by Emily Organ
“He harboured a notion that he would perhaps be lucky enough to find work with Thomas Edison in New York.”
“Did you do or say anything in a bid to convince him to continue working for you?”
“What company owner wouldn’t? I had no wish for him to emigrate.”
“How did you try to persuade him to stay?” asked James.
“I thought a few strong words would do the trick, but sadly his mind seemed to be made up. Anyway, this is all of no consequence now, Inspector. I cannot understand why someone would wish to write such unpleasant things about Miss Green here and then pretend someone else had written the letters. It makes no sense to me.”
“What sort of strong words did you use when you spoke with Mr Borthwick?” asked James.
“The sort of words a chap uses when he is about to lose his best employee! That’s all there was to it.”
“Was there anything else?”
“What do you mean, anything else?” He scowled.
“What else did you do to persuade Mr Borthwick to stay?”
“That was all, Inspector! Strong words; nothing more.”
“Do you know a woman who calls herself Maria Forsyth?”
“No. Why should I?”
“Can you think of anyone who dislikes Mr Maynell and Mr Copeland enough to forge malicious letters imitating their handwriting?”
“No, but I must say that I’m rather pleased now that I’ve sold the company and have the chance leave this whole sorry business behind me.”
“When do you leave these shores, Mr Repton?”
“Next Monday. I’m to travel on the Britannia from Liverpool.”
“We shall be very sorry to see you leave,” said James.
“We need to think of a reason to detain Repton,” James said as we walked toward Kensington High Street Station. “Once he’s on that ship bound for America we will have lost him from the investigation. We only have five days. It’s rather a sudden departure, isn’t it? Suspiciously sudden, I should say.”
“It’s tempting to speculate as to whether he’s running away from something,” I added.
“I’d say he was, wouldn’t you? How exactly did you find out that Borthwick and Geller were planning to move to America? It’s the first I’ve heard of it. You say Geller had secured a job there.”
“Yes.”
“Who told you such a thing?”
“I’m not at liberty to say. I made a promise to keep the person’s identity a secret.”
“But I’m investigating the case, Penny! You cannot withhold that information.”
“I can, James, and I have to. I have made a promise.”
“What else did this mysterious person tell you?”
“A little more about Geller and Borthwick.”
“Such as what? You need to share this information with me right away!”
“I’ve written it all down and can show you my notes. There was little else that seemed to be of any use, although the person did suggest that Geller’s murder may have been carried out in order to hurt Borthwick.”
“Meaning what?”
“Meaning that no one bore Geller any ill-will. It was his association with Borthwick which caused him to become the victim of such a terrible crime. By harming Geller the culprit intended to injure Borthwick.”
James nodded. “I see. And does your anonymous source know this for certain, or was it merely a supposition?”
“A supposition, I’d say.”
“I should very much like to talk to this person, whoever it is.”
“I don’t believe the person in question would be willing to speak to the police. In fact, I feel sure of it.”
“That’s a great shame.”
“He didn’t even tell me his real name.”
“So we have established that it’s a man. That narrows it down a little, I suppose.”
“Let’s not become distracted by my source, James. Do you really think Mr Repton’s sudden departure for America is suspicious?”
“I think it could be. We need to ask ourselves what he stood to lose if Borthwick had left his company. He told us that he tried to persuade Borthwick to stay. Did he use more than strong words, I wonder?”
Chapter 53
“And do you really believe that a simple apology is sufficient recompense for causing me to lose my employment, Inspector?”
Jeffrey Maynell jutted out his jaw as he awaited James’ reply. He had received us in the drawing room of his large home in Mayfair’s Dover Street.
“I hadn’t expected that Mr Repton would make such a rash move,” explained James. “I thought he would await further evidence. I told him I planned to have the letters examined by a graphologist.”
“You should have awaited further evidence before accusing us in the first place!” retorted Maynell.
“Are you aware that Mr Repton is to sell his company and move to America?” I asked.
“Yes, I’ve heard about that. The man’s mind seems to have become rather muddled of late.”
“So perhaps he was planning to dismiss his staff anyway.” As soon as the words left my mouth I regretted them.
Maynell’s face reddened with rage. “So I’ve been treated fairly after all! Is that what you’re suggesting, Miss Green? It has nothing to do with the careless work of your inspector friend? The fact that Repton intended to sell his company absolves this detective of his responsibility, does it? The fact that his investigation has been clumsy and amateurish has nothing to do with it?”
“I take it you feel no loyalty toward your former employer now,” said James.
“None at all! And I shall complain to the Commissioner of Scotland Yard with regard to your foolhardy conduct, Inspector.”
“As you wish, Mr Maynell. You’re perfectly entitled to do so.”
“Indeed I am.”
“Were you aware that Simon Borthwick was also planning to move to America, Mr Maynell?” asked James.
“Yes, I was. And it would have been good riddance to him. I was tired of playing second fiddle.”
“So you wanted him to move there?”
