Page 66 of Murder at Madame Chambon's
He did know her.
Though, clearly, he was only realizing this for the first time, for suddenly it looked as if he might crumple on the spot.“Dear God, it’s you, Catherine.”The color completely left his face as he faltered.“You’re … alive?”
Chapter 32
Of course, I’m alive,” she all but shouted.“You’ve been paying me a handsome allowance with the occasional communication for nearly twenty years.And I’ve been true to my word and kept my silence in order for those payments to keep coming.”Her voice had roughened, but she made another attempt at refining her tones as she went on, “I’ve never contacted you until now, on account of your threat to cut Evelina and me off with nothing if we did.But now Evelina is missing.”There was a catch in her voice before she went on, “I thought she might have discovered the truth that you were her father.I hoped that was the case and that I’d find her here.Please, don’t punish me, Arthur.If she is with you, please put me out of my misery.I promise I won’t trouble you and your family again.I don’t want anything from you other than … well, the money you’ve been paying me, of course, since it’s what’s ensured Evelina was brought up the fine young lady she deserved to be … in view of the fact of who she is: an earl’slegitimatedaughter.”
Lily heard Lord Bellingham’s soft exhalation beside her.Madame Chambon was clearly a madwoman.Lord Craddock was going to make this quite clear, and they’d have to take her away without being any closer to knowing what had happened to Evelina.
But Lord Craddock said nothing.His mouth was slightly open, and he was still staring at Madame Chambon as if he’d seen a ghost.He sent a nervous glance towards the house then said, softly, “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Catherine.I… I was led to believe you were dead.After you left me, taking Evelina with you, I heard nothing.Nothing for three years and then—”
“When Evelina was five years old, I heard you’d unexpectedly inherited the earldom,” Madame interrupted.“And all this.”She encompassed their surroundings with a sweep of her arm.Of course, I was going to contact you, being your legal wife an’ all.”
Again, the earl shook his head.“But you didn’t contact me.I had my lawyer spare no expense in searching for you.He told me he’d had confirmation that you and Evelina had died.”
“Who did you say told you that?”Madame demanded angrily.
“My lawyer, Nathaniel Grimshaw.Grimshaw has been my solicitor since I inherited from my cousin.He was my cousin’s solicitor, too, and in fact he lived at Ravenhall until he was a young man.He knows everything there is to know about this family.”Lord Craddock looked a little wild as he raked his hands through his hair.“As soon as I learned I was the new Earl of Ravenswood, I told him I’d married you, Catherine Canning, an actress I’d met in my youth.I told him everything.That you’d abandoned me to be with your new lover, taking Evelina with you.He promised he’d investigate and then he reported to me that—”
“That we were dead?Lord, no!”Madame put her hands on her hips and thrust out her bosom.“Grimshaw’s been paying me an allowance for years!He paid for Evelina to go to school.And he was paying a handsome dowry for her, which is why Lord Dunstable was so keen to marry her—
“Dunstable?The man who was murdered?”
“Murdered, yes.So, you knew all about that, but you say you knew nothing about us?You sent letters to Evelina when she was at school.Why, Grimshaw passed on the occasional birthday greeting from you to Evelina, though she cried, often as not, that you’d forgotten her birthday.But Grimshaw said you’d stipulated that the money wouldonlycontinue if we remained silent because that would be a better deal for me than declaring to the world the truth about me—” She took an audible breath, adding, “He said society would never accept me in view of my profession and that with your resources, you would find a way to declare our marriage null and void—”
Lily could see how difficult it was for Lord Craddock to keep up.The horror in his expression as he gazed upon Madame Chambon with her patently dyed hair and her raddled skin had not abated, but now he interrupted to ask, “What profession?What are you telling me, Catherine?The last communication I had with you was … acrimonious … as you announced you were leaving me and taking our daughter with you… when you knew little Evelina meant the world to me!”
Madame Chambon heaved in a breath.“I thought I was doing the right thing for both of us.For all of us.At least, at the time, I did.Yes, I ran away with Evelina for a better life because I had a better offer and you had nothing.You could barely put food on the table, Arthur!How was I to know you were next in line to inherit this—?”She flung her arm about her, adding fiercely, “But then it was my turn to be abandoned.For a couple of years, I did what I could to put food on the table.I pulled tricks so that Evelina and I could survive.But I still had my beauty and a rich protector set me up.Madame Chambon’s?That’s my legacy!Perhaps you know of the establishment?”
