Chapter 10 #2
“Or an assignation,” Hadrian replied. “Either way, I’m confident Farnsworth isn’t emotionally attached to Lady Priscilla. His anger over her disappearance seems to stem from his loss of the bride he was hoping to win.”
“It also tells us Farnsworth has an alibi for when Lady Priscilla was kidnapped. If that ball took place on Sunday night, and what you saw was happening overnight, he couldn’t have kidnapped her.”
“It does seem that way,” Hadrian agreed. “Though, he could have hired someone.”
Tilda had no trouble believing Farnsworth had the resources to do that. “But why kidnap a woman he expected to marry?”
“What if he knew Lady Priscilla still loved Vincent? He may have wanted to compromise her so they would have to marry.”
That was actually a decent motive for abducting Lady Priscilla. “What was his motive for kidnapping Miss Chadwick, let alone killing her?”
Hadrian frowned. “No idea. Does this mean Farnsworth is not a suspect?”
“He has an alibi for one of the kidnappings and no motive for the other. I don’t think he’s a suspect.
” Tilda blew out a frustrated breath. “We need to determine if there’s a connection between Miss Chadwick and Lady Priscilla, besides the fact that they were friends.
The kidnapper targeted them because of their families’ wealth.
And why all the Spring-heeled Jack nonsense? ”
A long moment passed before Hadrian sent Tilda a tentative glance. “What if the only thing they have in common is that they were randomly targeted by Spring-heeled Jack as wealthy young women?”
“Then this will be a difficult case to solve. But we will solve it,” Tilda said loudly, her eyes flashing with resolve. “I wish Chadwick wasn’t going to speak to His Grace. I’m concerned the duke won’t tell us when he receives the second note.”
“Perhaps we should call on him now, before Chadwick can get to him,” Hadrian said. “Though, I’m sure you want to get to the inquest.”
“I do, but I think calling on His Grace is more important.”
“Agreed.” Hadrian knocked on the roof, and the coach quickly stopped. When Leach opened the door, Hadrian directed him to Alnwick House instead.
“I wonder if you shouldn’t stay in the coach when we arrive,” Hadrian suggested.
“That’s probably wise.”
When they arrived at the duke’s house, Hadrian went inside whilst Tilda tapped her fingers on her reticule. As she waited, she tried to make sense of what meager clues they’d gathered about these crimes.
Finally, she saw Hadrian coming back toward the coach. Her pulse quickened. However, when he climbed inside, his face told her all she needed to know.
“It didn’t go well, did it?” Tilda asked.
Hadrian shook his head. “The duke insists he has not received a second note.”
“Do you believe him?”
“I couldn’t read him, and I didn’t have an opportunity to shake his hand, nor could I touch anything.”
“Damn,” Tilda breathed. She glanced at Hadrian. “Pardon me.”
“I don’t know that I’ve ever heard you swear,” Hadrian said with a faint smirk.
“I only do so when it’s necessary.”
“I asked him to promise that he’d notify me, you, or Detective Inspector Teague when he receives the second note. He refused.” Hadrian pressed his lips into a grim line.
“We shouldn’t even assume he’ll receive a second note,” Tilda said. “Honestly, I don’t want this abduction to follow the same pattern as Miss Chadwick’s.”
“It won’t.” Hadrian spoke with a firm confidence that Tilda didn’t share.
Right or wrong, she felt responsible, in part, for Miss Chadwick’s death. And she was going to do everything in her power to ensure Lady Priscilla didn’t suffer the same end.
The coach stopped near The Waterman in Limehouse, not too far from where Miss Chadwick had been discovered. Tilda and Hadrian quickly departed the vehicle and hastened to the pub. However, the stream of gentlemen leaving seemed to indicate the inquest had concluded.
Tilda stepped inside the common room just as Detective Inspector Teague entered from a doorway in the right corner. “I think we missed the inquest,” she turned to say to Hadrian as he walked in behind her.
They met Teague, and he confirmed Tilda’s presumption. “The inquest just ended. You won’t be surprised to learn that Delia Chadwick was murdered.” He gestured to the doorway. “Let’s move outside.”
A few reporters stood around the entrance to the pub. Tilda hadn’t paid them notice in her haste before, but now, she looked for Ezra Clement. He didn’t appear to be there.
Teague glowered toward the journalists. “I’d rather not speak where any of them can hear us.”
Hadrian gestured to his coach. “We can sit in my coach if that would suffice.”
Teague nodded, and they made their way to the vehicle. Leach moved to open the door for them. As she climbed inside, Tilda glanced at the pub once more and saw Clement leaving.
When they were settled in the coach, she looked at Teague. “Was Ezra Clement at the inquest?”
“He was.” Teague scowled. “I confess I told him afterward that I found his article about his interview with Mr. Chadwick to be misleading. I suggested he obtain both sides of a story before publishing.”
“Good,” Hadrian said with zeal. “He had the nerve to call on Miss Wren yesterday with the intention of writing an article from her perspective, only I saw no such thing in today’s Daily News.”
Tilda had noticed that as well. “One of the proprietors is friendly with Mr. Chadwick. I don’t think Mr. Clement is being permitted to write or publish what he’d prefer.”
“Then he should find another paper to write for,” Teague said. “One must maintain their integrity.” He waved his hand. “Enough of that. Let me tell you about the inquest. The surgeon who completed the autopsy determined Miss Chadwick’s cause of death to be suffocation.”
