She slapped his hand away. ‘Because you were not here. You were probably off with some other woman.’
‘Why are you doing this to me, Eddie? Don’t you know you’re my only alibi and that you’ve made me a murder suspect?’
‘Of course.’
Sean switched his attention to the soft part of her neck. She usually loved being caressed but tonight his tone was distinctly sinister. He whispered, ‘What is it, Eddie? What made you decide to dump me? Didn’t I pay enough attention to you? Perhaps a trip to Paris would have made you more agreeable.’
He slipped his hands under the bedcovers and stroked his way to the top of her thighs. Sean eased her legs apart; she was powerless to resist. Edwina fought to ignore the heat being generated by his touch. Her voice trembled and her breathing was jagged. ‘I’m trying to protect the du Barry family name for my daughter’s sake. I can’t have anyone knowing we were lovers, although I wouldn’t mind them knowing what a bastard you are.’
Sean snorted. ‘I’m sure you’ve tangled with bigger bastards than me.’
Edwina sat up. ‘I intend getting married again and can’t afford to have it known that I consorted with a gigolo for over a decade. Not when I could easily marry a titled gentleman of the British establishment or perhaps a brilliant, internationally respected psychiatrist.’
She tried to edge away from him but he pinned her to the bed. Sean effortlessly whipped off her negligee and tossed it onto the floor. Edwina shivered and tried to cover her nudity by pulling the quilt up round her neck. Sean made himself comfortable on her pillows and crossed his legs. Edwina knew he was trying to get a reaction, so she pretended not to notice that his wet shoes were soiling her white satin quilt.
He slid his hand back under the quilt and found his way to the junction of her thighs. ‘Eddie, have you informed Dr Otto Rubens of your intentions? Despite his pronounced masculinity you’re capable of crushing him like a sparrow and spitting out his feathers. Who knows, maybe he’s eager for the experience? Or is he succumbing to a death wish?’
‘Don’t be so vile. And stop doing that!’
He responded by tearing off the bedcovers and working his fingers back into her inner warmth. Edwina almost relented before clamping her legs shut.
He leant over the pillow. ‘You love me touching you like this, don’t you, Eddie? You’re all wet and slippery. Admit it. You want me inside you, don’t you? All you have to do is say, yes.’
She pushed him away. ‘Stop it! You and I are finished. I’m putting all scandal firmly behind me. Imagine if people found out I’d been having a love affair with one of my husband’s closest friends.’
‘I think you’re glamorising the facts, Eddie darling.’
‘All right. Imagine if people found out I’d fallen for Sean Kelly, an immoral cad who provides paid sexual services to society women but still can’t resist fucking working-class sluts on the side.’
‘Name them. Come on, I dare you.’
‘Well, there’s your neighbour, the child-bride Mrs Jennifer Jones, then Mary Maguire of course and that vulgar barmaid called Brenda from the Fox and Hounds. Cut that out!’
Sean grinned and continued stroking her breasts. ‘The lady doth protest too much, methinks. I must say you’re remarkably well informed but the detail is missing. You’re getting sloppy, darling. Just for the record, Jenny Jones is the closest I’ve ever got to having a younger sister. And I’d protect her against all comers. So tell your informant, to stay away from her. Or I’ll be tracking him down and yanking his brain out, through his eyeballs with a fork.’
Edwina rolled her eyes. ‘You’ve failed to mention the other two.’
‘Brenda is the publican at The Dirty Duck, not a barmaid at the Fox and Hounds. I grew up with her in Dublin. She’s a fine lassie and we go way back. As for Mary Maguire? That’s my business and I won’t have you slandering her. So lay off.’
‘You know, Sean, I’ve always wondered why there’s no English word for a male slut.’
‘Don’t be nasty, Eddie. I can’t help it if women lust after me. I like seeing them happy and well fucked. It’s my weakness, I just can’t say no.’ Sean slowly licked her left nipple. ‘You know, I’ve always suspected you were having me followed. Tell me, who does your dirty work these days? It’s a Hotel du Barry employee, isn’t it?’
‘None of your damned business. I’m simply protecting myself.’