“Of course! He was to emigrate with a friend, and don’t ask me to elaborate on what sort of friend, Inspector. I have no wish to discuss such matters under my own roof!”
“How did Mr Repton feel about Mr Borthwick’s proposed emigration?” asked James.
“He would have been nothing without Borthwick. That partly explains his decision to sell the company, I suppose.”
“Mr Borthwick was that invaluable, was he? Even though he reportedly stole other people’s ideas?” ventured James.
“He stole ideas but somehow improved upon them as well. He was impressive, though I’m reluctant to admit it even now,” he said with a sneer. “And I cannot pretend, either, that a lot of our success wasn’t down to him.”
“Mr Repton told me that he tried to make Mr Borthwick stay. Do you know how he went about it?”
“He had words with him, no doubt.”
“Might Mr Repton have threatened him?”
“He may have done.”
“How threatening might he have been?”
“It depends on how much he’d had to drink.”
“Mr Borthwick intended to move to America because his friend Richard Geller was emigrating there,” said James. “The removal of this friend from the equation would presumably have changed Mr Borthwick’s mind.”
“Removal? What do you mean?”
“Murder, Mr Maynell.”
“Ah, right. Borthwick’s friend Geller was murdered in the hospital, wasn’t he?”
“Yes. And perhaps that’s why Mr Borthwick took his own life,” James suggested. “An incident which Mr Repton could not have anticipated.”
A sinister smile spread across Maynell’s face. “I see now, Inspector. I know what you’re suggesting. Mr Repton removed this friend so that Borthwick no longer had any reason to travel to America. But the plan backfired rather badly when Bort
hwick murdered himself!”
He gave a cackle before continuing. “And when Miss Green, the ink-scribbler, developed an unexpected interest in Borthwick’s demise, Repton tried to warn her off with the unpleasant letters. But the letters would have incriminated him had they been in his own hand, wouldn’t they? Better to have them written by two men he no longer had any use for. He tried to frame us! And now he’s to sell the company and escape to America. I can only presume that you intend to arrest him before he quits these shores, Inspector.”
“I shall do my best, Mr Maynell.”
We were interrupted by Lillian, whose yellow satin dress brightened the room.
“Penny!” She smiled broadly at me, then glanced warily at her husband.
“Don’t worry,” he said impatiently, “I have no objection to you two ladies speaking. No further damage can be done now, and I think I’ve just solved the inspector’s case for him.”
“Have you, darling?”
“I believe so. You have an arrest to make now, don’t you, Inspector?” said Maynell with a smug smile.
“I have indeed,” replied James.
“That’s wonderful news!” said Lillian. “Who do you intend to arrest?”
“Repton,” replied her husband. “He’s behind all this nonsense. You wouldn’t think him capable of murder, would you?”
“No!” said Lillian with a look of shock on her face. “Mr Repton? Could he really have done such a thing? It was cruel of him to dismiss you, but surely he wouldn’t carry out a murder. I once thought him such a kindly man.”
Mr Maynell gave a contemptible laugh. “It was all an act!”
“Whom did he murder?” asked Lillian.
“Borthwick’s friend,” replied Maynell. “I’ll explain it to you later, dear.”
“I see.” Lillian turned to me. “Georgina told me all about her dinner party, and what delightful company you and your friend were. He works at the British Library, is that right? She was very impressed by his extensive knowledge!”
From the corner of my eye I noticed that James had turned to gauge my response. I chose not to meet his gaze.
“It was a pleasant evening,” I replied.
“Perhaps now that this sorry business is concluded we could host a similar dinner here. That would be pleasant, wouldn’t it?” said Lillian. “We need a distraction at the present time. It’s been so terribly difficult with Jeffrey losing his job. Georgina and Edgar are great fun, aren’t they, Jeffrey?”
“You could say that.”
“Oh, come now. A little socialising is just what you need. It does you no good to sit about brooding.”
I didn’t like the dark expression on her husband’s face.
James and I stepped out of the house.
“I need to go back to Kensington and catch up with Repton again,” said James.
“Do you think he’s the person Mr Borthwick believed to be persecuting him?”
“He must be.”
“In that case, why didn’t Mr Borthwick name him in his letter?”
“That’s a good point.”
“And how does Maria Forsyth fit in with all this?”
“There are still a few questions to be answered, Penny.”
“Perhaps Maynell didn’t quite solve it after all,” I suggested.
James laughed. “We had to allow the man to think he had, though, didn’t we? I had no wish to see him become any angrier than he already was.”
“He might have exploded like one of Repton’s light bulbs.”
“That would have made rather a mess of the drawing room.” He laughed. “Right, I must go. I don’t want to let Repton slip through our fingers.”
Chapter 54
Once James and I had parted company I walked along Piccadilly with its expensive shops and restaurants. Fashionable ladies with small, pampered dogs shielded themselves from the afternoon sun with their parasols. There was a dull ache in my wounded shoulder, but I tried my best to ignore it.
