After they had left and Simon’s nurse had taken her charge back up to the nursery, Riley was left with the pleasure of his wife’s exclusive company. He poured himself a generous measure of whisky and sat down beside her.
‘You are enjoying having a gritty murder to solve, I think,’ Amelia said, leaning her head on Riley’s shoulder. ‘You have pretended to adapt to your new position, but nothing pleases you more than pitting your wits against outrageous murderers who think they can get away with it, to say nothing of trudging the streets in company with Sergeant Salter.’
‘I won’t deny it.’ He sighed. ‘Not that I am convinced I shall solve this particular one. All of Lady Pemberton’s relatives appear to have had reasons for wanting her dead, and as things stand, I have no way of proving which of them left her bed in the dead of night and paid a visit to her mother.’
‘You think one of the daughters is responsible?’ Amelia frowned. ‘It would take a lot of anger for a female to murder her own mother.’
‘I agree, but there is still a great deal of tension and hostility towards Lady Pemberton, even after her death. None of her family pretended otherwise.’
‘Even so…You imagine financial desperation was the killer’s motive?’
‘I do.’ Riley took a sip of his drink and curled his upper lip disdainfully. ‘The sisters demanded access to their mother’s admittedly famous jewellery before her body was even cold.’
‘Which rather proves my point.’
‘I’ve had her jewels locked away and kept the key. I shall pass it on to Isaac and he can do battle with the lot of them. I have more pressing obligations.’
Amelia hiccupped and looked decidedly pale. ‘Are you all right, my love?’ Riley felt guilty for oversetting her with talk of family disputes, even though she wasn’t ordinarily squeamish.
‘Well…I’m not exactly sure.’ She placed a hand on her stomach and sent him a tentative smile.
‘Another child? Already.’
Her smile widened. ‘Would you mind?’
‘I only mind because it’s too soon after Simon. I’m a beast and ought to be able to control my desires.’
‘I am not absolutely convinced, but I think so.’
‘I will have no hair left to pull out if you keep putting me in the position of having to worry about you.’
She smiled. ‘I think at least half the blame lies with you.’
‘I will send for Hayward tomorrow. He will be able to tell us for sure. If it’s anything else that ails you, we need to know.’ Riley kissed Amelia with passion. ‘If you are increasing then I want a daughter this time.’
‘The sex of our child is not something I can do anything about,’ she protested.
‘All the expectation resting upon Simon’s shoulders makes it harder for me to enjoy him. Girls are far less complicated.’
‘And much more trouble. Look at the way Sophia is developing.’
Riley smiled and kissed the end of Amelia’s nose. ‘I adore seeing her lively personality developing, and I love the way she gently teases her grandmother. She will take London by storm when she is presented and Henry will have to beat her suitors off with a muddy stick.’
‘At least her grandmother pays attention to her, which is a great deal more than can be said for Celia. She has returned to Chichester and left Sophia in the care of her grandmother and aunt. Again.’
‘I think that is the best thing for Sophia. She knows her mother hasn’t got any time for her and pretends not to care. Anyway, my love, we shall dine alone tonight. I shall have you all to myself and there will be no more talk of murder. But first, if you will excuse me, I need to talk to Stout and get myself out of these muddy clothes. Let’s hope that he doesn’t give notice the moment he sees the state of me.’
Amelia smiled. ‘Stout is devoted to your service and will not be deterred from it by a little mud.’
‘I trust you are right. He is a man of many talents and I should be hard pressed to manage without him.’ Riley stood. ‘Stay where you are and don’t move a muscle. There is absolutely no need for you to change.’
‘Ah, so that is how it will be again. You intend to treat me as though I was made of glass.’
‘You may depend upon it.’
Riley kissed her brow and left the room. He found Stout awaiting him in his bedchamber. As predicted by Amelia, Stout didn’t turn a hair at the state of Riley’s clothing. He listened in his usual stoic manner as he helped Riley out of it and Riley explained the situation with Lady Pemberton.
‘How do you fancy being a theatre angel, Stout?’ he asked when he came to the end of his account.
