Charles Todd - Watchers of Time

Table of Contents

For Elayne K. McCullough
For whom traveling the world was a joyous adventure
And whose friendship was a treasured gift.
And for Bill and her family, who brought her so much
happiness.
Bon voyage...

Praise for the novels ofCharles Todd

WATCHERS OF TIME

A COMPELLING MYSTERY RICH WITH DEPTH AND SHADING.

TheWashington Post Book World

A SPOT-ON RECREATION OF THE 1919 PERIOD, SOME WILY USE OF THE TITANIC TRAGEDY AND VILLAGERS XENOPHOBIA, AND THE MOST PERSISTENT PLAGUING BY A GHOST SINCE MACBETH. TODD FANS WILL QUEUE UP FOR THIS ONE.

Kirkus Reviews

COMPELLING... PSYCHOLOGICALLY ASTUTE.

Publishers Weekly

POIGNANTLY MOVING AND SUSPENSEFUL... THIS IS A SERIES THAT ONLY GROWS STRONGER AS IT GOES ALONG.

Romantic Times

LEGACY OF THE DEAD

ELOQUENT... RICH.

The New York Times Book Review

TIGHTLY WORKED, POIGNANT... A MOST MOVING STORY.

Booknews from The Poisoned Pen

A RICH, COMPLEX NOVEL INTELLIGENTLY WRITTEN AND VERY AFFECTING.

The Purloined Letter

IMMENSELY INTRIGUING... A FINE, UNIQUE, AND MOVING MYSTERY.

Booklist

POWERFUL.

Kirkus Reviews

SUPERB... CLAIM[S] OUR INTEREST AND HOLD[S] US FAST UNTIL THE LAST CHILLING PAGE.

RomanticTimes

READERS WILL CONTINUE TO BE CAPTIVATED BY TODDS PORTRAIT OF THE DANGEROUSLY UNRAVELING DETECTIVE, AND HIS EQUALLY INCISIVE EVOCATION OF THE GRIEVING POSTWAR WORLD.

PublishersWeekly

MUCH MORE THAN YOUR AVERAGE ENGLISH COUNTRY HOUSE MYSTERY.

MysteryLovers Bookshop News

A TEST OF WILLS

A New York Times Notable Book of the Year

TODD GIVES US A SUPERB CHARACTERIZATION OF A MAN WHOSE WOUNDS HAVE MADE HIM INTO A STRANGER IN HIS OWN LAND, AND A DISTURBING PORTRAIT OF A COUNTRY INTOLERANT OF ALL STRANGERS.

TheNew York Times Book Review

TODD DEPICTS THE OUTER AND INNER WORLDS OF HIS CHARACTERS WITH AUTHORITY AND SYMPATHY AS HE CLOSES IN ON HIS SURPRISING AND CONVINCINGCONCLUSION.

PublishersWeekly (starred review)

THE EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL CARNAGE IN WORLD WAR I IS USED TO REMARKABLE EFFECT.

Chicago Tribune

SEARCH THE DARK

TODD WORKS... VOLATILE ELEMENTS INTO A REMARKABLE VILLAGE MYSTERY... DRIVEN BY CHARACTERS OF GREAT PSYCHOLOGICAL COMPLEXITY.

The New York Times Book Review

TODDS IAN RUTLEDGE MYSTERIES ARE AMONG THE MOST INTELLIGENT AND AFFECTING BEING WRITTEN THESE DAYS.

TheWashington Post Book World

WINGS OF FIRE

[TODD WRAPS] HIS CHALLENGING PLOT, COMPLEX CHARACTERS, AND SUBTLE PSYCHOLOGICAL INSIGHTS IN THICK LAYERS OF ATMOSPHERE.

The New York Times Book Review

A STRONG MYSTERY, FILLED WITH FINE CHARACTERIZATIONS [AND] A SUPERB EYE FOR CORNWALL... WISE AND WILY.

