A Great Deliverance

With organ music “blasting” (153) from Rose Cottage, Lynley watches Ezra Farmington break off a bridge argument with Nigel Parrish and stalk away. Lynley sends Havers back to the lodge and steps into Parrish’s cottage. Parrish rewinds the tape, lights a cigarette with shaking hands, and accuses Ezra of trespassing across other people’s land while searching for landscapes to paint. He claims he was alone at his organ the night of the murder and says he drinks at the Dove and Whistle rather than the Holy Grail. He dismisses “holier-than-thous” (156) such as William Teys while describing his own past as a York prep-school music teacher who moved to Keldale seven years ago. As Lynley leaves, he hears a glass shatter behind him.

Lynley and Havers go to the upscale Keldale Hall for dinner. There, Mrs. Burton-Thomas greets them and points out two couples: one American, the other, newlyweds. The newlyweds prove to be Deborah and St. James. Deborah greets Lynley, and the American guest, Hank Watson, asks Lynley about his “gig” (163). Havers answers that they are on a decapitation case, but Lynley changes the subject. After a short dinner, the detectives leave.

Later at the hall, Deborah confesses that she feels guilty about hurting Lynley by marrying Simon.