Death of a Matriarch (Riley Rochester Investigates Book 7)

by Wendy Soliman

  ‘You have admitted starting the affray, Clifford, so the chances are that you will come up before the magistrate.’

  ‘I don’t care. I’d do it again. It was worth it. Doreen might have stepped out on me, used me for her own purposes, but I do have my pride, you know.’

  ‘Of course, if your uncle prefers not to press charges, that will be the end of the matter.’

  And Riley knew that he almost certainly would not. If he did then the particulars would become a matter of public record. But Clifford, justified though his actions might have been, deserved at least the punishment of uncertainty.

  ‘You said a moment ago that you have been warned away from Miss Sutherland,’ Riley said. ‘Warned by whom?’

  ‘Mother didn’t like her very much, but then Mother seldom takes to any female who is younger or prettier than she is.’ He gave a derisive snort. ‘She seldom takes pleasure in anything much, now that I think about it. She’s perpetually angry and I have learned not to take any notice of her.’

  ‘What is it?’ Riley asked, sensing that the young man was deliberating about revealing something.

  ‘What I didn’t tell you when we spoke before because it seemed disloyal is that…well…’ He clasped his hands together, fingers laced, spread his legs and stared at the floor. ‘Grandmamma took Doreen in immediate dislike. She said she would break my heart and never be constant.’ He gave another snort. ‘Seems the old girl was a better judge of character than me.’

  ‘Did you tell Miss Sutherland what your grandmother said about her?’

  ‘No, not in as many words, but I think she picked up on Grandmamma’s disdain. Indeed, it would have been hard for such a sensitive person not to understand that her presence was resented.’ He sighed. ‘I should not have brought her to the house, but she insisted that she wanted to meet Grandmamma. Besides, Mother hadn’t met her and I wanted to…well, I’m not really sure what I was hoping to achieve.’ He curled his upper lip. ‘I knew better than to expect parental approval, but I thought that if I presented her as my fiancé, it would make it more real somehow. Perhaps I knew deep down that Doreen wasn’t as keen on the prospect of marriage as I was.’ He shrugged. ‘We’ll never know now.’

  ‘Why?’ Salter asked.

  ‘Why? What do you mean why?’

  ‘It ain’t a difficult question, lad. Why was the young lady so keen to meet your grandmother?’

  ‘Well, I suppose because she was the matriarch. We want to marry and it was important to me that Grandmamma approve of my choice.’

  ‘Vital, I would imagine, if you were depending upon her to leave you well enough provided for to support a wife,’ Riley said. ‘Your work for your father does not generate much of an income.’

  ‘Yes well…’ He scuffed the floor with the toe of his boot. ‘It didn’t work out as I had hoped.’

  ‘Her charm didn’t influence the old lady,’ Salter suggested.

  ‘Not for one second.’ Clifford sighed. ‘Grandmamma was very forthright regarding the expression of her opinions, and if she didn’t like a person they were not left in ignorance of her feelings for long. She said some very hurtful things to me in private regarding Doreen’s character, which I decided against passing on. Grandmamma would have come around to the idea of our marrying eventually, or so I chose to believe.’

  ‘Lady Pemberton insulting your intended must have made you angry,’ Salter said.

  ‘Not angry enough to kill the old girl, if that’s what you are implying.’

  ‘How did Miss Sutherland react to being looked down upon?’ Riley asked.

  ‘She appeared to shrug it off. She told me that she would charm the old biddy into a more congenial frame of mind and that she would come to appreciate Doreen’s finer qualities when they were better acquainted.’

  ‘I need an honest answer to this next question, Clifford,’ Riley said, hardening his tone. ‘And I shall know if you try to mislead me, so think carefully before you respond.’ He paused, leaving a moment for his warning to sink in. ‘Did you leave your room at all after you retired on the night of the murder? Perhaps to join Miss Sutherland.’

  ‘I did not,’ he replied without hesitation. ‘I had too much respect for Doreen’s supposed virginity to force myself upon her. I was willing to wait until after we were married. Perhaps I now know why she was so insistent in that regard,’ he added bitterly. ‘She was using me for her own purposes, but I have yet to decide what those purposes were.’

