Michael Dun - 30. Chapter 30

Michael collected the post at the Johannesburg Post Office every day but there was no reply forwarded by "Father". There was a time when he wanted to tell Danie that he was a British spy, but he could not bring himself to do it. And in a way he was relieved that Peter was dead, for it seemed he had died with the knowledge intact, even though he had come so close to revealing all. The only other person who might know would be the killer. But he had no idea of knowing the real truth. It had been several weeks since he had posted those letters. He was frustrated at not receiving a prompt reply from Cecelia or Lord Granville, Gordon was gone and they were two hands short now. He needed extra help on Charlie Mine so named in honour of Charlie, in spite of which he was surprised to find Danie interviewing a young man with black hair and large dark eyes.

Michael approached them at the dolly and extended a hand.

The man turned to him and introduced himself, "I am Gregory Pienaar. I wish to offer my services in lieu of a place to stay..."

Gordon's room was vacant. They needed an extra hand and the man was shaven and alert. He had come from nowhere, but then, they all did.

Michael hired him.

Alone in his room, he wondered if he had done the right thing. The man was not a talker and Charlie Mine needed ideas to flow. He climbed onto his bed, beside which stood a bedside cupboard with a candle and a bible. He lay his head back and thought of the future without Charlie. The night air was cool with a strong storm moving overhead. The days were growing shorter and May would turn summer into a dry, brittle winter. Thunderclouds boiled and grumbled above and the wind rustled at the door. Suddenly the door blasted open and a dark silhouette of a man came in with the fallen leaves. Michael sat up with a start and his voice stuck in his throat as the figure moved towards the bed.

"It is me, Danie. I could not sleep.I have a feeling something is not quite right, Michael. I am afraid."

Michael lay his head against Danie's chest and held him close. "I want you to feel safe. I know I can trust you, despite which I am also scared."

"We simply do not know when he is going to turn up." Danie said, "That is the most frustrating thing."

"Perhaps you should leave...for the sake of your own safety, Danie."

"You saved me once, remember. I am obligated. Do not ever ask that of me again, understood?"

Michael held him tighter.

*

Cecelia, the most trustful, condescending and loving woman, had changed sides not because she had been forced to by Madelyn, the ungrateful and despicable; on the contrary she had been one of the progenitors of the plan with Madelyn from the beginning. The two had been friends even before Madelyn married Sir Robert. Cecelia introduced them, and, within a few short months a romance had developed and they got married. The marriage served as a congenial benefit to all three parties. Madelyn and Cecelia were under the same roof, and Sir Robert at last had a wife. It would seem strange that these women who slept with each other were so averse to Michael, or men who slept with men. But it all came down to the money, and to get the money, Sir Robert's wealth, they resorted to premeditated murder. Dr. Lewis had long ago mentioned the missing phial of arsenic. He had no idea where he had placed it. It was really silly of him to ask, but had anyone suddenly died from an overdose of arsenic recently?

Kurt the chef from Germany mumbled and sang in his kitchen. His assistant, Randolph, was a half wit who had nothing much to do all day but peel, dice and slice vegetable and meat, then wash the dishes after every meal. He also mumbled, but did not sing. He loved to whistle. So the two made music and joked about in the kitchen, the happiest place in the house. Cecelia interrupted them and the kitchen suddenly became silent. She wanted to know what was on the menu and lifted the pots to see. Rice, mashed butternut, a pot of peas, two slivers of red meat for Sir Robert, and chicken for Lady Gwendolyn and the staff. Gwendolyn did not eat red meat. The ringer made a loud gangling sound and Kurt lifted his eyes. He rushed off angrily, babbling to himself how unfair it was that Madelyn always called him for the menu in the middle of cooking. Randolph joked that Kurt was always smiling when he came back, then excused himself and disappeared into the pantry. Cecelia acted quickly. She lifted the lid of the phial and threw a major dose of death onto the meat, then retreated hastily.

After supper, Sir Robert retired to his study for a nightcap, a little reading and another nightcap before retiring. He poured a stiff whiskey from a crystal glass container and brought it to his lips. His eyes widened, a train of pain engulfed and burned the inside of his chest and he dropped the glass. He fell in agony, clutching his chest with both hands. Mrs. Elizabeth found him in the morning, crumpled in a fetal position on the floor. She held her head over her ears and screamed at the top of her voice.

Dr. Lewis proclaimed him dead from a heart attack and proceeded to write out the death certificate, but was interrupted by an urgent voice behind them.

Lord Granville waltzed in and started giving directions at once. "Thank you Doctor, that will be all..."

The doctor tore the death certificate up into little pieces and placed them in his trouser pocket.

Lord Granville turned to Lady Gwendolyn and said he had come to visit Sir Robert on important business. However, it would be in Madelyn's best interests to accompany him to the British Colonial Office.

Madelyn shouted at Cecelia, "Well, what do we do now? You got us into this mess, what now?" She glared at Cecelia then stepped forward and slapped her. "She's the one. She's the killer. She is so jealous of Michael and his father and all she wants is the money. The only way she can have the money is if she has me. What now, genius?"

Lord Granville spoke, "Please, Mrs. Dun, I must ask you to accompany me to my office. I assure you we shall treat you with respect."

"Take her! She's the one."

"Take her away. And Cecelia."