‘From which one must assume that your lordship requires me to take a room at the Audition Club,’ Stout replied calmly. ‘As always, my talents—such as they are—are at your disposal, my lord. What is it that you would have me do?’
‘Subterfuge is called for if I am to solve this case, Stout. All three daughters had grown tired of waiting for the old lady to die of natural causes, and one of them helped her on her way. I shall never discover which one until I have a better idea of their individual circumstances. None of them have been entirely honest with me in that regard. I am especially interested in Miss Sutherland, the actress who is engaged to be married to Clifford Kinsley. She is fiercely ambitious and her marital commitment will not prevent her from taking an avid interest in you if she believes you have deep pockets and are willing to allow her to shine in any theatrical production you are thinking of investing in.’
Riley wondered if Stout would take exception to being obliged to fend off the young woman’s advances. Stout was a bit of an enigma when it came to the fairer sex. Not much older than Riley, he was a good looking man, but the manner in which he spent his leisure time was a complete mystery. A man of few words, he never spoke to Riley at all about his personal affairs, but Riley had heard whispers over the years of his frequently being seen in the company of attractive females. The fact that he seemed perfectly unconcerned about the task that Riley had given him supported Riley’s belief that he was comfortable in the company of the opposite sex.
‘Clothe yourself accordingly, Stout, because you will be judged by your tailoring. If you don’t have anything suitable, purchase it and charge those purchases to me.’
‘I am sure I can turn myself out appropriately without incurring unnecessary expenditure,’ Stout replied calmly as he helped Riley into his coat. ‘When would you like me to descend upon the Audition Club?’
‘Tomorrow afternoon, I think, Stout.’
‘I will arrange for Paul, the footman here, to look after you in my absence.’
‘Don’t worry. I can take care of myself.’
Stout looked mildly offended by the suggestion. ‘Nevertheless…’
‘Call in here in the early evening and let me know what progress you have made. I shall be especially interested in your impression of the Axtons and Miss Sutherland.’
‘As you wish, my lord.’
Stout’s demeanour didn’t change and it was impossible for Riley to decide if his man was pleased at the prospect of his assignment and the inevitable disruption to his routine or whether he’d accepted it under sufferance.
‘One more thing, Stout. Can you get a message to Danforth for me?’
For the first time Stout’s expression changed, but only through the slight elevation of one brow.
‘Your former chief inspector?’
‘That’s the man. He is now a private detective and I might be able to put some work his way. If he is interested, tell him to meet me at the Feathers tomorrow afternoon at four.’
‘I will convey your message, my lord.’
‘Good man. Oh, and first thing in the morning, send a message to Hayward, asking him to attend Lady Riley.’
‘I trust her ladyship is not unwell.’ Riley failed to contain a smile, which produced an answering one from Stout. ‘Congratulations, my lord.’
‘It’s a little early for that. We need to be sure. Keep
it to yourself in the meantime.’
Stout nodded, looking affronted to have had his discretion called into question.
Satisfied that Riley had done all that was possible to set matters in motion, he left his bedroom and returned to the drawing room, ready to enjoy Amelia’s company and to contemplate the possibility of impending fatherhood for the second time.
Chapter Seven
Riley arrived at Isaac’s offices in Lincoln’s Inn at the same time as the man himself, shaking rainwater from his umbrella. Riley himself had braved the elements and had nothing worse than damp shoulders and a wet hat to complain about.
‘Ah, Riley,’ Isaac said, hand outstretched. ‘I don’t need to ask why you are here. We only ever seem to see one another during business hours when one of my clients has died unexpectedly.’
‘I gather news of Lady Pemberton’s death reached the evening newspapers,’ Riley replied, shaking his friend’s hand and then repeating the gesture with Tom, Olivia Morton’s son from her first marriage and one of Isaac’s junior barristers, when he joined them at the door to chambers.
‘I was not aware that the death was suspicious,’ Tom said. ‘The newspapers implied natural causes.’
‘Riley wouldn’t be here if Lady Pemberton’s death was innocent,’ Isaac replied.
