Page 47 of Murder at Madame Chambon's
Sonia shrugged.“I have no idea.All I recall is that he was an older gentleman, impeccably dressed, and that he carried an unusual cane, carved with two entwined snakes.”
William stiffened.“Please, Sonia.Could I speak to you somewhere private?”
Sonia shook her head.“I’d tell you if I knew anything more, if only to save LuluBelle from the gallows.And now, if you’ll excuse me, sir, my time is valuable and there is another gentleman across the room who looks like he’s in need of comforting.”
She was about to leave him, but William detained her with a hand on her arm.“There are other places a woman like you could go, Sonia,” he said.“Have you heard of the employment bureau run by Lady Bradden atManners and Morals?”
Sonia smiled at him, almost as if he were dim-witted.“All the girls have heard of it,” she said.“And those who can survive on servant’s wages to save their souls are clamoring for a position.I am not one of them, for I have a daughter to keep.”Her smile was suddenly wistful.“And it costs money to educate her so that she does not end up living this kind of life.”
William leftMadame Chambon’s no closer to finding the answers that gnawed at him, but determined to seek out Captain Blackheath.Even if Blackheath was innocent in all this, he might be able to shed light on the identity of the man about whom Sonia spoke.
It was nearly two by the time he arrived at his club, where a few enquiries elicited the information that Blackheath had left London to return to his home in Kent.
A few hours’ sleep was what he needed, William decided, and then he’d be up at dawn to make the five-hour journey—depending on the weather and the roads.
In the meantime, he sat down at his desk to write a long and heartfelt letter to Evelina.
In the most artful language, he told her that no obstacle—expected or unexpected, great or small—would stand in his way as long as she returned his feelings, but that a small but urgent matter required his attendance in the country and he’d be back within a couple of days.
Then he sealed up his heart in a white envelope which he left by the blotter, ready to be dispatched on his way out of his townhouse towards Captain Blackheath’s residence.
Chapter21
Cheer up, Miss Evelina.Can’t you hear the birds singing ever so loud?”Kitty tried to jolly her along as they took a walk through Hyde Park.
“I haven’t heard from William in two days, and he said nothing about leaving town.I can’t imagine—”
Evelina broke off as she registered the trio advancing towards her: Lady Victoria in company with her sister, Clara, and another young lady.
“My dear Miss Tarot!”cried Clara warmly, hurrying forward.“What a delightful surprise to see you here.Please, let me introduce my friend, Lady Elizabeth Craddock.But, of course, you’ve already met!”
Evelina’s concern regarding the circumstances of that meeting was ameliorated as Lady Elizabeth was clearly not about to allude to the slightly scandalous circumstances: chaperoning Evelina back to the ballroom after she’d left a storeroom cupboard alone with a gentleman.
Fortunately, the young girl seemed blithely unconcerned, saying simply as she dipped her head, “A pleasure to meet you, Miss Tarot.”
Clara, who was dancing from one foot to the other, said to her friend, “Miss Tarot is from France.She’s visiting the capital for some weeks and was going to wed—” She put her hand to her mouth before finishing with a blush, “the first titled gentleman with one hundred thousand a year who offered.”Giving a girlish giggle she went on, “Victoria will never let me put my hair up and my skirts down if I can’t learn to temper the first silliness that comes out of my mouth.But didn’t I behave with perfect decorum for the two hours I was allowed to attend godmother’s ball?”
“I hope you have enjoyed London, Miss Tarot.”Ignoring her sister, Lady Victoria spoke more formally but not without kindness, following her sharp look at Clara.“Clara is right.She needs to learn to moderate her impulses if she is to be allowed to attend more adult entertainments.That is why Elizabeth will be going to Lady Jervis’s ball tomorrow night and Clara shall not, despite the girls being the same age and having known each other since their school days.”
Evelina didn’t miss the eye roll Clara sent her sister, which elicited a smile—quickly buttoned up—from Lady Elizabeth.
“If you would only give me the chance to behave like a grown-up, then I would show your faith in me was not misplaced,” said Clara in tones that were almost begging.“How can I behave like an adult when you insist on treating me like a child?”
Evelina heard the girl’s frustration, though she couldn’t understand it.She felt like she’d been forced to become a grownup from the day she’d been packed off to Paris aged six.
“Because you don’t understand the dangers of the world, Clara.You have only me to see to your interests and you believe only the best of people.I cannot trust you in the ballroom.”
Clara’s mouth turned down suddenly.“You say that, Victoria, but do you not think I understand what evil lurks around every corner when I remember what happened to our cousin?Why, barely a week ago, Cousin Dunstable was with Miss Tarot and the two of us were strolling about the zoological gardens.Who could have imagined such a terrible thing would befall him?You certainly would not have spoken so sharply to him had you known, would you, Victoria?”
Evelina saw the young woman’s pale skin flame as Victoria replied, “I spoke no more sharply to our cousin than I usually do, Clara.Dunstable can be extremely vexatious, as you know.”
“A good thing you didn’t marry him, after all,” said Clara, blithely, hooking her hand in the crook of Lady Elizabeth’s arm and adding, “You will have to tell me all about Lady Jervis’s ball, Lizzy, for my destiny is to look at life as if through a glass window for all the fun Victoria intends to allow me.”
Evelina was surprised to see the hurt on Victoria’s face.“You won’t always be seventeen, Clara,” she muttered to Clara who, in another change of mood, said happily, “At least I can rub shoulders with London high society when I attend Cousin Dunstable’s funeral.”She clapped her hand to her mouth again and looked nervously at her sister, saying, “Forgive me, Victoria.I didn’t mean to sound as if I didn’t care what happened to him.You know how fond I was of Cousin Dunstable, for all that he enjoyed his gaming too much and you were worried he was going to ruin both of us before you gained your majority.But that didn’t come to pass, and now he’s dead.”Pulling out a square of lace, Clare dabbed daintily at her eyes.“Poor Cousin Dunstable.And no one even knows the wicked man who… who… murdered him.”Without warning, she broke into loud sobs.
Evelina watched the girl with concern as Lady Victoria held Clara close and soothed her, the sharpness quite gone from her tone as she whispered, “Hush, Clara, no one thinks ill of you.You act before you think and it’s for that reason I believe you need another year to mature before you are ready for London revels.”
Finally, her emotion spent, Clara stepped out of her sister’s embrace, wiping her tear-stained cheeks.Offering Evelina and Elizabeth a brave, albeit trembling smile, she said, “I will have to live vicariously through Elizabeth, who is so pretty and kind she’ll have a husband before I’m even in long skirts.”
