Chapter 24: The End Of The Trail

1971: Cyrill Connolly had written in his notes -- "The end of the trail." It was notes of his interview in 1971 with Juanita Carberry, June's stepdaughter, who was 15 years old at the time of the murder, and very, very close to Broughton, one of the few people who actually listened to Juanita.

"It wasn't quite the end of the trail, as it turned out. But he had come remarkably close to it, and it was only Juanita's evidence that had kept him [Cyril Connollly] a few steps away." -- James Fox, page 279 or a 299-page book.

Amazingly, Juanita reached out to Connolly for the interview.

The murder took place in 1941. In 1971, thirty years later. Juanita had been 15 years old; she would have been 45 years old in 1971when she met Connolly.

She was exactly the same age as our own granddaughter Arianna in 2021 when I am writing this. It is interesting to imagine "an Arianna" at this age watching the trial of her life, back in 1941. It will help me understand the credibility of Juanita, a 45-year-old remember details of something that happened thirty years earlier, of which she would know only some of the details.

Connolly's notes of his visit with Juanita Carberry:

JC late. Small, close cropped, medium colouring, nice quiet voice. Works as a steward on tankers. Knows many languages, fluent Swahili etc. Lunched at Le Français, drinks milk, orders in French. Impressions: great integrity, sensibility, observation etc.

Then Fox begins his narrative.



Skipping through ten pages ....

... page, 288, just a short paragraph from the end of the book ... and then the last paragraph:

"He [Broughton] never denied his guilt to Diana. He simply told Juanita at a moment of severe emotional stress that it was he who had shot Erroll and she mustn't be frightened.

"The story of Broughton's last days in Africa is indeed a tragic one. Perhaps in the end Africa was to blame. Once Kenya had given Broughton some of his happiest days. In the future it was to provide Diana with her fullest days. She had been accepted. He had paid it one visit too many."

That ends the book.

What we don't know is how he could have possibly done it.

The safari he went on shortly before the trail began shows that he was athletically / physically capable of getting out of the house, grabbing a car, driving quickly to catch Erroll, cut him off, get out and shoot him, and then drive quickly back to home in Karen, during that missing hour.

The problem: how could he do it without anyone knowing or hearing him leave?

Chapter 23: Lady Delamere

Diana, Lady Delamere.

James Fox, the author first met, Diana, Lady Delamere, at her London apartment, late May, 1981.

Great introduction how the author was able to find her and then meet her. Wow.

He rang the bell, to room 83, "There came to the door, that afternoon, one of the most striking women I have ever seen, wearing an immaculately cut Eton-blue peignoir with blue ribbon bindings along the edges, and with long gold chains strung from her neck. She was younger-looking than I expected, her face longer and leaner than it had been, the ice-blue eyes as penetrating as ever. Any trace of travel fatigue had disappeared ..."

In the drawing room of the rented suite, Diana's daughter, Snoo, was sitting in the armchair. Several photographs of Tom Delamere were already in place in the bookshelves [she had just arrived in London from Nairobi that day].

James Fox and Diana agreed to meet alone one week later.

That meeting took place, p. 267.

"I'm going to dirty Ascot." "Dirty" meant "not formal attire.

She did not say a thing about events in 1941 then and never did.

"I didn't do it, if that's what you think." -- wow. Amazing, she said that.

Diana said, "I think Jock probably did do it. He was slightly mad at the time. I went down to South African to get Morris to defend him and he told me that from Jock's reactions he thought he had the first signs of a serious brain disorder. Jock never admitted to me that he had done it, but he never denied it either."

Several pages of her feelings about Broughton after the murder.

Then she has very, very fine words for Colvile, page 272.

Diana left Colvile for Tom Delamere.

Diana and Tom built a special suite at Soysambu, so that Colvile could liver there when he wanted their company. She was Little White Bear, Tom the Little Brown Bear, and Colvile was Pooh Bear or "Pooey."

She buried Tom Delamere in the little walled cemetery she built on Colvile's farm at Ndabibi (the Masai word for "place of clover"), alongside Colvile and her only child, who had lived for ten days. She has had fig trees planted and water piped tothe cemetery for theflowers, and a dog buried at the foot of each grave. She has reserved her own space between the graves and has written all the inscriptions: for the child, "So short a life"; for Colvile, "If you want a memorial, look around you," and for Delamere, "So great a man."

Four months later, in September of that year, soon before her return to Nairobi, they met again (Fox and Diana).

Diana told James Fox a couple of "illuminating points."

First, she made two denials:
Broughton and June did not come to the Claremont Road House later on the night of the murder; and,
Broughton's attempted blackmail of her had nothing to do with the jewels, although she would not say what the subject of the blackmail was.

