Free The Unbelievers by Alastair Sim Page B

speaking on criminal psychology. I was looking forward to hearing about it.”
    â€œI didn’t go.”
    â€œThat’s a shame.”
    â€œI know. He’s done some brilliant work. He’s bringing together social influences, observed behaviours and phrenological analysis to create a typology of crime. If he’s right, we’ll be able to diagnose the criminal character in early youth and treat – even remedy it – accordingly.”
    â€œPhrenology?” Antonia giggled behind her hand.
    â€œI know, practically everyone thought it was bunkum when I was at medical school.”
    â€œMaybe they changed their minds later? I mean, after you’d had to leave.”
    â€œIt’s more recent than that. There’s been a lot of work to systematise it and relate it to what happens to patients when particular parts of their brains are destroyed by injury or disease. Bain’s even persuaded John Stuart Mill that the science is sound.”
    â€œA persuasive gentleman then. Something important must have happened to tear you away from hearing him.”
    â€œThat’s what I wanted to ask you about, Antonia. I was just getting ready to go when I was called to the Chief Constable’s house and told to look for a disappearing Duke. His wife is worried that he’s been away from home for a few days, and the Chief thinks it’s a matter of importance to the State that we find him.”
    â€œNot quite your usual calibre of business, Archie. One man temporarily missing, no-one injured.”
    â€œI know. Frankly, I resent being used as a private detective for the aristocracy. But the fact is he’s still missing. I’ve tried to track him down in the disreputable haunts he’s known to have frequented, but no-one’s seen him. I don’t think he wants to be found.”
    â€œAnd so you thought you’d ask me? In case he’d visited this ‘disreputable haunt’?” Antonia pulled her gown more tightly around her.
    â€œI have to ask you, Antonia. It’s important.”
    Antonia looked straight at him, her lips thin and her delicate hands clenched in her lap.
    â€œIt hurts me, Archibald. It hurts me because it exposes the inequality in our friendship. You’re a policeman, I’m a whore. You could have me closed down or arrested if you chose. I want to be your friend, Archie, not your informer.”
    â€œI’m sorry I asked.”
    â€œBut you’ll be in bad trouble if you don’t find this Duke?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œAll right then. I’ll help if I can. Who is it?”
    â€œWilliam Bothwell-Scott. The Duke of Dornoch.”
    Antonia breathed in sharply. She was holding her hands together, thought Allerdyce, as if she was trying to stop them from shaking. She stood up and went over to the window, the light bleaching the goldenness of her complexion. Allerdyce stood and went over to her.
    â€œAre you all right, Antonia?”
    She turned and smiled thinly at him.
    â€œYes, Archie, quite all right.”
    â€œI thought you shuddered.”
    â€œSometimes I wish you were a less acute student of human nature, Archibald. I confess that that name caused me a moment of pain.”
    â€œMay I ask why?”
    â€œIt is a pain which I buried long ago and which I have no wish to resurrect. But in answer to your immediate question, I have no knowledge of the gentleman’s recent whereabouts.”
    â€œI’m sorry to have upset you.”
    She touched him gently on the arm.
    â€œYou were only doing your duty, Archie. But please, leave me to compose myself before my next visitor arrives. And Archie, next time you come please come as my friend and not as a policeman.”

Chapter 8
    Allerdyce and McGillivray shared a second-class compartment on the Edinburgh to Queensferry train. The Inspector opened the window a few inches to let his pipe smoke out and to breathe in the fresh air, but as