A Poisoned Season (30 page)

“I’m a great friend of Robert’s wife,” I said.

“So I gathered when we met in the park.”

“I want to see her happy.”

“You are an impetuous thing, aren’t you? Make a habit of leaping to conclusions?”

“I do my best not to.”

“You clearly need more practice. I’m not having an affair with your poor, dear Robert.” She laughed again. More music. “How naïve you are! Can you really think I’d waste my time on a gentleman who’s not even a junior minister? Oh, you have succeeded in diverting me greatly.”

I knew not how to respond so remained silent.

“Lady Ashton, I spend time with many of Basil’s friends, especially when he’s grooming them for future greatness. I know little details about
everyone
—and you can well imagine how useful that is in politics. Basil likes me to pass this knowledge on to his protégés.”

“Basil?” I asked. “Lord Fortescue?”

“Is there another? He quite depends upon me.”

“Lord Fortescue? I’m…I’m…astonished.”

“There is an art to choosing a lover, Lady Ashton. The obvious choice is not always the most…valuable, shall we say?”

“So you are…”

“Providing Robert with an inestimable service. But you have caused me concern. Is there trouble in his private life? Basil won’t tolerate that. He insists upon discretion.”

“No, I don’t know that there is trouble, I just thought that—”

“To have so quickly concluded that he was having an affair means there is indeed trouble. Is his wife in a delicate condition?”

“Oh, I couldn’t—”

“This is not the time for false modesty, Lady Ashton. Fortescue wants Robert on track for a position in the next government. He’ll need to be guaranteed at least the appearance of a happy home.”

“I never said that their home is not—”

“She’s not with child, is she?” Mrs. Reynold-Plympton frowned. “I’ll have to speak to him about this at once. Do you think there is some sort of medical problem?”

This conversation was decaying with such rapidity that there was no hope of trying to save it. Ivy would die a thousand slow deaths if she ever learned that I had spoken to anyone about this. “No, no I don’t.”

“Oh dear. You’re gone all scarlet. How unattractive. Why do you find this so embarrassing?”

“I should never have said anything.”

“Of course you should have. I’ll take care of it at once.”

“You can’t tell Robert—”

Again came the laugh. “My dear girl, is it possible that you are really so naïve? Basil will talk to Robert.”

This was even worse.

“I don’t think—”

“Basil always keeps up on these things. Robert doesn’t have a mistress, nor does he visit—well, best not mention that. For some reason, undoubtedly a result of the long hours he works, he is neglecting his marital duties. A few choice words from his mentor about the benefits of having a cherubic infant around to complete the picture of a perfect English family will do the trick. I’m glad you came to me, Lady Ashton. Basil has great hopes for Robert. It wouldn’t do for him to have trouble at home.”

“Please, Mrs. Reynold-Plympton, don’t think there is trouble—”

“Say not another word. I am the soul of discretion. No one beyond the necessary few will ever hear a word of what we’ve discussed.”

I can’t say that I felt altogether confident about her silence. And who did she think were the “necessary few”? As I walked home, I was filled with despondency. My muscles ached, and I regretted not having taken my carriage. Why had I ever thought I could help Ivy by confronting this woman? What right had I to meddle in my friend’s marriage? My intentions may have been blameless, but I should have had the sense to say nothing about Ivy’s problems to anyone. I would have to tell her what I’d done; I couldn’t risk her learning it from someone else, and I knew this would be the absolute end of our friendship. Ivy could never forgive me for having so mortified her.

28

D
AVIS, PROVING ONCE AGAIN TO BE NOT ONLY INVALUABLE BUT POSSESSED
of an almost inhuman efficiency, located Molly within a matter of days. She had taken a position near Fleet Street, folding newspapers, and was working no fewer than twelve hours a day for very little money. I decided to wait for her outside her place of employment in the evening and caught her the moment she came out the door.

“Molly!” I called. She cringed when she saw me. “Don’t even consider running from me.” I took her by the arm.

“I’m sorry, Lady Ashton. I shouldn’t have left the house like that. I should’ve given notice. You were so good to me.”

“How much did Mr. Berry pay you to steal from me, Molly?”

“What?”

“I know about the letters and the Bible and the note that was to be sent to Mr. Hargreaves.”

The girl burst into tears. “I would never steal, milady, never. Especially not from you. I tried to tell you I was going, but I didn’t know Mr. Hargreaves was with you. I couldn’t do it in front of him, milady.”

“Have you had any communication with Mr. Berry since you left the Savoy?”

“Of course not! Why would I want to talk to that horrid man? Not that he even would talk to me.” She was sobbing with such ferocity that it was difficult to understand her.

“Why, then, did you leave the house?” Her reply was unintelligible. “You must get control of yourself. Come with me.” I sat her down in my carriage and gave her a handkerchief. “What is the matter?”

“I couldn’t expect you to keep me on in my…my…condition. But I couldn’t bear to have you let me go. I didn’t know what to do. Gabby told me they was looking for girls here, so I took a job. They weren’t particular about having a character from my previous position, but I suppose they’ll get rid of me as soon as they know.”

Now I understood. “Is it Mr. Berry’s?” She nodded. I wasn’t sure if she would want me to offer her comfort, but I couldn’t stop myself. I embraced her, then spoke firmly. “I would never have thrown you out of my house for something so completely beyond your control. Do you want to return with me?”

“I…I don’t know. It’s all so awful. Everyone will think the worst of me.”

“More than one person has told me that you speak highly of Mr. Berry. Why would you do that after having been so abominably treated by him?”

“He threatened me, Lady Ashton. Told me that if I ever said a word against him, he’d hurt me again. I saw him from a distance a few times in the park and wondered if he was watching me. I was scared.”