I asked her about her trip to Nyeri, immediately after the murder. I [James Fox] said he was surprised that she had been out of the house when Broughton arrived from Nairobi. She couldn't remember why she and June were out, but she remembered the police arriving the previous night. She was distraught, and in bed, but she came down to meet them. "They asked me, "what do you think happened?" and I answered automatically, "He was a very fast driver and I think he must have crashed and been killed."

Diana thought Broughton caught up with Erroll at the end of the driveway, asked to go with him..... this is very close to the "truth."

Then this from Diana: "Jack Soames. It was very funny really that I shot better than Jock. He wasn't a good shot but it's not difficult if you're sitting in the seat beside someone."

Wow.

The pearls, the jewel box. Page 276.

She agreed that she and June had joined forces to defend Broughton ...

James Fox said Broughton was guilty, and his performance in the witness box was remarkable. Diana agreed: "He was very proud of his performance, she said, and then she told me that the remark to Harragin as he walked out of the courtroom had been simply, 'I'm a good actor.'" Morris, she said, had thought Broughton guilty.

Diana felt Broughton became unbalanced after the trial. He may have killed one of Erroll's Dachsunds after the trial...the final break with Broughton began when Colvile came across an unposted letter that Broughton had written to Vera, saying that he wanted to come back to her, but couldn't remarry her 'for tax reason,' Colvile had copied it, mailed the original to Vera, and kept a copy.

The last time she saw Broughton was in a lawyer's office in Nairobi, and it was then that she accused him of murder.

She says the rumor that she and Joss had a fight on the night of the murder was far from the truth. She regrets never having had a fight with Joss during their relationship. She felt a fight with one's love of one's life is critical.

Small talk and that was the end of the interview.

Chapter 22: Abdullah And The Afghan Princess

Wow, wow, wow: James Fox wrote a key line, top of page 256 --
"Of one fact there could be no doubt, at least -- that if the murderer were Broughton or anyone else in the house, he or she took a lift with Erroll on the outward journey."

"What I saw put a great emphasis on Broughton's ability to cover that distance at the speed required to meet June Carberry's alibi. (Diana was overheard to say at the trail by Harfriagn's secretary, "He's not nearly such an old crock as he's making out.")"

James Fox takes a flight in small private plane, pilot David Allen, married to Petal, daughter of Sir Derek Erskine.

Then this: James Fox learned this fact, p. 257 --
A neighbor of Broughton's had a horse called Pantaloon.

Although Broughton had his own stable of horses, Pantaloon was a particularly fine-looking animal, always flattering to the rider, and on the morning before the murder Broughton, who had often told Erskine that he would like to buy the horse, asked to borrow the horse until the following Sunday. That day Broughton was alone in Nairobi, waiting for the result of the inquest. Diana and June Carberry had gone to Nyeri. Erskine described the Sunday afternoon when Broughton returned the horse, around 4:00 p.m. He (Broughton? Erskine?) was one of the few people who knew the real cause of Erroll's death.

Then this, from old man Erskine, on tape:
Jock Broughton rode up to our stables looking extremely weary on a very tired and weary looking Pantaloon. I was very shocked to see this. Jock more or less tumbled off Pantaloon and staggered into our house. We asked him if he would like a cup of tea and he said, "No, I've been for a very long ride which started at half-past nine this morning. I've had nothing to eat and I would like some gin" My wife brought him a bottle of gin and a tumbler and he drank off a tumbler just as if it had been water.

Then he said to Erskine: "Have you heard anything about Joss?"

Erskine: "Well, nothing except that he is dead."

"But what on earth happened?" said Jock. "Could it have been a heart attack?"

Erskine: "... yes, it could have been a heart attack..."

Jock: "... but what would have caused a heart attack ..."

Erskine: "That is quite easy to answer. It was caused by a bullet through the back of his neck."

Erskine: I watched Jock very carefully as I used those words, and from that moment on there were no doubts in my mind as to who had murdered Joss Erroll.

What makes this so remarkable:

The day before, before the murder had been announced, Broughton said to Kenneth Coates, a junior police officer: "I am public suspect number one now." Again, no one supposedly knew that a murder had been committed. But Jock said he was a prime suspect in Joss' death.

Two years later, two years after the murder, Arthur Orchardson, found a rusty gun in murram pit. Orchardson and old man Erskine agreed to bury the gun where it could never be found again.  -- page 258.

Stop here for now, page 260.

