*But she had a weak heart."
*All the more likely to make her succ.u.mb to disease."
Short of wrestling the key from him by force, and I had no expectation of winning such a battle, there was nothing to be done. I made my way back down to the saloon and Bertram.
*"Course, if she is dead," said George, *we will "ave to call in the police. But we"ll keep it as quiet as we can for both your sakes and the hotel"s."
My heart sunk down into my boots. Yet again Bertram"s name and mine would be connected with sudden death. It would be a wonder if we weren"t carted away by the police on the spot. However, I knew that any plea on my behalf to circ.u.mvent procedure would only bring suspicion down on both our heads, so I nodded, took a deep breath and went in to comfort Bertram.
He was not as I feared inebriated. The decanter George had generously provided stood untouched on the small table before him. In his hand he held a gla.s.s, but it was barely lower than a full measure. He looked up at me with the blank, startled stare I had seen on all too many faces of those recently bereaved in my father"s parish. My heart stung. He must have cared deeply for her despite the short time they had had together.
*She said the doctor had been," he said. *She said he told her to rest and she would be fine. I"d never have left her alone if ..." He struggled to continue.
I patted his arm awkwardly. *No doubt she was trying to rea.s.sure you. She didn"t want you to worry."
*But it doesn"t make sense. She didn"t lie. She never lied to me."
Now was not the time to a.s.sert my suspicions over Beatrice"s motivations, but I could not resist saying, *You were deep in one another"s confidence, weren"t you?" I tried to make it sound comforting, but I knew I was taking advantage.
*She told me everything," said Bertram, finally taking a swig of his drink. *I could, of course, never return the compliment. What you and I know, Euphemia. I had to keep her at arm"s length ... With a family like mine, I couldn"t take advantage of her innocence."
*You mean ... Oh dear G.o.d, this changes everything. I"ve been so stupid."
*Changes what?"
I considered for a moment. Was now the right time to raise my suspicions after all? It might make Bertram think a little less of me, but it would divert him. Only such a short acquaintance I strongly doubted that they had been in love. Although Bertram ever one to leap into situations with pa.s.sion and lack of thought might well fancy it was so. It might also lead him into a devastating expression of grief. I took a deep breath. *I thought you might have told her about your brother. From the questions she asked I thought perhaps you might be considering attempting to get him committed. Before he did any more harm," I added.
*Do you think I"m a fool, Euphemia? Even if Beatrice was no more than a gossip columnist with aspirations she would be unable to let such a story pa.s.s her by regardless of her personal feelings. Print was in her blood."
*But she hinted to me that she knew."
*Of course she hinted. Journalists always hint they know more than they do. It"s remarkably effective at getting people to be indiscreet."
*Oh," I said. When he was in one of his pa.s.sions it was easy for me to forget that Bertram knew far more of the world than I, but every now and then he would remind me to shocking effect. On the positive side Bertram was now looking a lot more alert. He put his gla.s.s down.
*But her questions at the asylum. It was as if she was trying to provoke them."
*I don"t know the whole story. She only told me that she had strong suspicions and would feel safer with me around while she investigated."
*Did she make notes?"
*Of course she did! Well done, Euphemia! They"ll be in her room." He stood up.
*Her room is locked."
*But I have a key," said Bertram pulling it from his pocket with a flourish.
*Put that away," I said harshly, pulling down his arm.
*I suppose it does give the wrong impression," said Bertram. *But Beatrice had an abnormal horror of hotel fires. She only locked her room when she retired. She wanted me to have a key in case anything happened. Made me promise I"d rescue her." He swallowed and reached for his gla.s.s.
A chill swept over me. *But her room was locked," I said. *She would lock it if she was resting, wouldn"t she?"
*No," said Bertram. *Only when she retired for the night."
*The other doctor," I began.
*You think there was one?" said Bertram.
*I am beginning to fear so."
*Good gad! I can"t believe it. I know we"ve had some extraordinary experiences, but not every death has to be murder, Euphemia. Some people do die natural deaths."
Bertram handed me his gla.s.s and I took a sip of the fiery liquid. I choked slightly. *We have had more than our share of bad luck," I said.
*I"m rather afraid the police will agree with you."
We sat in silence for a few minutes. *I should contact her family," said Bertram finally. *I don"t know what I will say to them."
*I should ask to speak to her father," I said. *Her mother would be too distressed. They know of her heart condition, so although they will be naturally grief-stricken it will not be entirely unexpected."
*What about our suspicions?"
*I wouldn"t mention anything until we know."
Bertram paled. *And the arrangements?"
*Her family will want to take charge."
*I shall offer any a.s.sistance in my power," said Bertram.
*Of course."
His face fell. *But I have no idea of what I can do."
I took a large swallow of Bertram"s drink, handed him back the gla.s.s and stood up, *But I do. I"m going to see Mr Edward."
*What?"
*He gave me a contact address in London in case I ever needed it."
*But, Euphemia, this is hardly security of the realm stuff!"
*I don"t know what it is. But his words were if anything untoward begins again at Stapleford Hall they would be keen to be made aware."
*But Beatrice"s death has nothing to do with Mrs Wilson"s attack."
*Doesn"t it?"
*How could it?"
*I don"t know, but I have a feeling."
*Euphemia, you can"t go to that man with a feeling! Do you realise how important he is?"
*I don"t know what he is," I admitted. *But I think we need his help."