Lily thought Lord Craddock was about to faint.“Madame Chambon’s?”The speed of his response and the disgust with which he uttered the name made it clear that he had very much heard of Madame Chambon’s.He raked Catherine with another horrified look.“You--?”
“Yes, that’s what Mr.Grimshaw said would be the reception from everyone.You see, when I discovered the shocking news that my Arthur was now the 5th Earl of Ravenswood, I went looking for you.A woman like me, however, doesn’t get to see a great man like you—even though I was your wife.Yourlegalwife!I was introduced to Mr.Grimshaw.He took over all negotiations and refused to allow me to speak to you in person.But I was given a great deal of money.He said that if I was silent, then you were prepared to continue to pay me a very handsome allowance to keep my mouth shut.And I was silent.And Evelina does know nothing!Oh, she’s asked many a time about her father, but she believes you are quiet, retiring Mr.Tarot who lives in Aberdeenshire separate from me.It was Mr.Grimshaw who said it must be this way because—”
Madame stopped abruptly, staring at Lily as if suddenly aware she’d gone too far and that they were speaking of matters that should not be heard in a stranger’s presence.
Lily did not miss the inference.“Lord Craddock, I’m sorry we are hearing this.I swear it shall go no further.We are here because we fear Evelina is in great danger.Not for any other reason.But, hearing Madame speak, and what you’ve been told, I now believe there’s a connection between Lord Dunstable’s death and Evelina’s disappearance.”
“In fact, it’s highly possible her disappearance is linked to Dunstable’s murder.”Lord Bellingham’s voice cracked.“We think Dunstable was blackmailing someone who then murdered him on account of what he knew.”He looked at Madame and entreated her, “If you know anything you haven’t told us, will you please reveal it?”
Lord Craddock gave one slow nod.There was a lot to take in.
Meanwhile, Madame sent a panicked look at Lily and Lord Bellingham before glancing up at the mullioned windows of the large house.She appeared to be considering whether to reveal more.Finally, she returned her gaze to his face and continued, softly.“One day, when I was away from my office, Lord Dunstable, who was visiting one of my… young ladies, was discovered searching my drawers.It transpired that he was looking for evidence to the identity of a young lady who worked for me.A beautiful young woman called Celeste.You may recall her?The young woman murdered by the Russian a little over a year ago?”
Lily interjected.“Her name was Celeste, and she tried to warn me of the danger this Russian posed.Tragically, she paid with her own life.But that is not related to Evelina’s disappearance.”She nodded at Madame, who continued.
“During his search, however, Dunstable discovered some communication between Mr.Grimshaw and me that hinted at my real identity.He then found confirmation in the church records to prove we were legally married, Arthur, and so he blackmailed me.He wanted Evelina’s dowry, and Evelina agreed to marry him.I didn’t coerce her into agreeing,” she added defensively.“But Dunstable was charming, and Evelina was naïve.He flattered her and when she agreed to marry him, of course, I was relieved.”
Lily heard Lord Bellingham’s intake of breath.He’d turned a little gray, but he said softly, “Nothing was official.Evelina was targeted by the first man who asked her to dance when she arrived in London because Dunstable had a secret agenda.Yes, I see how it could be so if Dunstable had discovered the truth: that you, Lord Craddock, were legally married to Evelina’s mother.For Dunstable was murdered barely two days later.”
Lord Craddock’s frown deepened.“You were prepared to let our daughter marry a blackmailer?”
“I thought if Dunstable got what he wanted—Evelina’s money — then he would be satisfied,” Madame defended herself.“Dunstable agreed to say nothing because, of course, Evelina is just a girl and would not inherit the estate.And my scandalous background hardly equips me to be accepted as a countess, as I’ve said,” Madame added with a bitter laugh.“So, Dunstable agreed that as long as her dowry was handsome enough, it was in all our interests to remain silent.”
“Oh, Catherine…” Lord Ravenswood continued to shake his head.“I was told you were dead.I believed you were dead.But now you are here and…
“What’s this, now?”
They all turned at the cheerful greeting of a gray-haired gentleman appearing from the shrubbery by the side of the house.Clearly, the newcomer had not heard the gist of the conversation, for he greeted Lord Ravenswood with easy familiarity, saying, “Your son bested me in tennis this afternoon.I shall have to return for my revenge.And whom do I have the pleasure of addressing?Ah, Bellingham.We meet again!”