Chapter 21: White Royalty

Chapter 20: Blackmail

Chapter 19: A Good Racing Man

Chapter 18: Pearls And Oysters

Chapter 17: Palaces And Appearances

Chapter 16: The Greatest Pouncer Of All Time

Chapter 15: Letters From The Wanhoji

Chapter 14: Miss Wilks And The Missing Hour

This will be one of the most fascinating chapters.

It begins:
Very close to the final copy deadline for our article, almost too late to be of any use, along telex arrived from Humphrey Tyler in Durban reporting an interview with Dorothy Wilks. He had found her, living with her widowed sister on the sixth floor of another block of flats along the Durban sea-front, and he had talked to her for an hour.
It was a fascinating document.

But there were gaps; questions that needed to be asked. Fox did not have time to question Wilks before their article went for publication.

Ten years later, Fox resumed the search.

He begins with an edited version of Tyler's account in that telex.

The night of the murder, Miss Wilks was alone which was often the case. The dogs were locked in their kennels.

1:00 a.m.: Miss Wilks was surprised by a knock -- June Carberry's driver. June was returning to the Broughton house after the party. The driver brought in a suitcase of clothes and Miss Wilks led the driver to the bedroom where June would stay.

2:00 a.m.: Sir Delves (this would be Broughton) returned with June, Mrs Carberry. They both went upstairs, followed by Miss Wilks. A long corridor at the top of the steps. June went one way; Broughton went the other way.

Wilks says that "was the last anybody saw of Broughton that night." [Earlier we were told Broughton stopped by June's room twice, between the hour of 2:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m. or thereabouts.]

June complained of a fever; Miss Wilks fetched her some quinine tablets and some whisky, then sat and talked to Mrs Canberry "for a while."

Sometime later, perhaps an hour, another car arrived and there was a knock at the door.  Diana and Erroll.

There was an opportunity at that moment to fetch biscuits in Broughton's room for Diana who was dreadfully hungry, but Diana said no. Had Miss Wilks gone to Broughton's room we would have known if Broughton was in his room or not.

Diana and Miss Wilks to up to June's room. Diana spent a few minutes with June; then went back downstairs. Miss Wilks stayed with June. She did not hear Erroll's car driving away.

About a half-hour later, Dianna came back up to June Carberry's room. Miss Wilks had already retired. Miss Wilks said she heard June and Diana "talking excitedly." Then nothing. She assumed Diana went to her room. She heard nothing else.

Miss Wilks still swears she doesn't know for certain who committed the murder, although at the end of the interview, she sighed that it certainly looked like Broughton had done it. By now Broughton was dead; had committed suicide three years after the murder.

Miss Wilks said she did not lie and would never lie. but she said that June did lie to protect Broughton and that she perjured herself in court, "and I don't blame her."

That was Humphrey Tyler's account.

Now, back to James Fox and his account.

"There is no question of Wilks lying to protect her former employee [Broughton] so many years later, at least it may be accepted that Erroll and Diana did appear at the door, and that Erroll was not killed on his way to the house at Karen.

Wilks makes some interesting points:
Broughton was not sleeping well;
she disagrees with June's timeline;
Wilks' information backs up the possibility of June inventing all the times that night, in the knowledge, perhaps, that Wilks would never be able to refute her story
Wilks ultimately gives June an alibi; Broughton no alibi, and Diana a loose alibi, by introuing the "half hour" she spent downstairs.

Next paragraph important, p. 185.

Wilks clearly states that Broughton did not visit June's room twice that morning between 2:00 and 3:00 a.m. Wilks clearly states that June perjured herself, though Fox leaves some ambiguity in his writing.

But this was key for me: apparently only June said that Broughton visited her twice that morning to prove he was still in the house; if that was not true, then it's very likely there was a conspiracy -- but that's interesting because June was Diana's closest friend and supported her decision to leave Broughton.

Author James Fox brings up so many what ifs, he certainly raises more questions.

I am truly conflicted.

It still seems Broughton was the murderer; whether he confided to anyone beforehand is hard ot say.

After the fact, it certainly seems people were protecting Broughton and maybe others.

I really don't know.

Chapter 13: Bullets In The Garden

Chapter 12: The Mayor Of Nairobi

The chapter begins:

Of all the members of the Muthaiga group exposed by the trial, Gwladys Delamere seems to have been the most disliked by the colonial official class for her high-handed manner. They were particularly incensed by the fact that she had clearly lied in court and had produced blatantly biased evidence against Broughton which, given her unpopularity, had had the effect of swaying the jury in his favour. Harwich described her to us [Connolly and Fox] to us as 'a formidable old dragon who bossed them all about.' Others, including, it seems, the whole English community in Zanzibar, even believed Gwladys to be the murderess.