  ‘You were still determined to marry her, despite your grandmother’s disapproval.’

  ‘I am in love.’ He kicked morosely at the leg of the table. ‘Well, I was.’

  ‘Did Miss Sutherland know that you were dependent upon a legacy from your grandmother in order to support a wife?’

  ‘Well yes, I suppose…I might have implied that I had expectations in that regard. Not that it matters now. When I came upon Doreen this afternoon she tried to pretend that there was nothing between her and my uncle, but I am not totally dicked in the nob. I know what I saw and what I would have seen if I’d walked in on them ten minutes later. Anyway, I wouldn’t take her now if she was the last woman in England, so Grandmamma has got her way, albeit from beyond the grave.’

  ‘Very well, Clifford. You will go back to the cells for the time being.’

  ‘Just don’t put me in the same one as my uncle, or I might finish what I started. Although I suppose he will claim to be the injured party and won’t be detained. Not that I care. Do what you like with me.’

  ‘Stupid kid,’ Salter said, as Clifford was led away by a constable.

  ‘He’s learned a salutary lesson, Jack, and will be a better man for it. We’ll keep him overnight and let him go in the morning. He will have cooled down by then.’

  ‘That family of his was already fragmenting. I dread to think what will happen when they get to hear about this latest scandal.’

  ‘Hopefully, any members of it who have been holding anything back out of a sense of family loyalty will now come clean.’ Riley sighed. ‘Stranger things have been known to happen.’

  ‘It don’t sound as if Clifford and Miss Sutherland colluded to have his grandmother killed,’ Salter mused. ‘The lad’s got his head in the clouds.’

  ‘But he does have a temper.’

  ‘Yeah, but that’s the response of an idealistic young man in love when he finds out he’s been cuckolded. I can’t see him deliberately smothering his grandmother, but that don’t preclude the possibility that she and Axton were in it together, as we thought as soon as we heard about the mystery man.’

  ‘Indeed it does not.’ Riley leaned back in his chair and attempted to stretch the kinks out of his back. ‘Right, Jack, let’s have Axton up here and hear his justification.’

  Axton, when he appeared at the door to the interview room, escorted by a burly constable, looked bloodied and dishevelled. He had clearly come out on the losing end in the altercation with his nephew. One eye was swollen completely closed, he was missing a tooth and clutched his ribcage with one hand, wincing when he walked.

  ‘Sit down,’ Riley said without preamble.

  Axton slumped into the chair that his nephew had just vacated, leaned his elbows on the table and dropped his head into his splayed hands.

  ‘What a bloody mess,’ he muttered.

  ‘You’re a bit late to feel sorry for yourself,’ Salter replied, not an ounce of sympathy in his tone.

  ‘How long have you been intimately involved with your nephew’s fiancée?’ Riley asked, with enough venom in his voice to make Axton flinch.

  ‘It wasn’t like that. I…’

  Salter slammed the flat of his hand onto the tabletop, causing Axton’s head to jerk up and the man himself to physically recoil.

  ‘Don’t mess with the chief inspector, sunshine. I ain’t got no respect for men what break their sacred marriage vows, and I ain’t in the mood to listen to crap off you or anyone else. Now answer the question before I really lose my
temper.’

  ‘We’re men of the world, Lord Riley,’ Axton said, fixing Riley with a bleary, one-eyed gaze. ‘These things happen, despite the best of intentions.’

  ‘She is not your first conquest, I fancy.’

  Salter snorted disdainfully.

  ‘My wife is not fond of physical intimacy. Why do you imagine that we have no children? Anyway, she is aware of my needs and turns a blind eye to my behaviour if it means I don’t bother her with my demands.’

  ‘You have an understanding?’ Riley clarified.

  Axton lifted one hand and waggled it from side to side. ‘Not in so many words. I mean, we’ve never discussed it. It’s an unspoken agreement, if you like.’

  ‘In other words, she’s caught you at it before and let you get away with it,’ Salter said, sniffing.

  Axton merely lifted one shoulder.

  ‘What’s different about Miss Sutherland? Your questionable morals aside, she’s engaged to be married to your nephew.’ Riley scowled, genuinely perplexed. ‘Why would you do that to the lad?’

