‘I’m pleased to hear that, Mrs Harrington.’ A smiled tugged at Harry’s mouth. ‘The waiter at the Alexandra Hotel told the police I was there with Evangeline the night she died, even though I hadn’t visited the hotel for weeks. As it happened I was alone in my flat, which meant my alibi was not strong enough to convince the Inspector.’
Flora nodded, relieved to be able to think of something other than cold, dark prisons and rats. ‘I remember that when you took me there for coffee the other day, the waiter said it was nice to see you again so soon.’ She ran the incident through her head and something surfaced. ‘His spectacles! He had broken them and had to use his spare pair.’
‘Exactly. Without them, he mistook John for me.’ He glanced at Mr Lange and back again. ‘We convinced Inspector Maddox to talk to him again and to our relief, he acknowledged his mistake.’
Flora stared round the hall vaguely. ‘Where’s my maid? She was in the cellar with me.’
‘I’m not sure, but she was here a moment ago.’ Harry eased her gently to one side to allow two uniformed officers to sweep past him and joined a commotion taking place in the rear hall, while two more took up positions on the doorstep.
‘I’m sure she’s fine. I’ll find her in a moment.’ Flora became vaguely aware of a scuffle taking place on the doorstep. Someone was trying to enter the house but was being forcibly prevented by the policemen.
‘Where’s my wife? Let me pass you dolt!’ Bunny’s voice cut through the ineffectual attempts of the policeman who blocked his way.
Flora’s heart lifted and she glanced past Harry’s shoulder to where Bunny had squared up to the larger policeman.
‘I’m sorry, sir, but I can’t let you in. My Inspector said no one must enter.’
‘If you don’t stand aside, I swear, I’ll—’ Bunny’s eyes flashed as he pulled back his arm, his fist clenched and about to land on the unfortunate policeman’s chin.
‘Bunny!’ Flora shouted, horrified but strangely elated at the same time.
He looked up at the sound of her voice, his expression changing from fury to embarrassed relief as he met her startled look. He dropped his fist to his side, and adjusted his spectacles with his other hand.
‘Please let him in.’ Flora pleaded with the surly policeman, who looked disappointed at being denied the pleasure of fighting back. He gave a brief nod then stood to one side as Flora pulled Bunny into the hallway.
Flora buried her face in his jacket, her eyes closed while tears squeezed between her lids onto his coat. ‘What are you doing here?’ she mumbled into the wool as she hung on. ‘How did you know where I was?’
‘First things, first.’ He disengaged her arms and held her away from him. ‘Are you all right? Not hurt, nauseous or anything like that?’ His worried glance drifted lower and then back up again so she knew instantly what he meant.
‘No,’ Flora whispered. ‘We’re both fine, truly.’
‘Thank goodness.’ The worry left his eyes as he gave her his full attention. ‘What on earth are you wearing?’
‘Oh.’ She gave the length of material a grimace and let the curtain slide to the floor with a soft whoosh. ‘I had forgotten about that. Never mind, it’s not important.’ She wrapped both arms round his neck and buried her face in his chest. ‘You have no idea how glad I am to see you.’
‘Dash it, Flora, I’ve been in Hell since your phone call last night. I was convinced you were hiding something and William dodged all my questions about what had happened. I caught the first train this morning, but when I arrived at Prince Albert Mansions, Randall told me you were goodness knows where and William was at the police station. I went straight to Cannon Row, which is where I was when Sally’s call came in.’
Flora stopped his lips with a finger. ‘Slow down. I thought I was the one who gabbled when nervous.’
‘Yes, well. I have a good excuse.’ He swallowed and hugged her again. ‘Maddox arrived here first because it took William and I ages to find a cab.’ He half turned to indicate William, who had followed him into the hall.
Impulse sent Flora from Bunny’s welcome arms into his.
‘I’m so glad you’re safe,’ William whispered, his voice choked with emotion. ‘Why didn’t you tell me you were coming here?’
‘I’m sorry. It didn’t occur to me this matter wasn’t all tied up yesterday.’ She looked from William’s face to Bunny’s. ‘It wasn’t until I saw John’s face I finally guessed the truth.’
‘Had you done so,’ William sounded almost fatherly. All that was missing was a wagging finger. ‘I could have told you Maddox had received new evidence that changed everyone’s minds about Gordon being the murderer.’