Chapter 11: Acumen And Intuition

Chapter 10: The Voice On The Escarpment

Chapter 9: The Angel Of Death

It begins with Diana and Broughton preparing for the trial and the defense.

The trial.

Acquitted.

Last page: "One could almost feel the Angel of Death, who had been hovering overme, flying out of that court disgruntled."

This ends Part One: The Murder.

Chapter 10 will be the first chapter in Part Two: The Quest.

Chapter 8: One Visit Too Many

The biography of Superintendent Poppy.

The story of Cyril Connolly and James Fox first meeting Poppy in 1969, twenty-eight years after the murder.

Chapter 7: The Body In The Buick

Around 3:00 a.m., January 24, 1941, two African dairy workers discovered the wreck  death:

• Erroll's Buick
• main Nairobi-Ngong road
• car plunged into ditch facing wrong way; headlights still on
• body of a European in army uniform, crouched on all fours under the dashboard, hands clasped in front of the head

7:00 a.m.

• Alfred, the room boy, brought Broughton his morning tea
• Broughton was already awake, but not dressed
• dressed for tea and went on his usual morning walk
• on his return, feeling the hangover now, he undressed and went back to bde
• he called the boy for more tea

by 8:30 a.m.

• he was back up and breakfasted

9:00 a.m.

• Gerald Portman rang from his office to say Joss Erroll had had a motor accident and had broken his neck
• June Carberry took the call; she called Broughton to her room
• Broughton seemed shocked
• Inspectors begin their inquiry in Karen
• Diana was in a state of hysteria
• police did not interview her out of respect for her situation; hysterical
• Broughton takes a handkerchief Diana gave him to place on Erroll's body
• it took awhile for Broughton to find mortuary where Erroll laid
• Alice de Trafford and Gwladys Delamere already at the mortuary when Broughton arrived;
• Broughton was not allowed inside the building
• Alice suggested Erroll's history of heart trouble may have been the cause of death

Most interestingly:

• from there Broughton has presence of mind to go to the Union Castle steamer agent in Nairobi, to re-book his passage to Ceylon; he had canceled it some days previous;

12:30 p.m.: Broughton returns home

• June Carberry: who had made a lightning visit to Erroll's house, arrived carrying a small jewel case
• there were two other guests for lunch: Juanita Carberry, June's 15-y/o daughter; and, her governess, Isabel Rutt

Most interesting: the bonfire--

• three days earlier, Broughton had his head boy, Abdullah bin Ahmed place cans of petrol in his bedroom
• now he retrieved those cans of petrol
• started bonfire in the rubbish pit
• the fire put out by Abdullah as everyone else went to lunch
• Juanita noticed a pair of gym shoes in the bonfire; one never burned even a pair of worn out gym shoes; if nothing else, one game them to your houseboy.

Broughton asked to be left alone at Karen; last seen crying
Diana, June, Juanita and Isabel Rutt depart Karen; go to the Carberry's house at Nyeri

Broughton spoke to Gwladys three times that day, by phone

Gwladys refused Broughton's request to place a note from Diana on Erroll's grave

Half hour late to the funeral on January 25th, Broughton:

• he told Gwladys his car broke down
• he told the police he thought the funeral was a half-hour later

Broughton "threw" Diana's note on the grave after Gwladys again refused to do that.

Inspector Poppy takes first formal statement from Broughton
Poppy surprised to learn about the bonfire that Broughton set himself, and the fact it was so big
Poppy put guards around the dead bonfire
Broughton seemed concerned that the "inquiry/inquest/post mortem" had been delayed

Two days later, Broughton visits Diana at June's house; at first, only Juanita there; Diana and June show up two hours later.

"Broughton recognized that by now he was a prime suspect." -- page 91.

Poppy interviews Broughton again on January 29:

• the theft of the revolvers on the 21st
• the marriage pact with Diana
• the agreement with Erroll that he should take over
• his movements on the night of 23rd-24th
• the note in the grave
• the burning of the rubbish pit

The following day a search of the house ordered.

Another look at the rubbish pit: this time a golfing sock with blood stains still clearly visible;

It now seemed Poppy had one suspect and only one suspect.

From spies he placed in the house, Poppy learned:

• shooting practice at Soames' farm
• found spent bullets and sent them to Government chemist for comparison with the murder bullets -- a process that would take six weeks.

February 6, 1941: Broughton makes final statement and hands over firearms certificate for his Colt 32 which had been stolen in January.

