A Lady's Guide to Gossip and Murder

by Dianne Freeman

  Caroline was watching me now, her lips compressed, eyes narrowed. Anger was quickly replacing fear. I had her attention, but Ridley was growing impatient.

  “What’s to become of you, Caroline? Even if your husband doesn’t hang for murder, he’ll go to prison. Your fortune will be confiscated. How will you live?”

  “That’s enough.” Ridley turned to Caroline. “This is your last chance. Go now, or I swear I’ll shoot you, too.”

  “You have a gun,” Lottie said, her voice shaking. “Shoot him.”

  Caroline’s expression twisted with rage as Ridley jerked back around to face us. “For God’s sake, the revolver is empty. It’s of no use to—”

  Ridley’s head twisted to the side as Caroline swung the revolver in an arc that connected with his skull. He collapsed to the floor.

  Caroline stared down at him, her mouth gaping open in horror. The revolver slipped from her fingers and clattered to the floor.

  I pulled away from Lottie, rushed toward Caroline, and threw an arm around her, drawing her away from Ridley and toward a chair. “Well done, my dear. Thank you.”

  She slumped into the wingback chair and leaned forward, dropping her head in her hands. “The selfish rotter.” She turned her face to look at me, her eyes devoid of emotion. “He had it coming, don’t you think?”

  Indeed, I did.

  Chapter 24

  It became the scandal of the summer. The Daily Observer had their exclusive story, and as a columnist for that fine periodical, I had the honor of reporting it all. Well, not all, of course. I could hardly give a firsthand account of Ridley’s capture without giving myself away. But everything that came after was fair game.

  Caroline had struck Ridley with enough impact to render him unconscious. Lottie and I had only just secured him with the silk tiebacks from the draperies, when we heard the commotion coming from the reception rooms. I sent Lottie to see what had happened, and she returned with Delaney and two constables. Miriam Ridley followed on their heels and froze in the doorway as she took in the scene.

  The constables pushed past her to lift the trussed, but now sputtering, Ridley to his feet. The man loudly professed his innocence as Delaney retrieved the pistol and document case from the floor. Miriam’s face showed more dismay than surprise when Delaney told Ridley anything he said would be taken down as evidence.

  “I’m going with you,” Caroline announced, rising unsteadily to her feet. “That man couldn’t tell the truth if his own life depended upon it.”

  Delaney took her arm and guided her through the door, where she exchanged a vicious glare with Miriam.

  “For heaven’s sake, take him out the back way,” Miriam ordered, as the constables led Ridley away. She followed them all out as George and Charles pushed their way into the room.

  “What the devil happened here?” In two strides, George reached my side, clutching my arms as he looked me up and down. “Are you well? He didn’t harm you?”

  I bobbed my head. “We are fine.” Though now that he was here, I wanted to collapse in his arms.

  Charles led Lottie to an overstuffed chair near the window and seated himself on the arm. “I say, you were only meant to watch the bounder, not capture him.”

  Delaney returned alone, took in the room with a glance, and headed to the desk to examine the papers Ridley had left scattered about. “To return to the first question,” he said, “what happened here? And how did you determine Sir Hugo was our culprit?”

  “I really only determined he was involved in Archer’s scam.” I gave Delaney an account of our evening from the time Charles and Hetty had left to retrieve him. “His plan to leave the country made me suspicious, but I didn’t know he was the murderer until he produced the pistol.”

  “He told Caroline Archer to hide it in Mr. Evingdon’s carriage,” Lottie said. “They meant to implicate him in the murders.”

  “I wondered why I was invited,” Charles muttered.

  “Damn, I should have been here.” George pulled me close and rested his cheek on my head. “I hate that you put yourself in danger.”

  “Just how did you stop him from leaving?” Delaney asked.

  “Actually, Caroline Archer stopped him. Ridley thought an unloaded revolver wasn’t a weapon and foolishly turned his back on her.”

  “But she would never have hit him, if you hadn’t made her see the truth,” Lottie added.

  “How did you come to be in the room?”

  Lottie explained how she and I had fallen through the doorway and I felt the rumble of laughter George tried to suppress.

  “Now I wish even more I’d been here,” he said.

  “I’m just relieved you came so soon.”

  “Archer was already pointing a finger at Ridley by the time I caught up with Delaney,” he said.

