Sonnet to a Dead Contessa

by Gilbert, Morris

The two men talked for fifteen more minutes, and finally Grant threw up his hands. “Everybody’s impatient. They want this case solved, and so do I, but I don’t see any light at the end of the tunnel.”

  “Something will turn up, Matthew.”

  “Well, I hope so.” Matthew suddenly brightened and said, “By the way, Dora is cooking a dinner tonight. Her very first for guests, and you’re invited.”

  “That sounds wonderful.”

  Matthew hesitated, then said, “You think Meredith would like to come?”

  “I’ll ask her. I’m sure she would.”

  “Come along about six o’clock. We’ll have time, and the women can get better acquainted.”

  The house that Serafina’s family had given Matthew and Dora was not terribly far from the house where Meredith lived with Guin. Meredith had gotten ready for the dinner saying little, but when it was time to go, she said, “We’re going in a coach, aren’t we?”

  “I think we might as well walk.”

  “Walk! But it’s been raining.”

  “Not raining now.”

  “Why not take a cab? My dress will get all wet.”

  “Well, Meredith, to be truthful, I don’t have the money. I haven’t gotten paid yet, so we’ll have to walk.”

  Meredith gave him a disgusted look. “All right, let’s go.” He opened the door, and she stepped outside. The rain was gone now, and there was a clear fragrance in the air that always pleased Dylan after a rain. It was early enough so that the sun was still casting its beams down through tattered clouds that drifted along overhead. The city seemed washed and clean and pure, and since it was summer, there was not a great deal of smoke in the air. The city was often so cloaked with yellowish fog from thousands of coal fires that it had achieved a name: such a fog was called a “London particular.”

  But that was not so now, and Dylan said, “That fresh air smells good. I hope Dora has a big dinner. I’m hungry.”

  Meredith did not answer, and glancing at her, Dylan had a moment’s intense depression. They had been at odds about his leaving the theatre, and he knew before they reached the house she would mention it again. They were only halfway there when she said, “Dylan, you must see how foolish this is. You’re not going to make enough money to support a family.”

  “We’ll get by. I saw a house today over on the east side. It was—”

  “I imagine I know what it was like. A grubby and dirty place with no yard and terrible smells. Stopped-up drains, no doubt.”

  “Well, actually it was a little rough, but when I get to be an inspector, things will be better.”

  “That may never happen. Oh, Dylan,” she said, “I’m so tired of arguing about this. I can’t understand you at all.”

  Dylan did not answer, and the two did not speak until finally they got to the house. When they paused in front, she said, “This is a nice house. It’s wonderful of Serafina’s family to give it to Matthew and Dora.”

  Meredith looked at the house, which was a neat cottage with beautifully tended flower beds in the front. It was half timber and half stone and was indeed an attractive house.

  Dylan knocked on the door, and almost at once Dora opened it. She smiled and came to him, holding out her hands. “Dylan, how wonderful to see you.”

  “Well, it’s good to see you. You look like a blushing bride.” He leaned over and kissed Dora on the cheek and saw her grow pink. “Just a friendly kiss from your husband’s best friend.”

  “You are a charmer,” Dora cried. She turned to Meredith and managed to keep her smile. “Meredith, I’m so glad to see you. Come in. Maybe you can help me get the meal on the table.”

  “Of course,” Meredith said in a spare tone.

  Dora turned to Dylan. “You and Matthew wait in the parlour while we get the meal ready.”

  At that moment Serafina walked through the door that led to the kitchen. Dylan had not known she would be there, and as had been true in recent days, he felt a sense of awkwardness. “Hello, Serafina,” he said.

  “Hello, Dylan. Hello, Meredith. How are you today?”

  “Very well, thank you.” Meredith’s reply was hard as rock, and she had no smile on her face.

  “You go on and spend this time with Matthew while we get the food ready.”

  Dylan walked into the parlour, which was small, indeed, compared to the rooms at Trentwood House. Matthew greeted him with a big smile. “Glad to see you, brother. Come in and have a seat while those women slave over the food.” He threw himself into a chair and waved Dylan toward another one. “I do love to be waited on.”