Later in February, less than three weeks after the murder, Broughton and Diana set off, incredibly, on a full-scale shooting safari into the Southern Masai Reserve along the Mara River

• accompanied by the famous white hunter, John Hunter
• Hugh Dickinson whom they hadn't seen since the end of January
• he had been in hospital at time of the murder
• safari lasted eight days
• author describes how crazy this was -- to take such a safari
• Diana had recovered enough to shoot the first lion; she even took three photographs of her trophy before taking aim
• Broughton claimed a lion and a small antelope
• Dickinson: two lions

An energetic safari:

• Broughton carried an 11-pound double-barreled rifle;
• Broughton helped haul the carcass of a 450-poud lion into the truck
• one day he walked for seven miles, in the heat of the day, after buffalo

End of chapter.

Chapter 6: Sundowners To Sunrise -- Part 2 -- The Timeline

Page 73

So, all the characters are assembled, mid-to-late November, 1940.

Old man Broughton unaware of the six-week affair that would soon begin between his wife Diana and Joss Erroll.

Diana has two constant companions, Hugh Dickinson and Major Pembroke.

Mrs Wilks runs the Broughton household with an iron fist. Knows all the comings and goings.

At the Broughton's big house in Karen, suburb of Nairobi.

On December 18, 1940, Broughton suddenly went to stay with Erroll in his house at Muthaiga, near to the Club, leaving Diana at home for four nights.

December 22nd the party of the year;

• dancing from "sundowners to sunrise"-- page 73
• joint birthday party for Gwladys Delamere and Diana at the Club
• everyone was there including all of Joss' old mistresses and wives (that were still alive)
• Idina was probably there
• Alice de Janzé was there
• everyone was there -- forty-four guests

Diana and Joss were inseparable; one had to be blind to not see they were in love and having an intense affair.

Romance crystallized over Christmas.

Some acted as accomplices.

June Carberry was a kind of handmaid to the romance. She would have known everything.

Broughton seemed oblivious; he probably wasn't.

By January 3rd, the deception of Broughton began: Diana and Erroll went to June's house at Nyeri for the weekend; June discreetly disappeared to Malinda, on the coast.

On Monday, January 6, 1941, Diana and Joss returned to Nairobi.

Broughton picked up an anonymous note from his rack at the Club:

You seemed like a cat on hot bricks at the club last night. What about the eternal triangle? What are you going to do about it?

He showed the note to Diana. They "all" laughed.

No one knows who wrote the note. Could Joss have written that note?

Regardless, Broughton now had to confront the problem head-on.

Broughton and Diana gave dinner party at Karen on January 12, 1941. (Remember, Joss was found dead on January 24, 1941.) At the table:

• Gerald Portman
• Richard Pembroke
• A Miss Lampson
• Erroll
• the Broughtons
• Gwladys, Lady Delamere

The question: who was Gerald Portman, and who was "Miss Lampson"?

At the party, Joss tells Gwladys that he will do whatever it takes to marry Diana.

Gwladys then takes Diana aside and tells her what Joss has just said.

Now this! "What are you going to do about it?" inquired the Mayor. Wow. That was one of Gwlady's favourite phrases.

Diana was wavering but it was Dwladys' official approval that finally persuaded her to go ahead.

Now, having advised the two young lovers, she went to Broughton to deliver the bad news.

Broughton was shocked to learn the affair was public.

Broughton invites Erroll to stay the night.

They went riding together early the following morning with Diana in the Kikuyu Reserve -- read this paragraph later to see the author's analysis of all this -- page 76. Bottom line:
Broughton putting up a good show; trying to save face
Joss Erroll: shoving it back in Broughton's face; Erroll despised "husbands"

They lunched together, the three of them, but then split up.

Diana left Nairobi by train to stay with her best friend June Carberry at Malindi in a house full of air force personnel.

No one knew that Erroll was joining the train at Athi station, just outside Nairobi, with his man, Waiweru, and portable drinks cabinet. Hugh Dickinson would be staying there, too.

Hugh Dickinson moves into Carberry's home for a few days; though he is on active duty. Diana and Josh arrive, saying they are in love. Dickinson took one of the very few photographs of them together, on the Kilifi ferry; Erroll in uniform and shorts, Diana in tight slacks and dark glasses, standing beside an army car.

Broughton, meanwhile, on January 13, 1941, in seclusion with his old friend Soames at Nanyuki. He had gone to Soames for advice; had been drinking heavily for the past two weeks.

Broughton not sleeping well. Soames had given him Medinal -- a form of morphine -- to help Broughton sleep -- not working well. Broughton returns to Nairobi, Saturday, January 18, 1941.

Diana and Errroll had already been back in Nairobi for four nights, staying together at Erroll's house.

June had returned a day earlier, on the 17th.

Erroll phone Gwladys Delamere; June overheard the conversation: Joss and Diana were going to elope.

