Death of a Milliner: Riley Rochester Investigates Book 9 (Riley ~Rochester Investigates)

by Wendy Soliman

  ‘Ah, so her indiscretion is my fault, too.’

  ‘I don’t want to argue with you, Henry. I had hoped you would see sense.’

  ‘I see a business opportunity,’ Henry cried, brightening. ‘Her pottery is quite remarkable. If I back it with my name and your financial support, we will see rich returns.’

  Riley gave an elongated sigh. ‘She’s using you, Henry. Surely you can see that.’

  ‘And that works both ways,’ he replied with a raucous chuckle.

  ‘Either relocate her business in London, away from Celia, or I will find a way to remove her from Chichester. There will be something in her past that she doesn’t want you to know about, I’m sure. Don’t make me scrabble about, looking to expose it.’ Riley stood and faced his brother, his expression implacable. ‘It’s only a matter of time before our mother hears of the relationship, and if you don’t care about Celia’s feelings, I am perfectly sure that you care about hers. Not to mention ruining Sophia’s chances with your crude behaviour.’

  ‘I say.’ Henry ran a hand through his sparse hair. ‘I had hoped that you would see reason.’

  ‘No you didn’t. You hoped to pressure me, but it won’t serve.’

  ‘You sanctimonious little prick!’ Henry cried, waving his brandy glass in the air for emphasis. ‘Our father didn’t mind about embarrassing mother.’

  ‘That’s true.’ Riley recalled his father’s infamous involvement with an actress who was subsequently killed. The old marquess had become a suspect but Riley’s mentor and friend, Jake Morton, the Earl of Torbay, had managed to identify the actual killer, exonerating their father. ‘Our mother never once allowed her feelings to show outwardly, even when the whole of London was speaking of Father’s involvement with that actress, but I know she felt it acutely. Not just for herself but for the damage it did to the family name. You and I both know how important our reputation is to her. Would you put her in that situation for a second time?’

  ‘It won’t come to that.’

  ‘Won’t it? Think about it, Henry.’ Riley raised a hand in acknowledgement when Stout put his head round the door, saying that the carriage was ready. ‘We will talk again. If you move her to London, I will look at her work and decide whether or not to give her a helping hand. If you do not, then I have already warned you what I will do. I trust we understand one another.’ He drained his glass. ‘Time to go. Can I drop you anywhere?’

  Chapter Ten

  ‘Riley, what a lovely surprise.’ Amelia’s face lit up when Riley walked into their drawing room. She had Simon crawling energetically about on the rug in front of her, supervised by Bruno, who wagged his tail at the sight of Riley, abandoned his child-minding duties and jumped all over his master instead. ‘I wasn’t expecting you.’

  Riley smoothed Bruno’s head and bent to kiss his wife. He then hauled a giggling Simon into his arms and swung him in the air. ‘London isn’t the same without you,’ he replied, returning Simon to the floor and helping himself to a drink from the decanter on the sideboard.

  ‘Have you eaten?’ she asked.

  ‘Not since breakfast. I’ve had no time.’

  ‘Riley.’ She waved an admonishing finger, then rang the bell and gave instructions for dinner to be served immediately. ‘I’m surprised Sergeant Salter allowed you to ignore lunch. You have told me several times that he cannot function on an empty stomach.’

  ‘Sergeant Salter had graver concerns.’ Riley sat beside his wife, draped an arm around her shoulders and took an appreciative sip of his drink. ‘I shall finish my whisky. Then give me ten minutes to wash and change and I will tell you all about a day so fraught that even Jack Salter forgot to eat.’

  ‘It sounds intriguing.’

  Over an excellent dinner, Riley relaxed in his wife’s company and told her all about Maureen’s travails.

  ‘Poor Jack,’ Amelia said, sighing as she absorbed the particulars. ‘I know how important his family is to him. He must have been beside himself.’

  ‘We both knew that Maureen wasn’t involved but I had to be careful to keep Jack away from the investigation. Fortunately, Maynard was able to prove to my satisfaction that Maureen couldn’t have struck the killer blow, so at least now I have my sergeant back and can conduct the investigation at a pace that doesn’t require my constant presence in London away from you and the prune.’