We argued for a while, but the concierge came back to say the doctor had arrived and they were now having a discussion as to whether the room should be opened before the police arrived. The doctor thought it should and George disagreed. *My manager is still on his break, sir. So it"s a bit of an awkward one. I thought you might be the best person to sort this out?"
Reluctantly Bertram went off with him. His parting shot to me was, *And don"t go anywhere, Euphemia!"
Of course I waited for them to clear the stairs before heading to my room and fetching my coat.
I gave the address Mr Edward had given me to the cabbie and was surprised when in a very short time we pulled up outside a large building. It seemed to be comprised of offices and apartments and did not in any way look like a government building. I climbed the dingy staircase feeling more and more as if someone was playing an enormous joke on me. When I arrived at the right floor the door in front of me bore the legend of a private detective agency. Had Mr Edward changed jobs? However, I had come this far. I knocked on the door and went in.
A smart young woman was sitting at a desk. She looked up brightly and smiled. *How can I help?"
*I fear I may be in the wrong place," I said. *I was looking for Mr Edward."
*And you are?"
I hesitated a moment and then gave my real name. Fitzroy had indicated he knew it and I was fairly certain what he knew Mr Edward would also know. The young woman gave me another bright smile and reached into her desk. She brought out a clipboard and traced her finger down a list of names. *Ah, here you are. Is this a matter of urgency?"
*To be perfectly honest I don"t know. There has been one serious attack, possibly a potential murder, and another young woman died today, but that may have been due to natural causes."
*Were any of these persons of significance?"
I repressed the urge to retort that all human life was of significance. *One was the housekeeper at Stapleford Hall, the home of the Staplefords, and the other a daughter of the Wilton press family."
The young woman nodded. *I think that will suffice," she said. *If you will follow me." She stood up and opened a door to the left. We entered a short pa.s.sageway with no windows that led to another door. She opened this and showed me into a small room with a table and two chairs. There was a window, but it was grimy and barred. *Mr Edward will be with you shortly," she said and left closing the door behind her. I was relieved not to hear the sound of a key turning.
I went over to the window and tried to make out the view below, but it was too dirty for me to do so. I sat for a while, but found I could not easily stay still, so I contented myself with pacing and thinking about what I would say. By the time Mr Edward entered the room I had convinced myself this was a foolish errand, but had marshalled my facts into good order.
He looked much the same as he had in the Highlands. There was no reason why he should have changed but in this strange and shabby setting I had expected him to be different. But he remained a man in his middle years, with a mild and unprepossessing face except for a pair of extremely bushy eyebrows. He was wearing a very well-cut but underplayed brown suit. His voice, when he spoke, had lost none of its authority.
*Miss Martins, I hear you have been troubled by inconvenient corpses again."
*Only one corpse so far, Mr Edward. The fate of the other victim hangs in the balance. But I am not at all sure this is something for you. If you are indeed ..." I looked around helplessly. *... what you were before."
Mr Edward chuckled. *You of all people, Miss Martins, should know that appearances can be deceptive. Have a seat and tell me why this particular puzzle will not interest the bureau."
I related the facts in order and in some detail as I was unsure what was important and what was not.
*So it is your belief that the message about a lost child was what caused Mrs Wilson distress?"
*I may be making too much of what Dr Simpson said, but I got the impression there was some secret in Mrs Wilson"s past. His warning to me also of not allowing history to repeat itself lends credence to the suggestion."
*Do you know if the late Lord Stapleford"s rather eccentric will applied to all his children or only his legitimate heirs?"
*I have no idea," I said startled.
*In my experience most men repeat their mistakes."
*You mean there may be other children?"
*It is an avenue worth considering."
*Is it too much to think that Miss Wilton may have pushed the gla.s.s?" I asked.
*She is a was a an ambitious young lady. We have been aware of her activities for a while."
*Do you mean she was a foreign spy?" I asked breathless.
Mr Edward gave a bark of laughter. *I do enjoy your company, Miss Martins." He took out a handkerchief and dabbed at one eye. *No. Merely that in her attempts to become a journalist of note rather than a mere society writer she was asking a lot of awkward questions in a lot of difficult areas. You see, most women of note longed to appear in her column, mentioned favourably, of course, and most women of note ..."
*Are married to men of note," I finished for him.
*I was considering recruiting her," said Mr Edward. *She had a fine network of information, but further study suggested her personality as well as her health made her unsuitable for our work."
I blinked at the word "our" but decided he was adopting a royal stance.
*The asylum she took you to is one of the very best in the country. Dr Frank is extremely well regarded."
*I fail to see the connection," I begun.
*But that is it exactly, Miss Martins. It is all about connections."
*Miss Wilton kept notes."
*I shall have them retrieved from the local police force. As to this matter of a second doctor. Was she, in your opinion, the kind of woman who would have told her admirer that the doctor had been merely so he would leave her alone?"
*No, she was the kind of woman who revelled in attention."
*Perhaps not if she was feeling extremely unwell?" suggested Mr Edward with a fierce frown.
*Sir, my head is going round. I cannot see how all these pieces are connected."
*Neither can I. But I can see certain lines of enquiry to follow."
*So you think it is worth pursuing?"
*If there"s an outside chance of getting Richard Stapleford under control it"s worth investigating."
*By under control, you mean?"
*I mean what I mean, Miss Martins. The man"s a d.a.m.ned loose cannon in more ways than one and now he"s a member of parliament he has even more potential for causing harm."
*What should I do?"