  ‘It wasn’t mean to happen; I swear it on my life. I feel terrible about it but…well, I don’t expect you to understand.’ He let out a long breath and shook his head from side to side, as though seeking inspiration. ‘You’ve seen her. What more can I say?’

  ‘You’ve fallen in love, I take it?’

  ‘I didn’t want to, but I can’t seem to fight against whatever it is that draws me to her.’

  ‘You’ve got a legal wife who seems to love you very much, God only knows why.’ Salter dug his fingers into his scalp and gave his head a good scratch. ‘She might turn a blind eye to the odd tumble but I reckon when she discovers you’ve got feelings for the Sutherland girl she ain’t going to be too pleased.’

  Axton looked mortified.

  ‘Your wife anticipates inheriting part of her mother’s estate,’ Riley said. ‘She expects to do well from it?’

  Axton shrugged. ‘Nobody knows the contents of Lady Pemberton’s will, but she was a rich woman and her daughters assume they will benefit—especially Pamela, who seems to think she is the most entitled, despite having lived off the old girl all her life.’

  Salter shook his head, for once lost for words. Riley knew he would be delighted if they could prove that Axton and Miss Sutherland had colluded in the old lady’s death. Riley himself wouldn’t lose any sleep over their respective fates if they could do so, come to that.

  ‘Clifford was counting on her generosity too, in order to be able to provide for Miss Sutherland.’ Riley leaned back in his chair, watching Axton trying not to frown when Riley casually linked Clifford’s name with the woman he was himself besotted with. ‘That’s why Miss Sutherland insisted upon accompanying Clifford to Lady Pemberton’s birthday party. She simply assumed she would be able to charm Lady Pemberton, much in the way that she charms every man who crosses her path. When she failed, she turned her attentions to you.’

  ‘No!’

  ‘Ah, I see. Your clandestine affair with the lady had started before then.’

  ‘That isn’t what I meant to say.’ Axton shook his head. ‘I’m feeling shaken still.’

  ‘Not half as shaken as you will be if the chief inspector lets me loose on you,’ Salter growled. ‘Anyway, you’ve just admitted that your affair with Miss Sutherland has been going on for a while. If she returns your feelings—’

  ‘She does!’

  ‘Then why did she so cruelly continue to lead Clifford on?’ Riley asked.

  ‘She was…was trying to find a way to let him down gently.’

  ‘Here’s what I think,’ Riley said. ‘I think she was hedging her bets. She wanted to see Lady Pemberton surrounded by her family so that she could decide which of you was the better proposition.’

  ‘Ha! You’re barking up the wrong tree there, Lord Riley. I don’t stand to inherit anything, so Doreen must have liked me for myself.’

  ‘But your wife does, and I’m fairly confident that you handle your joint finances.’

  ‘What a think to suggest!’ Axton’s contrived attitude of righteous indignation failed to impress Riley. ‘I would never…’

  ‘You’d never what?’ Salter clenched his jaw in contemptuous disapproval ‘Leave your wife for the conniving hussy who’s stolen your heart and then use your wife’s inheritance to finance your lifestyle? Course you bleedin’ wouldn’t. The chief inspector and I must’ve completely misread your character. You are a man of honour and integrity and your word is your bond—apart from when it comes to your wedding vows, or doing the dirty on your own nephew.’

  ‘There’s no occasion for sarcasm, Sergeant.’

  ‘Sarcasm? I’ll give you more than sarcasm, sunshine. A few minutes alone with you and I’d have you screaming out for a bit of sarcasm.’

  Riley held up a hand and fixed Axton with a hard look. ‘Did you leave your room on the night of the murder? Think carefully before you answer me. Miss Sutherland is currently occupying one of our cells and I shall be asking her exactly the same question.’

  ‘What?’ Axton half leapt from his chair, wincing when his ribs protested. Salter’s beefy hand made contact with his chest and shoved him back down none too gently. He landed on the hard wood and yelped with pain. ‘You have arrested Doreen? How dare you? She hasn’t done anything against the law and is far too sensitive to be locked away with lightskirts and brawling fishwives.’

  ‘I reckon she’ll be feeling right at home,’ Salter muttered.