‘As usual, the newspapers are not in possession of all the facts,’ Riley replied. ‘I suspect that the death was reported to them by a member of the family who stupidly assumed that public opinion would cause me to change my mind regarding the cause of their matriarch’s demise.’
‘It was murder then,’ Isaac said, removing his coat and hat and gesturing Riley into his private domain. Riley left his damp hat in the care of Isaac’s clerk. ‘You might as well join us, Tom,’ Isaac said. Tom did so with alacrity, closing the door behind him. ‘It will save Jake and Olivia from grilling you for particulars, Riley.’
Riley chuckled. ‘How thoughtful.’
‘How are Amelia and the baby?’ Isaac asked.
‘Both thriving, I am pleased to say.’
Having satisfied himself that Isaac’s family was also in good health, Riley related the particulars of Lady Pemberton’s death.
‘It was clumsily done,’ he finished up by saying, ‘which makes me think that it was not premeditated. Besides, the manner in which the old lady was laid out implied that her killer regretted being so impulsive.’
‘You suppose that one of her daughters is the guilty party,’ Tom said, nodding.
‘Precisely, but I am at a loss to know how to prove which one.’
‘You would like to know the contents of her will,’ Isaac said, tilting his head towards a cabinet behind him. Tom got up, rummaged inside it and emerged with a slim folder, which he passed to Isaac.
‘First things first.’ Riley delved into his pocket and produced the key to Lady Pemberton’s jewellery case, which he passed to Isaac. ‘The vultures were after the spoils before their mother’s body had been removed from the house. I thought it best to secure her valuables.’
‘Thank you,’ Isaac said, handing the key straight back to Riley. ‘But you need not have gone to the trouble.’ He paused. ‘It’s all paste.’
Riley shared a bemused look with Tom. ‘But she was famous for her jewellery. Even I knew that much about her,’ Riley said.
‘She came to me a while ago and told me that it had become more of a liability than a pleasure and that she could put the money to much better use if she sold it off and had replicas made. She asked me to advise her on the best person to handle the sale, which I did. The pieces, you will not be surprised to hear, realised a small fortune.’
‘And her daughters are not aware?’
Isaac shrugged. ‘Seemingly not, if they’re fighting over the replicas.’
Riley allowed himself a grim smile. ‘I will leave you to break that particular piece of news to them.’
Isaac rolled his eyes. ‘Much obliged to you, I’m sure.’
‘Do you know why she decided to sell it all?’ Riley asked. ‘I find it hard to imagine that she found her collection a liability, or was worried about her safety. No self-respecting burglar who was acquainted with Lady Pemberton by sight would consider breaking into her premises, no matter how great the temptation.’
Tom laughed and nodded in agreement. ‘She terrified the life out of me when she came to the house once to talk to Mother about the unmarried mothers’ charity.’
‘Besides,’ Riley added. ‘Her husband acquired some of those stones during his various explorations, I’ve been told. I should imagine that they had sentimental value.’
‘I don’t know why she sold them, but I do know that she required a cash transaction.’
Riley flexed a brow. ‘Can you recall the name of the man who handled the business?’
Isaac could and supplied it to Riley, who committed it to memory.
‘It surprised me too – her insisting upon cash, I mean – but she was most specific on the point,’ Isaac said. ‘As to the rest of her estate…well, there’s not a great deal left, other than the house itself.’
‘What, it’s all gone?’ Riley scratched his head. ‘Her husband was reputed to be worth a fortune.’
‘He was, and left his widow very well provided for, but don’t ask me what happened to it all because I have absolutely no idea.’
‘Sophia suggested that Lady P might have run out of funds. I didn’t take the possibility that seriously, but it seems my perspicacious niece was in the right of it.’ Riley sighed. ‘It would explain why she decided against giving her daughters further handouts about a year ago. Is that when she sold her jewels?’
‘It is, actually.’
Riley shifted into a more comfortable position. ‘What happened to it all, Isaac? Do you know?’
