Don’t Look Back

Chapter Fourteen

Lavinia and Tobias were ushered into Lord Banks’s hushed, heavily draped drawing room shortly after two the following afternoon.

The interior of the mansion was even more depressing than the exterior, Lavinia thought. The colors were muddy and dark; the items of furniture, large, heavy, and old-fashioned.

A severe-looking woman of indeterminate years sat reading a book near the window. She was dressed in somber brown bombazine. A handsome, decorative chatelaine, with several keys attached, hung from a cord at her waist. Her hair was pulled back in a tight knot.

“Good afternoon,” Mrs. Rushton said in uninviting tones.

She put down her book and peered first at Lavinia, with a distinct lack of interest. But when she switched her attention to Tobias, her expression brightened immediately.

Rather like a cat that has just spotted a bird in the garden, Lavinia thought.

“Thank you for seeing us on such short notice,” Lavinia said more coldly than she had intended. “We will try not to take too much of your time, but we feel certain you will be interested in what we have to say.”

“Please, sit down.” Mrs. Rushton smiled very warmly at Tobias as she motioned her guests to the brown sofa.

Lavinia seated herself, but Tobias went to take up his favored position at the nearest window, putting what little light seeped into the room behind him, as was his habit.

“I shall come straight to the point,” Lavinia said. “My associate, Mr. March, and I are in the business of conducting private inquiries.”

That information succeeded in distracting Mrs. Rushton briefly from Tobias. She blinked a couple of times at Lavinia. “I don’t understand. I thought Bow Street Runners handled that sort of thing.”

“We are employed by a more exclusive sort of clientele than that which patronizes Bow Street,” Lavinia said.

“I see.” Mrs. Rushton looked blank.

“Persons of quality who insist upon the utmost discretion come to us,” Lavinia added by way of clarification.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Tobias’s mouth twitch in that very annoying fashion that made her want to grind her teeth. She paid no attention. It was important to establish the proper impression upon a potential client. She understood such things, even if he did not.

“Indeed.” Mrs. Rushton’s attention drifted back toward Tobias. “How interesting.”

“At the moment,” Lavinia said icily, “we are searching for a killer.”

“Good heavens.” Mrs. Rushton put a hand to her bosom. Her eyes widened. “How very bizarre. I have never heard of ladies pursuing that sort of career.”

“It is rather uncommon,” Lavinia agreed. “But that is neither here nor there. Please allow me to explain our business with you. Mr. March and I have reason to believe that a woman who was murdered recently stole something of considerable value from this household shortly before her death.”

“I beg your pardon?” Mrs. Rushton stared at her. “But that is impossible. I assure you that no one has broken into this house.” She looked around quickly. “See for yourself. The silver is still here. Nothing is missing.”

“The object in question is a very old bracelet,” Tobias said.

“Nonsense,” Mrs. Rushton said with great authority. “I would most certainly have noticed a bracelet missing from my jewelry box.”

“This was an extremely ancient piece of jewelry known among collectors as the Blue Medusa,” Lavinia said. “Do you know it?”

Mrs. Rushton grimaced. “If you refer to that old bracelet that my uncle keeps locked in a chest in his bedchamber, yes, of course I know it. It is really quite unfashionable and certainly not what one would call a particularly interesting antiquity. Found right here in England, I believe. Not as though it came from one of the classical ruins of Greece or Rome, now, is it?”

“Do you know why Banks acquired that particular relic after selling off his collection of antiquities?” Tobias asked.

Mrs. Rushton gave a soft snort. “If you ask me, an unscrupulous dealer took advantage of the fact that my uncle was starting to become quite confused in his thinking a year and a half ago. A result of several fits of apoplexy, I’m afraid.”

“The Blue Medusa is considered quite valuable by some,” Lavinia ventured cautiously.

“I will admit that the gold appears to be of excellent quality and it is rather nicely worked,” Mrs. Rushton said. “But the stone is quite unattractive. I wouldn’t dream of wearing it. I intend to sell the thing as soon as my uncle makes his transition. The doctor does not expect him to survive the month, you know.”

“We have heard of his lordship’s illness,” Lavinia said gently. “Please accept our condolences.”

“He has not been well for some time. It will be a blessing when he finally passes on to the next world.”

A blessing for whom? Lavinia wondered.

“We understand that you moved in here to take care of him,” Tobias said neutrally.

“One must do one’s duty, of course,” Mrs. Rushton said with a martyr’s firm resolve. “There was no one else, you see. I am the last of the line. I have done my best, but I can tell you that the task has not been an easy one. It has put a great strain on my nerves, which, I must tell you, were never very strong.”