  ‘Stop posturing and answer the question,’ Riley said, borrowing one of Salter’s favourite intimidating gestures and slapping the flat of his hand against the tabletop. ‘And be sure that I shall ask your wife the same question if I am not satisfied with your answer. She might once have vouched for you, but I don’t suppose you can depend upon her loyalty after she finds out what happened today.’

  ‘In her own bed too,’ Salter added, his tone a rumble of disapproval.

  ‘Someone was heard creeping about the corridor after everyone else retired,’ Riley said. ‘Was it you?’

  Axton lowered his head. ‘Yes,’ he said with patent reluctance. ‘Mavis takes a sleeping draught and nothing wakes her. I wanted…I had to see Doreen.’

  ‘To make sure Clifford wasn’t with her?’ Salter suggested.

  ‘I am not proud of my jealousy, Sergeant, or about any of this. I never meant things to reach this stage or for my wife to be hurt. But yes, I did go to Doreen that night. I was with her for an hour between midnight and one in the morning.’

  ‘Was she expecting you?’

  ‘Yes.’ He lowered his head and addressed his comment to the floor. ‘It was her suggestion. She likes taking risks. She finds it exciting.’

  ‘Right.’ Riley abruptly stood. ‘Do you wish to press charges against your nephew for assault?’

  ‘God, no! I deserve more than he gave me.’

  ‘Very well. You can go.’

  ‘I want to see Doreen.’

  ‘You can want all you like,’ Salter said, pushing him roughly towards the door. ‘If I was you I’d be more worried about telling the missus why someone’s been using you as a punchbag.’ Salter emitted a mirthless chuckle. ‘Reckon you’ll have another black eye by the time she’s done with you.’

  Riley and Salter watched as a uniformed constable conducted Axton from the premises.

  ‘Why didn’t you press him about the old lady’s death, sir?’ Salter asked.

  ‘We got all we were likely to get out of him, Jack.’ Riley sighed. ‘He won’t condemn himself with his own words. We need to speak with the delectable Miss Sutherland, see what she has to say for herself and make sure their stories coalesce. They weren’t expecting to be caught out in their affair, or to be dragged in here and questioned, so she might let something slip that will point us in the right direction.’

  ‘You think she’s the killer, sir?’

  ‘I’m fairly sure she’s involved, even if she didn’t commit the crime herse
lf. But the question is why.’ Riley resumed his seat and tapped his fingers on the tabletop, deep in thought. ‘Murdering an old lady for an inheritance that might pass into the hands of one of her admirers, the amount of which she had no way of knowing, seems rather tenuous, to say nothing of being fraught with risk.’

  ‘Axton said she like a bit of risk. And Lady P was supposed to be fabulously wealthy.’

  ‘Even so, Jack, even so.’ Riley stretched. ‘Right, let’s have her brought up.’

  Chapter Fourteen

  Riley wasn’t the slightest bit surprised when Doreen Sutherland entered the interview room as if she was walking onto a stage, ready to be admired by an adoring audience. If being locked in a cell had discomposed her, she certainly didn’t allow it to show. Nor did it appear to have crossed her mind that the two men waiting to interview her would fail to be beguiled by her.

  ‘Good afternoon, gentlemen,’ she said, taking the chair that Salter indicated and sending Riley a flirtatious smile across the table. ‘How can I be of assistance?’

  ‘You don’t seem terribly upset to have been caught by your fiancé in his uncle’s arms,’ Riley said.

  ‘Oh, the silly boy got the wrong idea entirely, Chief Inspector. Alan and I were discussing theatrical matters.’

  Salter sent her a disbelieving look. ‘In his bedchamber? That’ll be right.’

  ‘You clearly don’t understand the jealousies of the theatrical world, Sergeant. Certain opportunities had arisen and I wanted to discuss them in private with him. If anyone else in that house had listened, and I wouldn’t put it past them, then the news would have spread like wildfire.’ She tossed her head. ‘Success creates jealousies and resentments.’

  ‘Success?’ Riley raised a brow in polite confusion. ‘I understood you were performing in a small theatre in the back streets. Clearly I have missed the announcements of your roles in Drury Lane.’