  “Did he admit his own guilt in the fraud scheme?” As much as I enjoyed the comfort of George’s arms, my curiosity demanded answers. I took a step away and turned my attention to Delaney.

  “He denied everything until I showed him the account book and brought up the murder of his sister-in-law,” the inspector said. “At that point he immediately owned up to the fraud charges and blamed Ridley for the murders. According to Archer, Ridley had been involved in his scam ever since Archer tried to cheat him.”

  “Ridley did reveal the scam to Jasper,” George added. “But rather than expose Archer, he wanted a percentage of the spoils.”

  “I assumed as much,” I said. “Do you know if Jasper ever told Mary?”

  “He did,” George said. “And left her the account book. She confronted Archer, and he agreed to stop.”

  “But he didn’t.”

  “No, and as Mary dug up gossip for her column, she found out Archer was cheating his clients again so she renewed her threat. Archer claimed he wanted to stop, but Ridley threatened to expose him if he did. When he heard about her murder, Archer said he was on the verge of going to the police himself.”

  George waved a hand toward Charles. “That’s just about the time Evingdon and Hetty arrived to tell us about Ridley, which only lent credence to Archer’s story, so Delaney was quite eager to bring him in. I was all the more eager to return to the party when I learned the two of you were keeping watch over Ridley.”

  He gave me a smile, but I saw the strain still etched in his face. I regretted making him so worried, but was rather happy that he cared so much. “I didn’t know at the time he was a murderer,” I said. Under the weight of his steady gaze I gave him a rueful smile. “Though I admit I suspected.”

  “Why are you all hiding away back here?” Lily stood in the doorway with Leo just behind, her eyes alight with mischief. “It seems Sir Hugo’s just been arrested.” Her gaze landed on Delaney and she leaned against the door frame, crossing her arms. “I thought you were missing all the excitement, but it seems you may have been at the heart of it.”

  For my part, I was happy the excitement was over.

  * * *

  The day I’d been dreading finally arrived; well, the event I’d been dreading anyway—Lily and Leo’s engagement party. While I’d come around to understanding that they were deeply in love and the two of them would likely be very happy, it was still hard to let my sister go. I’d only just reunited with her last spring.

  “You’ll still have her for a few months,” Fiona said, as if she’d been reading my mind.

  We were at the Kendricks’ home, standing at the perimeter of the ballroom, watching Lily and Leo execute their first dance as an engaged couple. When more couples joined in the dancing, I turned back to my friend, pleased she’d made the trip back to town for this party. I’d missed her terribly while we’d worked on this case. She was the most skillful gossip ever born and could have written the Miss Information page without any additional aid from the London servants. But George had reminded me more than once that everything Mary wrote had to remain confidential. So, it was just as well Fiona had been absent. I would have hated to keep secrets
from my dear friend.

  Now that the case had been concluded, word was out, and all of society buzzed with the news. Archer had been arrested for fraud, Ridley, for two murders. Caroline had clearly known about her husband’s misdeeds and had a hand in helping Ridley cast suspicion on Charles, but somehow, she managed to remain a free woman. Since she had saved my life and Lottie’s, I was pleased with that conclusion.

  I still didn’t know whether Miriam had known about Hugo’s crimes. He may have kept her in the dark about the murders, but I suspected she knew about the fraud. Oddly enough, she and Caroline remained friends. The two of them, along with the Archer children, quietly slipped away to the Continent a few days ago and were unavailable for comment.

  Archer admitted he had Hugo employ Milton, the valet, to keep him close and ensure his silence, but as it turned out, Mr. Milton knew nothing of Archer’s scheme.

  But even in the midst of this scandal, all the gossip was about Mary Archer and her audacity in writing the Miss Information column—airing their secrets. Can you imagine?

  Fiona had just echoed that sentiment, and as the music swelled, we stepped back into an alcove where we could watch the dancers, yet still hold a conversation. “You won’t convince me you feel any sense of outrage at all, Fiona. Indeed, I think you wish you could be Miss Information.”

  She drew back and examined my face, compressing her lips in a pout as she realized I was teasing. “The position is open,” I added with a smile.

  “I do wish I could unburden myself of all the knowledge I carry with me—the tales, the scandals.” She placed a hand on her chest and sighed. “But you know I only share that knowledge with my closest friends, and only when I’m certain they’ll be discreet.”

