Death of a Footman (Riley Rochester Investigates Book 8)

by Wendy Soliman

  A dark expression suffused Dawson’s battered features. ‘Ruth!’ he hissed slowly. ‘I ought to have known. Still, it don’t make no never mind. She can’t say nuffink against her own husband.’

  ‘She can if she chooses to, and if that means you will spend longer behind bars, or perhaps even swing for your crime, then I feel persuaded that’s precisely what she will choose to do.’

  ‘She wouldn’t dare!’

  ‘Maybe you shouldn’t have punched your own kid out of her,’ Salter muttered, flexing his fists until new beads of blood appeared on his knuckles. Sam looked down as the drops began to fall from the sergeant’s hands to the floor of the shabby room, and shifted from one foot to the other. Salter looked back at him steadily. ‘Go on, sunshine, try something. Give me an excuse,’ he said.

  ‘You used her as a punch bag once too often,’ Riley said. ‘This is your one chance to tell your side of the story as far as Wendall is concerned. If you don’t, we will charge you with his murder and take our chances on getting a conviction.’

  ‘Given that his lordship is so well connected,’ Salter added, ‘I can’t see you getting away with it. But of course it’s up to you.’

  Dawson dropped his head and let out an angry scowl. ‘It happened just like you said,’ he admitted. ‘John was a thorn in my side. Walked on water as far as Ma was concerned, when I knew just how many tricks he’d pulled, how many people he’d conned to get where he was. Then Verity came along with her story and I’ll admit that I saw red. I went to see Wendall, fully expecting to be rewarded for putting him straight. Instead he turned on me and told me to mind my own damned business. Said I had no right to stick my nose into his affairs and that his wife’s friendships were no concern of mine.’

  ‘You saw Ezra getting away with it?’ Riley suggested.

  ‘Well, I dunno. I’ll admit that I lost my rag and took a swing at him. He darted out the way and he fell against a stack of barrels…I dunno what happened. They must not have been held in place properly. Anyway, the stack fell and crushed him. I only just managed to jump out the way myself. Soon as I realised he was dead, I scarpered.’

  ‘You’re saying it was an accident created by your provocation?’ Riley asked.

  ‘Yeah, that’s exactly what I’m telling you. It were an accident. I’m strong but those barrels are heavy buggers. They stack them using a block and tackle and then lash them down. But even if they hadn’t been properly secured, I’d never have been able to push them over before Wendall got out of the way.’

  ‘Charge him with failing to report a death, Sergeant,’ Riley said, standing and leaving the room.

  ‘He’s all locked up but still turning the air blue with his language, sir,’ Salter said, joining Riley in his office. ‘Why couldn’t we have him charged with murder? He would have been convicted.’

  ‘Because what he said about those barrels is true, unfortunately,’ Riley replied. ‘Oh, I know we could ignore it and charge him anyway, but I honestly don’t think he could have pushed them over on purpose. And even if he could, Wendell would have seen what he was trying to do and I very much doubt that he’d have stood there and allowed himself to be crushed. He fell into them, with fatal results.’

  ‘Dawson might have knocked him out first,’ Salter said. ‘That would have given him plenty of time to push the stack over and cover his tracks.’

  ‘Possibly, but he’s not stupid. Angry as he was, he would have realised that a dead Wendall would have played right into Ezra’s hands, which is the last thing he wanted.’

  ‘I suppose,’ Salter grunted.

  ‘Cheer up, Jack. If Dawson’s fellow thieves all give evidence to say that Dawson forced them into taking part, it will be enough to see him locked up for a very long time. The jury members will no doubt all be respectable businessmen who are plagued by petty theft and they will show no mercy. That means Ruth will be able to bring her children up free of fear.’

  ‘How will she live though, sir?’

  ‘That is not our problem.’

  But the thought troubled Riley. Old Mrs Dawson wouldn’t take her side, and for a pretty girl like Ruth, the obvious way for her to make enough money to support her children was abhorrent to him. It was still on his mind when they returned to Verity’s interview room.

  ‘We have spoken to Sir Philip,’ Riley said crisply. ‘He told us what you persuaded him to do, and that you struck the blow that killed Ezra.’

