grounds. No sign of him there.’

‘Can you think of any places that Master Rupert could have visited? Perhaps there is a particular favourite place that he is in the habit of frequenting?’ asked Ravenscroft.

‘I sent one or two of the servants to check on the local ale houses but no one had seen him there. One of the farm lads said he saw the young master walking off in the direction of Coneygree Wood early yesterday afternoon,’ replied Rivers.

‘Can you think of any reason why Master Rupert would have gone there?’

‘None that I can think of – although I remember I did take the lad up there with me once, some years ago, when he were young. We were shooting birds. It’s a wild place.’

‘Mr Rivers, I think we should organize a search party at once. If Rupert has gone into the wood and met with an accident, that would explain why he did not return home last night. He may have spent the night out in the open air. The weather is very cold. He may not survive for a second night in such conditions,’ said Ravenscroft urgently.

‘Oh, my Lord!’ exclaimed the cook, bursting into tears.

‘Now, Mrs Chambers, don’t distress yourself. I’m sure we will be able to find Master Rupert,’ said Ravenscroft, realizing that he’d said too much.

‘It’s a big wood. There are acres of it. All the way over to Eastnor,’ said Rivers.

‘There are paths through the wood?’

‘In some places, yes.’

‘Mr Rivers, we only have another two hours of daylight left. Get as many men as you can together. I’ll return to the station and collect the two constables and anyone else I can find. Meet me by
the entrance to the wood in fifteen minutes. Bring some torches with you.’

‘Right, sir.’

‘And see that the men are properly attired. We may be out there for some time, and it could be a very long, cold night!’

Ravenscroft stood, addressing the dozen or so men that stood at the side of the road. ‘We are looking for Mr Rupert Montacute, who I am sure is well known to you all. He was last seen entering the wood early yesterday afternoon. We believe that he could have met with an accident, in which case he may well be seriously injured. It is important that we find him as soon as possible. Mr Rivers knows the wood well and will guide us up through the paths. Whilst there is still some daylight, we should spread out on both sides, but always keep the path and the next man in view at all times. We don’t want to lose anyone. Do you all understand?’

‘Aye, sir,’ shouted out one or two of the farm labourers, as the rest of the group expressed their agreement.

‘Doctor Andrews has agreed to accompany us so that Mr Montacute can be attended to when he is found. Right, Mr Rivers, we are all in your hands.’

‘Heard the news, Ravenscroft, and thought you could do with another pair of hands,’ shouted a breathless Catherwood, suddenly appearing along the side of the road, holding one of his dogs on the end of a lead.

‘Indeed so, Mr Catherwood. Your assistance would be much appreciated. Lead on, Mr Rivers!’ said Ravenscroft, urging the party onwards.

The group made their way in single file, up the steep winding path that led from the road into the start of the wood, before Rivers divided the men into two groups, sending them out to the left and right, whilst he and Ravenscroft kept to the centre path. Slowly their search took them upwards, until eventually they arrived at a clearing on the upper reaches of the wood.

‘After here the wood becomes much thicker for the next two or three miles, before it drops down towards Eastnor,’ said Rivers, addressing the group. ‘Before we go on, I think we should search more of the slopes we have just climbed to make sure Master Rupert has not fallen there. If everyone spreads out and meets back
here in fifteen minutes, before it becomes dark.’

The men went their separate ways, leaving Ravenscroft and Catherwood alone on the path. ‘I’ll take the dog along the path this way, Ravenscroft. He might be able to pick up something,’ said Catherwood, striding away. Ravenscroft took the opposite side of the path and set off at a brisk pace. The disappearance of Rupert Montacute had put a new complexion on the case. At first sight, it appeared that Rupert had been so angered and distressed by his father’s failure to recognize him in his will that he had taken off into the woods and now lay injured somewhere, but another possibility now presented itself to Ravenscroft. What if it had been Rupert who had killed his father, and he was now so overcome with remorse that he had fled the family home with the intention of doing away with himself in some isolated spot? Ravenscroft knew, however, that whatever the true reason for Rupert’s disappearance, it would have to wait. His duty now was to find the young man before the weather closed in again for the night. It was doubtful that an injured man could survive a second night in such inhospitable terrain, unless he had been fortunate enough to have found some form of shelter.

Ravenscroft retraced his steps and watched as one by one the men returned empty-handed to the chosen place. The last to arrive was Catherwood with his large dog. ‘Nothing that way,’ he muttered as he rejoined the others.

‘What next then, Mr Rivers?’ asked Ravenscroft.

‘We will need to go deeper into the wood. Keep close to the path. Light the torches!’ replied Rivers, leading the way along the path that led into the upper reaches of the wood. ‘Look on the ground. There may be tracks.’

‘Let me go first, Mr Rivers,’ said Catherwood. ‘The dog may be of assistance to us.’

As the group moved into the wood, the last minutes of daylight faded. The men lit their way with three or four burning torches, and a full moon bore down on the white snowy landscape, aiding their progress. To Ravenscroft, as the minutes passed slowly by and became an hour, the futility of the search became more and more apparent. He knew that if Rupert Montacute had wandered away from the path, deeper into the wood, and had fallen, it would be almost impossible to find him, and that his body might not be
discovered until the snow melted. He also knew that they were duty bound to continue the search, to try and save the young man.