  “And how does your wife take that?”

  “Well, the glow is still on. I suppose sooner or later I’ll have to come off of Olympus, but as it is, we’re doing fine.”

  The two men sat there but not for long, for ten minutes later Dora came to say, “Come along now. Dinner is on the table. I’m a little bit nervous. It’s the first meal I ever cooked by myself.”

  The table was spread with dishes, no doubt brought from Serafina’s home. There was an exquisite bone china service, hand-painted with blue harebells, and as they sat down, Matthew said, “Why don’t you ask the blessing, Dylan?”

  “Of course.” They all bowed their heads. Dylan prayed a brief prayer and ended by saying, “We thank you for this new union, and we pray that it will be a glory to your name. Amen.”

  He looked around the table and said, “This looks delicious.”

  “I hope you like it.”

  There was cold poached salmon with fresh vegetables and young potatoes. Later there was a shoulder of lamb and even a plate of stuffed breast in pastry.

  The talk went around the table, mostly from Matthew and Dora. The other three members were quiet, but Dora talked more than Dylan had ever heard her. From time to time he would steal a look at Serafina. There was always a guilt in him, and at the same time there was a longing to explain to her what was happening to his life.

  Finally Matthew said, “That was a lovely meal, my dear.”

  “Thank you, Matthew.”

  Matthew looked at Dylan and grinned. “I have to mention how well Dylan is doing at the Yard. You’re going to be proud of him, Mrs. Brice.”

  “I was proud of him before, when he was in the theatre.”

  Her remark brought a silence to the room, for all of them were aware that Dylan and Meredith did not agree on this.

  “You won’t believe how many offers he’s turned down,” Meredith said. “With enormous amounts of money. I don’t like to say this, Superintendent, but the job that Dylan has is beneath him.”

  “Don’t say that, Meredith,” Dylan said quickly. “It’s generous of Matthew to help me.”

  Meredith glanced around the table, and her face had an angry expression. She said no more, however, and finally they ended the supper with fresh strawberries and cream.

  The men went into the parlour, but at one point Dora came out and asked Matthew to help. He left immediately, and almost as soon as he left, Serafina came in.

  “Dora’s taken Meredith out to see the garden.” Her voice was strained, and it was evidently a hard thing for her to make conversation. “When do you think you’ll be married?”

  “Our plans aren’t fully made. It’s a little difficult to put everything together.”

  There was an awkward silence, and Dylan knew he had only a few moments before the others returned. He said quickly, “Serafina, I have to say that you have meant a great deal to me. I can’t really tell you all that’s on my heart, but whenever I think of what a woman ought to be, in every way I think of you. I wanted to tell you that before.”

  Serafina was watching him steadily. “Thank you for those words, Dylan. David is going to miss you.”

  “I’ll try to come and visit.” They both knew that he wouldn’t, couldn’t, in fact, and then Serafina said, “I’ll miss you, Dylan Tremayne.”

  As soon as the words were uttered, Matthew came back, and the mood was broken between them
. They all gathered in the parlour for a final tea and some ices, but just as they sat down, a knock came at the door.

  “Who can that be?” Matthew said. He got up at once and went to the door, and those left in the parlour could hear his voice. He came at once, with Sandy beside him. “There’s been another murder,” he said.

  “Is it the same as the others?” Serafina asked quickly.

  “Not really. It’s not one of the nobility this time.”

  “Who’s the victim?”

  Matthew shook his head. “You know her. It’s Violet Bates, the young woman who works for Miss Bingham.”

  “Well, that’s a strange one,” Dylan said at once. “She was a very inoffensive woman. Why would the Slasher break his pattern like this?”

  “I don’t know, but we’ll have to go at once and look at the crime scene. You ladies must excuse us.”

  The men left, and Meredith said almost at once, “I must be going too.”

  “My carriage is outside. I’m going home. Let me take you by your place,” Serafina offered.

