Page 71 of The Shadow Key

‘Shot at,’ he echoes.

‘Yes.’

‘Heavens, I am sorry. That is most troubling news indeed.’

Henry pauses. Can he trust him? But he must say something – it does no good at all to sit and do nothing.

‘Indeed,’ Henry says carefully now, ‘most troubling. But not so much as what I have to tell you next.’

The vicar raises his eyebrows.

‘Some days ago I discovered a vial in the wreckage of the gatehouse. It has within it the remains of deadly nightshade.’

‘Deadly nightshade?’

‘A very toxic poison.’

Mr Dee lowers his tea. The man’s pallor has paled to milk-water.

‘Dr Talbot. Are you intimating what I think you are?’

‘I am. Wynn Evans was poisoned.’

The vicar sits heavily back in his seat, the look of astonishment on his face unmistakable. He opens his mouth then closes it again, grasps his mug tight between his hands. Then, finally, he shakes his head.

‘Are you quite sure of this?’

‘The vial was found in the gatehouse—’

‘Which you said had been destroyed.’

‘Yes.’

‘Perhaps the vial belonged to Wynn?’

Henry hesitates. ‘It is possible, I admit. But it is not a typical apothecary bottle.’ He describes it. Mr Dee frowns. ‘Besides, why would Dr Evans possess a tincture of pure deadly nightshade? If we consider that, and the look of contortion on his face—’

‘I’m sorry?’

The reverend appears confused. It is clear he does not know. Gently Henry explains what Mrs Evans told him, Rowena Carew’s description of the poison’s terrible effects.

Mr Dee stares hard into his mug until a watery sheen appears in his eyes. With a shaking hand he pinches his fingertips to their corners. It is some moments before he lowers them again, and when he looks at Henry once more his cheeks are flushed.

‘Who do you suppose could do such a thing?’

Outside, the sounds of chopping wood wend themselves down across the fields from the mine. The sun peeks briefly from behind the billowing clouds before disappearing again, dipping the cottage into shade.

‘I have some concerns about Dr Beddoe.’

The reverend sits back again into his seat.

‘Why should Elis Beddoe harm Wynn?’

‘I was hoping you might be able to shed some light on the matter. Did they get along? Did Wynn say anything to you?’

Mr Dee shakes his head. ‘It is true they disapproved of each other’s methods. Wynn felt Dr Beddoe’s bedside manner was distinctly lacking, and did not like his caustic attitude to Lady Tresilian’s, ah, ailment. He often scolded Wynn on his sympathy towards the villagers and mocked his tolerance of Rowena’s herbs.’ The vicar spreads his hands. ‘But it was merely professional disagreements, nothing more than that. If it had been he would have surely told me, and the only person who knew him better than myself was Enaid. Have you asked her?’

‘Linette did,’ Henry replies. ‘And her answer apparently was much the same as yours.’

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