Chapter Twenty-one #2
Marissa did not appear impressed. “Has Ben told you about Eleanor, the woman he was engaged to marry when he was much younger?”
“No. I’ve been told that there was a prior engagement, but he has never mentioned the woman’s name. The subject is no doubt far too painful.” Amity took a deep breath. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to change the topic.”
Marissa ignored that. “It was a disastrous relationship from the start. There is no doubt but that Eleanor was forced into the engagement because her family’s finances were in desperate shape.
She was barely eighteen. She tried to do her duty.
But I’m afraid that poor Benedict believed that she truly loved him.
He loved her, you see, the way only a young man can love. ”
Amity reflected briefly on her own youthful passion for Humphrey Nash. She shuddered. “I see.”
Marissa patted her hand. “We were all that young once. Luckily, some of us make the right choices at that point in our lives. But I’m inclined to think that success in that regard is mostly a matter of chance.
How can a person of that age possibly know what to look for in an alliance that is destined to last a lifetime? ”
“Good question,” Amity said.
She cast another, hopeful glance in the direction of the study, but Benedict and Richard were still immersed in the papers on the desk.
She knew the conversation with Marissa was veering into dangerous territory.
Part of her was curious to know the truth about Benedict’s past, but another part of her did not wish to hear how much he had loved his first fiancée—his real fiancée.
“In the end, as you are probably aware, Benedict was left at the altar,” Marissa said. “Eleanor ran off with her penniless lover the night before the wedding.”
“How very melodramatic of her.”
“Indeed. But as I said, she was only eighteen and at that age everything is melodramatic, is it not?”
“Quite true.”
“It was all very awkward at the time, but Richard assures me that when the dust settled Ben soon realized he’d had a narrow escape.
And for her part, Eleanor was honest enough not to take the Rose Necklace when she ran off.
Some women in her situation would have kept the necklace and used it to finance a new life with her lover. ”
Amity smiled. “So Eleanor wasn’t such a bad sort, after all.”
“No. Just very young. Trust me, Lady Penhurst would have kept the necklace.”
Amity thought about the vindictive expression she had detected in Leona’s eyes. “I think you’re right. Does anyone know what happened to Eleanor and her lover?”
“Yes, as a matter of fact. They got married. Probably lived in a garret for a time. Isn’t that what young runaway lovers do?
But in the end Eleanor’s family accepted the marriage.
It’s not as if they had a choice. And eventually Eleanor’s husband obtained a respectable position as a clerk in a firm of solicitors.
The husband made a few investments that turned a very nice profit and now the family lives a comfortable life.
Last I heard they have a house in the country and another here in London. ”
“So there was a happy ending for Eleanor and her lover.”
“Oh, yes,” Marissa said. “They have three children, I believe.”
Amity pondered that and then smiled. “How fortunate for all concerned that Eleanor’s husband got the post as a clerk and that he had the insight to make those very good investments.”
A secretive, amused smile edged Marissa’s mouth. “Very fortunate, indeed.”
“Benedict recommended Eleanor’s husband for that post at the firm of solicitors, didn’t he? He probably also suggested those investments that turned out well for the couple.”
Marissa laughed. “You do, indeed, know Ben very well—far better than most people know him. Yes, he gave the couple considerable assistance at a time when they desperately needed it. When I heard the tale, I was surprised at his generosity. But as Richard pointed out, Ben quickly realized he’d barely avoided what would no doubt have been an unhappy marriage.
It’s Richard’s opinion that helping Eleanor and her husband financially was Ben’s way of expressing his gratitude and relief. ”
At long last Benedict and Richard walked out of the study into the sunlit garden. They headed toward the bench where Amity sat with Marissa.
Amity watched Benedict for a moment and then she smiled again.
“No,” she said. “He helped Eleanor and her husband because he felt sorry for the couple. He realized that Eleanor had been pushed into the engagement in the first place and that it was not her fault she had wound up in such a disastrous situation. And because she had left the Rose Necklace behind.”
“As I said, you seem to know Ben well,” Marissa said softly.
Benedict and Richard arrived at the bench. Benedict had his small notebook in his hand. There was an air of barely suppressed anticipation about both men.
“What is it?” Amity asked.
“Did you discover something of interest?” Marissa asked.
“Perhaps,” Benedict said. “Richard made inquiries at his club. He has learned some information about the recent travels of several of the men on the Channing guest list.”
“There were a handful of men on the list who were out of London for extended periods of time during the past year,” Richard said.
“Only to be expected, of course. Most were said to have traveled to their estates to see to business matters. A couple claimed to be traveling abroad. Those stories can no doubt be verified by Logan.”
“Between us, Richard and I drew up a time line,” Benedict said quickly. “It is cross-referenced with the time line that Inspector Logan provided. It tells us which of the men were away from London in the interim between the first murder and the more recent killings.”
“The list is quite short,” Richard said.
“I will give it to Inspector Logan so that he can begin making inquiries from his end,” Benedict said.
“Meanwhile, I will continue my inquiries at my club,” Richard said.
“Uncle Cornelius will also continue to assist us,” Benedict added. “It is the least he can do since he is in part responsible for this situation in the first place.”
“That’s not fair,” Amity said.
“It’s perfectly fair, as far as I’m concerned.” Benedict’s voice hardened. “Besides, Cornelius is well positioned to gain precisely that sort of information. His reach extends into every club in London.”
“The killer would have needed medical attention and time to heal,” Marissa said. “If he is alive, someone must know how badly he was injured.”
Benedict looked grim. “Richard and Uncle Cornelius have made inquiries along that line. Thus far no one is aware of a gentleman who was attacked or injured in a so-called accident.”
Amity thought for a moment. “Perhaps we are searching for someone who took a cure for a certain unspecified illness a few months ago and has now returned to the same spa for another round of therapy.”
Benedict, Richard and Marissa looked at her.
“That is a brilliant notion,” Marissa said softly.
“Excellent strategy,” Richard added. “What better excuse could the killer use to conceal his wounds than to let it be known that he was taking a cure at an unnamed spa?”
Benedict smiled a slow, cold smile and looked at Richard. “You do see now why I am so happy to find myself engaged to Miss Doncaster.”
Richard chuckled and slapped Benedict on the shoulder. “She does appear to be the perfect one for you, brother.”