Chapter Six
I stared back at him open-mouthed. This, I realised, must be part of my training. I had to explain to my furious fiancé that I had not run off with a spy but had left with him for some reason that did not relate to his work as an agent of the Crown. I tried to think of an explanation, but nothing came. All I could think of was how much I wanted to slap Fitzroy at that moment.
‘Euphemia!’ Richenda ran across the hall as fast as her diet of cake would allow. She reached down and pulled me up and into a smothering embrace. ‘I am so glad you are safe,’ she said. ‘I never thought those terrible rumours could be true.’ I surfaced with some difficulty. With more skill than I would have imagined, Richenda kept herself between me and Bertram as she guided me back towards the breakfast room.
‘Which rumours?’ I asked softly. I had seen Richenda’s face in the anteroom, and I had seen she thought I had killed Richard. However, I had also seen her decide within seconds to stand by her friend and protect me as much as she was able. I could feel tears pricking the back of my eyes. Despite everything – despite the fact her husband flirted with me and she thought I might have killed her twin – she seemed genuinely delighted to see me.
‘Nothing. Nothing. All nonsense,’ said Richenda, her arm possessively around my shoulders. ‘Your mother is still here. She will be overjoyed to see you.’ I doubted that, but with Bertram circling us like prey I felt my best chance of sorting this encounter was among others.
We entered the breakfast room. Hans, who had been seated at the top of the table, stood and came forward at once. He took both my hands, even though I had not held them out to him. ‘I am delighted you are home,’ he said, staring intently down at me. ‘Truly I am.’ And he gave my hands an urgent squeeze. Looking into his eyes I saw the desperate hope that I would not mention to Richenda that he had offered to spirit me away to thwart justice and have me become his mistress.
‘Joe, go to your room,’ said my mother’s voice.
‘But it’s Effie. Effie’s come back!’ He escaped my mother’s lunge by diving under the table and crawling out towards me. He pushed Hans aside and hugged me. Hans stood back smiling benevolently. He moved to place both a restraining, and at the same time supportive, hand on my mother’s shoulder. He gave a small chuckle. ‘It seems I am not the only one overjoyed to see Euphemia returned to the bosom of her family.’ He threw a look at Bertram as if reminding him to behave himself in another man’s house. Or, at least, that is how I would have read the situation before. Now, I saw beneath Hans’s charm and realised his desperate, manipulative attempts to lighten the atmosphere in the room and keep the truth from his wife. All the time he kept trying to catch my eyes, trying to predict what I might do. I wondered how many times before he had deceived us. It was all so well done. I could not help remembering what Fitzroy had said about those closest to us concealing secrets. I still had no plan.
I hugged Joe with real affection. ‘I am so pleased to see you again, Joe,’ I said.
He leant back to look up at me. One day he would be much taller than I, but for now he was simply a little boy gazing up at his big sister. ‘Everything will be alright now,
Effie,’ he said. ‘You’re home and we will all take care of you.’ He gave me a tighter squeeze and I burst into tears.
I felt overwrought, so the tears came easily. At the same time, I knew an outward sign of my distress would display more quickly what the true feelings of the others were to me.
My mother broke away from Hans. ‘Here. Here,’ she said, fluttering her hands about. ‘Let her go, Joe. You’ll hurt her. You don’t know your own strength.’ She removed Joe with a mother’s dexterity and led me over to a chair. ‘My poor girl is overwrought. Can someone please fetch a brandy and some smelling salts?’
‘She’s overwrought,’ said Bertram. ‘Euphemia’s overwrought. Oh well then. We must all take care of her. No matter that she disappeared two days ago without a care for anyone else. It’s not like her fiancé had a heart condition or anything, is it? It’s not like the man who had been about to pledge his love and life to her in front of all his friends might be a little concerned at her vanishing. It’s not like his elder brother just died. Oh no, let’s all comfort Euphemia!’
I looked up at him. My breath laboured, and within my ribcage I could feel a crushing pain. ‘But you mentioned Fitzroy. You knew where I was.’
‘You admit it? Good God!’ said Bertram. ‘You were somewhere with Fitzroy. Well, that makes it all fine and dandy, doesn’t it!’
Richenda gave him an odd look. ‘He is a policeman, Bertram. I do not believe he would be involved in any kind of improper behaviour.’