  ‘It’s a compliment to Maureen’s talent in a way, I suppose, that the two women were fighting over her.’

  ‘Imagine how well that’s gone down with Jack.’

  Amelia smiled. ‘I barely can.’

  ‘All that matters is that Maureen’s safely at home in Clapham for the time being, where she will remain until we get to the bottom of the matter.’ Riley paused. ‘Madame Boise is not what she appears to be. She uses sophistication, charm and talent to disguise a stark determination to get ahead by whatever means necessary.’

  ‘You mean to imply that she’s cut from the same cloth as poor Mrs Faulkner but is better at disguising it?’

  ‘Precisely so.’

  ‘Well, whichever establishment Maureen decides upon in future, you can be sure that I, Olivia and the rest of the family will follow her there with our custom. Hopefully, it will help to secure her success.’

  ‘It will.’ Riley blew a kiss to his wife. ‘Thank you. I’ll mention it to her—and perhaps more importantly to Jack—when the time is right. I’m sure it will help enormously to be able to boast your patronage.’

  ‘No thanks necessary. Maureen is inspirational.’

  ‘So Cabbage assures me.’

  ‘Well then, there can be no further doubt,’ Amelia said, laughing.

  ‘Now, tell me how you have been and how you’ve occupied your time. I hope you have not over-exerted yourself.’

  ‘Not a chance. Ruth is proving to be very proficient with Simon and leaves me little to do. I am very pleased with her, and her children appear to be adapting to country life.’ Amelia’s smile faltered. ‘But she had a visitor today.’

  ‘Who?’ Riley looked up sharply from his roast venison. ‘I didn’t know anyone from her old life knew where to find her.’

  ‘It was Paul, her husband’s brother.’

  ‘I thought he would still be in gaol for his part in the thefts from the building site.’

  ‘Apparently he’s been released. You put a good word in for him, I seem to recall, because he helped you to convict his brother.’

  ‘So I did.’ Riley paused, uncomfortable with this turn of events. ‘How did he know Ruth was here?’

  ‘I asked her that question and she admitted that she’d told Paul’s wife where she intended to go before she left Clapham. They were friends, and she didn’t want her to worry about her sudden disappearance.’

  ‘I wish she hadn’t done that.’ Riley absently rubbed his chin between his thumb and forefinger. ‘It might create problems for you.’

  ‘She assures me that Paul is grateful to have got away so lightly for his crimes. He and his family are living with the old mother, who won’t have Ruth’s name mentioned in the house. Ruth is confident the old lady has no idea where she is. Paul just wanted to be sure that Ruth was being cared for rather than being taken advantage of, what with her being so attractive. He feels responsible for not doing more to protect her from his brother’s cruelty.’

  ‘Has he found work?’

  ‘Yes, miserably paid but honest, helping Jed Bishop at the Plough.’

  ‘Well, that’s something.’

  ‘Don’t look so worried, Riley. Ruth is a sensible girl, and she knows how lucky she is to have a position with us. She won’t risk losing it.’

  ‘I make no apology for worrying about your safety, my love. If my desire to help a young woman who’d fallen on hard times results in any harm coming to you and the children then I shall never forgive myself.’

  ‘Oh, I think Stout has Ruth’s interests firmly at heart, and would step in the moment he saw any trouble brewing.’
r />   ‘Does he indeed?’ Riley smiled. ‘Well, well.’

  They finished their meal and retired to the drawing room, where Riley told his wife about Henry’s latest escapade.

  ‘Oh goodness.’ Amelia sighed. ‘What shall you do about him?’

  Riley wanted to protest that he shouldn’t be expected to do anything; Henry was head of the family. Instead, he related the substance of their conversation.

  ‘Will he do it? Move the woman to London, I mean?’

  ‘The question you should be asking is whether the woman will agree to be moved. I think she set up shop to Chichester with the deliberate intention of attracting Henry’s interest. She’s achieved that ambition, knows her own worth and must be aware of Henry’s standing in the community. Henry has probably poured out his heart to her, telling her how neglected he feels by Celia and—’

  Amelia gasped, then covered her mouth with her hand. ‘You imagine she intends to persuade him to divorce? Such things are becoming increasingly common nowadays. She has her eye on becoming a marchioness.’

