A Murdered Earl

by Marina Oliver

  The Earl of Redditch and Frederick were arguing furiously, and in the background Mr Silbermann sat on a tall-backed chair surveying them sardonically.

  'You dare pledge my credit when you know my father would not give you a penny when he was alive!' the Earl was shouting.

  'How else are Amelia and I and the children to live? He promised me a legacy, and if he didn't keep his promise it's up to you to redeem it!' Frederick shouted back.

  'You lie! He'd not leave you a penny piece!'

  Luke looked round the room. Amelia was standing behind her husband, while Bella and her mother sat in chairs near the window. Bella started up and took a step forward when she saw Luke, but no one else paid any attention to him. He moved towards her, then turned as there were sounds of an altercation in the hall. Willie, clutching something to his chest, was struggling to get past the large figure of the constable.

  'Mr Peters, I need to ask you some questions,' the constable said a trifle breathlessly. 'I missed you at your aunt's house.'

  'Mama, Mama,' Willie squealed, holding up his trophy, which Luke could now see was a straggly grey wig. 'Pug took this from your room, and look what's inside it, a packet of powdered sugar!'

  Amelia suddenly went white and stepped past Frederick to snatch at Willie. He laughed, dropped the wig and shook out some of the white powder into his hand. Then, grinning up at his mother, he bent towards it. Amelia screamed and lunged towards him.

  'Willie! Don't! That's poison! It'll kill you!'

  Both the constable and Luke swung round to face her. She was clutching the boy, forcing his hand away from his mouth, and sobbing hysterically.

  'Poison?' the constable said slowly.

  'Cyanide?' Luke asked. The pieces of the puzzle came together. 'It was you, the old woman in the kitchen, asking for sewing work. You wore that wig. You came the day before too. You must have been waiting for an opportunity to put that in his chocolate.'

  'I think you'd better come with me, madam,' the constable began, but Amelia wasn't listening.

  'He deserved it!' she screeched. 'He was a mean old devil, who'd rather have seen his family begging on the streets than help them with money he wouldn't even miss!'

  They watched, appalled, and she gave a shriek of laughter. 'But you'll not send me to the gallows!' she added, and before anyone knew what she intended, she snatched the packet from Willie's hand and shook the contents into her mouth.

  When her body had been removed, her mother put to bed, still hysterical, and Frederick had taken Willie upstairs too, the Earl and constable left. Luke turned to Bella, who had not moved from the chair in the window, where she had collapsed as the truth dawned.

  'I came to ask you to come to America with me,' he said slowly. 'There's a ship leaving tomorrow, and I've passages booked for us and my sister.'

  Bella shook her head. 'If you hadn't been so persistent, it wouldn't have happened. I loved Amelia for what she once was, and even now, when she was bitter and angry. But for you my sister would still be alive, and who would have been hurt by that?'

  'Then – it's all over?'

  She nodded. 'I can't marry you now, Luke. You must see that.'

  'You still have me,' a quiet voice put in, and Luke jumped. He'd completely forgotten Mr Silbermann, who hadn't stirred from his seat during all the commotion. 'I can take care of you.'

  Bella cast Luke a haunted look, then walked slowly across the room.

  'Don't you mind?' she asked. 'My sister was a murderess.'

  'It's you I want, not your family. What do you say?'

  Luke swallowed hard, and walked from the room.

  ***

  THE END

  Marina Oliver has written over 80 novels, all are now available as Ebooks.

  For the latest information please see Marina's web site:

  http://www.marina-oliver.net

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