Bertram grew red in the face. His breath built up inside him, but all that he said was a very loud ‘Bah!’ Before he stormed out. As an asset, he was unable to say what Fitzroy was and also that the spy frequently engaged in the most improper behaviour. Richenda knew him only as the kind man who had arranged the rescue of her children on a previous occasion.
‘I presume you had to testify about your innocence or some such thing?’ said my mother.
I nodded. Fitzroy was right. I was a terrible liar and the less I said the better it would be. Laughter bubbled inside me, but I pushed it down as I realised that the only explanation I would need would be the one my family had concocted themselves. With the exception of Bertram’s version of course. I hated my situation. I hated the fact that they had been upset, but I now understood why Fitzroy often said so little. Their own assumptions would be much more powerful than any story I might conceive of.
‘And, of course, you had a police chaperon with you,’ said Hans. His tone suggested a statement, but I could see a question in his eyes. After all, I had not immediately refused his offer nor taken serious offence. In fact, I appeared to have picked up his implied idea of my becoming his mistress remarkably quickly. He thought of me as a sheltered young woman, whereas the reality of working on the Crown’s business had opened my eyes to many aspects of life that he would not have dreamed I knew. Mistresses were a mere peccadillo of gentlemen compared to the sleazy businesses of brothels.9 From my perspective he had been all too explicit, and I had been too shocked to find the words to answer him. That he would willingly deceive Richenda was one thing; after all, his previous mistresses had been between his marriages. But that he would think I would agree to such a thing? That he would actually ask... No, Hans had sunk a great deal in my opinion.
Richenda’s voice drew me from my thoughts. ‘My brother does tend to verge on the melodramatic. Although, of course, it was a trying day for both of us. But I have quite got over it.’ I saw her chin tremble as she said this. ‘Bertram should be thanking his lucky stars that Euphemia is returned safe to us.’
‘Well said, my wife,’ said Hans. I turned my head to throw him as disgusted a look as I dared. I swear he flinched slightly. Whatever I said, I was now certain Hans would back me up on anything that did not include the true version of events and his part in them.
Richenda blushed under her husband’s praise. They had not been seated close together, but perhaps out of this dreadful incident would come some good and they would reforge their marriage.
‘Joe, why don’t you go and fetch Mr Stapleford,’ said my mother.
Joe nodded eagerly and ran off.
‘He will hardly refuse the boy,’ said my mother. ‘I suggest when he returns we all make ourselves scarce so my daughter and Bertram can speak.’ She patted me awkwardly on the shoulder. ‘While you are speaking with him, I will get Glanville to draw you a bath and then you can rest. You must be exhausted after your ordeal.’
‘Thank you, Mama,’ I said obediently. ‘If it is not too much trouble, I would quite like some breakfast. I have been travelling since early this morning and have yet to eat.’ I regretted the words as soon as they were out of my mouth, because, of course, everyone then began clambering to know where I had come from. They were all speaking at once, but how I was to deal with them without pretending to faint was beyond me. I did not fancy falling off my chair here as I knew the carpet to be particularly thin.
However, all conversation stopped when Bertram appeared in the doorway. Joe stood slightly behind him, for all the world like a guard dog determined not to let his sheep escape the field. ‘I’ll get the kitchen to send you up some fresh stuff,’ said Richenda and brushed past Bertram. I suppressed a smile. I knew all too well she would take this opportunity to order a separate tray for herself to replace the repast she had to leave behind.
‘If you have no objection, Mr Muller, I will visit your guest,’ said my mother. ‘An older woman’s counsel will be helpful. Joe will go to the library and do his Latin.’ Joe’s face was a picture of outraged innocence, but he had hardly time to draw breath before my mother was hustling him out. Hans left last. He gave Bertram a manly clap on the shoulder, but his expression as he passed me was both wary and worried. He shut the door behind him.
‘Did Rory not tell you where I had been taken?’ I said, forestalling Bertram. I knew full well Rory McLeod had no idea where I had gone, but I needed to know what he had said. A small part of me wished Fitzroy was here to see how I was doing. The larger part of myself hated that I would have to lie to Bertram and wanted to put that moment off as long as possible.
Bertram’s jaw dropped and his mouth formed a perfect O. I had not previously noticed the pleasing symmetry of his face. He put a hand down on the table and made contact with an egg plate. He lowered himself into a seat. I passed him a napkin and he began to wipe his hand.