“I understand,” Lavinia murmured encouragingly.

“When I was a child my mother warned me that I would need to take care not to expose my delicate nerves to extreme strain. She was right. After the shock of my dear husband’s death three years ago, I discovered that I was prone to female hysteria. It is a very distressing affliction. One which my doctor tells me requires regular treatments.”

“If we might return to the subject of the Medusa,” Tobias said before Lavinia could pursue that line of inquiry, “when was the last time you checked to see that it was secure in Banks’s safe?”

“I beg your pardon? Oh, yes, the relic.” Mrs. Rushton abandoned the topic of her nerves with obvious reluctance. “It has been some time since I opened the safe, but I’m certain everything is in order.”

“I think it would be a good idea to make sure that the Medusa is still there,” Tobias said.

“I don’t see why I should-”

“It would set my mind at ease, Mrs. Rushton,” Tobias said. “And greatly steady my nerves. Mine are a trifle delicate, just as yours are. You know how it is when one becomes anxious.”

“Yes, of course I do.” She rose immediately and went to stand very close to Tobias. She smiled up at him and patted his arm. “I had no notion that you suffered from poor nerves, sir. I understand completely. Indeed, only someone else who is similarly afflicted could possibly comprehend. You have my deepest and most sincere sympathies.”

“Thank you,” Tobias said. “About the bracelet-”

She winked at him. “If you will excuse me for a moment, I will just run upstairs and have a quick look so that I may put your mind at ease.”

She hurried out of the drawing room.

Lavinia looked at Tobias.

“Delicate nerves?” She raised her brows. “You?”

“I’ll wager you never even knew that I suffered from that sort of thing.”

“I never dreamed it. Well, at least you are not likely to succumb to female hysteria.”

“For which I give thanks every day. I wonder if there is a male version.”

She frowned. “This is going to be somewhat awkward if the bracelet is in that safe.”

His mouth twisted. “I very much doubt that it is there. Mr. Nightingale does not strike me as the type to chase after false rumors.”

Mrs. Rushton swept back into the drawing room a short time later. Alarm and bewilderment were etched in her face.

“Good God, the bracelet is gone, just as you said.” She came to a halt in the center of the carpet, clutching the chatelaine. “I don’t understand. I told you, there is no sign that any thief entered this house. There are no broken windows or locks. The housekeeper keeps a very close eye on things. I would have been told if anything of value had gone missing.”

Tobias looked at the key ring in her hand. “Was the safe locked when you went to open it just now?”

“Yes.” Mrs. Rushton stared down at the keys that dangled from the chatelaine. “Just as it should be.”

“Are there any other keys to the safe?” Lavinia asked.

“No, only this one. I took possession of all the keys the day I moved into this household.”

“Well, there you have it, Mrs. Rushton,” Lavinia said. “The bracelet has been stolen. And although you never thought highly of it, I can assure you it is worth a great deal to some people. I assume you want it found?”

“Yes, of course.”

Lavinia summoned up her best professional smile. “In that case, Mr. March and I would be happy to accept a commission from you.”

Mrs. Rushton hesitated, frowning warily. “Commission?”

“To conduct inquiries into the matter,” Tobias explained. “On your behalf.”

“You expect me to pay you a fee if you find the bracelet?”

“That is generally how it works,” Lavinia said.

“I see. I’m not sure about this. It is all rather confusing, to say the least. I believe I can feel my nerves reacting to the strain of this situation already.”

Tobias folded his arms. “Our understanding is that the bracelet constitutes a portion of your inheritance. But I must tell you that it can be extremely difficult for someone who is unfamiliar with the antiquities market to strike an excellent bargain with a dealer. There are any number of frauds and charlatans in the trade, to say nothing of outright criminals who will not hesitate to take advantage.”

“Yes, I have heard that.” Mrs. Rushton was steadier now. “My uncle always maintained that one must be extremely careful in such transactions.”

“He was right,” Tobias said. “But as it happens, Mrs. Lake and I have connections in that market. If we are successful in recovering the Medusa for you, we will be happy to help you make arrangements to sell the thing at a very fine price.”

“For another small fee, of course,” Lavinia put in quickly.

A shrewd look appeared in Mrs. Rushton’s eyes. She sank down slowly onto a chair. “Naturally, I would not have to pay you this second fee until I had received my profits from the sale of the bracelet?”

“Naturally,” Tobias said. “Now, then, do you wish us to pursue the matter for you?”