  ‘Nonsense!’

  ‘We have found the missing figurine from your home, which was the murder weapon you used.’

  Verity’s face drained of colour. She glowered at Riley, vindictiveness plainly apparent in her expression, but bowed her head and said nothing.

  ‘We have also spoken with Sam Dawson and charged him with failing to report your brother’s death. We know that you talked him into confronting him, so you have your brother’s death on your conscience.’

  ‘Never mind, sir. She’ll have plenty of time to think about her sister-in-law enjoying her brother’s fortune while she waits for her appointment with the hangman.’

  Verity hissed and muttered something incomprehensible beneath her breath.

  ‘Charge her with Ezra’s murder, Sergeant, and have her taken down.’

  ‘With pleasure, sir.’

  Once Salter had done so, the two detectives returned to Sir Philip and told him that Verity would stand trial for murder.

  ‘I could charge you with withholding information and impeding my investigation, Sir Philip,’ Riley said, ‘but I am satisfied that you went to Clapham with no murderous intent and did what you could to prevent Verity from committing that crime when you realised what she planned to do. I am therefore releasing you and will leave it to you to explain matters to your wife and son.’

  ‘Thank you, Lord Riley,’ he said, standing on stiff legs and offering Riley his hand. Riley ignored it and left the room with Salter in his wake.

  ‘A satisfactory day’s work,’ Salter said as they reached Riley’s office. ‘What now?’

  ‘Sit down, Jack.’

  Salter did so and sent Riley a look of mild enquiry. ‘You look all serious. What’s on your mind, sir?’

  ‘Your promotion. You know I have canvassed to have you fill the vacant inspector’s position. You have more than shown your worth, but unfortunately our superiors, in their infinite wisdom, have decided that another inspector would be surplus to requirements.’

  ‘That’s your fault, sir. You’ve managed to combine Danforth’s duties and your own a bit too well. But still, an’ all, I don’t mind too much. The extra money would have been nice but I’m more comfortable staying a sergeant. All that extra paperwork and kowtowing to the brass wouldn’t sit well with me. The way things are, I get to do more cases on my own now that you have other priorities, but I still enjoy working alongside you on these murder cases. Not sure I’d solve them without your help, much as it grieves me to say so.’

  ‘At least I can do something about the money you provided for Ruth Dawson’s medical assistance.’ Riley handed Salter the envelope that Thompson had earlier given him. Salter opened it and raised both brows.

  ‘Blimey, that’s a very generous raise. I take it I have you to thank for it.’

  ‘You have yourself to thank, Jack. You’ve earned it with your loyalty and dedication. You will be able to afford one of those new houses you had your eye on now.’

  ‘Nah. Have to have a healthy deposit, and with a family as large as mine there’s never enough left over for saving.’

  ‘Which is where I can help you.’ Riley handed Jack a folded cheque. ‘That, I believe, is the correct amount required for the deposit.’

  Salter’s mouth fell open. ‘This is written on your personal account, sir,’ he said. ‘I can’t accept that.’

  ‘I hope you will. You are a good man, Jack. You are honest and reliable and I depend upon you far too much. You helped Ruth Dawson by paying the doctor to attend her. She might have died if yo
u hadn’t. You couldn’t afford it but you did it anyway because it was the right thing to do. I can afford to make a small difference to you and your family. It is also the right thing to do. Think of them if you are too proud to accept my gift for yourself.’

  Salter swallowed. ‘I don’t know what to say, sir, and that’s a fact. But if I do accept, which I’ll have to if Mrs Salter hears about it, and she will since I never keep anything from her, then I will treat it as a loan and pay you back, no matter how long it takes.’

  ‘If that’s the only way you will accept, then consider it a loan.’ Riley had no intention of being paid back and would find a way to ensure that Jack didn’t attempt it, even if it meant recruiting Mrs Salter to his cause. She was far too practical to look a gift horse in the mouth. ‘Anyway, let’s not discuss this any further now. There’s no time.’ Riley pulled his half-hunter from his waistcoat pocket. ‘If we hurry, I believe we can reach Alexandra Palace just in time to witness your daughter’s moment of glory.’