‘What evidence?’ Flora demanded.
‘This.’ Harry withdrew a hand from his pocket and held it towards them. In his palm sat a circular brooch with sparkling red and green stones cut through with a row of white ones. The words ‘National Union of Women’s Suffrage Society’ across the centre.
‘Evangeline’s brooch,’ Flora gasped. ‘Where did you find it?’ She looked from one face to another, where confusion vied with curiosity. ‘Oh, I’m sorry. My father, William Osborne, this is Mr Howard Lange and Mr Harry Flynn, Evangeline’s fiancé. This is my husband, Bunny Harrington.’
Nods, smiles and brief handshakes followed as the four took each other in.
‘The police insisted she wasn’t wearing it when she was found,’ Howard Lange said. ‘I knew a robber wouldn’t have left such a valuable item behind, and if my suspicion was correct, neither would John, so I invited our Inspector friend to search the house when he was out.’ He released a slow breath. ‘We found it in my safe – the last place he expected anyone to look, no doubt.’
‘And if we did,’ Harry interjected. ‘The police would assume Evangeline had put it there herself. We assume he intended keeping it to sell later.’
‘John tried to convince me it was imitation, made of semi-precious stones.’ Flora ran a finger over the facets that felt warm to the touch, then turned it over. ‘I’m surprised he didn’t clean it though.’ With a finger she indicated a crust of brown on the wickedly sharp pin. ‘What does that looks like to you?’
‘I’m sorry, my love, but what does what look like to me? Bunny asked, frowning. ‘I’m late to this party don’t forget?’
‘Sorry. It’s dried blood. John’s blood. ‘It was what Sally said about the collars which convinced me he had murdered her.’
‘Collars?’ Bunny peered at her over his spectacles. ‘Would someone mind enlightening me? Or am I to understand Evangeline was killed by her brother?’
‘Stepbrother,’ Harry and Howard Lange said together.
‘When John attacked her,’ Flora began, ‘Evangeline reached for the first weapon she had to hand. She grabbed this brooch from her coat and jammed the pin in John’s neck.’ Mr Lange flinched and Flora brought a hand to her mouth. ‘Oh, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to remind you.’
‘Please don’t distress yourself, Mrs Harrington.’ Howard Lange’s eyes clouded but his gentle smile remained. ‘The truth will never be worse than what I imagined when I was told my daughter was dead.’
‘John kept easing his collar away from his throat,’ Flora went on. ‘I thought it was a nervous habit. Then the maid told Sally he had a wound there which hadn’t healed.’
A clatter of footsteps announced the return of Inspector Maddox. Behind him two policemen frog marched John through the hall. Each held an arm firmly behind his back, making him hunch forward as he walked. A hank of his disarranged hair hung over one eye, one sleeve of his shirt torn away from the shoulder and the smears of mud on his trousers; all evidence of a struggle.
Silence fell as the group in the hall turned to stare at him.
‘She deserved it,’ John muttered, his chin jutted defiantly as he was hauled past Harry.
A low growl sounded in Harry’s throat. He strode forward, pulled back his right arm and punched John squarely on the jaw.
John’s head snapped back, a look of utter surprise on his face as he toppled slowly backward. Taken unawares, the policemen lost purchase and with no choice but to release him, John hit the floor. His head connected with the marble tiles with a sickening crack and he lost consciousness.
A horrified scream came from the top of the staircase. Mrs Lange swayed on the half landing, both clutching the balustrade as if she needed help to stand. She released a sob and launched herself down the stairs, fell to her knees beside her son and ineffectually patted his face and head with fluttering hands.
‘Get away from him, Camille.’ At the sound of Mr Lange's harsh voice, her hands froze in mid-air and she cringed away, sitting back on her haunches.
‘Howard,’ she pleaded in her little-girl voice. ‘He’s my son.’ Her unfocussed eyes filled with tears and her bottom lip trembled.
‘If you make any attempt to defend him, you can join him on the gallows.’ He glared at her, unmoved at the pathetic figure of his wife, who sat whimpering on the floor.
Harry stepped over the immobile figure, bent and tugged John’s collar away from his neck, revealing the swollen and angry scratch Flora saw earlier.