  ‘The possibility has occurred to me. Henry almost let something slip that set me thinking along those lines. She is of childbearing age, so were she to dangle the possibility of giving Henry a legitimate heir, it might well convince him, scandal be damned. He’s quite besotted with her and still dislikes the fact that he has no son to follow in his footsteps.’

  ‘Even so. A marquess divorcing.’ Amelia shook her head, looking very offended. ‘Your poor mama would be devastated.’

  ‘Quite, but Henry can be a stubborn cuss. I’ve never seen him so openly enamoured of any of his previous paramours.’ Riley shook his head. ‘I might be doing the woman a disservice, but my instincts tell me otherwise.’ He sighed expansively. ‘I suppose I shall have to start digging into her background before too much damage can be done.’

  ‘Poor Riley.’ Amelia clasped his hand. ‘As if you didn’t already have enough to deal with.’

  ‘If it weren’t for Mother, I doubt I would get involved.’

  ‘I know.’ Amelia rested her head on his shoulder and smothered a yawn with the back of her hand. ‘But at the same time, you cannot help worrying about your family’s reputation.’

  ‘At this particular moment I am more concerned about you. You’re exhausted. Come along. It’s an early night for us both.’ Riley stood, held out his hand and pulled her gently to her feet and then, because he couldn’t help himself, into his arms. ‘I feel sorry for Henry in some respects,’ he said, nuzzling her neck. ‘He will never know the kind of bliss that we enjoy. It seems unfair.’

  ‘I’m sorry too,’ Amelia replied, ‘but there are no guarantees that life will be fair. Besides, you have told me often enough that Henry was determined to marry Celia, against the advice of the rest of your family, who saw her for the gold-digger that she was. He only has himself to blame for his domestic disharmony.’

  ‘Heartless female!’

  ‘Pragmatic female, more like.’ Amelia smiled. ‘Jake and Olivia, Isaac and Eva are due to dine here tomorrow evening. Should I put them off in view of the importance of this case?’

  ‘No, my love. If we cancel our social engagements every time I become embroiled in a murder then we would become recluses.’

  ‘Very well, if you’re sure.’

  ‘I am perfectly sure that Jake and Isaac will think of aspects of the investigation that haven’t yet occurred to me.’

  ‘Well, there is that.’

  ‘Come along. Upstairs with you, woman.’

  ‘You have a most persuasive way about you,’ Amelia replied, smiling.

  Riley slept badly, his mind full of various aspects of the Faulkner case as well as concerns about his reckless brother’s behaviour and niggling worries about Ruth’s visitor. He arose before dawn, careful not to wake Amelia, and stood once again on the terrace with his dog, watching the dawn break.

  As Stout drove him into town, Riley gave him his instructions.

  ‘Go to Brown’s hotel, Stout. Are you by chance acquainted with any of the porters in that establishment?’

  ‘There is one person employed in that capacity who is known to me, my lord.’

  ‘You never cease to amaze me.’

  Stout steered his team around a handcart that had been left in the middle of the road. ‘I aim to please.’

  ‘Have a quiet word with your porter acquaintance, reward him well and see if you can discover if any particular gentleman visits Madame Boise when she stays at the establishment. I’m willing to wager that if such a person exists, he will not have escaped the porter’s notice.’

  ‘Very likely not, my lord, such things seldom do. Anything else?’

  ‘Send a message to Danforth. I’d like to see him this morning at eleven in our usual meeting place.’

  ‘Consider it done.’

  Riley arrived at Scotland Yard hot on Salter’s heels.

  ‘How is Maureen?’ Riley asked.

  ‘She still ain’t herself, guv’nor, but her mother’s taking good care of her.’ Riley divested himself of his outdoor garments and sat behind his desk. ‘I’ve left it to Mrs Salter to explain that her talent was in hot dispute between two rivals. Mrs Salter thinks it’s important that she understands none of it is her fault. Maureen’s a sensitive lass; she feels things deeply.’

  ‘It will all work out, Jack, and the best way we can ensure that it does is to identify Mrs Faulkner’s killer, as well as the reasons why she had to die.’

