by Bettie Jane
She signaled Wendy, who arrived in her room within moments. They’d always had a good relationship, nearly friends even, if it was possible for a lady and her maid to be such, and Julia was banking on that.
“Miss?”
“Come in and close the door, Wendy.”
“Yes, Miss.”
“I need you to pack some of my things. I’ll be going on holiday for a few weeks. I’ll need some of everything, enough to get me through a couple weeks at least.”
“Of course, Miss. Shall I begin now?”
“Yes, please. As quickly as possible. And Wendy, you mustn’t say anything to anyone. Not my parents, nobody. Can you do that for me please?”
Wendy looked a bit surprised but agreed right away. “Certainly. I should have you packed by the time you’ve bathed. Will you want my help with your hair today?”
Julia assumed this might be the last time they’d get to enjoy the ritual that they’d enjoyed since Julia was a teen. Possibly she’d never have a servant in her employ again at all, so she might as well take advantage of it this last time. She’d made up her mind to move out of her parents’ home. She’d stay with Opal for now until she could make more permanent arrangements.
By the time Wendy started Julia’s hair, she’d already completed all the packing and had it sent down to the auto in the garage that Julia used on the rare occasion that she drove. Once Julia was ready to go, she pulled Wendy into a warm embrace.
“Thank you for everything over the years, Wendy.” She fought back the emotion that threatened to overwhelm her.
“Certainly. I’ll see you again in just a few weeks. Where do you plan on going for holiday, if you don’t mind me asking?”
“Here,” Julia said, thrusting an envelope at Wendy. “Give my father this as soon as they return from their Sunday drive.”
Julia picked up the one bag she’d carry herself—the one with the money she’d been saving—and dashed from her childhood room before the memories overtook her. Once she reached the top the servant’s staircase, she stopped fighting it and let the tears flow down her face. She took the stairs at the back of the house two at time and fled the house where she’d grown up and made for the garage. She needed to get away before she had to say goodbye to anyone else.
Once she’d started the car, she put the tears away and pulled out of her driveway. She hated her parents—at least part of her did for forcing the issue—but under no circumstances was she going to marry Sidney Guinness or anyone else, for that matter, just because her parents insisted on it. She arrived at Opal’s having shoved her heartbreak away into her depths. It was time to focus on her job, which meant solving the murder.
Mattie greeted her when she arrived at the Goodall residence for the second time that day. This time she used the front door. Mattie pulled Julia into a hug and kissed her cheek.
“You poor thing. Edith told me all about your phone call. I cannot begin to imagine what you must feel like. Your parents, how truly awful. How could they do such a thing?”
“Thank you, Mattie,” Julia said, extracting herself from Mattie’s clingy gestures. “I am fine. My father is a stubborn man and I’ve simply grown weary of having to battle with him. How is Opal? Did she sleep well?”
“We all managed to sleep like the dead. Overexertion, I suppose. Edith went home to change. She’ll be back later. Opal did eat a little something and she is speaking a bit. I’m glad you are here. She’s been asking for you.”
“Oh, wonderful. Nothing from Oscar yet?”
Mattie shook her head. “What do you suppose has happened?”
“I can’t say for sure. I do suspect it has something to do with Philip Withers. Don’t worry, Mattie. I’ll find out. You said you discovered about Eliza’s pregnancy at Dolly Wilde’s bottle party just a few days ago?”
Mattie tensed up and shifted on her feet. “Yes, I suppose so.”
“Dolly has been in Paris since last month, Mattie.”
Mattie’s face crumpled up and she burst into tears.
“If you know something, you simply must tell me. Jimmie has been arrested for Eliza’s murder, Mattie. Oscar is missing. I need your help.”
Mattie’s face registered the shock at the mention of Jimmie’s arrest, and silence stretched between them as though Mattie was calculating her next move. Eventually Julia led Mattie by the hand to the parlor that was just off the foyer. They sat together on the silver velvet sofa, and Mattie confessed to Julia.