Suddenly Rivers brought the group to a halt. ‘Quiet! Everyone stay still!’ he instructed, holding the blazing torch up high before lowering it to the ground. ‘Look, there are some footmarks in the snow leading off that way. If my memory serves me correctly, there is an old hut in a clearing just over to the right. Whoever made these prints may have taken shelter there. Keep behind me.’

The group followed the gamekeeper, in single file, as he led them forward. Ravenscroft strained to see what lay ahead, hoping that at last their endeavours would be rewarded, that they had not arrived too late.

‘Over there!’ shouted Rivers. ‘There’s the hut!’

The men ran ahead. The hut lay in the centre of the clearing. Catherwood and his dog were first to arrive at the building. He pushed open the door.

‘Good God!’ he exclaimed.

Ravenscroft quickly entered the hut behind Catherwood. He could just make out the body of a man, covered in an old overcoat, lying stretched out in one corner of the timber-framed building. ‘Is it Montacute?’ he asked. ‘Bring the light nearer.’

Suddenly a loud groan was heard from beneath the coat.

‘My God, he’s alive!’ exclaimed one of Ravenscroft’s constables.

Catherwood drew back the coat.

‘Is it Master Rupert?’ asked one of the men.

‘I don’t think so, gentlemen,’ said Catherwood, standing back so that the rest of the group could see the man.

‘Then who the devil is it?’ asked Doctor Andrews, approaching the sleeping body.

‘I know who it is,’ said one of the farm labourers, coming forward. ‘That’s Leewood – the escaped criminal! I’d recognize him anywhere.’

‘Leewood! So this is where he has been hiding out,’ said Ravenscroft. ‘Is he injured, Doctor?’

Suddenly the man woke with a start and stared up wildly at the group of men who were looking down on him.

‘It’s all right, my man. We mean you no harm. Are you hurt in any way?’ asked Andrews, kneeling down at his side.

The dishevelled man suddenly leapt to his feet and began to run
towards the entrance of the hut.

‘Quickly men, secure him. Don’t let him get away!’ shouted Ravenscroft.

The criminal uttered a strong oath as three or four of the men grabbed him by the arms. ‘Bring him over here, men,’ instructed Ravenscroft. ‘Now then, Mr Leewood, we have been looking for you for a very long time.’

‘Who the devil are you?’ growled Leewood.

‘I am Inspector Ravenscroft of the Ledbury Constabulary, and you, sir, are Joshua Leewood, if I am not mistaken, recently absconded from Hereford gaol.’

‘Damn you!’

‘Watch your language, man!’ snapped Rivers.

‘How long have you been out here?’ asked Ravenscroft.

‘What’s it to you?’ replied the convict, attempting to break free from his captors.

‘Have a civil tongue in your head, Leewood. I’ll deal with you later. At present we have more pressing things to attend to. We are looking for a young man who is lost in this wood. Have you seen anyone in the wood in the last day or two?’ asked Ravenscroft.

‘Seen no one,’ muttered Leewood.

‘I don’t think you are telling us the truth, Leewood. It will go bad for you if you don’t tell us what we need to know and we find the gentleman lying dead in the wood tomorrow morning, knowing that we could have saved him if we had reached him tonight. Think carefully before you answer, Leewood. Have you seen anyone else in the wood during the last day or so?’ said a determined Ravenscroft, staring into the grizzled, unshaven face of the felon.

‘I might have caught sight of someone late yesterday afternoon,’ replied Leewood.

‘What did he look like?’

‘I don’t know, do I.’

‘I said, what did he look like?’ repeated Ravenscroft angrily.

‘Young gent, dressed in long brown coat and hat. That’s all I saw.’

‘Young master’s coat is brown,’ said Rivers.

‘Where did you see him?’ asked Ravenscroft.

‘I don’t know, do I.’

‘I don’t believe you. My patience is running out with you,
Leewood. Either you tell me now exactly where you saw the young gentleman or I’ll make sure you go down for another ten years,’ threatened Ravenscroft.

‘You can’t do that,’ protested Leewood.

‘I can do anything I like. I have the law on my side. I won’t ask you again, Leewood!’

‘I was out near Eastnor. In the other wood on the other side of the hills, near the obelisk, that’s where I saw him,’ replied Leewood sullenly.

‘What’s this obelisk?’ asked Ravenscroft, turning eagerly towards Rivers.

‘It’s a tall monument built by the Somers family of Eastnor Castle in commemoration of one of their soldier ancestors,’ replied the gamekeeper.

‘How far is it from here?’

‘About three miles or so. We will need to drop down to the road near the village before we can go up again through the woods up towards the main hills,’ said Rivers.

‘You better be telling us the truth, Leewood, or it will be the worse for you. Constables, put the cuffs on him, take one of the torches and escort him back to the station, as quickly as you can. Lock him up in the cells for the rest of the night. I’ll deal with him in the morning. Then bring some transport and wait for us in the village of Eastnor.’

Ravenscroft watched as the constables led Leewood away.

‘It’s a wonder he survived for so long out here in these conditions,’ said Andrews, using his boot to turn over some of the debris which lay on the floor of the hut.

‘There are the remains of a stale loaf and a piece of cheese. I would say that either someone has been feeding him out here or he has stolen these items from somewhere in Ledbury or Eastnor,’ said Ravenscroft. ‘Anyway, gentlemen, our task is not yet completed. Will you be so good, Mr Rivers, to lead the way down to the village?’