That same day, Broughton received his second anonymous letter in his Muthaiga rack:

Do you know your wife and Lord Erroll have been staying alone at the Carberry's house at Nyeri together?"

Broughton destroyed the note; did not show it to Diana.

Me: sounds like Gwladys is writing these notes. I will have to go back and read early chapters in the book to see how Gwladys felt about Broughton.

At Broughton's request, Broughton and Erroll meet at Erroll's house. Erroll's man Waiweru and Erroll's garden boy recorded the confrontation. Broughton speaking loudly; Erroll quietly listening in sympathy.

Broughton wanted Erroll to persuade Diana to accompany Broughton to Ceylon for three months, to cool off the romance.

Broughton wanted Diana to remain at Broughton's house, not Erroll's house, for appearances -- page 79.

The discussion ended with the arrival of Diana and June. Broughton leaves with June; Broughton is talking as if he is considering suicide.

All went to the Club Muthaiga, but Broughton went home with his driver. So, Erroll, Diana, and June stayed on together, saying goodbye to Broughton.

Broughton dined alone at Karen, for the first time.

Waited up for them.

June and Diana finally return at 3:30 a.m. Diana has new set of pearls.

June said later that she shared Diana's bed with her because she was frightened of creaks in the house. Foreshadowing. Important.

At 3:30 a.m., the only discussion: the pearls. Page 79.

Diana still wearing pearls at breakfast that morning, January 19, 1941.

Pleasant Sunday lunch, according to Broughton.

The whole Derek Erskine's family rode eight miles across country to Karen for the occasion. Also attending: Erroll, June, Broughton (of course) and Gwladys. Gwladys seems to be very, very involved with all this.

Joss Erroll's daughter Petal Allen at the Sunday luncheon. Impossible to find "Petal Allen" in a google search.

After the mid-day luncheon-party, June says she is returning to Nyeri. Diana, said she couldn't stay alone with Broughton at Karen under the circumstances, and says she wants to go with June. Instead, they go to Erroll's house at Muthaiga à deux.

January 21, 1941: Diana seen dancing with Erroll at the club.

While Diana at Erroll's, Broughton reports to police, a robbery: two stolen revolvers; a silver cigarette case, and a small amount of money. Also tells this to his personal servants: Mohammed and Alfred.

January 21, 1941, same day: both Broughton and Erroll went to their lawyers to discuss divorce. Earlier in the day, Broughton had called Erroll; a credible witness only heard Erroll's end of the call, but it sounded like he was getting an ultimatum from Erroll. But, might Broughton have told Erroll to get in touch with lawyer about divorce?

Also learned that some days earlier Broughton had written his friend Soames:

• he had re-booked his passage to Ceylon without Diane
• felt situation was hopeless; had lost Diana to Erroll
• nothing to live for in Kenya

A third anonymous letter appeared in Broughton's rack at the club:

There's no fool like an old fool. What are you going to do about it?

Again, sounds like Gwladys; doesn't sound like Erroll.

January 23, 1941:

• Broughton now seems to be wavering
• Erroll tells his friend Julian Lezard that Broughton was being "very difficult. He won't make up his mind where he is going to go"

Another foursome for lunch: Broughton, Diana, Joss, and June. June considered it a "success .. an ordinary, cheerful affair."

Broughton back in a good mood. Lunches always cheered him up.

Lezard summoned to Erroll's office that afternoon and was told that Jock had decided to go away, "as a matter of fact, he has been so nice it smells bad."

A celebratory dance scheduled for that evening.

Diana has spent only five nights at the house in Karen with her husband since the beginning of January but Jock wanted Karen home early this particular day because he and she were tired.

At dinner that night, Broughton took Diana on the veranda after the meal and told her that she had nothing to worry about; he was prepared to go away to Ceylon and he would give her the Karne house. Two months later he would be in England, but he hoped she would at least stay at home until he left.

Page 82.

Because the celebratory dinner / dance had only been arranged at lunchtime, Jock had to go back to Karen to get his dinner jacket and a dress for Karen. She would change at Erroll's house.

Between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Erroll drove up with Diana and June Carberry; the two of them went into the club.

As Erroll was getting something out of the car, Broughton came up to him and said he wanted a word with him. Broughton and Erroll talked in the back seat of the Buick for a couple of minutes and then walked in to join the women.

Broughton played backgammon with Mrs Barkas -- a regular in the club; always there; and, a credible personality.

The foursome sat down to this "odd celebration" and ordered more champagne.

Broughton raised a toast, saying the past was past, and now wishing them every happiness.

Author: "The toast was perhaps the measure of his pain."

Or was he clever like a fox?

Page 83.

