Death of a Matriarch (Riley Rochester Investigates Book 7)

by Wendy Soliman

  ‘I was not best pleased, I’ll grant you.’

  ‘So enraged, you smothered the old lady. Then, in a fit of theatrical drama, you arranged her body to make it look as though she had died in her sleep, after which you calmly took yourself off and waited for Axton to join you.’

  ‘I thought I had got away with it,’ she said, shrugging. ‘I likely would have done if anyone else had investigated, but you just wouldn’t give up, would you, Lord Riley?’ She laughed, seemingly unconcerned about an impending appointment with the hangman. ‘But do you know what? It feels good to have avenged Pa—and given my time over, I would likely do the same thing again.’

  Riley had heard enough of her self-serving justification. She didn’t show an ounce of remorse, the crime had been premeditated and she deserved everything that would happen to her.

  ‘Have Barton charge her with Lady Pemberton’s murder and lock her up,’ Riley said, standing and leaving the room without saying another word.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Riley arrived home with the dog sticking close to his side. His mother’s carriage was not outside, but he was unsurprised to find Sophia in the drawing room with Amelia, playing on the rug with Simon.

  ‘Uncle Riley! Goodness, who is this?’

  Riley kissed all three of them and explained how he had come by the dog.

  ‘You see,’ Sophia cried, clapping her hands and then hugging the dog. ‘I do get my soft heart from you.’

  ‘Do you mind?’ Riley asked, addressing the comment to Amelia. ‘I already seem to have become rather attached to him. Or more to the point, him to me.’

  Amelia watched as Simon reached out a tiny fist to the dog. It responded with infinite gentleness, licking his fingers and making Simon giggle. ‘Not in the least,’ she replied, scooping Simon up. ‘It seems we are becoming quite domesticated.’

  ‘So it does.’

  ‘What shall you call him, Uncle Riley?’

  ‘You choose, Cabbage, but something more imaginative than Bertie.’

  ‘That was not my choice. That was already his name. He is looking very fine today, by the way. I just took Simon to meet him.’ She tilted her head as she watched the dog slump down in front of the fire, making himself at home. ‘I think he has some wolfhound in him, but the rest of his pedigree is less obvious. Never mind. That’s not his fault. Call him Bruno, Uncle Riley. It’s a good, solid name for a dog and it suits him.’

  ‘Very well then. Bruno it is.’ Riley tugged at one of Sophia’s curls, then poured himself a whisky and sat beside Amelia, holding out a finger on his free hand to Simon, now seated on his mother’s lap, for his son to grasp.

  ‘You look relieved,’ Amelia said. ‘Have you solved your case?’

  ‘I have.’

  He hesitated, then decided that Sophia was old enough to hear the particulars and told it all.

  ‘Ah, so that’s how you found Bruno,’ she said, stroking the dog’s head. ‘He is your lucky charm.’

  ‘So it seems.’

  ‘Poor Lady Pemberton,’ Amelia said pensively. ‘She tried to do the right thing but it does make one wonder why her husband didn’t keep track of his son, especially since he acknowledged him by putting his name on the birth certificate. More to the point, why did Deveraux not tap Sir Joseph for funds? He sounds like an unsavoury character who wouldn’t pass up such a chance.’

  ‘I know Sir Joseph was abroad for some years immediately after marrying Lady Pemberton. Her own son was born while they were away. Perhaps he made enquiries when he returned, discovered that the boy had been adopted and assumed that no intervention was necessary on his part. We shall never know for sure.’

  ‘That is so very sad,’ Sophia said softly.

  ‘As to Deveraux, unless he made a point of checking the birth records, he wouldn’t have had any idea who the boy’s father actually was. And since men who sire children out of wedlock seldom put their name to documents unless then intend to acknowledge them, he most likely didn’t bother.’

  ‘How will the family react to the news, I wonder?’ Amelia said.

  ‘I called on them earlier to tell them before they read about the arrest in the newspapers. Of course, that meant I was also obliged to tell them that Barlow is their half-brother. To say that they were shocked rigid would be an understatement. But they would have found out when Isaac read the will, so I pre-empted them in that regard.’

  ‘Knowing what Miss Sutherland was capable of and being aware how she used him to get close to Lady Pemberton will doubtless help Clifford to recover from his disappointment,’ Amelia surmised.

  ‘I hope so. Mrs Axton is throwing Alan out, so she tells me. Even though he and Miss Sutherland have now been separated, she will not take him back.’

  ‘A woman scorned is not to be trifled with,’ Amelia replied, ‘especially when she has already made so many excuses for a man who does not return her love.’

  ‘Apparently so. Anyway, she has asked Clifford to live permanently with her and help her to make the Audition Club flourish.’

  ‘I’m glad,’ Amelia said, ‘but will Kinsley allow it?’

  ‘He has no control over his son. Besides, I am sure that Pamela will take off with Horton, foolhardy though such a step would be, to say nothing of the scandal it will create. But it means that Kinsley will have his own problems to contend with, keeping his investment fund solvent and looking out for himself.’

  ‘What of his daughter?’ Amelia asked. ‘It doesn’t seem fair that her reputation should be besmirched when she has done nothing wrong.’

  ‘I called on Barlow as well and warned him that his secret was out. He was relieved, I think. He isn’t aware that Anthea will benefit so generously from her grandmother’s will, but he is already thinking about offering her a place in his house in order to ensure her education reaches a level at which she will be offered a place at the ladies’ college. It is what she wants but her mother had been refusing her permission. Barlow is thinking of offering Miss Colby a permanent position supervising the young ladies he takes in. He rightly suggests that it would prevent outsiders from jumping to erroneous conclusions, much as Salter and I did, when they realise that young women are living beneath his roof. Miss Colby is close to Anthea, she is well-educated and perfectly capable of fulfilling that role. It would be a good solution to all their problems.’