He turned his attention to her right nipple. ‘From what?’
‘From a man who has no moral scruples whatsoever. A man who expects me to sacrifice my reputation to save his own.’
Sean lit another cigarette. ‘I’ve got no reputation worth saving and I’ve never pretended to be better than what I am. Are you scheming to put me on trial for Danny’s murder? Surely even you wouldn’t go that far.’
‘You killed Daniel because you wanted to marry me and get your hands on the du Barry fortune. You were drunk at the time and your jealousy got the better of you. No doubt, you regretted it when you sobered up.’
Edwina pulled him up by the hair and reached for her eggnog. He promptly dropped his cigarette into her drink.
Sean rolled off the bed, stripped off his tuxedo jacket and tossed it onto the bed. ‘Fuck it, is this some kind of sick joke, Eddie? If I make love to you now, will it make your anger go away?’ He tore off his bow tie and started unbuttoning his shirt. ‘Or do you want a penitential fucking, with me on my knees, begging you not to turn me in? What the hell is going on? Are you snaky because I made no response when you confessed you loved me?’
‘Don’t flatter yourself. I was never really in love with you. How could I be, when you kept beating me up?’
‘What a crock of shite. I only smacked your bottom because you insisted. Sadism is not my style. But that brother of yours has got a lot to answer for. Small wonder you’re so twisted.’
‘How dare you mention Matthew!’
‘Don’t be so bloody touchy. It’s true and you know it.’
She flicked his tuxedo jacket onto the floor. ‘You know, darling, I still have the photographs that were taken after you beat me black and blue.’
Sean lost all control. He grabbed her arms and gave her a thorough shaking. ‘Any photographs you’ve got are a put-up job. Or are those the same photographs that were taken after that thug hospitalised you? Jaysus, and to think I was stupid enough to shove his teeth down his throat because you told me he’d violated and humiliated you.’
Edwina viewed the marks on her arms with mock astonishment. ‘You brute, look what you’ve done. You know, I bruise so easily. Like a peach.’
Sean stood up, fists balled and face white with anger. ‘I never thought you’d stoop this low. Clearly I’ve underestimated you, you’re much more devious than I thought. So let’s imagine I do go to trial for Daniel’s murder, eh? Any bogus photographs used as evidence will make no fucking difference, because ultimately it’s your word against mine. So I dare you to do your worst.’
‘Really? What about the incriminating letters you wrote? I’ve kept every single one. I want your husband out of the way, Eddie. I can’t bear the thought of him touching you.’
‘Hand them over now! Or you’ll regret it.’
Edwina laughed and reached for a cigarette. ‘I think not. I knew at some point you’d want them back. Too late. Your love letters are sitting in a bank vault with other precious items.’
Sean grabbed the cigarette out of her hand and took a deep drag. ‘We both know my letters were just a game. It was all part of the service and done for a fee. You’re basically a cold fish and only kinky games and a few slaps can get you in the mood. This all comes back to that sadistic brother of yours. Most shrinks would probably call it incest.’
‘Leave Matthew out of this!’
‘No. Because he’s what’s wrong with your life. If it hadn’t been for Matthew you’d never have met Daniel. And Danny Boy represented the easy wealth and luxurious life you’d always aspired to. So
you made an upfront pre-wedding deal with him – a business arrangement – and later reneged. Why?’
Edwina brushed away a tear. ‘I loved Danny. He’d been honest right from the beginning and so it didn’t matter that he didn’t love me. But I so wanted to be the one to make him happy.’
‘Liar. And don’t give me those crocodile tears. I had it from a reliable source that you often referred to him as the Cash Register. Later on, vanity got the better of you and you thought you’d have more power over him if you seduced him into changing his sexual preferences. That was unfair and plain stupid of you, Eddie.’
She blew her nose. ‘Please stop.’
‘Good idea. I don’t have the stomach for this.’
She looked into his eyes. ‘I may have said rash things about Daniel when I was plastered but I truly loved him. I thought we’d be growing old together. I was too proud to grieve properly and now I’m distraught and lashing out at everybody including you.’ She touched his face very gently. ‘I’m truly sorry, Sean.’