“It’s just awful being in love with someone who doesn’t love you back. You wouldn’t know what that is like because everyone loves you, but…I just wanted him to love me, Julia. I didn’t mean anything else to happen.”
“Keep going, Mattie. Tell me everything. Maybe it will help us to find Oscar.”
“The day of the hunt, I received a letter from an unknown person. The letter said that Jimmie and Eliza were having an affair and that she was pregnant by him. I’m so embarrassed for what I did next, Julia.”
“Do you still have the letter?”
“I do. It’s at home.”
“I’ll want to have a look at it later then. Keep going, Mattie. What happened after you received the letter?”
“I didn’t know what to do, so at first I did nothing but pout a bit. I couldn’t believe Jimmie would get involved with the likes of Eliza Withers. She’s just so…he deserves so much better than her. It wasn’t until I ran into Frankie later that day when he was planning our treasure hunt that I had to tell someone about the letter. I couldn’t stand it. I thought maybe he’d understand how it felt that after the hussy Brenda dropped him last year. I told him about the letter and he said we could get back at Eliza for stealing my Jimmie. I didn’t think anyone would get hurt, I swear I didn’t.”
“What was his suggestion for getting back at her?” Julia asked, slightly terrified to hear the answer. She knew Frankie quite well and couldn’t have imagined him capable of the atrocities suffered by Eliza Withers, and Mattie wasn’t any more capable of murder than she thought Frankie or Jimmie were.
“He said we’d just be playing a joke on her. That we’d get the ring from her during the hunt and then we’d ransom it, anonymously, back to her. They have a lot of money so it would just be a nuisance, of course, but enough of an inconvenience to Eliza that I could feel better about losing Jimmie to her.”
“Frankie has always been full of mischief, but this takes the cake for certain. What happened that night in the park, Mattie?”
“We never found her, as you know, so I just gave up and Opal and I sat bundled in warm blankets and she told me ghost stories.”
“How did you end up at the shore of Serpentine Lake?”
She shrugged. “I wanted to enjoy the view of the moon’s reflection in the lake. That’s all. I was trying to make peace with my feelings for Jimmie. I heard something rustling around in the trees and when I stepped inside the tree line, I saw—I saw Frankie. He was standing over Eliza’s body, pulling the ring off her finger. It made such a horrible crunching sound when he took the ring. I managed to stay quiet and slipped behind a tree until he was gone. Once I was certain he was gone, that’s when I screamed. I was so scared.”
She sobbed into Julia, who’d pulled her close to comfort her. Well, this certainly explained why Mattie was so distraught about the pregnancy.
“It’s my fault, Julia. I agreed to help him by keeping a secret about the ransom. I didn’t he know he would—I would never have imagined our Frankie was capable of such a thing.”
“Me either. I’m not convinced he is, but I don’t think did either. Only the murderer is responsible for Lady Eliza’s death.”
Mattie sniffled again and gathered her composure. “What about Oscar? I didn’t tell anyone about Frankie. I thought he would hurt me if he knew that I knew he’d killed her. Now Oscar is missing. I told Oscar, at your brunch yesterday after you went to lie down, about Jimmie and Eliza. He seemed very upset about it, Julia. I don’t understand what’s
going on. Do you think Frankie took Oscar? Has hurt him somehow? That would be so awful. Was it wrong to tell Oscar about Jimmie and Eliza? Opal will never forgive me if something happens to Oscar because I didn’t say anything about what I saw that night at the park.”
Mattie broke down in sobs again, and Julia held her until the weeping stopped.
“Mattie, I want you to go home and get cleaned up, get the letter and bring it back to me. I don’t want you to tell anyone else. Not yet, all right?”
Mattie dried her cheeks and stood up. “I won’t be long.”