  ‘You had doubts about Mr Barlow’s honesty, I seem to recall. You told me you thought he knew that Lady Pemberton had sold her jewels.’

  ‘I did and I asked him about it. He said that she dropped a diamond earring once and he picked it up for her. She was worried that it might have chipped and when Barlow reminded her that diamonds didn’t chip, she agreed that real ones most certainly did not. He thought the comment odd and it made him wonder.’

  ‘Well done, Riley,’ Amelia said softly, briefly resting her head on his shoulder. ‘I knew you would get to the bottom of things.’

  ‘Will Miss Sutherland hang, Uncle Riley?’

  ‘Yes, Cabbage, I expect she will. But she will have her day in court. She will get to play one final leading role—and she’ll make a very tragic figure, I’m sure of it.’

  ‘Well, I am going to take Bruno to meet Bertie and tell him all about it. Then I expect Bruno would like something to eat after suffering the indignity of a bath.’

  ‘Tell cook that he is very partial to pies,’ Riley said, laughing as girl and dog exited the room together.

  The End

  About the Author

  Hi, I do hope you enjoyed Death of a Matriarch. If so, please take a moment to leave a review on Amazon. I’d love to hear what you thought of this particular novel – what you enjoyed most about it and what you didn’t like. Constructive criticism is always welcome.

  Reach me at wendysoliman@rocketmail.com

  I’m a British author, brought up on the Isle of Wight, but now live in Andorra. I share my life with my long-suffering husband and a rescued dog of indeterminate pedigree named
Jake Bentley after the hero in one of my books. Both Jakes are handsome mongrels with independent spirits and wild streaks.

  I’ve had over sixty books published, ranging from Regency romance, (my first love), to contemporary women’s fiction and marine crime mysteries.

  When not writing I walk miles with my dog, make half-hearted visits to the gym, read other people’s tomes…oh, and I’m on a one woman mission to keep the wine trade profitable!

  Check out all of my books, and learn more about me from my website: http:www.wendysoliman.com

  Or on my Amazon author page author.to/wendys

  Follow me on twitter @wendyswriter or on Facebook: Wendy Soliman - Author

  Also available from this Author

  Historical Romance

  Stand Alone Regencies

  Lady Hartley’s Inheritance

  Duty’s Destiny

  To Defy a Duke

  The Duke’s Legacy

  A Reason to Rebel

  A Duke by Default

  Forgotten Heiress

  For Want of a Reputation

  Christmas at Castleray

  Ava’s Passion

  Lady Mysterious

  Disinherited

  Divided Loyalties

  Of Dukes and Deceptions

  A Scandalous Proposition

  The Perfect Impostor

  Game of Dukes

  Lady Impetuous

  Sacrificial Bride

  Dukes and Indiscretions

  Never Dare a Duke

  Mrs. Darcy Entertains Series Boxset

  Miss Bingley’s Revenge / Colonel Fitzwilliam’s Dilemma / Miss Darcy’s Passion / Kitty Bennet’s Despair / Lydia Wickham’s Journal

  Pemberley – The Next Generation Series Vols 1 – 3 Boxset

  Emma Bingley’s Romantic Nature / Naomi Sanford’s Compassionate Nature / Bella Darcy’s Impetuous Nature

  Pemberley – The Next Generation Series Vols 4 – 6 Boxset

  Eleanor Bingley’s Rebellious Nature / Rosie Turner’s Contrary Nature / Susie Darcy’s Tenacious Nature

  Ducal Encounters Series 1

  At the Duke’s Discretion

  With the Duke’s Approval

  Portrait of a Duke

  For the Duke’s Pleasure

  In the Duke’s Estimation

  Captivating the Duke

  Ducal Encounters Series 2

  Reunited with the Duke

  Christmas with the Duke

  Representing the Duke

  Safeguarding the Duke

  Acting for the Duke

  Emulating the Duke

  Ducal Encounters Series 3

  Conspiring with the Duke

  Dedicated to the Duke

  Impugning the Duke’s Honour

  By Order of the Duke

  Supporting the Duke

  Protecting the Duke’s Interests

  Ducal Encounters Series 4

  As the Duke’s Agent

  Masquerading with the Duke

  The Forsters

  Compromising the Marquess

  Beguiling the Barrister

  Finessing the Contessa

  Romancing the Runaway

  Victorian Vigilante Series Boxset

  Saving Grace / Heirs and Graces / With Good Grace / Fall From Grace / Social Graces / Elegance and Grace

  Riley Rochester Investigates Series

  Death of a Debutante

  Death of a Courtesan

  Death of a Prosecutor

  Death of a Scoundrel

  Death of an Artist

  Death of a Recluse

  Death of a Matriarch

  Perceptions Series

  A Sense of Belonging

  A Sense of Purpose

  A Sense of Misgiving

  A Sense of Injustice

  Contemporary Titles

  The Deadline Series Boxset: A Date to Die For/ A Contest to Kill For

  English Contemporary Romance Boxset: Reinventing Radleigh/ Shalimar/Silver Lining

  English Contemporary Romance Boxset 2: Name of the Game / Downsizing / Topspin

  The Hunter Files

  Unfinished Business

  Risky Business

  Lethal Business