‘Very astute of you, Mrs Harrington,’ Inspector Maddox raised a brow at her, evidently impressed, if reluctantly so.
‘She certainly is.’ Bunny hugged Flora closer. ‘Impetuous, thoughtless sometimes and definitely headstrong. But she gets there in the end.’
Embarrassed to be the focus of so much attention, Flora brushed down her skirt and adjusted her ruined hat. ‘I must thank all of you for arriving so quickly.’ Relief made her tearful. She reminded herself to appreciate Sally more for her quick thinking. Maybe another trip to the perfume counter at Harrods might be appropriate as well. Thoughts of Sally made her glance round but there was still no sign of her. Where could she have got to?
One of the policemen helped Mrs Lange up. Passive and silent, she reminded Flora of a ragged crow with her hunched shoulders giving tiny flinches as she shot quick, fearful glances at the activity going on around her. Flora tried to understand what had driven her, torn between her love for her husband and her only child. In those circumstances, who knew what any woman would be capable of? Did motherhood banish all sense of right and wrong in protection of a child? Then she recalled Lydia’s words about what a lovely, kind, generous person Evangeline had been and her compassion dissolved.
‘How could John have cold-heartedly murdered his own stepsister?’ Flora asked sadly. ‘She treated him with nothing but kindness.’
‘Greed.’ Howard Lange spat the word with contempt. ‘He was always an acquisitive boy. No matter what he told the world, I treated him well, though I admit I could never warm to him. A whining mother’s boy who grabbed all he could: expensive education, fine clothes, a generous allowance. He took it all as his due without a word of thanks.’ He nodded towards Flora. ‘Now if you’ll excuse me. I have to see to Camille.’
‘But she knew what John had done,’ Flora said before she could stop herself.
He turned sad eyes on her. ‘I know, but when all is said and done, she’s still my wife.’
Flora watched the tall, stooped man escort Camille into the sitting room. The air of tragic defeat hanging between them an indication of the emotional torture their marriage was to become.
John groaned as he regained consciousness, propped himself up on one elbow and covered the left side of his jaw where Harry’s fist had connected with one hand.
No one bothered to see how he was, but stared at him as if he were a specimen in a zoo. Then, at a silent signal from Inspector Maddox, the two policemen dragged him unceremoniously to his feet.
‘How did you know Gordon hadn’t done it? Flora watched as the officers bundled John out to the Black Maria that waited at the kerb, which resembled a coffin on wheels with its iron grille in the rear door and slits for windows.
‘A witness came forward who claimed he was at a poker game in Berwick Street on the night Miss Lange was killed.’ Maddox’s tone indicated disappointment. We’ll have to stick with the charge of spying and breaking and entering.’ At Flora’s sharp look, added, ‘And conspiracy to commit murder of yourself, of course.’
‘I apologize if I’ve made your investigation more difficult, Inspector.’ Flora felt calmer, but shivered as the front door lay wide open to allow a steady stream of policeman back and forth. ‘I thought Gordon was the killer or I wouldn’t have come here.’
‘I can’t pretend I’m happy about you poking about where you shouldn’t have, Mrs Harrington. That Nurse Bell was a charmer I must say. She offered to charge us only half what you paid for her testimony, but I soon put her straight.’ His upper lip curled, though the sparkle in his eyes showed he was amused rather than angry. ‘I’ll admit your methods produced results. I wish my own officers were as resourceful. Not to mention stubborn.’
‘My wife’s perseverance will be directed to more domestic matters in future.’ Bunny massaged Flora’s hand in both of his. ‘She needs some peace and quiet after this adventure, which will certainly be her last.’
Flora opened her mouth to correct him but resisted, too grateful for her escape from certain death to argue. There would come a more appropriate time to remind him she wasn’t as pliable as most wives.
Sally appeared from the direction of the kitchens with Flora’s coat slung over her arm.
‘Where have you been?’ Flora shrugged into the garment, grateful to feel warm again.
‘I told you before, I needed the privy,’ Sally said in a whisper, then louder. ‘I went to find our coats. They were out the back where that Lange bloke had left them. Yours is a bit dirty, Missus, and mine’s got a rip in it.’ She frowned, twisting to peer at the hem of the faded brown wool.