Julia watched Mattie rush out the door and turned over the things her friend had said in her mind. Mattie received a letter on the day of the hunt telling her that Eliza was having affair with Jimmie and was going to have his child. Julia imagined that whoever had tipped off the police to arrest Jimmie on that same pretense was likely the author of Mattie’s letter. It was certainly possible that Frankie, if Mattie saw what she said she saw, was the culprit of both anonymous tips, and robbing and killing Eliza. If she hadn’t known that Jimmie had found Frankie with the diamond ring in his possession, she’d have dismissed Frankie’s possible guilt out of hand. However, she did have that information, so she must consider Frankie. What reason could he possibly have had to murder Eliza Withers?
Julia decided to add dropping by Cecil’s to her already-lengthy to-do list. Frankie and Cecil were close friends. If anyone would know if Frankie was capable of something like this, it would be Cecil.
Julia found Opal in the parlor, sitting quietly with a book. She looked up when Julia entered and smiled. “Julia. Thank you so much for your help yesterday. I don’t know what came over me.”
Julia waved her off. “It’s quite all right. Thank you for letting move in temporarily.”
“You are quite welcome, darling. Oscar will be thrilled when he finds out.”
Her face darkened at the mention of her brother.
“Speaking of Oscar, I want to talk to you for a minute about him before I return to the station to speak with the Inspector.”
“Come and sit.”
Julia sat in the overstuffed chair opposite Opal’s position on the couch.
“You haven’t heard from him yet, I suppose?”
Opal shook her head.
“Has he been acting strange lately?”
She nodded and began to speak, then paused. Julia waited for a bit and eventually Opal continued. “He told me something the day before the hunt, swore me to secrecy, which I agreed to.”
“I’m certain he won’t blame you under the circumstances. Why don’t you tell me what it is and then we can decide together what to do about the information?”
“You’re right. Of course I must tell. I just don’t know what it means. How it will help or hurt him.” She paused once more. “He was involved with Eliza Withers.”
Julia, usually so well composed, let out a gasp. She’d never have guessed Oscar would have taken up with Eliza Withers. An affair between Oscar and Philip Withers seemed much more likely. “How involved were they?”
“She told him she was pregnant and that he was the father. She wanted him to claim the child.”
“To what end, I wonder. A woman can’t divorce her husband for physical abuse.”
She thought to herself that despite Jimmie’s valiant efforts to help Eliza leave, obtaining a divorce so she could remarry was impossible. Maybe Eliza hadn’t cared about getting a divorce or perhaps she’d hoped Philip would seek a divorce.
“What was his reaction?”
“He seemed…anxious. Concerned about his friendship with Philip.”
“Stands to reason that his friendship would have been in jeopardy had Philip found out his good friend and possible lover was sneaking about with his wife behind his back,” Julia said dryly.
“I suppose it would at that.”
“Had Eliza told Philip yet?”
“Not as far as Oscar knew.”
“How was his demeanor after her body was discovered?”
“He seemed strangely calm, after having been so anxious. I thought it odd given that if she was carrying his child, his unborn child had just been killed. Men are odd, though, aren’t they? The way they handle grief?”
“There does seem to be a distinct difference in the way men and women behave in lots of areas of life, perhaps most especially with emotions.”
Silence filled the space for a few moments before Julia asked her next question.
“Opal, I’m sorry to ask this, but do you think Oscar capable of such a thing? Murder, I mean?”
“I—I’d like to say an adamant no, and it truly would be hard for me to imagine him so upset that he’d be capable, but he truly does have a temper on him. Perhaps if he were provoked? No! I can’t believe it. Even at his most angry, he’d not hurt a fly, Julia. You know that. You know him nearly as well I.”
“I quite agree with you, darling Opal. I’m afraid it’s not looking great for him, but we’ll get to the truth. I can’t believe either Jimmie or Oscar or Frankie capable of this.”
“Frankie?”
There was resignation in Julia’s voice. “It seems likely that, while I originally was wholly convinced that Philip Withers was behind her death, I’ve learned a few details throw shadows of doubt on our friends. If Philip did kill her, it’s possible he set up one of our beloved men to take the fall. Not to worry, as Jimmie likes to say, Julia Barlow is on the case. Speaking of the case, I’ve got to run to the police station in a few minutes and speak with the Inspector. Where shall I have my bags brought?”