He instantly tensed up. ‘Eddie, your behaviour is beyond the pale. The staff are now terrified of you and I’m hearing stories about you all over town. You just haven’t been behaving like a grieving widow.’
‘Oh God. The whole of London is talking about me! Anyway, it wasn’t murder. Danny killed himself and he’s left one hell of a mess. He was suffering terribly but his pride wouldn’t let him admit it. That goddamn war was still with him and he never got over losing his entire family. You and his other friends never saw the real Daniel du Barry, he was the consummate actor and he hid the fact he was cracking up. You know, I really knocked myself out to get him to see a shrink but he flatly refused.’
Sean sat back down on the bed and rubbed his forehead. ‘Jaysus, Eddie. I didn’t know any of this. But let’s not get sidetracked, I’m under suspicion for murder and I need you to provide me with an alibi.’
She looked at him mockingly. ‘Come on, darling. Sean Kelly, up for murder? By denying you an alibi I’m not sending you to the gallows. You’ll smoothly talk yourself out of trouble just like you always do. Think of this as a temporary inconvenience.’
‘A temporary inconvenience! Are you insane?’
‘Listen, by cooperating you’ll be protecting me – and Cat – from a lifetime of innuendo and shame. By marrying well, I’ll not only be able to protect her reputation but also ensure her future. You wouldn’t want to see Cat ostracised by high society, would you?’
Sean studied her carefully. ‘My shite detector is going off like crazy, it’s on red alert. Why don’t I trust you, Eddie?’
Edwina kissed him on the mouth. ‘You’re just being paranoid. And we really need a drink.’
‘All right. I’ll grab the cognac. But I’m not done yet. Not by any means.’
He left the bedroom and she listened to his footsteps heading towards the dining room. Good. It gave her time to think. Edwina slid out of bed, slipped into a white velvet robe and arranged herself on the chaise longue so her assets were chastely but seductively displayed.
Edwina emptied her glass in two gulps and Sean poured her another cognac. Then he stood up, put his glass on the mantelpiece and studied her in silence. When she said nothing, he placed both hands on her shoulders and looked her straight in the eye. ‘Your anger has been out of control. I need an alibi. Do not refuse me, I beg of you. I could end up swinging on the end of a fucking rope.’
‘You haven’t owned up to Chef’s murder. Suspicious minds think it was you.’
‘What!’
‘You were overheard asking the Paymaster for Chef’s home address.’
‘That’s right, I wanted to beat the bastard up. Bullying Cat is totally unacceptable, she’s a soft target. But Jim talked me out of it, he reckoned it was up to him to deal with Chef and I should stay out of it. And he was right.’
‘Balderdash. You’ve always been protective towards Caterina. It’s one of your few redeeming qualities. Here’s what I think happened, Sean. You lost your temper and either smothered Chef or drowned him. You once told me, A man can drown in five inches of water. Then you took Chef to London Bridge and threw him into the river. To make it look like suicide.’
Sean’s face turned white as he stared at her.
Edwina smiled and lightly caressed his cheek. ‘Don’t worry. I have no intention of letting them hang you for two murders, tempting though it is. I will not supply you with an alibi but I do have a marvellous plan. I’ve been thinking it over for days.’
Sean was incredulous. ‘You screw me over totally and then have the audacity to announce you’ve got a bloody plan!’
‘Correct. You need to get out of Britain for at least a year, while this whole dirty business gets resolved. Eventually they’ll have to concede that it was suicide not murder. You know what? I predict that within eighteen months it will be just another Hotel du Barry scandal.’
Edwina crossed the room and touched the base of an erotic painting. The panel slid open to reveal a hidden safe. Edwina turned the dial, retrieved an attaché case and placed it on the bed.
‘Liquidating your assets would arouse suspicion. Darling, there’s enough money here to keep you going for quite some time. You can leave London under a false alias. Maybe go to Australia and establish a business, a luxury hotel or an exclusive brothel. Do what you like with this money but don’t set foot in England until the law declares the case closed. Because if you do, I will turn you in to the police.’