  “Such a heavy responsibility,” I said.

  “Indeed. But though I have no wish to write about gossip, I am extremely jealous you were in possession of so much of it.”

  I could imagine she was. “Actually, I’m surprised George told you about that. Everything in Mary’s files was supposed to remain confidential.”

  “He didn’t tell me what was in the files. Only that he handed them over to you.” Her lips twitched up in a smile. “I think he was rather proud of the way you handled yourself.”

  Fortunately, Fiona turned her gaze to the dance floor and didn’t see my cheeks redden.

  “It seems as though Mr. Evingdon has transferred his affections to your little protégée. He hasn’t left her side all evening.”

  Following her gaze, I spotted them just as Lottie trod on Charles’s foot. I doubted it was the first time this evening. I gave him high marks for courage in even attempting to dance with her, though I’d wager he’d be willing to accept any number of blows for the privilege of holding her in his arms. And rightfully so. Lottie may be lacking in grace, but she more than made up for it with wit, charm, and determination.

  “She’s become quite a favorite of mine,” I said. “He’d be lucky to win her affections.” Though by this time I was certain he’d already done so.

  At Fiona’s expression of surprise, I gave her a firm nod. “And I don’t think he is actually transferring his affections. He and Mrs. Archer were not particularly compatible after all.”

  “No? Yet the poor man was arrested as a spurned lover turned murderer. What a shame if there was no love involved.”

  “He wasn’t arrested, Fiona, but he might have been if not for George and Lottie.” I gave a jaunty toss of my head. “And I suppose I played a small part myself.”

  “It appears he’s over the experience now,” Fiona said. “Ah, young love!” She gave me a sidelong glance. “And speaking of which, is there something happening between you and George?”

  My faced burned again. Heavens, where had that question come from? “Between George and me? Certainly not young love. We are both far too old for such a thing.”

  A sly smile crept across her lips. “All right then, would I be far off the mark in calling it new love?”

  I glowered at the woman. “You would be better to call it nothing at all; then I can be sure you aren’t spreading rumors.”

  “I take exception to that, Frances. Have I ever spread a rumor about you?”

  “No, Fiona, of course not.” I was instantly contrite.

  “And this would be the type of secret I’d treasure, you know. I’d be delighted to learn you and my brother had become close.”

  “Did I hear something about my sister spreading rumors?” I turned to see the subject of our conversation had joined us. Heavens, how long had he been standing there?

  His eyes twinkled with mischief. “How could you suggest such a thing, Lady Harleigh?”

  Fiona could barely contain her glee. “I’ll leave it to you to explain your accusation to George.”

  With that parting comment she sauntered off, leaving me in this rather remote corner with George. I took a careful glance at his face only to see him grinning broadly. “Was she angling for the newly opened position of Miss Information?”

  I waved a hand in her direction. “She was simply speculating about Lottie and Charles.”

  “Ah, I think their actions speak for themselves.” His grin faded as he became more serious. “What will you do, Frances? Lily is about to be married and I doubt Miss Deaver will be far behind.”

  I tried for a casual shrug. “There are still some months before Lily’s wedding. I hope Aunt Hetty will stay with me. And perhaps you and I will have another case to work on.” I gave him a smile. “Partner.”

  “There is more than one type of partnership, Frances. If I can’t leave you alone for fear someone will shoot you, then I hesitate to leave you alone at all. Perhaps it’s time we consider a more permanent form of partnership.”

  I met his gaze. “The revolver wasn’t loaded, George, and if that’s another marriage proposal, I think it might be worse than your first.”

  He shook his head in mock horror. “It couldn’t be. The first one was abysmal. But you are giving me plenty of opportunity for practice.”

  His expression sobered. “I don’t know the number, Frances, but I believe there is a limit to the times a man can bring himself to ask the same woman to marry him before finally accepting no for an answer.”

  My heart raced as the music in the ballroom swelled. I didn’t want to say no, but neither would I tolerate another society marriage. I looked up into those lovely green eyes and smiled. “Perhaps I should ensure we don’t exceed that limit by offering you a hint.”

  His brow quirked up. “I’m listening.”

  “When your reason for asking me to marry you is because you simply can’t do without me, then I’ll be prepared to say yes.”

  A devilish grin crossed his lips as he stepped back and took my hand. “Then, madam, prepare yourself to say yes.”