“I’ve already arranged for Mr. Dudley to take your bags to the room just across from Oscar—the lavender room. I think it will suit you perfectly.”
“That’s the room I stayed in when our parents would allow sleepovers. It’s just perfect, Opal. Thank you for your welcome.”
“Don’t mention it. Your parents can be quite stubborn. Perhaps they’ll come to their senses, but until then you are the permanent residence of the Lavender Room.”
She put emphasis on the description of the room as though it was a proper noun.
“Thank you, dear. I shall have address cards made up, I think.
Julia Barlow
Lavender Room
House Goodall
London
It has a lovely ring, yes?” Julia teased Opal, grateful for her friend’s hospitality.
“Once all this mess is behind us and Oscar is home again, we’ll have a grand party celebrating your moving in. It will be just the thing we all need to recover.”
______
Sunday Afternoon
November 13, 1921
Withers Residence
Mayfair, London
Once Mattie returned with the letter she’d received from the anonymous writer, Julia took it from her and went to see the Inspector.
First, though, she had two stops. Frankie and Cecil.
Julia made the decision to not tell Opal about Mattie’s letter, neither did she tell Mattie what she’d just learned from Opal about Oscar’s potential involvement. At some point, hearsay just became gossip without evidence to back it up, and Julia was well and confused in her own mind without adding to anyone else’s. She hoped after speaking with Frankie and Cecil that she’d find some clarity. With everything she knew so far about this investigation, she found herself hoping desperately that Philip Withers was guilty, otherwise it looked more and more like one of her good friends had done the crime. She would take no pleasure in solidifying her career that way.
Frankie wasn’t home and neither was Cecil. Maybe they were together out searching for Oscar. At least that’s what she’d have thought before she’d started suspecting all her friends of murder. Even Mattie and Opal looked suspicious for the information they’d possessed and chosen not to disclose.
Frustrated and out of options, Julia decided to track down Lord Withers and confront him once and for all. Not knowing if one of her friends was a cold-blooded murder
er was beginning to wear on her. Besides, she needed to know if she should be trying to find Oscar and protect herself and her friends from him.
When she arrived outside the gates of the Withers home, she saw the place was overrun with police officers, including Inspector Gibbs. Despite her agitation, some part of her was relieved to see him again. She approached him and he nodded to her when he saw her coming.
“I’m afraid your theory about Philip Withers is not going to hold up. He was found dead this morning by his valet. Strangled. With a garroting wire.”
“Red poppies also?”
He nodded. “I’m afraid your friend Oscar is looking more and more like the suspect and not a victim.”
Julia let out a breath. “I have additional news that you may find useful. According to Opal, Oscar confided to her that he was the father of Eliza’s baby.”
“It’s looking worse for your friend all the time. Any idea where we might be able to locate him? You said you’d known him since you were a child. Does he have a place he likes to go to be alone? A cottage by the sea, anything like that?”
“His family has several homes at the seaside. I suppose it’s possible he could be at any of them. I’ll put together a list for you.”
“If there’s one good thing to come from this today, for you at least, it’s your friend Jimmie Hutchins. I’ll release him as soon as I’m back to the station. He’s obviously not our killer since he couldn’t have killed Philip Withers from jail.”
“That is something, I suppose. One other thing, I brought a letter to show you. A friend received an anonymous note on Friday earlier in the day. Whoever sent it said that Jimmie Hutchins was having an affair with Lady Eliza and she was pregnant. Just to continue to muddy the waters for you, Inspector. I came here today to try and get a look at Philip’s handwriting to see if he was the anonymous tipster for both you and my friend’s letter.”
She pulled the note out and showed it to Gibbs. “Would you mind letting me having a quick look at his papers in his office? I should like to see if it matches, even though he’s now deceased, for my peace of mind, you understand.”