Dinner ended at 10:15 p.m.

Joss and Diana left the Club; went dancing at the Claremont Road House near by, leaving Broughton and June in the Club.

Broughton had now been drinking heavily for some days, for the first time in his life. He and June began drinking liqueur brandy. Again, foreshadowing Broughton's state of mind at that time.

About 10:30: Broughton passed Richard Pembroke in the hall; small talk.

10:30 - 11:30, one hour, Brought and June Carberry were alone, unobserved apparently, at the Club.

Around 11:30, they sat by the bar in the lounge -- Broughton suddenly became cross and peevish, according to June. Broughton now saying he wasn't going to pay his wife anything when she left him.

Phyllis Barkas, a credible witness, reports Broughton very, very angry how Diana treated him.

Not a good scene. By a credible witness, Mrs Barkas.

Supper together: Mrs Barkas, Captain Llewellin, "Jacko" Heath, and Gerald Portman.

The four invited Broughton and June to join them.

Broughton said he was very tired and "begged" to go home.

But June wanted to cheer him up. They stayed.

Finally agreed to leave a 1:30 a.m. -- early, early morning, January 24, 1941.

Driven home by Broughton's chauffeur; arriving at Karen at around 2:00 a.m.

Mrs Wilks was still up and opens the door for them. June helps the old man up the stairs; at the top of the stairs, June says goodbye to Broughton.

June goes to her room; asks Wilks for quinine for an attack of malaria.

Wilks brought it to her room and stayed talking to June for "some minutes. This would be between 2:15 and 2:30 a.m. probably.

June said later that Broughton came to her door ten minutes later, maybe 2:40 a.m., asked if she was all right, and said goodnight. Apparently not that drunk. So, about 2:30, maybe 2:40 a.m.

Meanwhile, Joss and Diana had left the Claremont Road House where they had been dancing -- around midnight for his house at Muthaiga. Around midnight. They stayed about an hour -- now it would be1:00 a.m.

They drive to Broughton's house in Karen; three suitcases, the accumulation of her travels in the recent weeks.

Once again, the ever attentive Wilks opens the door; they arrive somewhere between 2:15 and 2:25 a.m. The exact time June and Wilks talking; about just the same time Broughton was saying goodnight to June. Was it the entrance of Diana and Joss that "woke" Broughton up; was stopping by to say goodnight to June just an excuse to come out of his room to see what was going on.

June says she heard laughing in the hall, then a car door slamming, and a car driving off.

Diana came upstairs, went to her room, put her dog inside, and walked back along the corridor to talk to June.

June said Diana stayed talking to her for half hour, perhaps more. This would probably be about 3:00 to 3:30 a.m.

Wilks, who had been darting in and out of June's room was now going to bed.

June said that Broughton paid a second call on her at 3:30 to ask again if she was all right. Broughton said he doesn't remember that second visit, just as he couldn't remember the first visit.

June heard Diana's Dachsund bark either just before or just after his visit.

So to summarize:

Erroll departs about 3:00 a.m. Three witnesses -- Wilks, Diana, and June -- all say they saw Broughton in the house at that time. 

Broughton is an "old man." Drunk but not too drunk to visit June twice -- which raises all kinds of questions -- why he would visit her twice. What was the real purpose of his visits?

Colombo would want to know if it was Broughton's regular routine to check in on June during the night or if this was something out of the ordinary.

 

Chapter 6: Sundowners To Sunrise -- Part 1 -- The Cast

Begins with the new couple, the Broughtons, Jock and Diana nee Caldwell, arriving by boat in Mombasa on November 12, 1940. Fleeing England and the war for Kenya, with really no plans except to flee.

And then this: an old friend, Hugh Dickinson, now a lieutenant in the Signal Corps, arranged to have himself transferred to Kenya simply to be closer to Diana! And had arrived only five days previously.

That same day, with their new white lady's maid, Dorothy Wilks (who will play a huge part in later proceedings), the Broughtons flew to Nairobi.

On the same flight was a sadistic, satanic character: John Carberry (more about him later). His wife June waiting at the Nairobi airport. June Carberry and Diana Caldwell Broughton struck up an instant alliance were soon to become "best friends." 

June is important because she was "handmaid" to the romance between Joss and Diana. June would also have known everything.

The story of John Carberry, born John Evans-Freke; 10th Baron and 3rd Baronet Carbery (sic) at the age of six in 1898 (the barony, as opposed to the family name, was spelt with one r).

