AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I was considering going for a walk, despite the drizzling rain, when Mr. Hobart approached. There were several hotel guests milling about to check out, but he bypassed them all to speak to me.
Something was wrong.
He confirmed my suspicion when he asked me to join him in his office. “I just had a telephone call from my brother,” he said as he sat behind his desk.
My heart sank. I could tell from his face that it wasn’t good news.
“He has been forced into retirement, effective immediately. His superiors sent him home after he arrived for work this morning.”
“Didn’t they even give him the opportunity to say goodbye to his colleagues?”
He shook his head sadly.
“I am so sorry,” I said. “This is all my fault.”
“I don’t see how.”
“Lord Bunbury must have pulled some strings with his friends at the Metropolitan Police. If I hadn’t questioned him and his wife over the murder of Ambrose McDonald, this wouldn’t have happened. He’s doing it in retaliation.”
He gave me a sympathetic look. “Do not blame yourself, Miss Fox. My brother asked you and Harry to investigate, and you did the right thing by questioning Lord and Lady Bunbury. No one is above the law. Not even them. And if Stephen’s superiors don’t believe that, well…” He parted his hands and shrugged. “Stephen was going to retire soon anyway.”
“Yes, but on his own terms. This way isn’t fair. He has had a long and successful career and deserves a proper send-off.”
He clasped his hands and tapped the thumbs together. “Hmmm.”
“Did D.I. Hobart say anything about Harry and me and the investigation? I assume we have to end it. Not that there is anything more we can do. We’ve reached a brick wall, and I can’t see a way over or around it.”
“Ordinarily I would advise you to pull down the wall.” He offered a weak smile. “But not this time.”
I left Mr. Hobart’s office feeling flat. I was in no mood to battle the elements for a walk, so I returned to my room and stayed there until after lunch. Harmony joined me after her shift ended and loaned a sympathetic ear. I felt a little better after sharing D.I. Hobart’s plight with her and gorging on sandwiches sent up from the kitchen.
Flossy arrived after Harmony left and reminded me that we had an afternoon tea party to attend, and that her parents were hosting dinner that night and I was expected to be there.
“Even though I am a social pariah?”
She blinked her big eyes at me. “Oh yes. Showing up is the best way to end the gossip. When people see you are unaffected by it, they’ll see no sport in spreading it and just stop. It’s a pity Amelia Livingstone didn’t understand that. It’s too late for her now, but not for you, Cleo.” She patted my hand.
I drew her into a hug. “You are so wise sometimes, Cousin.”
“I know. And I didn’t even go to university to get this way.”
Afternoon tea wasn’t asdreadful as I thought it would be. For one thing, the hostess didn’t rescind my invitation, as I’d worried she would. For another, Aunt Lilian and her friends sat at one end of the drawing room while their daughters, Flossy’s friends, sat with Flossy and me at the other.
Most of the mothers gave me circumspect looks, worried I would corrupt their girls just by sitting with them. Their daughters were altogether different. Out of the four of them, only one tried to ignore me. The other three wanted to talk about Cambridge, university, and the future of women’s education. The one who clearly abhorred the thought of an educated female did brighten when the conversation turned to the ratio of men to women on campus. All of a sudden, a university education didn’t seem quite so horrid in her eyes. I wasn’t sure whether to be appalled by the reason for her change of heart or amused.
Afterwards, I couldn’t help pointing out how much Flossy had enjoyed the day. Even she seemed interested in hearing how free my life in Cambridge had been, how I’d been able to go about the city alone, join clubs and societies, and meet with whomever I wanted. It was quite a different life to the one she lived here.
“It wasn’t a complete disaster,” she agreed as we approached our waiting conveyance outside.
I didn’t mention the gossip to my aunt and she pretended nothing was amiss as we chatted all the way home. She seemed to be only half listening, however.
Flossy pointed out some homes of people they knew through the window to me. She paused when our carriage slowed due to the traffic and sat back in the seat. “I don’t know anyone who lives in this part of Portland Place.”
As she said it, a small white plaque on a black door caught my eye. There was no writing on the plaque, just the symbol of a blue dove.
I’d seen that symbol before.
“Did you say this is Portland Place?” I asked.
