Chapter 9 #2
Electra gave her arm a gentle squeeze, and Lady Redmayne placed her hand over Electra’s, much as he had in their carriage ride over.
“I know you must speak to Kit,” Lady Redmayne said softly.
“And I know you are not acquainted with him, but I assure you that he would never harm anyone. Look at his parliamentary record, and you will see that he is reform-minded and is a staunch supporter of Mr. Gladstone. Look at his charitable endeavors, and you will see that he is generous and kind.”
“I have no doubt about Sir Christopher’s character, I assure you.”
Yet Gideon had met many good men who’d made terrible choices in anger or the impulse of a moment. Jealousy, love for another, the desire to protect his wife. What might those feelings drive a man to do?
Everything he had learned indicated that Percival Pennington had been garrulous but had not feared for his life. As yet, he had no reason to believe the man knew of a deadly threat hanging over him.
So was the murder a crime of opportunity joined with murderous fury, or something that had been planned in secret?
Lady Redmayne stood, said a few words to Electra, and then left the drawing room. Gideon assumed she would send Sir Christopher to join them.
His gaze was inescapably drawn to Electra.
“I didn’t see anything,” she whispered, “if that is what you are wondering.”
But it had not yet been a thought in his mind. His concern in the glance he sent her way had been only for her. Before he could say as much, Sir Christopher stepped into the room and closed the door behind him.
Electra wondered if Kit would wish her to stay while he spoke with Gideon. They were not confidantes in the way she was with Cordelia.
He entered the room looking more fatigued than he had when she and Gideon had arrived. Electra imagined his worry for Cordelia weighed on him.
“I can stay or go, whatever you prefer,” she said quietly as he approached the settee, waiting for her to take a seat before he did.
Kit gave Gideon a questioning look.
“I have agreed to allow Miss Poole to sit in with each of you, as she is the one who brought me the information about your connection to Mr. Pennington.”
With a glance her way, Kit said firmly, “I would like you to stay. Though I fear what you are about to hear will mar your opinion of me.”
“It won't. I assure you it won’t.”
His face lifted in a slight smile. “Perhaps it should, but I vowed many months ago to be done with secrets and to hope that a man may grow beyond his worst decisions.”
Turning to Gideon, he lifted his chin as if steeling himself and said, “Ask what you will, Inspector Pierce.”
Gideon shot one glance her way and then poised his pencil above his notepad. “When did you first learn of Percival Pennington?”
“Several months ago Cordelia came to me, quite troubled and regretful, and confessed what had passed between her and the barrister.”
Electra sensed his anger; it arced from Kit’s body in a way she could see but knew Gideon could not. Though perhaps Gideon heard it in the tightness of his tone.
“I understand that you yourself had an indiscretion.”
“Yes.” Kit’s jaw clenched with the admission, and he turned a look her way that seemed almost apologetic before facing Gideon again.
“I made a terrible mistake, and Cordelia, knowing me better than anyone, had sensed my guilt.” He flexed the fingers of his left hand, where his polished wedding band glinted, before continuing.
“I ended it almost as soon as it had begun. And Cordelia did much the same with the barrister.”
“But Mr. Pennington did not accept her decision, I take it.”
“No, he did not. He continued to contact her, send her letters and notes via messenger. Even left missives for her at places he knew she frequented. A tea shop. A dress shop. It was absurd. And concerning. The man seemed obsessed.”
Kit’s voice had pitched higher than its usual deep register.
“And this angered you, Sir Christopher?”
“Yes, of course. Would you not be angered by a man who menaced your wife?”
“I would,” Gideon said with a depth of earnestness that made Electra swallow thickly.
The notion of Gideon marrying wasn’t one she liked to consider, and she recognized what a selfish discomfort that was.
“Cordelia and I were trying to mend our marriage, and there was this man who had gained my wife's trust. I understood that she had felt…a type of affection for him. And I recognized my own hypocrisy in the matter, of course. But, yes, Inspector, I confronted him.” More quietly, he added, “Whatever my faults, Cordelia is my wife and mine to protect.”
“When did you confront him, Sir Christopher?”
“Roughly two weeks ago. I went to his club, the Palladia.”
Gideon tipped his head. “Are you a member there too?”
Kit shook his head. “No, but I know a gentleman who is, and guests can be arranged by members. I thought it would be better than meeting him at his home, with his servants in earshot.”
“Was the discussion heated?”
Kit arched his brows. “As you might imagine, yes. We went into a private room, and I made myself clear. I insisted that he never contact Cordelia again.”
“Did you come to blows?”
“No. I never touched the man.”
Gideon seemed to weigh the next question, casting one look at Electra, and then asking, “Did you threaten Mr. Pennington?”
Kit lowered his head a moment. “I did, yes.”
“What was the nature of the threat?”
“I threatened to expose his predilections. I had heard rumors about his assignations with women paid for such purposes.” Kit winced and side-eyed Electra.
No doubt, he thought such discussion shocking to her ears or an unladylike topic, but Electra was only intrigued by his revelations.
“And how did he react when you threatened to expose those rumors?”
“He laughed in my face,” Kit said plainly. “I left feeling certain that he would not heed my demands, and I was right.”
“When did you learn in the last two weeks that he was still attempting to contact Lady Redmayne?”
“She told me straight away that she’d received a message, passed via our back door to a housemaid.”
“How did you react?”
Kit scoffed and offered Gideon a tight smile. “As you might expect, Inspector. I was livid.”
“Did you contact him again?”
“No. I merely insisted that Cordelia destroy any communication and ignore him.”
“Are you aware that she met him on the day of his death?”
The room grew so silent that a carriage rattling through the square, hoofbeats and the jangle of the horses’ traces, could be heard muffled through the thick window glass.
Kit turned his attention toward the sound but nodded.
“Yes,” he admitted. “He waited outside her friend’s home.” When he turned his attention toward Gideon again, a sheen made his eyes glitter. “What sort of a man does that to a lady who has made her disinterest clear? And I was not there to protect her.”
Gideon watched Kit with an expression that Electra thought looked a great deal like understanding.
“Miss Poole mentioned that you and Lady Redmayne were to take dinner here but that you were detained. Where were you between the hours of five and half six last evening?”
“I was in the House, which sat from two in the afternoon until a bit after seven.”
Gideon bent to note those details. “Were there any votes taken?”
The proof of that would be easily confirmed by the parliamentary register.
“Yes, a banking bill and an education bill.” Kit nodded. “You can confirm my presence there by speaking to other members or seeking my voting record.”
“Did you return here last evening or go to your other lodgings?”
“I dined with two other members and then returned to the House. The second session ran until late into the evening, but I returned here.”
Kit turned a look Electra’s way. “The ladies were still awake and conversing in the drawing room, and I joined them.”