• developed a violent dislike for his native England
• educated at Trinity, (no Eton history, apparently)
• served in WWI in the Royal Naval Air Service
• 1919: took out American naturalization papers but withdrawn because of bootlegging history
• 1920: Kenya had changed his name by deed poll to John Evans Carberry, dropping his title
• had even acquired an American accent
• first wife divorced him for cruelty in 1919
• second wife: Maia Anderson, another aviatrix; died piloting her plane in 1928; her daughter thought accident was suicide provoked by bullying and cruelty of her husband
• so, think of John Carberry as a stereotypical Nazi and you get the picture

Carberry: now becomes a Nazi sympathizer out of pure anti-English sentiment;

• house at Malindi, an airstrip -- he was a trophy-winning pilot and a bar called the Eden Roc
• owned another house and a ranch at Nyeri called Seremai (Masai: "place of death")
• an historical scene of bloodshed between the Kikuyu and the Masai
• ran his liquor still with his partner, Maxwell Trench; cheap gin, Jamaican rum, crème de menthe, and eau de cologne

1930: Carberry married a third time to June Mosley, the only woman who proved able to stand up to his monstrous (Nazi) behavior.

• at age 17, she couldn't put two words together, but she was very, very pretty (again, without needing to be said)
• drank brandy and soda all day long
• couple used terrible language to each other....terrible and violent rows...
• she had many affairs but Carberry adored his wife, and admired her tenacity
• once he loaded his plane with rocks, and then bombarded the car in which she was riding with her lover
• servants called him by the Masai name, "Msharish" -- the long whip with which oxen are driven --

I will stop here with description of Carberry --

Now we catch up with the Broughtons again.

On  the day of their arrival in Nairobi, November 12th; the Broughtons go to the Muthaiga club where they would stay until they found a house.

Their first guest was Gwladys Delamere, the Mayor of Nairobi.

Broughton knew her in England and considered her a close friend.

Broughton had been absent from Kenya for 13 years. So, that's how "old" he is. Diana, on the other hand, is a naive 22-year-old, "dumb blond" -- Marilyn Monroe caricature.

Gladys claimed the honeymooning couple for dinner as well as lunch; also invited another guest, Broughton's contemporary, Jack Soames, who came in from his farm at Nanyuki

They ordered Bronxes before dinner and champagne.

Almost immediately an up-country journey to introduce Diana to Broughton's old friends:

• Lord Francis Scott -- the leader of the gang thirteen years earlier when Broughton left Kenya
• Mervyn Ridley 
• Soames
• "Boy" and Paula Long

We learn that Diana and Broughton agreed to never sleep in the same room overnight -- page 70

Author mentions "Old Etonians" at this point, p. 70

• "Commander" Soames at Bergeret
• Soames had become very, very strange; a sinister and morbid imagination; had become a voyeur wiht an alarming style, drilling holes in the roof above the guest bedrooms;

Soames' wife Nina Drury very, very aware of this and warned folks to stay away from him.

The famous target shooting story: one morning, bored, nothing else to do, Soames suggested target practice out at his farm;

• Broughton was all in favor
• Diana shot -- usually hit the target; most of Broughton's shots went wide
• foreshadowing the murder 
• writer makes this read like a murder mystery, rather than a "biography"

Page 71:
Broughton and Diana returned to Nairobi around November 25th; Broughton left almost immediately to visit the farm he was interested in, on Lake Naivasha

He was away and missed the Caledonian Ball at the Muthaiga Club on November 30th; that was the first time that Joss Erroll and Diana Broughton met. She had been married for less than one month but when she saw Joss Erroll in his kilt, she fell for him immediately.

Erroll was free, of course. His three marriages in the past, and his affair with Mrs Wirewater was conducted by correspondence, between Nairobi and Cape Town where she had gone to install her children in school.


For six weeks they carried on their affair without telling Broughton. "For the first time in her life, Diana had fallen in love."

Broughton returns two days later, and things go on as usual. He is unaware of the affair.

By the beginning of December, Erroll was at their table for dinner almost every night. Erroll and Broughton seemed to hit it off, liking each other.

Diana had two constant companions (in addition to her husband and her lover): her old friend Hugh Dickinson and a new on, Major Richard (Dickie) Pembroke, had arrived in the course of military duty.

Broughton seemed to actually want Diana to take off with a younger man (p. 73).

December 5: Broughtons move from the club into their house at Karen, a suburb of Nairobi, named after Baroness Blixen

• 22 acres of groudn
• 15 servants
• Wilks was in charge
• head boy: Abdullah bin Ahmed

Now we get into the timeline leading up to the murder so I will move to a new stand-along post.

Page 73.

Remember, re-capping, Diana and Broughton married on November 5, 1940.

Arrived in Mombasa, Kenya, on the coast, by boat, on November 12, 1940.

Flew to Nairobi.