  ‘Oh blimey, I’d clean forgot and if I don’t show my battered face Mrs Salter won’t speak to me for a month.’

  Riley chuckled. ‘Heaven forbid!’

  The show had already started by the time they arrived. It was more crowded than Riley had anticipated and he noticed a fair number of society’s leading lights among the audience. A raised platform ran down the centre of the section of hall being used for the exhibition. Ladies sat on both sides of it, applauding every time a model walked down it, showing off what appeared to Riley at first glance to be very elaborate headwear. If Salter’s daughter could compete in such exalted company then she must be very talented.

  Riley noticed Amelia sitting in the front row with Olivia, his mother, sister and Sophia’s mother Celia, as well as Mrs Salter and one of her daughters. It was too crowded for him and Salter to get anywhere near them, so they leaned against the wall in the company of a few other men who had been dragged along to an otherwise all female event. Salter jerked upright when Maureen’s name was announced and the company was informed that her creation would be modelled by Lady Sophia Rochester.

  Sophia stepped onto the dais, wearing a glamorous evening gown that perfectly complemented Maureen’s exotic toque. She brought with her the sunshine reflected in the sparkling tones of a gown that perfectly complimented her personality and the decorations adorning the magnificent headpiece. The audience erupted into applause. Sophia smiled as she walked along in her usual unaffected manner, dipping her head every so often to show off the decorations on the crown of the toque. She saw Riley and waved, causing those with their backs to him to turn and see what had attracted her attention. Amelia was one of them, as was Mrs Salter, and they both smiled when they saw their respective spouses.

  ‘Looks as though you’re off the hook, Jack,’ Riley said, acknowledging Sophia with a small wave and nod of encouragement.

  Several more hats were displayed, but none were greeted with the same enthusiasm as Maureen’s, and to Riley’s untutored and admittedly biased eye they didn’t look nearly so inventive. Riley was delighted when the judges conferred and declared unanimously that Maureen’s design had won. Maureen, looking both nervous and astounded, stepped onto the stage alongside Sophia, who showed no such restraint. She grinned and waved, and then threw her arms impulsively around Maureen.

  Riley glanced at Salter, who had tears in his eyes and looked fit to burst with pride. Stylish though Maureen’s creation undoubtedly was, Riley privately thought that Sophia’s unaffected enthusiasm had helped to win the day and was inordinately pleased with her generosity of spirit.

  ‘Well, Cabbage,’ Riley said afterwards, as refreshments were served and Sophia, still wearing the winning toque, gripped his arm. ‘I hope you enjoyed yourself.’

  ‘Oh, enormously. Look.’ She pointed. ‘That’s Madame Boise, she is the foremost milliner in all of London. Everyone who is anyone goes to her for their hats and she has a waiting list a mile long. That’s Maureen’s current employer she’s talking to, and a more disagreeable woman it would be hard to imagine. Hopefully Madame Boise will offer Maureen a position so that she can finish her indentures in style. She will have a much nicer time of it, I’m absolutely sure, and her reputation will be established.’

  Amelia joined them. ‘I am glad you got here,’ she said, squeezing Riley’s arm as Sophia wandered away to attend her grandmother. ‘It means a lot to Sophia.’

  ‘You have been overdoing it, what with hats and houses and fabrics and what have you,’ Riley gently scolded. ‘It’s far too crowded and I shall take you home immediately.’

  ‘Did you catch your murderer?’

  ‘We did.’

  ‘Then I shall have your full attention, and am ready to return home to our son.’

  Epilogue

  Two weeks after solving Ezra’s murder, Riley stood in the drawing room at Ashdown once more. It was unrecognisable. Men were working away stripping the old wallpaper, rubbing down the wainscoting and carefully restoring ceiling mouldings previously obscured by layers of mould. Riley held Simon in his arms while Bruno ran around in excited circles, getting in everyone’s way. Amelia had her ever-present swatches of material in her hands and insisted upon showing Riley precisely what she intended to use in each room.

  Eventually she ran out of things to enthuse about and they wandered outside to sit on the chairs that had been placed for them on the terrace.

  ‘Despite everything,’ Amelia said, sipping at the tea which had been served to them by one of the cleaners they had employed, ‘I am sorry about the news regarding Verity Randall.’