Mrs. Rushton devoted only two or three seconds of close consideration to the question before nodding once, decisively. “I will give you a commission provided I do not have to pay you so much as a single penny if you are unsuccessful in locating the bracelet.”

“That is understood,” Lavinia said. “Now, then, as we have established a business arrangement, I would like to ask you some questions, if you don’t mind.”

“What sort of questions?”

“You mentioned that you suffer from delicate nerves and that you are prone to bouts of female hysteria.”

“Yes.”

“When I called yesterday afternoon, your housekeeper remarked that you take regular treatments from a mesmerist.”

“Indeed,” Mrs. Rushton said. A glow of enthusiasm blazed in her eyes. “Dr. G. A. Darfield. He is excellent, I must say.”

Lavinia recalled one of the advertisements she had studied. “I saw a notice of his services in a newspaper. He claims to be especially skilled at alleviating the symptoms associated with female hysteria in married women and widows.”

“I can assure you that I have consulted with many doctors and various types of medical practitioners over the years, but I have never had such amazing results as those I have obtained from Dr. Darfield’s therapies. I cannot begin to describe the marvelous sense of relief and well-being that descends upon me following a session with him.”

“May I ask if you ever consulted Dr. Howard Hudson?” Lavinia asked, holding her breath.

“Hudson?” Mrs. Rushton’s brows snapped together above her long nose. “Hudson? No. I have never even heard of him. Does he treat cases such as mine?”

Bloody hell, Lavinia thought. She had been convinced that she would uncover a link between Mrs. Rushton and Celeste Hudson.

“Dr. Hudson’s wife was the lady who was murdered,” Tobias said. “We have reason to believe that she may have been involved with the theft of the bracelet.”

“Dear heaven.” Mrs. Rushton touched her bosom again. “This entire affair is becoming odder at every turn.” She gave Tobias a melting glance. “I am relieved to know that a gentleman of your obviously vigorous physique is investigating, Mr. March.”

Lavinia cleared her throat. “I am also investigating the case. I assure you, I am every bit as vigorous as Mr. March.”

Lavinia went straight to the sherry cabinet the moment she walked into her study. She poured two glasses, handed one to Tobias, and then threw herself down into her favorite chair.

She propped her ankles on the hassock and watched Tobias crouch carefully to light the fire. He seemed to move without obvious discomfort today, she thought, no doubt because the sun was out.

“Damnation,” she said. “I was so certain that we would uncover a connection between Mrs. Rushton and Celeste Hudson.”

“That would have been much too convenient.” Tobias gripped the mantel and used it to haul himself to his feet. He took a long swallow of sherry. “This case does not lend itself to simple answers. But look on the bright side. We have got another client.”

“Thanks to me.”

“Indeed.” He raised his glass in a mocking salute. “You did very well.”

“Mmm.” She sipped sherry. “Unfortunately, I am forced to conclude that, although approaching Mrs. Rushton was my idea, it was the sight of your obviously vigorous physique that secured us the commission.”

“I am delighted to know that I was able to contribute in some small way.”

“Not small,” she mumbled into the glass.

“I beg your pardon?”

“I believe Mrs. Rushton was persuaded to employ us because she has concluded that the portion of your obviously vigorous physique that interests her is most assuredly not small.”

He grinned. “You’re jealous.”

“The woman is a female version of a lecherous rake. She reminds me of my former employer, Mrs. Underwood.”

“The lady’s sexual proclivities aside, the fact that she hired us to find the Medusa would seem to settle the question of whether or not she might have been involved in the theft.”

“So it would appear.”

“Come now, Lavinia, you saw her face when she returned from checking to see if the bracelet was missing. It was obvious that until that moment she had no notion that it was gone.”

“I suppose it’s possible that she is a very fine actress.” Lavinia leaned her head back against the cushion. “But I’m inclined to agree with you. My intuition tells me that she was not pretending her response. She truly was stunned by the loss of the bracelet.”

“Yes.” Tobias wandered over to the window and stood looking out into the small garden. “Now all we have to do is find the bloody Medusa and the killer and we can collect fees from a number of different clients. I must admit, I was not at all enthused about this case at the start, but it is beginning to show some potential for profit at last.”

“What do you suggest we do next?”

“Mrs. Rushton believes that she has the only key to the safe in Banks’s dressing room, but she did not take up residence in the household until a few months ago. It’s quite possible that the servants know more than she realizes. Some of them would have had access to those keys for years.”

“Do you think it would be a good idea to interview them?”