Sean slumped on the bed.
Edwina reached into the attaché case and pulled out a small white card. ‘Here, take this. Ring him tomorrow. He’ll set you up with false papers and a passport. I’ll give you a head start by avoiding the police for another four days. My doctor can put me under sedation again. After all, I’m still grieving for Danny, and the shock of my daughter’s accident has been debilitating. You’re under suspicion for Danny’s murder, and no doubt other witnesses will materialise if I offer an extremely generous reward. Times are tough and street folk are desperate.’
She pulled him against her bare breasts and stroked his hair lovingly. The image reflected in the mirror pleased her and she held him tighter. Edwina wished she could capture the moment on camera for posterity. A small remembrance of a man she still loved.
Sean pulled away from her. Jaysus, she’s crazy enough to dob me in. This woman will do anything just to stay in good with the British establishment. And I’m just someone who is standing in her fucking way. Maybe it wasn’t just Daniel who had a breakdown.
‘All right, Eddie, I get it. And I’m now begging you. Please, do not do this to me. If I flee England, I’ll be declaring myself guilty. What do you want from me? I’ll do anything if you’ll just forget this crazy plan of yours.’
She threw her arms around Sean and kissed him passionately on the lips. He saw the tears in her eyes. ‘It’s too late, darling. Go before I change my mind and call the police. I’ll give you five minutes to make up your mind.’
Edwina slipped her feet into white feathered mules and left the bedroom.
Sean sat on the bed with his head in his hands. Nine minutes ticked by. The hall clock chimed. He rose to his feet, put on his tuxedo jacket, picked up the attaché case and left. His departing footsteps echoed through the silent apartment.
Edwina listened to the apartment door slamming shut, then rushed back to her bedroom and threw open the window. She flapped the curtains to get rid of the cigarette smoke and kicked Sean’s cigarette case and silk scarf under the bed. She splashed herself with French perfume, and then telephoned Room Service. ‘It’s Mrs du Barry. Bring up a bottle of our best champagne and two glasses. Immediately.’
Edwina got rid of the cognac glasses. Then she applied more red lipstick, powdered her nose and checked herself from every angle in the mirror.
There was a tentative knock on the apartment door. She arranged herself in a sensual pose on the bed and called out, ‘The front door’s unlocked. Bring it through to th
e bedroom.’
The sleepy lad who delivered the tray bore a startling resemblance to a younger Sean Kelly.
Edwina patted the bed imperiously. ‘Come, Dylan, keep me company. I’m feeling rather sad.’
The quantity of expensive perfume in the air made Dylan’s head swim but he focused on the job at hand. His sly green eyes flicked over Edwina’s bare legs and he admired her exquisite face. ‘Does Madam wish me to pop the cork?’
She lowered her chin and glanced up at him flirtatiously. ‘Mmmmnn, of course, but I need more than just a glass of champagne. You know what I like, Dylan. So let’s not waste time on social niceties.’
Edwina took hold of his tie and slowly pulled him towards the bed.
Dylan grinned and quickly shrugged off his jacket.
20
Dastardly Deeds
Henri Dupont rose early and put his concierge’s mask on. Before heading off to work he stopped by the bedroom to kiss his wife goodbye. She was flat on her back in their double bed, her golden hair spread across the satin pillow and her lovely rosebud lips moving slightly as she snored. Mimi was Henri’s pride and joy. With her sweet nature, exquisite milky skin and plump pink cheeks, she was indeed a dainty dish to set before a king.
On arrival at the Hotel du Barry foyer, Henri checked the client ledger and turned to his assistant. ‘Ready, Charlie?’
‘Yes.’
‘Which Shakespearean character asked the question:
Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles . . .’
‘King Lear?’
‘No, Hamlet. Just before he gives Ophelia a hard time.’
‘Damn.’
‘Charlie, what’s the point of me giving you complimentary tickets to the Old Vic if you’re not paying attention, eh? Take notes if you have to. When you become a concierge you’ll need to know a bit more about the arts than our guests. Not too difficult, mind you.’
‘Fine arts weren’t exactly an option when I was growing up in Sheffield.’
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