Move Your Blooming Corpse (37 page)
Read Move Your Blooming Corpse Online
Authors: D. E. Ireland
Higgins pushed aside his plate and rested his elbows on the table. “Even if they couldn't use his real parentage to hike up the stud fees, the Donegal Dancer's winning record has already made the horse worth his weight in gold.”
“Sir Walter told us they shipped the foal off to a horse farm in Ireland,” Jack said. “The owner Ahearn Griffith was eighty and not well. Over the past five years, they had sold these âsecret' champions to Griffith, only to buy them back a year or two later at low prices. Using an assumed name, of course. They planned to do the same with the Donegal Dancer, onlyâ”
“My husband bought the horse first,” Rachel finished. “A pity Jonathon never learned what a prize the Dancer really was.”
“What this all means is that the four members who remain in the Wrexham Racing Syndicate are likely to see substantial returns on their investment,” Jack said. “That includes you, Eliza. Because we only have the word of horse thieves to back up the Dancer's true parentage, that won't be enough to get the Jockey Club to accept it. But given the horse's bloodlines, the rest of his racing career looks to be a glorious one. With a lucrative breeding career to follow.”
“Cor, wait till Dad hears this.” Eliza grinned. “We'll be rich in just a few years.”
Jack nodded. “Extremely comfortable at the very least.”
“We haven't told Gordon yet,” Rachel said. “We're going there next.”
“This is excellent.” Freddy got to his feet. “Now that our financial future is secure, Eliza and I can marry and set up our own household.”
“Freddy, please. I told you I'm not ready to marry.”
“Eliza's right.” Sybil gave Freddy a stern look. “Besides, you're both too young.”
“Pardon me, Miss Chase, but you and the Inspector are planning to marry soon,” Freddy said in an offended tone. “I hardly think you should be dissuading us from doing likewise.”
“You're only twenty-one,” Jack said, “and Eliza a year younger.”
“But
you're
getting married,” Freddy repeated.
“Jack is ten years older than you,” Sybil said, “and I am twenty-six. We are old enough to know our own minds. However, you both need more experience of the adult world, especially you, Mr. Eynsford Hill. You should consider taking up a profession. I'd hate to think you plan to live off Eliza for the rest of your life.”
Higgins sat back with a whoop. “I knew I liked you, Sybil!”
Freddy sank back down in his chair. “I've never heard anything so absurd. Eliza, tell them. I am a gentleman, not a member of the working class. And with your racing money, neither of us will ever have to work a day in our lives.”
The stress of the past few days had taken its toll. Eliza wanted nothing more than to go upstairs and nap. She hoped Freddy would be gone when she woke up.
“I enjoy teaching, Freddy. And no matter how much money I have, I don't want to stay home all day while servants wait on me. I've worked my whole life. I plan to keep doing so.”
“Hear, hear,” Sybil said. “By the way, we'd like you to speak at our next rally.”
Eliza perked up at that. “I'd love to. I especially want to thank the Garruds for those ju-jitsu lessons.” She leaned close to Sybil. “They came in quite handy.”
Freddy frowned. “Any woman would leap at the chance to marry a man who adores her. Clara can't wait for Baron Ashmore to propose. I wish you were more like my sister.”
“God forbid,” Higgins muttered.
Eliza poured herself another cup of tea. “Today is not about weddings. The murders of the Wrexham Racing Syndicate have been solved, and justice will be served. So let's celebrate.” She raised her teacup. “A toast to the Donegal Dancer.”
Everyone raised their teacups, even Freddy. “A toast to the Donegal Dancer.”
Higgins turned to her. “And a toast to Eliza, a woman of independent means.”
“To Eliza!” they echoed.
He was right. After a lifetime of privation and hunger, Eliza realized that blooming racehorse had given her something she hardly dared dream of.
Her freedom. How loverly.
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D. E. Ireland
is a writing team of two Michigan authors who met as undergraduates in an anthropology class and have remained friends ever since. Both are married to computer geeks, and each has one beautiful and brilliant daughter. Lifelong book lovers and history buffs, they have authored several novels on their own.
Visit their Web site at
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ALSO BY
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CONTENTS
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This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously.
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A THOMAS DUNNE BOOK FOR MINOTAUR BOOKS.
An imprint of St. Martin's Publishing Group.
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MOVE YOUR BLOOMING CORPSE.
Copyright © 2015 by D. E. Ireland. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin's Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.
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Cover design by David Baldeosingh Rotstein
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Cover illustration by Dan Craig
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The Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request.
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ISBN 978-1-250-04936-0 (hardcover)
ISBN 978-1-4668-5036-1 (e-book)
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e-ISBN 9781466850361
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Our e-books may be purchased in bulk for promotional, educational, or business use. Please contact the Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department at (800) 221-7945, extension 5442, or by e-mail at [email protected].
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First Edition: September 2015