“It certainly cannot hurt. But the Banks household staff is large. It will take hours to talk to all of them. I believe that I shall set Anthony to the task. It will be fine training for him.”

“Emeline can accompany him. As I told you, she has a certain talent for charming answers out of people.”

“As does Anthony. I believe they will make an excellent team. If nothing else, the business is bound to be exceedingly boring. Perhaps it will discourage both of them from pressing on with careers in this line.”

Lavinia sighed. “Do not pin your hopes on that strategy, sir.”

He turned around slowly and gave her a wry smile. “You are right. One long morning of dull interviews is not likely to put either of them off, is it?”

“No. Meanwhile, what shall I tell Howard? To be honest, I am worried about his state of mind, Tobias. He is quite distraught.”

“Why don’t you advise him to seek treatment for his weak nerves?”

“That is not at all amusing, sir.”

“Wasn’t meant to be.”

She eyed him closely. “You really do not care overmuch for Howard, do you?”

“I think the man very likely murdered his wife in a fit of jealous rage,” Tobias said shortly. “No, I cannot say that I am fond of him.”

“I would remind you that you are quite free to quit this case.”

“That is impossible and well you know it.” He came to stand over her, gripped the arms of her chair, and leaned down to put his face very close to hers. “I cannot walk away from it as long as you insist upon being involved in the affair.”

The cold, grim determination in his eyes sent an unaccountable shiver through her. “Why are you so suspicious of Howard? You have no evidence to indicate that he murdered Celeste.”

“I may lack the evidence to support my belief, but I am very sure that your old family friend has ulterior motives in this affair. I am certain that he has no interest in avenging his dead wife. He is using you to help him find that damned bracelet.”

“Rubbish. You took a strong dislike to Howard even before Celeste was murdered. Admit it.”

“Very well, I admit it. I did not like the man one damned bit before his wife turned up dead, and I trust him even less now.”

“I knew it. I could see it in your eyes that first day when I walked into the parlor and found you with him. But for the life of me, I cannot comprehend such instant dislike on your part. What on earth set you so strongly against him right from the start?”

For an instant she thought he would not answer. She was aware of his powerful hands tightening around the arms of her chair. The fierce planes and angles of his face looked as if they had been hewn from stone. There was an implacable, immovable, unalterable quality about him that, in another man, would have sent a shock of dread through her.

But this was Tobias. She knew that he could be dangerous, but never toward her. The only threat he represented to her was the one aimed at her heart.

“Hudson wants you,” Tobias said.

She stared at him in disbelief. “I beg your pardon?”

“He wants you.”

“Are you mad? Good heavens, sir, the man is an old family friend. I grew up thinking of him as a… a sort of uncle. I’m sure he thinks of me as a niece.”

“None of that changes the fact that he wants you.”

“But he never… I never… I mean, there was nothing-” She broke off, sputtering, and made a bid to collect herself. “I assure you, Howard never gave any indication that he was interested in me in that way. He never said a word to me. As a matter of fact he attended my wedding and wished me happiness. I have no reason to doubt that he meant it.”

“Perhaps he did at the time. Perhaps something changed when he saw you again.”

“Tobias-”

“Between men, some things do not need explanation or interpretation. Hudson wants you.”

“Really, sir.”

“Yes, really.” Tobias undamped his hands from around the chair arms and straightened. He went back to the window and returned his attention to the garden. “He desires you intensely.”

Now that he was no longer bending over her, she was finally able to catch her breath. But his absolute assurance on the point he was attempting to drive home had rattled her.

“You say that between men some things do not require explanation or interpretation,” she said very steadily. “The same is true between men and women.”

“What the devil do you mean by that?”

She drummed her fingers on the arm of the chair and tried to find the right words. “A woman usually knows when a man is attracted to her. She may not know his heart, let alone whether or not he is in love with her, but she knows when he feels a physical passion for her. Such things are not easy to hide.”

“Your point, madam?”

“If Howard wants me, it is not because he has conceived an overwhelming romantical passion for my person,” she said dryly. “I would know if that were the case.”

Tobias turned back to face her, his mouth quirked in cold amusement. “You are sure of that?”

“Absolutely certain.”

“I do not share your certainty. But say for the sake of argument that you are correct. That leaves us with a very interesting question.”

“What question is that?”

“If he does not desire to have you in his bed, why does he want you?”

“Tobias, you are the most incredibly stubborn man I have ever met.”

He ignored that. “Because I assure you, madam, Hudson most definitely wants you.”