  “That would be kind of you,” Meredith said, but her words were gentler than her expression. The two women said their thanks and farewells to Dora, went outside, and got into the carriage. Meredith gave instructions to Albert Givins before she got in.

  When the two women were settled, the horses moved forward at Givins’s command, and a silence settled in for a few moments. Finally Meredith turned and gave Serafina a calculated look. “I know you’re sorry to lose Dylan,” she said abruptly.

  “I never had him,” Serafina said, for there was something suggestive in Meredith’s charge.

  “You can’t fool me, Lady Trent. You care for him. Anyone can see that. You’ll never have him now, though, and he won’t be coming to your home ‘to spend time with David.’ I saw through that from the beginning. I hope we never have to mention this matter again.”

  “I certainly won’t, but you’re wrong about Dylan. He’s a good friend.”

  “I don’t believe that,” Meredith said flatly, and not another word was said. Finally, when she got out, she did not even thank Serafina for the ride but turned and walked toward the house.

  “Take me home, Albert,” Serafina said, and she sat back and felt drained. It had been a stressful evening, and she knew that Meredith was telling her she would not tolerate any relationship whatsoever between her husband and Serafina Trent.

  “Where is Serafina?” Dora asked her mother, who was sitting out-side in the garden.

  “She’s gone, dear.”

  “Gone? Gone where?”

  Alberta shook her head. “She wouldn’t say. She just said she had to get away for a while, and that she wasn’t sure where she was going, but she’d let us know by post when she got there.”

  Dora was puzzled. “That’s not like her, is it?”

  “No, she’s very meticulous in her ways. I’m worried about Serafina. She’s been unhappy lately.”

  Dora knew more than her mother what the problem was with Serafina, but it was not her place to say anything. “Did she say when she’d be back?”

  “No, she didn’t mention it. I hope she’s not getting ill or anything like that.”

  “I’m sure she just needs a little rest,” Dora said quickly. She turned and left the garden and thought for a long time about her sister and about Dylan Tremayne. “She loves him,” she whispered to herself, “and she doesn’t want us to see the pain she feels.”

  TWENTY-THREE

  There is a man here to see you, Dylan.”

  Dylan looked up from the papers gathered all over his desk and asked, “Who is it, Kenzie?”

  “I have seen him before, but I can’t place him. He insists on seeing you though.”

  “Well, let him in.”

  Dylan frowned and rubbed his eyes. He had spent hours on the evidence that had been gathered by the Yard, and the more he went over it, the less he seemed to know about the Slasher. He was not sleeping well, and he knew part of this was because Meredith could not seem to leave him alone about his decision to leave the theatre. He stood up as the man entered and exclaimed, “Why, Albert!”

  “’Ow are you, sir?” Albert Givins pulled his hat off and tugged at his forelocks. He was a small man with Cockney in his speech and a pair of bright blue eyes underneath a sandy thatch of hair.

  “I’m surprised to see you, Albert.”

  “I ’ave a note for you, sir.”

  “A note from whom?”

  “Why, from Lady Trent.”

  “I thought she was gone on vacation.”

  “She come back last night, sir, late. Got me up first thing this morning and gave me this note and said I was to give it to you as soon as I could. ’Ere it is, sir.”

  Dylan took the envelope that had the Trent crest on it and opened it. He pulled out a small, single sheet of paper and recognised Serafina’s handwriting at once. The note was simple:

  Dylan, come at once and bring Mrs. Brice with you.

  It is very urgent that I speak to both of you.

  Albert will bring you here and take you home again

  after our meeting.

  He looked at the last line and could not think for a moment, for it said:

  I have missed you very much.

  With affection,

  Serafina

  The personal note threw Dylan off, and he looked up to see that Albert was waiting. “Did she say anything?”

  “She said for me to be sure that you and Mrs. Brice come. It’s very urgent, she said.”

  “How did she seem? Was she sad? Angry? What?”

