Free The Death of Lucy Kyte by Nicola Upson Page B

defence – they had to in those days – but I gather the legal stuff on the other side was quite clever. They weren’t sure how he’d killed her, so they charged him with every method they could think of just to make sure.’
    â€˜I’m not sure if that sounds clever or incompetent.’
    â€˜No, you’ve got a point. Still, he swung for it. I doubt Bury’s ever seen anything like it. Thousands of people turned up, from all over the country. They sold the rope for a guinea an inch, apparently. His scalp’s still on display in Moyse’s Hall. You must go while you’re here.’
    Josephine remembered the name of the museum from Hester’s will. ‘Yes, I’ll do that. There are some things of Hester’s there that I’d like to see as well.’ She smiled and pointed to the study, where piles of scrapbooks and theatre programmes could be seen through the open door. ‘Not that I’m short of Hester’s memorabilia here. I’ve barely scratched the surface.’
    â€˜Do you need a hand? I’m sure it’s fascinating stuff.’
    A vision passed through Josephine’s mind of Hilary and a band of Stephen’s loyal parishioners descending on the cottage to get things organised, and she said hurriedly: ‘Thank you, but it’s fine. There’s no urgency and I’m actually quite enjoying myself.’ She looked out of the window and changed the subject: ‘Where was the Red Barn?’
    â€˜Oh, about a hundred yards from here,’ Hilary said. She waved her hand in an indeterminate direction that left Josephine none the wiser.
    â€˜And did you say Corder’s mother was still alive at the time?’
    â€˜Yes, although I imagine she wished she weren’t. She didn’t stay in the village for very long afterwards. You wouldn’t, would you? Just came back to be buried.’ She dabbed at the crumbs on her plate absentmindedly. ‘Have you been to the church yet?’
    â€˜I’m afraid I’m not really a churchgoer.’
    â€˜Oh, don’t apologise for that. Quite frankly, the chapel’s knocking us into a cocked hat at the moment. It’s such a shame for Stephen – he writes lovely sermons, and they take him days. No, I just wondered if you’d seen the graveyard. The Corders are there, lined up in a row, and it’s really quite impressive. I hate to say it, but there’s often a bigger crowd outside than in.’
    â€˜Is Maria there, too?’
    â€˜Some of her.’
    â€˜I’m sorry?’
    â€˜I tell you, Josephine, that girl’s been in and out of the ground more often than a farmer’s shovel. They dug her up from the barn and hauled her into the Cock for the inquest, then it’s up to the church as quick as you like, only to find they don’t know enough about how she died, so up she comes again. They were even passing her skull round in court during the trial. Is it any wonder the press had a field day?’ She was quiet for a moment, then spoke more seriously. ‘It’s her son I feel sorry for. I know he was only two when Maria was killed, but she was a good mother, by all accounts – husband or no husband. Kids take things in, don’t they? He must have missed her.’
    â€˜What happened to him?’
    Hilary shrugged. ‘Who knows? That’s one of the frustrating things about the story – no one bothers with the minor casualties. But yes, his mother’s in the churchyard. Stephen can show you where her grave is. There’s no stone left now – it was all chipped away by souvenir hunters. I can understand people taking bits of the barn and selling them, but I’d like to think a gravestone was off limits. No wonder your godmother wouldn’t be seen dead there.’
    It was said without any obvious irony, and Josephine stifled a smile. ‘What happened to the woman Corder