As I passed the Burlington Arcade I recalled James telling me that the earring we had found at the medical school museum had been bought at a jewellers’ shop there. I turned into the covered row of little shops and searched for the sign bearing the name Villier & Powell. I walked past a milliner, tailor and stationer, each with their luxury wares displayed neatly in small-paned windows. I eventually found the jeweller about halfway along the row.
A young man with neat red whiskers stood inside the shop and the scent of expensive perfume lingered in the air.
“Good afternoon,” I said with a smile. “I would like to enquire about a pair of earrings which were bought from this shop about three months ago. They were drop earrings made of diamond and pearl, I believe, and they cost about one hundred pounds. Do you recall them?”
“We’ve sold a few like that, madam.”
“Would you be able to look over your records and find out who this particular pair of earrings was sold to?”
The man gave me a suspicious look.
“I’m unable to furnish you with that information, madam. Is there anything you wish to purchase from us?”
I glanced around at the shelves of glittering jewellery, acutely aware that there was nothing in the shop which I could afford to purchase. I tried to think of a reason to persist.
“If there is nothing else you require, madam, I don’t believe I can be of any further assistance.” He glanced toward the door.
“Did you sell the pair of earrings yourself, sir?”
“I am not obliged to share any more information with you.”
The expression on his face was stony, and I felt the sensation of a door closing on me. This was the only lead we had for the woman who called herself Maria Forsyth. It was the only possible hope we had of finding out her true identity. The woman who had taken Tiger and attacked me. The woman who might remain forever hidden if I failed to extract the information I needed from the jeweller.
As I thought of Tiger and how long she had been missing, my eyes welled up. I saw a flicker of discomfort pass across the man’s features.
“Please, madam.” He gestured toward the door.
“It’s just that…” I trailed off and rummaged around in my bag for a clean handkerchief.
“It’s just what, madam?”
“It’s rather important to me that I find out who purchased those earrings. This is a matter that is very close to my heart. It’s my sister… the earrings were given to her shortly before she died.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. Please accept my condolences.”
“Thank you. She was too ill to ever tell me who gave her such a beautiful pair of earrings. I know they were quite costly and I wanted to inform the benefactor of my sister’s passing. Oh dear, I’m sorry…” I feigned a slight swoon, as if overcome by emotion.
“Madam!”
The man dashed out from behind the counter and guided me into a plush velvet chair.
“Thank you. I do apologise for causing you such trouble,” I said weakly. “You say that you don’t recall selling those earrings, but perhaps one of your colleagues might.”
I looked up at him with wet, sorrowful eyes.
He pursed his lips, realising that helping me was the only way he could hope to stop my tears.
“I suppose I could ask Mr Villier himself.”
“Would you? That would be so kind of you. I do apologise for taking up your time in this manner, but it’s rather important to me.”
“I can see that.”
A few moments later we were joined by Mr Villier, a round-faced man wearing a bright, patterned waistcoat. I tearfully explained my predicament to him.
“Drop earrings, you say, in diamond and pearl?”
I nodded.
“We have a few which match that description. Would you recognise the exact pair if I showed them to you?”
I nodded again.
Mr Villier unlocked several little drawers behind the counter and proceeded to open a series of
small, silk-lined boxes to show me the earrings inside.
“Those!” I said as he opened the fifth box. I recognised the style of the earrings immediately.
“A most excellent choice. Your sister’s benefactor had good taste,” he replied, closing the box and placing it back in its drawer.
He lifted a heavy ledger onto the counter and began to leaf through it. “We don’t usually record the name of the person who buys a piece of jewellery; however, many of our customers are regular visitors and buy from us several times over. We pride ourselves on the quality of our jewellery and the excellence of our service, don’t we, Wilson?”
The young man forced a smile.
A clock ticked as I patiently watched Mr Villier leaf through the sales ledger. He picked up a pencil and paper and made some notes on it before closing the book.
“My apologies, madam. I didn’t ask your name.”
“Miss Milligan.”
“Very good, Miss Milligan. From our ledger I can see that we have sold five pairs of those particular earrings within the past three months. A beautiful pair they are, too, and certainly not cheap. Your sister must have been a popular lady.”
“She was.” I sniffed.
“I recall selling three pairs myself. Wilson, you must have sold one or two, I gather?”
“Yes, one or two I should think. Perhaps Mr Powell also sold a pair.”
“He may have done,” added Mr Villier as he examined the notes he had made. “Lady Hathaway bought a pair on the third of May. I distinctly remember her purchasing those earrings and my handwriting on the ledger records the sale. Is Lady Hathaway a familiar name to you, Miss Milligan?”
Could this be another pseudonym used by Maria Forsyth?
“It is not immediately familiar, Mr Villier.”
“Very good. I shall continue.”
Mr Villier and Mr Wilson discussed some of the other sales, suggesting the names of others that meant nothing to me. What name had I hoped to hear? Perhaps Maria Forsyth was Lady Hathaway after all? Should I ask if Mr Villier knew where she lived? I decided to wait until the two men had finished making their suggestions.