Page 17 of Dead Beside the Thames
Celia nodded gravely. “Horrible to say it, but Sedbury’s death will be a huge weight off their shoulders. Rattenby’s especially, even though Sedbury was his heir.”
“Indeed,” Lady Osbaldestone put in. “The prospect Rattenby was facing, even if from the other side of the grave, was enough to curdle anyone’s liver.”
Penelope asked, “So it’s true that Sedbury intended to turn his stepmother and her family into the street?”
Horatia nodded. “That’s certainly what we’ve heard.” She looked around the circle. “Although I suspect none of us have heard that directly from Sedbury’s lips.”
“Well,” Honoria admitted, “as none of us invite him to cross our thresholds, I’m sure that’s true.”
Penelope reflected that given Sedbury had been the heir to a senior title and significant wealth, that situation spoke volumes. “Hmm.” She frowned. “Do we have any confirmation from someone not a Hale that Sedbury had, indeed, vowed to disown his father’s second family?”
“Oh, most definitely,” Alathea said. “Alasdair once heard Sedbury swear that was his intent. As I gather the occasion occurred at some fashionable gaming hell, it’s possible Sedbury was in his cups, but still.”
“Gerrard also reported hearing Sedbury say the same while at some Bohemian event,” Patience said. “I gather quite loudly.”
“So,” Penelope said, “we can say it was common knowledge among the ton that Sedbury was intent on beggaring his remaining family once he succeeded to the title.” She looked around the faces. “From that, can I infer that the rest of the Hale family had reason to wish Sedbury dead?”
The ladies exchanged glances, wordlessly trading opinions as only those who knew each other well could.
Eventually, Lady Osbaldestone put the silent consensus into words. “Each member of the family might have had soundreason to wish Sedbury dead, but wishing and hoping and even praying are not the same as doing.”
All the others were nodding.
“Quite frankly,” Honoria added, “if the murderer does lie within the family, I would be wondering why they’ve waited this long to remove the thorn from their collective side.”
Murmurs of agreement came from all quarters.
“For instance,” Helena said, “ask yourself why it is that Lady Claudia Hale, an attractive lady of impeccable birth and standing, is as yet unwed.”
Penelope frowned. “Because of Sedbury?”
“Who would want a man like Sedbury as an in-law?” Louise delicately shuddered. “Just the thought.”
“Exactly,” Alathea said. “Quite literally no family in the ton would want to brave the prospect.”
“Actually,” Penelope said, “there might be an answer to the question of why someone in the family might have felt compelled to finally act. There was a letter Sedbury was writing and left unfinished on his desk.” She recited the contents of the letter, concluding with, “So it’s possible, even likely, that Sedbury was actively goading Jonathon with both words and deeds. And also, there’s the situation with Bryan Hale and the Ellises’ daughter, Rosalind. Sedbury appears to have been set on interfering there as well.”
As she’d hoped, the assembled ladies had insights to offer on both counts.
Lady Osbaldestone opined, “I don’t know how much weight you should attach to Sedbury’s letter to Jonathon, but I know for a fact that Georgina has been seriously exercised over how Jonathon might find a bride, not only because of the same situation that has smothered Claudia’s prospects, but also because any young lady at whom Jonathon might cast his eye—or who dared to cast her eye at him—would instantly become atarget for Sedbury and his particular vileness. The brute literally had no bounds—or at least no decent ones.”
“In case you’re wondering why Rattenby doesn’t exercise more control over Sedbury and rein in his outrageous behavior,” Horatia said, “it’s because Rattenby lost the usual financial hold over Sedbury when, at quite a young age, Sedbury inherited a tidy sum from a misguided great-uncle.”
“The inheritance wasn’t that much,” Celia added, “not weighed against the Rattenby estate, but the sum was sufficient to free Sedbury of his father’s control.”
“More’s the pity,” Honoria put in. “Although Rattenby’s rarely in town and, of course, of the older generation, I’ve always found him to be a sound, steady man.”
The others all agreed.
“As for the Ellis chit,” Helena said, “my understanding is that no matter what pressure Sedbury has brought to bear on Mr. Ellis, both Mrs. Ellis and Rosalind are holding firm. The family would not have accepted Sedbury’s suit for Rosalind’s hand.” Helena smiled gently at Penelope. “I’m acquainted with Mrs. Ellis, and I do not believe she would have bowed to Sedbury’s demands.”
“I second that assessment,” Honoria put in. “Rosamund Ellis is a sound sort and not one to be pushed around, much less browbeaten.”
“So,” Patience summarized, “it’s difficult to say how much real motive was generated by Sedbury’s play for the girl.”
Penelope forbore from pointing out that the degree of motive would very much depend on how Bryan Hale viewed the matter, and young gentlemen threatened with having their lady love stolen away could not be said to be the most calm and logical of creatures. Penelope doubted that any of the ladies present could, of their own knowledge, shed light on Bryan Hale’s state of mind, but given that some had sons of similar age, she thought itprudent to ask if any had greater insight into Bryan’s condition via said sons.
But Honoria shook her head. “Bryan is a full year older than Sebastian, so older than the others by several years, and Bryan’s much quieter, too. They don’t move in the same circles.”