‘I have absolutely no idea. She declined my offer of investment advice after the sale of her jewels. She said she already knew what she intended to do with the money.’ Isaac frowned. ‘I got the impression that something wasn’t quite right, but Lady Pemberton was a formidable woman and she was certainly in possession of all of her faculties, so I knew better than to ask her if she was sure. Once she made up her mind about something, that was it.’
‘The house presumably goes to her daughters?’
Isaac smiled. ‘Not exactly.’ He opened the file in front of him to refresh his memory, even though Riley suspected that he knew its contents by heart. ‘Her instructions were that everything was to be sold. A quarter of the proceeds go to the unmarried mothers’ charity.’ Riley flexed a brow. ‘Another quarter to her granddaughter, and the third quarter to be split between her daughters.’
Riley sighed. ‘That will put the cat well and truly among the pigeons,’ he said. ‘I assume the balance goes to the grandson.’
‘No, there is a modest sum set aside for him, legacies for Miss Colby and some of Lady Pemberton’s long-standing servants.’ He paused, and Riley knew there was a surprise in store. ‘The balance goes to her son.’
‘Her son?’ He sat forward. ‘But she doesn’t…’
‘Mr Gabriel Barlow.’
‘Good God!’ Riley scratched his head. ‘He never said a word to me about their being related. Do the daughters know? Does he know?’
‘They do not, as far as I am aware. Her ladyship told me that she only discovered a few years previously that her son was thriving.’
‘Born out of wedlock, one assumes,’ Riley mused. ‘That probably accounts for her dedication to the unmarried mothers’ charity. It’s hard enough for girls in that position nowadays. Wind the clock back fifty years…’
‘I find it hard to imagine the Lady Pemberton I knew allowing passion to overcome propriety,’ Tom said, grinning.
‘She was young once, just as we all were, hard though that might be for you to accept,’ Isaac replied, in a tone of mild reproach. ‘Anyway, Lady P left letters for everyone mentioned in her will. I don’t know what they say but I do know that the instructions she left
with me were specific. Anyone challenging her will forfeits his or her share.’
‘Typical of her thoroughness.’ Riley took a moment to ponder what he had just learned. ‘It’s possible, I suppose, that Lady P lost her temper with one of her daughters when they applied to her for yet more blunt yesterday and blurted out the truth—that she was all but penniless. Or even that Barlow was her son. Raised voices were reported but I have yet to ascertain who was doing the shouting. Do you know anything about Kinsley’s investment company?’
‘Only that it’s not very successful,’ Isaac replied. ‘I heard from someone recently who wanted to mount a civil suit against him for giving misleading advice. I was asked to prosecute but declined. It’s not my sort of thing. Besides, representing Lady Pemberton would have caused a conflict of interest.’
‘Can you recall the name of the man who brought the suit?’
‘I can’t offhand, but give me a moment. It will come to me.’ Isaac closed his eyes and threw his head back. ‘The case didn’t see the inside of a courtroom in the end, that much I do recall. I believe Kinsley offered the man a full return of his investment in order to protect his own reputation.’ His eyes flew open and he snapped his fingers. ‘Parkinson, that was the name.’
‘Ronald Parkinson of the Sussex Parkinsons?’ Riley asked.
‘The very same. Are you acquainted?’
‘No, we’ve never met. But I’ve seen him once or twice at White’s.’
‘If he’s in town, which he often is, that’s where you’ll find him.’
Riley stood, and offered Isaac his hand. ‘Thank you. You have given me a great deal to think about.’
‘Not sure I’ve been much help,’ Isaac replied.
‘I should be grateful if you would delay telling the family the contents of the will for the time being,’ Riley added. ‘I am assuming that one of them already knew, and is also aware of what happened to the funds from the sale of her jewels. Getting her hands on that small fortune would be an added incentive to commit matricide before the old lady spent it all, always assuming she hadn’t done so.’
‘I wouldn’t ordinarily read the will until after the funeral, Riley, so they will just have to curb their impatience.’
Death of a Matriarch (Riley Rochester Investigates Book 7) Page 8