TheBoston Globe

CHAPTER 1

SEPTEMBER 1919

Osterley

DR. STEPHENSON TURNED AWAY FROM THE bed where the dying man lay breathing so lightly the blanket over his thin chest barely stirred. His bony, restless fingers plucking at the edge of the wool were the only signs of life and awareness. Twice the young woman sitting on the bed beside him had tried to still them, covering them with her own, but her fathers hand picked up the silent tattoo again, like a drummer remembering his place, as soon as she released it. He had already frayed an inch of the binding. She gave up and sat back, sighing.

His face was grooved by illness, and a stubble of beard emphasized the lines, like a rough landscape of suffering below the sun-weathered skin of forehead and nose. Shaggy gray eyebrows hung heavily over the sunken lids. Age weighed him down, but there was a certain strength there as well, as if life had made him fight for all he had, and he had not forgotten the battles.

Catching the eyes of the mans sons, who were standing on the far side of the bed, faces in shadows cast by the scarf draped over the lamps shade, the doctor nodded toward the window across the room, out of earshot of the patient. The young woman looked up as they moved away, but stayed where she was. She didnt want to hear what was being whispered.

Another gust of wind swept the front of the house, and rain was driven heavily against the panes, rattling them. The storm had stalled, as they sometimes did here along the coast, reluctant to move inland and lose itself in the hilly terrain there. For three hours or more it had hovered over the village, flailing everyone and everything out in the open.

The older of the two brothers bent his head to catch the words as Stephenson said softly, Hes moving comfortably and peacefully toward the end. Theres nothing more I can do. But he might wish to have Mr. Sims here? And I should think your sister would be comforted as well.

Mr. Sims was the Vicar.

The younger brother answered, Yes. Ill go for him, then. He went quietly across the room to the door. The scarf that shaded the lamp by the bed riffled as he passed, and the light flashed once across his face. There were wet trails of tears on his cheeks.

His sister reached out and briefly took his rough hand.

The other brother sighed. Hes had a long life, Pa has. But not that long. Sixty-four. Wed thought hed be with us another five, ten years. His own father lived to just past eighty. And Uncle Tads young for seventy-six. He shook his head.

Your uncle Thadeus has the constitution of an ox, Stephenson agreed. He may well outlive your grandfathers years. But your fathers heart has given out, and his body must follow. He studied the grieving mans face, noting the deep lines of worry and sleeplessness. Hetty Baldwin, his housekeepers daughter, was getting a good man in Martin Baker, the doctor told himself. Much like Herbert in characterGod-fearing, with strong ties to his family and a fierce sense of duty. It was a sound match. Everything happens in Gods own time, you know. Even this. And its a kindness that he wont linger. He spoke the words as comfort, then nodded toward the bed. See if you can persuade Elly to rest a little. Shes hardly stirred from his side since yesterday morning. Well call her if theres anyurgency. She will only wear herself into collapse, driving herself like this.

Ive tried, to no avail. Martin turned toward the window, lifting the curtain and pulling aside the shade a little to look out. Rain ran down the glass in rivulets, pushed against the house by the wind. A filthy night, he thought. A fitting night for death to come.... He dropped the shade back in place and said to Dr. Stephenson, Theres naught to be done to make it easier on her?

Ill leave something. A sleeping draught. Give it to Elly in a glass of water, when your father is gone. And, Martinsee that Dick doesnt insist on being one of the pallbearers. That shoulder of his is not fully healed, and the socket will never be as strong as it was. Hes not out of the woods yet. He could still lose the arm if hes not careful. The army surgeons cant work miracles without a little help!

Ill remember.

Good man! A clap on Martins shoulder for comfort, and then Stephenson walked back to the bed. He reached down and touched Ellys hands, folded tightly in her lap. They were cold, shaking. Your father is comfortable. He would want you to be the same. Let Martin fetch you a shawl, at least.