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Miss Mahoney reared back as if offended. “Not regarding my club, Inspector. Rather, the tribulations in his life. When he was in his cups, he liked to lament. About a Mr. Beecham who was making his life miserable. About his niece and her inappropriate beau. About his brother and his failures.”
“Did you ever see the brothers row?” Gideon asked.
“No, they were amiable enough when they came together on those two occasions.”
“When was that?”
“Months ago. Perhaps six months ago.”
Gideon's expression shifted at that. Something like surprise. “Did Mr. Percival Pennington visit the Rosebud Club recently?”
“Yes, he remained a consistent fixture at the club, despite not choosing a lady.”
“I have reason to believe he visited Mrs. Devlin there over the last few weeks.”
Miss Mahoney blinked. “Oh. Well, Demeter had been staying at Regent Square the last few weeks, but I have no knowledge of Percival visiting her. She was far too taken with his brother for that.”
“And were you ever one of the ladies Mr. Pennington sampled?”
Electra noted how Miss Mahoney flinched at the crass wording, though it was the same she had used.
Her muscles tensed and Electra did not need her gifts to know Gideon had struck a nerve.
Patiently, he waited, saying nothing more, even glancing at the art on the walls, as if he had all the time in the world to wait for her answer.
“For a time,” she finally said softly. “Yes, I was.”
“Recently?”
“On occasion.” She bit the words out. “As I said, Percival was changeable in his tastes.” She flicked a bit of lint on her blouse.
Electra had the sense she wished to do the same with the discussion of Mr. Pennington.
“And did Gordon Callister know?”
A flicker of fear sparked from Miss Mahoney, though she remained still and silent.
“He did and he was displeased. We discussed the matter and it was resolved,” she finally said, her voice clear and strong.
“Resolved in what manner?”
“Percival moved on.” She let out a shaky sigh. “Gentlemen are ridiculously territorial, even when they themselves shy away from committing themselves.” Miss Mahoney slashed a hand through the air. “They were rivals for my affection.”
Gideon’s jaw had tensed and he appeared to give her answer considerable thought. “Were you having a liaison with both men at the same time?”
Miss Mahoney smiled, but there was no kindness in it. “I choose who I give my attention to, Inspector. No one else.”
She leaned forward, reaching for a small crystal bell. “I believe I will ring for tea.”
Without waiting for Gideon’s reply, she rang the bell.
“Excuse me for a moment.” She stood and went out through the pocket doors.
Gideon immediately turned to Electra. “I promise I will give you a chance to ask about Mrs. Wilson.”
“I know you will.” Electra had been so occupied with watching Miss Mahoney react, attempting to read her emotions, that the question of the lady who’d come to visit her had fallen to the back of her thoughts.
Miss Mahoney was hiding something significant. Electra did not know why that certainty sat on her chest like a weight, but it did. Slipping her gloves off, she looked about for something she might touch and spotted a cut-crystal glass on the table next to Gideon.