  ‘Agreed, but how do we go about it?’

  ‘I need you to send Carter and Soames to Clapham to track down Madame’s family, if they’re still living. I want to learn as much as there is to know about her early years.’

  ‘How will that help?’

  ‘I’ve absolutely no idea, but something other than her interest in design triggered her fierce determination to succeed. I’m thinking that she caught the eye of some local man of consequence who made her realise that she could use her wiles to get ahead. While they’re down there, I want them to see what they can find out about Miss Sharp as well.’

  ‘Mrs Faulkner’s chief assistant?’ Salter blinked. ‘Do you think she’s involved?’

  ‘I think she knows more than she’s letting on. If Mrs Faulkner was up to something illegal in order to amass her fortune, even if she didn’t keep records in the shop, I fail to see how Miss Sharp, whose character lives up to her name, wasn’t aware of it. And Jack, bear in mind that Mrs Faulkner had plans to expand and put your Maureen in Miss Sharp’s place as her number two.’

  ‘Ah, I see what you mean. Maureen said she could never do anything right in Miss Sharp’s eyes, but Maureen was out of her hair before the murder, so…’ Salter paused, then uttered a mild oath. ‘Ah, if she knew Mrs Faulkner wanted to tempt our Maureen back with an offer of a senior position in her fancy new establishment…yes, she had motive, but absolutely no way of getting Mrs Faulkner into Madame’s premises.’ Salter scratched his head. ‘It’s one step forward and two steps back, just like always. Anyway, I’ll give Carter and Soames their orders. What do you want Peterson to do?’

  ‘I need him to keep a watch on Madame’s premises this morning. If she leaves them for any reason he’s to follow her at a safe distance. I also want to know if any of the people we have thus far taken an interest in go to the shop. Arrange to have Peterson relieved after a few hours. Sort it out with Barton.’

  ‘Right. And what about us?’

  ‘Did the Faulkner brothers’ alibis check out for the time of the murder?’

  ‘They did, sir. Alfred was definitely driving that train and Bernard is a regular at the coffee shop just around the corner from his place of work. They can set their clocks by him, apparently.’

  ‘I dare say they can, but was he actually seen on the morning in question?’

  ‘They said he was there. Peterson spoke to the lad who serves and he was adamant that he’s seen him there every day this week.’

  Riley grunted. �
�Did we get a list from Hatchard’s employer of the shops in London that he regularly calls upon?’

  ‘We did.’

  ‘In that case, after I’ve seen Danforth and arranged for him and his extended family to keep a watch on Alfred and Bernard Faulkner, you and I are going to call at a couple of those premises and see what they can tell us about Hatchard’s activities.’

  Salter blinked. ‘Why, sir? I don’t like the rogue, given that he tried to abduct my daughter, and I’m sure he’s up to no good one way or the other, but how will his customers be able to help?’

  ‘Indulge me, Jack.’ Riley checked his watch and reached for his coat. ‘I shan’t be gone for long.’

  Riley strode out into light rain and quickly covered the distance to the tavern where he usually met with his former senior officer, now disgraced and working as a self-employed investigator. Riley enjoyed a better relationship with the man now than he ever had when he’d been a detective without the wits to hold down his position. Danforth had fallen back on pulling rank and shouting, which didn’t go down well with the troops.

  Danforth was already installed at their regular table when Riley arrived. It was too early for Riley to indulge in a tankard of ale, even though Danforth had one in front of him. He ordered coffee instead.

  ‘It’s been a while,’ Danforth said by way of greeting.

  ‘The Faulkner murder,’ Riley replied, stirring his coffee when it was placed in front of him. ‘I take it you’ve read about it.’

  ‘It involves your sergeant Salter’s daughter, I gather.’

  Riley sat a little straighter. ‘That wasn’t reported in the newspapers.’

  Danforth sniffed. ‘I’m a detective. Give me some credit.’

  ‘Maureen Salter was discovered standing over the body with the murder weapon in her hand.’ Danforth raised a brow but said nothing. ‘Maynard can definitely absolve someone of her height from having committed the crime. We’re almost certainly looking for a tall man.’

  ‘I’m glad for Salter’s sake,’ Danforth said without emotion.