  ‘That she took her own life in prison?’ Amelia nodded. ‘It’s about the only decent thing she ever did, and it saved Ida, Sir Philip and Gideon from the embarrassment of a spectacularly public trial. Besides, she knew what fate awaited her and decided to choose her own form of death. She needed to remain in control, right up until the end.’

  ‘Ingesting poison can’t have been pleasant. How did she come by it?’

  Riley shrugged as he bounced Simon on his knee and Bruno rolled on his back on the lawn, paws flapping skyward as he luxuriated in having a new family to fuss over him. ‘We shall never know. Several people visited her, including her husband and Sir Philip.’

  ‘What made her so vindictive, I wonder?’

  ‘She wasn’t always that way, I’m told. Like most young girls she dreamed of falling in love and being swept off her feet. She met her heart’s desire but her brother spoiled things by telling the young man that Verity’s fortune wasn’t as large as he had been led to believe. He was attempting to protect his sister, one supposes, by warding off fortune hunters. And that warning had the desired effect. Jason’s feelings didn’t mirror Verity’s and he broke off the connection.’

  ‘Poor girl.’

  ‘Quite. One imagines she would have understood his need for financial security once she got over her disappointment, but for the fact that he then married a young woman of exquisite beauty who didn’t have a brass farthing to her name.’

  ‘Ouch!’

  ‘Quite. Then Ezra came along. She was no longer a green miss, but even she was taken in by his charm, saw him for what he was and came up with a ruse. She despised Ida, was jealous of her beauty, her lax morals and what she saw as her parsimonious nature, and recognised a way for Ezra to ingratiate himself and line both their pockets. But then Ezra—’

  ‘Took up with the beautiful Ida and cut Verity out.’

  ‘And then had the discourtesy to add insult to injury by falling in love with her equally beautiful sister-in-law. She still held a grudge against her brother for interfering with her first love. She also knew that her husband was involved with another woman and…well, I imagine the injustice of it all became too much for her to bear.’

  ‘If she wasn’t so wicked, I would feel some sympathy for her. We all suffer disappointments, but few of us resort to murder.’

  ‘Sir Philip has resigned his position and he and Ida are
planning to go away for a year or two, until the scandal dies down.’

  ‘Hopefully she will have learned her lesson and be a little more discreet in future, if she must indulge in dalliances.’

  Riley chuckled. ‘That I very much doubt. But at least Gideon will be able to start again and choose his own career. He’s resigned too. I hope he will have learned from his mistakes and make a better choice of wife if he decides to take the plunge for a second time.’

  ‘It was a very kind thing that you did for Salter,’ Amelia said, smiling when Simon gurgled at her, ‘giving him the deposit for a new house.’

  ‘He didn’t want to take it but Mrs Salter—what was Jack’s expression? Would have had his guts for garters, I believe is what she said—if he’d turned it down.’ Riley glanced down the length of the sun-drenched lawns to the stream sparkling at their foot. They smiled as Bruno splashed about in it, cooling himself down. ‘The lure of indoor plumbing was too much for her to resist. Jack’s a good man and I should be lost without him. And talking of companions...’ He nodded towards the derelict cottage that they hadn’t been sure what to do with. ‘Feel free to dismiss the idea, but it occurs to me that you will require someone to care for the prune and the new baby when it comes, since Agnes has given notice.’

  ‘Whom do you have in mind?’

  ‘I have told you about Ruth Dawson.’

  ‘Ah, the very pretty young woman I keep hearing about. The woman whose husband you have rather conveniently just incarcerated. Should I be concerned that she is still uppermost in your thoughts?’

  ‘You know better than that. Despite Paul Dawson fighting her corner, Mrs Dawson has taken against her and blames her for Sam’s travails. She has effectively lost two sons, and her sense of judgment is perhaps not at its best.’

  ‘Sam will be gaoled for a longer period?’

  ‘Oh yes. The full extent of his thieving has been uncovered and was far more extensive than anyone realised. The owner of that building project is demanding the maximum sentence, and he has enough authority to make his voice heard. Sam will be lucky to get less than twenty years, and few survive for that long in such a hostile environment as our prisons.’