‘I’ll buy you a new one, Sally.’ Euphoria made Flora generous, followed by a shudder at the thought that John had planned to bury them in their coats, or why else would he take them into the garden? She instantly resolved to replace her own as well.
‘I hope my wife’s antics haven’t made you want to quit her service?’ Bunny addressed Sally. ‘I don’t imagine exposing a murder was part of your duties when you came to work for us?’
‘Not me, sir.’ Sally sketched a curtsey. ‘Not had so much fun for ages.’ She hooked a thumb at the corridor behind her. ‘And in case anyone was wondering, that Jenks fella didn’t grass on Master John for shutting us in the cellar because he was caught filching the silver. Mr Lange threatened to turn him in if he didn’t help.’
‘Indeed.’ Inspector Maddox narrowed his eyes. ‘You must share your skill at wheedling information out of people, Miss Pond. We could use you in the force.’
Sally flushed and ducked her head away with a murmured, ‘Not ruddy likely,’ which Flora hoped the policeman hadn’t heard.
‘I’ll go and tell the Inspector we’ll talk to him tomorrow,’ Bunny whispered. ‘Back in a moment.
William took his place beside her, a wry smile on his face as he looked down at her. ‘You’re sure you’re all right?’ He stroked her cheek lightly with a finger.
She smiled up at him, just as the sound of renewed weeping and a low male voice reached them from the next room.
‘Poor Mr Lange,’ Flora said sadly, placing her hand briefly on William’s arm. ‘He’s lost his entire family.’
‘Howard Lange wrote his own tragedy,’ William replied. ‘If he intended to leave his wife and stepson out of his will, he should have done so in secret, not taunted them with the fact. He made his daughter a target.’
As Bunny returned, Flora interjected. ‘Families are difficult things, aren’t they? So strong in some ways and yet fragile in others.’
William’s eyes bore into hers until she wanted to look away, but couldn’t. Nor could she summon a response which wouldn’t sound trite and dismissive, so she remained silent. ‘My greatest fear is that you and I shall never be able to achieve the closeness I always wanted.’ His lips twitched b
ut did not quite firm a smile. ‘I haven’t helped much by not being around this week either have I? Yet I intended to. I wanted to, it was just-’
‘Your work is important,’ Flora found her voice at last. ‘I understood.’
‘I know, but we don’t know each other any better now than we did before.’
‘That’s not entirely true. Before Bunny takes me home, perhaps we can finish our afternoon tea at Princes Ice Rink without you rushing off this time?’
‘I would like that,’ William dropped a kiss on her forehead. ‘Perhaps I shall teach you to skate as well?’
‘Surely not?’ Bunny looked horrified and William frowned.
‘Er no.’ Flora grasped her husband’s arm. ‘Let’s go back to the apartment. We’ve seen enough misery for one day.’
‘You take my cab.’ William gave Bunny’s shoulder an affectionate pat as if they had been friends for years. ‘I’ll settle things here and make sure Sally gets home safely.’
‘Bunny’s staying for dinner, Father.’ Flora placed a hand on his forearm. ‘And afterwards, I’ll explain why I cannot go ice skating.’ She tugged Bunny toward the door before William could voice the question which had appeared in his eyes.
‘Flora?’ He called her back when she reached the door. ‘I know Christmas is still a week away but I thought we would decorate a Norwegian spruce I have arranged to be delivered to the apartment.’
‘You did that as well as catch Serbian spies and murderers?’ Flora asked, impressed.
‘Well, not until this morning in fact. I made a call and Randall is handling the rest. But the idea was mine.
‘That sounds like a perfect start to the Christmas season.’
Inspector Maddox followed them onto the front step, his attention directed over their heads into the railed garden of Connaught Square. ‘Were you aware, Mrs Harrington? The Tyburn Tree gallows was once located in this square?’
‘No, I wasn’t.’ Flora shivered, tucked her arm through Bunny’s and made a run for the waiting taxi.
*
Flora nestled against Bunny’s shoulder as the vehicle chuntered through Hyde Park. ‘I’m sorry I barged into the Lange’s house the way I did. I thought it would be a kindness to let the family know about Victor rather than have them hear it from the police. Little did I know.’
A Knightsbridge Scandal Page 35