I considered a number of scenarios. It would be best, perhaps, to get her out of London, to someplace where no one knew her. I could send her to Ashton Hall, but that might cause problems for her later with Philip’s family. It would not, after all, be my home forever. “Would you like to work at Mr. Hargreaves’s estate? I’m certain I can arrange for you to have a position there. We’ll tell everyone that your
husband died. No one need ever know about this, Molly.”

“You would do that for me?”

“I only wish I could do more. Clean up your face, then go back inside and give your notice. You’re coming home with me.” I watched her walk away from me and heard a tap on the carriage window.

“Nice work, Emily. Will you let me in?”

Waters and the footmen dropped down immediately and surrounded my visitor. “It’s all right,” I said. “He’s a friend.” I opened the door.

“Rescuing a despondent maid from ruin. It is difficult not to adore you more with every passing moment. You may be nearly as romantic as I.”

“Sebastian, I know who you are.”

“Congratulations,” he said. His hat was pulled so far down that it was difficult to see his face. He handed me a velvet bag. “I’ve no use for paste.” He slipped away before I could even mention his mother’s Bible. I followed him as best I could, calling after him to stop. He paid me no heed. My footmen joined in the chase, but he managed to elude all of us. Molly returned in the midst of the confusion, and Waters sat her next to him on his perch above the horses. She seemed content there, so I let her ride with him back to Berkeley Square.

Alone again, I opened Sebastian’s bag, finding, as expected, the false diamond necklace along with a note.

Bitter waves of Love, and restless gutsy Jealousies and wintry sea of revellings, whither am I borne?

I
f Molly was innocent of the charges I’d thrown at her—and I did not for a moment doubt her—someone else in my household was to blame. It did not take long for my suspicions to fall upon Lizzie. She was also new, had turned up at odd moments, lingered over her tasks, and had taken more notice of my guests than she ought to have. Mrs. Ockley, my housekeeper, had hired two other girls at the same time as Lizzie, so I questioned each of them, just to be certain. One had been visiting her brother in Brighton the day the letters were stolen from my library, and the other came across as so candid, so straightforward, that I was hard-pressed to think her guilty of any crime.

Lizzie, on the other hand, was belligerent, which took me greatly by surprise. I had always made a point of treating my servants with respect, and I recalled that when she first came to my house she had been rather nervous; I had done my best to calm her nerves. To find her now so rude was quite a shock.

“I don’t know why I’m here,” she said, looking me straight in the face. “I’ve heard all about what’s happened in the house, but you can’t possibly think I’ve anything to do with it.”

“Why is that, Lizzie?”

“Because I know you can’t prove I’ve done anything.” Her smile was gratingly confident.

“Careful, are you?”

“I don’t need to be. I haven’t done anything.”

“I should very much like to believe you. It’s most unsettling to have a spy in one’s midst. A letter was taken from the hall some days ago. Mrs. Ockley tells me that you were cleaning the floor there as well as the stairs at the time it disappeared. Did you see someone take it?”

“I wasn’t paying any attention. I was busy with my work.”

“Surely another member of the staff would have spoken to you as he passed?”

“Maybe, maybe not.”

“I also know that the day the letters were taken from the library,
you were dusting in there. Again, you saw nothing?”

“I can’t say that I really recall the day.”

“Nothing stands out? The house was burgled. Davis questioned the staff immediately. You have no memory of this?”

“I remember it, I guess, but for me it was an ordinary sort of day. I didn’t know I should have been looking out for a thief.”

“When you were dusting, did you notice the letters on my desk?”

“Of course I did, but how could I know that two of them were missing? I didn’t know how many there were to start.”

“A keen observation, Lizzie. But unfortunately, Davis made a point of not telling anyone how many had been taken. How could you know it was two if you were not the culprit?” She sucked in her cheeks and stood very still. I sat there, saying nothing for some time. Then, taking a cue from Colin, I continued in the calmest possible voice. “If you did it, Lizzie, it would be best to tell me. I’m more interested in discovering who put you up to it than I am in punishing you.”

She did not reply.

“I can, of course, call the police, but I’d much rather keep the matter private. This household has suffered enough scandal in these past months. Surely you would prefer that we settle this between ourselves?”

“So that you can turn me out of the house with no character?”

“You’re hardly in a position to make demands, Lizzie.”

“I think I am.”

It took a great effort to remain calm; I would have to ask Colin how he managed to do it so well. “As you wish, then.” I pulled the bell, and Davis entered the room. “I’m afraid we’re going to need Inspector Manning.”

“Very well, madam.” He turned, very slowly, started for the door, and then looked back. “Have you ever visited a jail, Lizzie? Terrible place. You can’t imagine what it’s like. Not when you’re used to a snug room in one of the best houses in London.” Her gaze was still fixed
on me, and Davis, standing behind her, actually winked at me. I nearly fell out of my chair. “Lady Ashton is generosity itself. I can’t imagine she’d want any of her girls to wind up in such a situation. Rats. Lots of rats. Filth everywhere. The smell’s unbearable. You’d probably wind up falling ill before long and would welcome an early death.”

“Enough!” Lizzie cried. “I admit that I took your letters.”

“Why did you do it?” I asked.

“I didn’t think I was hurting anyone.”

“Did you also pass information about myself and the Duke of Bainbridge?”

Now that she knew she was caught, all her confidence evaporated. She seemed nervous and began talking very quickly. “Not precisely, milady. I just confirmed that he was here a lot, and alone with you. And that he sent the flowers with the note.”

“You read the note?”

“Yes, I’m sorry.”

“How did you know that Mrs. Francis had come to call on me the day that you offered to bring us tea?”

“I don’t remember, milady. Honest, I don’t.”

“How did you pass along your information?”