‘Did he?’ I persisted.
‘Rory? My Rory McLeod was here? But we decided not to invite him to the wedding.’ Bertram’s anger appeared to have been swallowed by his confusion. He continued to wipe his now clean hand.
‘He was the police official summoned by the local constabulary. They did not have anyone of sufficient seniority to conduct the enquiry. I thought he would have questioned you along with the other witnesses?’
Bertram shook his head. ‘I only saw ordinary bobbies taking statements. McLeod? Are you sure? You haven’t suffered a concussion, have you?’
I smiled at him. ‘No, not at all. Apparently, after leaving you, he approached Fitzroy for a position and I presume that he, in turn, opened the way for Rory into the police force. He is a methodical man, and working with us, perhaps he acquired the desire to see justice done more in our world.’
‘Well, if he wanted to do that, he certainly wouldn’t have wanted to work with that man. He didn’t hurt you, did he?’
‘Rory? No. He wasn’t exactly kind, and he made it perfectly clear he thought me capable of killing. He has quite a low opinion of me.’
‘Does he, by Jove,’ said Bertram, the colour coming back into his cheeks. It cheered me to see him firing up in my defence. ‘But no, I didn’t mean him. McLeod wouldn’t hurt a fly. I meant the other one.’
‘Fitzroy?’ I said astonished. ‘He would never hurt me – or any female. He has a great regard for my sex.’
Bertram made a harrumphing noise.
‘So, what were you told about my absence? It had not occurred to me you would be left in the dark.’ In fact, it had not occurred to me at all to think of the people I had left behind. I decided to blame this on shock.
‘The local sergeant said you had been officially released without charge and that you had been taken away by an official to finalise matters. He couldn’t give me the man’s name, but he described him.’
‘So that’s how you knew Fitzroy was here.’
‘He gets damn everywhere,’ said Bertram. ‘I thought we had agreed to remove him from our lives.’
I changed the direction of the conversation. ‘I hope you do now believe I am innocent.’
‘Yes, well. It was all a bit of surprise opening the door and seeing you covered in blood. At first, I thought you were hurt, didn’t take in the fact that there was a body at your feet until Merry nudged me.’
‘She noticed first?’ I said.
‘No idea. Can’t speak for the others, but I was floored. I mean... no one in the right mind would say my brother was a good man. I imagine most folk disliked him. A few of us knew how damn well evil he was. We know he killed our father. Maybe more. Wouldn’t have blamed you if you’d offed him in self-defence. I know he’d treated you badly too, I just didn’t know how badly. The scene made me wonder if it was worse than you’d told me. If you’d snapped. But whatever it was, you should have come to me, Euphemia. To me. Not tried to deal with it on your own. I thought we were partners in all things. I thought you trusted me.’
At this I stood up and went to kneel at his feet. I took one of his hands in mine. He tried to tug me to get up, but I resisted. ‘Oh, my darling, I would trust you with my very soul. I found Richard dying. He wanted to me to pull out the knife and when I did, his blood...’ I faltered as I remembered the moment. ‘His blood...’ I got no further as Bertram stood and pulled me into his arms. He kissed me passionately. I responded with equal pleasure and relief. Being in his arms felt like coming home. When he parted his lips from mine, I laid my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes. If only everything could go back to what it was. My poor love had no idea that a shadow now stood between us, and I would have to lie to him for a while longer. Would I ever tell him the truth? Would he ever forgive my choice if I did?
I was so wrapped up in my own thoughts that I barely realised Bertram was speaking. ‘So, a small ceremony then. It will have to be after the funeral, but I thought...’
I raised my head. ‘Bertram, I cannot possibly marry you until I have cleared my name.’
Bertram released me and took a step back. ‘No, Euphemia. Leave this to the police. Don’t get involved.’ He took a deep breath. ‘It’s that bloody man, isn’t it? He’s convinced you you have to find my brother’s killer. Well, I don’t want you to. He was a twisted, evil cad and I am glad he’s dead. Just let it lie. I beg you.’
Tears that had clung to my eyelashes broke free as I shook my head. ‘I can’t.’
Bertram raised his fists to the ceiling. ‘That bloody man. Will he never leave us alone!’
Our conversation finished where we had started, with Bertram storming out of the room.