Tilda leaned forward slightly. “That’s surprising. What of the wounds she suffered?”
“The coroner said they were inflicted post-mortem. She was killed a few hours before she was found—between six and seven.”
“Do you have any theories as to why she was suffocated and then disfigured after she was dead?” Tilda asked.
“I believe the killer tried to make it look like Spring-heeled Jack committed the murder with his claws. However, she was already dead.” Teague crossed his arms as he leaned back against the rear-facing squab.
“To me, this is further proof that the Spring-heeled Jack act is pure nonsense. The killer is dressing up his kidnapping and murder in a decades-old legend meant to terrorize the populace. And thanks to Clement and the Daily News, Spring-heeled Jack—whoever he is—is succeeding. We had far too many people show up before the inquest who wanted to observe. Graythorpe sent several dozen away.”
“Who provided the testimony regarding Miss Chadwick’s disappearance?” Hadrian asked. “Was Chadwick not called to testify?”
“He was not, and it seems you knew that.”
“Yes, we came from seeing him in Belgrave Square, so we knew he wasn’t at the inquest.”
Teague uncrossed his arms. “I’m surprised he allowed you in.”
“He didn’t, really. We went with Lord Farnsworth who, frankly, forced himself inside.
” Tilda shared the details of their disappointing visit to Richmond and their subsequent visit with Lord Farnsworth.
She concluded by telling him about accompanying Farnsworth to Belgrave Square and finding Vincent Chadwick in residence.
“It certainly seems as though Farnsworth didn’t kidnap Lady Priscilla,” Teague said when she’d finished.
“That was our determination as well,” Tilda said.
They couldn’t reveal how they knew Farnsworth had an alibi, but even without it, he was a weak suspect.
“Farnsworth appeared to truly believe that Vincent may have kidnapped her to elope. However, that doesn’t make sense as he’s at home and Lady Priscilla is still missing. ”
Teague blew out a breath and slapped one hand on his thigh. “It’s most frustrating not to have a suspect.” He cocked his head. “His Grace should have received a second ransom note today—if the kidnapper is repeating what he did with Miss Chadwick. I’ll go to Alnwick House now.”
“I called on him before we came here and asked exactly that,” Hadrian said. “The duke replied that he hasn’t received anything, but I don’t know whether to believe him.”
Teague’s mouth twisted with distaste. “I must interview him. With any luck, which I think we are due, we’ll be able to catch the kidnapper when he tries to retrieve his second ransom. If I can persuade His Grace to cooperate.”
“And if you can’t?” Hadrian asked.
“We’ll determine that when, and if, it happens. I don’t suppose you’d drive me to his house now? For expediency’s sake. Furthermore, you can wait in the coach whilst I interview him.”
“I’d be happy to convey you. I’ll just inform Leach.” Hadrian opened the door and spoke with the coachman.
They were shortly on their way to Upper Brook Street. For the second time that day, Tilda waited in the coach whilst someone else went to speak with the Duke of Alnwick. But this time, she wasn’t alone.
She rose up on the seat and pressed a kiss to Hadrian’s cheek whilst they were waiting.
He turned his head sharply, surprise softening his features. “What was that for?”
Shrugging, she smiled. “No reason. Actually, that’s not true. Every reason. They are simply too numerous to name.”
“Careful, Tilda. We’ve no idea when Teague will return, and you’re encouraging me to take you in my arms and behave in a most inappropriate manner.”
Tilda could imagine what that might be, though she had no experience with such things. She’d never thought much about them. But now, with Hadrian, she found her curiosity had grown to encompass more than solving puzzles.
“You’re flirting again,” she said without a trace of heat. In fact, her tone might have been just the tiniest bit flirtatious.
Hadrian laughed. “You started it.” He met her gaze with warmth and love. “I’m glad to see you in good humor.”
It had been a very trying several days. His words had a sobering effect, which was probably not what he’d intended. Fortunately, Teague returned, and that was a welcome distraction.
“I hope you don’t mind, but I asked your coachman to deliver me to Scotland Yard,” Teague said as he settled on the seat opposite Tilda and Hadrian.
“I don’t mind at all,” Hadrian replied. “Did you have more luck with the duke?”
“He was none too pleased to see me. When I asked about a second ransom note, he wouldn’t look me in the eye.
I informed him that the best chance to recover his daughter was to allow the Met to help him and cautioned him not to pay the ransom under any circumstances.
I then reminded him what happened to Miss Chadwick when her ransom was paid.
That was when he lost his temper and threw me out.
It was also the moment I became certain he’d received a note and is concealing it. ”
“How did that reveal his deception?” Hadrian asked.
“He wasn’t just angry,” Teague explained. “He was afraid. I know fear when I see it, and my warnings made the duke wonder if he might have made a mistake.”
Tilda pressed her lips together briefly. “But he didn’t admit a second note was delivered.”
Hadrian shook his head. “He wouldn’t, not after he’d insisted he hadn’t. He’s far too stubborn. What do we do now?”
Teague narrowed his eyes with intent. “We come back after dark and watch the house to see if someone leaves to pay the ransom. I’ll post a constable to watch the back of the house, and I’ll put Wycombe and another constable on the Woods Mews.
If you’d like to join me, we’ll watch the front of the house. ”
“Thank you for inviting us,” Tilda said. “I know you don’t have to.”
“I value your investigative talent and appreciate you contributing it to this case. Let’s meet at the corner of Park Street in front of the Danish Embassy at dusk.”