Page 58 of Murder at Madame Chambon's
Then a chill wind had picked up, sweeping across the cemetery, carrying along with it the icy droplets of water that clung to the branches.
The mourners had shifted position as the grave-diggers began their work, and William found himself separated from his sweetheart, just as he glimpsed Lady Victoria and her sister, Miss Clara, who had brought her.
He tried to push his way through the crowd to say his farewells to Evelina and reassure her of his impending visit.
Clearly, she’d not received the two letters he’d written—each of them expressing in heartfelt terms what his hopes were with her for the future.
All she had was his brief reassurance a few minutes ago, which was insufficient, William felt, under the circumstances, for a young woman who felt so very alone—
“Bellingham.”
He turned back at the mention of his name and was surprised to see Captain Blackheath, almost invisible in this lake of black, his muffler pulled up high, and hat pulled down low.
“Are you afraid of being recognized?”William asked, indicating his garb.“I must say, you’re the last person I thought I’d see here.You had no intention of coming to Dunstable’s funeral when last I spoke to you.”
Blackheath sent a furtive glance about him and then said in a low tone, “I’ve been wallowing in a guilty conscience.Walk with me, if you have a moment.”
William glanced over his shoulder to where Evelina stood by the graveside, but as he saw Lady Victoria and Clara making their way towards her, he acceded to Blackheath’s request and walked by his side through the winding cemetery path.
Was he about to hear Blackheath’s confession?He felt both fearful and hopeful, though surprised, too.Blackheath was too much the slippery eel to bare his soul to someone like William for a matter that could see him face conviction.
“I was with LuluBelle for much of the evening in question, so I know she couldn’t have stabbed Dunstable in the half an hour after midnight.”
William halted.“And she could attest to your innocence?But did you not tell this to the police?”
“I did.But when recounting the details of that night, I made the mistake, under questioning, of saying she left the room for three minutes.She was attending to a request from one of the other girls.The police, however, have decided it suits their purposes to conclude that during those three minutes she somehow ran through the house to Madame’s office, killed Dunstable, then ran back to me.”
“Have you argued this with those investigating?”William asked.
“I have, but it’s fallen on deaf ears.They’re no longer interested in talking to me.”
“I also presume that public dissemination of your frequent visits to LuluBelle was something you wished to keep out of the public domain.Perhaps you didn’t press a matter which might point to her innocence sufficiently strongly.”
Blackheath wiped his eyes with the back of his hand.“A great many other men in the circles in which we move visited Madame’s that night.LuluBelle didn’t murder Dunstable.But she tells me the word is that there is one gentleman there that night who was not investigated.”
“Who?”
“I did not see him personally.Only his walking stick.It caught my eye for it was propped against the partly open door to Madame’s office,” said Blackheath.“Usually the lackey collects a gentleman’s topper and cane on the way in but this suggested to me that fellow was not a visitor like the rest of us.”
The carriages were now lining up at the gate, but the rain had cleared.William indicated the sky before glancing about him, searching for Evelina.It was impossible in this sea of black to identify anyone.
Blackheath’s evidence was not new, but Blackheath might well know more.“Will you walk with me?”asked William.
With a nod, his companion fell into step, saying, “I saw that same walking stick amongst the mourners when we gathered around the grave,” Blackheath persisted.
William craned his neck as he continued to search for Evelina.But with carriages and black-clad mourners everywhere, it seemed futile.“Did it feature entwined snakes?”he asked.“Oriental in design?There is a craze for the Oriental, you know.It might be unusual, but it doesn’t indicate the owner is a murderer.”
Blackheath suddenly gripped William’s sleeve.“The woman I love is destined for the gallows unless I can come up with evidence that’ll make the police realize they’ve got the wrong person.All right, that is not all I have—”
“You and LuluBelle?”William didn’t hide his shock.“You wanted to marry the girl?”
“Course I couldn’t do that!”Blackheath snapped.“But I wanted to be with her, take her away from that life and set her up.Protect her.Perhaps you’ve not felt that urge.Your first marriage was not a love match, so perhaps matters of the heart are nothing to you.”
“Good God, if you’re about to insult me—”
“No, no!That wasn’t what I intended at all.It’s just that, five years ago, everyone knew Miss Cooper had other reasons than love for accepting you.”
“You mean…that she was in love with another man who jilted her, which was why she accepted me on the rebound,” William said, without the bitterness he’d once felt.“True enough, but then, not so long ago, I experienced exactly what she must have felt.”William smiled as he thought of Evelina.“Time heals and now I’m determined to find Dunstable’s murderer for my own reasons.I think you’re clutching at straws when you talk about peculiar walking sticks, though.I’m not discounting the fact the murderer may well own one, but at least ten people at this funeral own one very similar.”