  “Couldn’t tell much about it, sir. I was so sleepy when she rousted me out, but she did tell me more than once to make sure you came.” He suddenly grinned broadly. “I asked her ’ow she thought I’m going to make a Scotland Yard detective do anything I says.”

  “Well, I’m not exactly a detective yet, but let me tell my superior where I’m going, and we’ll be on our way.”

  Fifteen minutes later Dylan, having gotten permission from Sandy to be gone for an indeterminate period, leapt out of the carriage and walked up to the door of Meredith’s house. He knocked, and she appeared at once.

  “We have an appointment, Meredith.”

  “An appointment?” Meredith stared at him. “With whom?”

  Dylan had already decided that it would not do to tell Meredith of the details. She had no patience with him anytime he mentioned Serafina, so he thought it best just to get her in the carriage.

  “I’ll explain on the way,” he said briefly.

  Meredith stared at him and then shrugged. “I hope this means you’ve gotten some sense. Let me get Guin, and we’ll go.”

  Dylan did not enlighten her. He waited, and soon she came out carrying Guin. He took the child, and the two went outside. For a moment Dylan was afraid she’d recognise Givins, but she did not even look up. He opened the door of the carriage, helped her in, handed her the child, and then got in beside her. “All right, let’s go,” he said.

  The carriage started at once, and almost instantly Meredith began asking him for more details.

  Finally, when he saw that it was useless but also was aware that she could not jump from the swiftly moving carriage, he said, “Lady Trent’s been gone for almost a week. She sent me a note saying she needed to see both of us. That it’s very urgent.”

  “Stop the carriage! I won’t go see that woman.”

  “Yes, you will, Meredith. I’ll have to insist on this. I don’t know why she wants to see us, but I owe her a great deal.”

  “You owe her nothing! Let me out!”

  For once Dylan was firm. He took her arm and squeezed it. He had a strong grip, and she winced. “Be still, Meredith. I’ll see that you’re brought back as soon as the meeting is over. I don’t know what it’s about, but we’ll find out.”

  That was the last word that Meredith said. He noticed that she was pale, and Dylan spent the rest of the time telling a story to Guin
, who was always ready for such.

  When the carriage pulled up to the Trent estate, Dylan was surprised to see Givins guide the horses not to the front door but around to the outside laboratory. It was where Serafina and her father performed autopsies when the occasion arose. He could not understand why this would be where Serafina wanted to meet the two of them, but when the carriage stopped, he opened the door and jumped down. He took Guin and reached up to help Meredith out, but she came down without his aid.

  “Thank you for coming, both of you.”

  Dylan turned quickly to see that Serafina had come out of the laboratory. She was wearing a simple white dress, and he could not read her expression. She seemed very sober but not at all sorrowful. “We came as quickly as we could.”

  “And I protest at your high-handedness, Lady Trent! You may be nobility, but you have no manners! I’ve been practically kidnapped,” Meredith said furiously. “I demand that you take me home!”

  “You’ll be going there shortly, but come inside first. I have something to tell you both.” They moved inside, following Serafina, and Dylan closed the door. No one was in the laboratory, and everything was put away in an orderly fashion. A door at one end led to the supply room, and there was a silence in the place that seemed, for some reason, ominous.

  “My reason for getting you here,” Serafina said, “will be obvious. It has to do with you, Mrs. Brice.”

  “What could you possibly have to say to me?”

  “I have been making a list of mistakes that have cropped up in our conversations.”

  “What are you talking about? What kind of mistakes?”

  Serafina turned to face Meredith. The two of them almost set off sparks, Dylan saw. He and Guin were left out. This, whatever it was, was between Serafina and Meredith. He could not imagine the issue, and he listened carefully as she spoke.

  “When I first met you, you remarked that your sister, Angharad, came to England, and that your reason for coming here was to locate her.”

  “It’s the truth.”

  “No, it’s not. Angharad Evans, your sister, never came to England. She died in Wales.”

  “It’s not so!”

  “I’m afraid it is. I stood beside her grave, and I spoke with the minister who spoke at her funeral. He knew both of you well. His name is Allen. You remember him, I trust?”