The Butterfly Conspiracy

by Vivian Conroy

  Merula’s still dazed brain registered one thing about the items listed. They were all valuables. Mainly jewelry, such as rings and brooches, but also silver vases.

  Her eyes raced across the numbers beside the listed items. Could those be their monetary value?

  Yes …

  Her heart beat fast as she struggled to fit the pieces into a meaningful whole. Valuables, money asked for.

  Or paid?

  She then read the last column better. It wasn’t just names but also short notes. To pay a gambling debt. Must cover for extravagance of husband.

  Her eye fell to a word in the Items column. Gold earring with ruby.

  Earring.

  She looked up at Miss Knight. “You really are a thief. You stole from Lady Sophia and you sold off the items at pawnshops, every time giving a different reason to explain why your mistress wanted to get rid of her property, discreetly.”

  Her gaze flicked back to the first column. The names of these people … all influential, all of the highest classes.

  “You were not alone in this, either,” she said. “That’s why you rented a room here. Servants brought their spoils to you and you sold them. You gave them some money and kept the rest yourself. It was a whole ring of thieves. And once Lady Sophia became suspicious of you, you had to make sure she could not accuse you openly and dismiss you. With such an accusation, you’d never work in a good household again. You had to kill her. You knew of the almond incident. You knew that if she was exposed again, she might die. You were not certain, perhaps, but you wanted to try. You treated the fan with the almond essence. You knew the vapors would be released and Lady Sophia would inhale them.”

  Miss Knight stared at her impassively. “I don’t know what this madwoman is talking about. A butterfly killed Lady Sophia when it sat down on her arm. A butterfly hatched by you. You killed her.”

  “Ah,” Raven said to the policeman, “How remarkable that the woman just declared she doesn’t know Merula and now she seems to know so much about her.”

  The policeman stared at Merula. “You are the butterfly lady? The whole city is looking for you!”

  Merula said, “I will gladly accompany you to the station to tell you all I know. But please be assured that this woman led a ring of thieves and that she killed Lady Sophia.”

  The policeman looked at the notebook. “I do know,” he said, “that some of these items have been reported missing, and we have been asked to look out for them. I would like to know why they are on this list, then.” He looked at Miss Knight.

  Merula said quickly, “She used different pawnshops and different reasons so she would not be caught. It is all listed here and in her handwriting.”

  The policeman said, “You are all coming along to tell us what you know.”

  Bowsprit lifted the teacup. “And this must be analyzed.”

  As the policeman led Miss Knight from the room, her neighbors in the corridor whispering about her, Raven took Merula’s arm. “You had me scared a moment,” he said. “When you were lying there on the floor, I thought you had really drunk the tea and been poisoned.”

  “I smelled that it was herbal but had no idea what was in it. Laudanum has no taste, so it could have been in there. Or anything else she might know about as a nurse. I pretended to drink, but I did not. Then I acted as if I were getting drowsy and even collapsed off my chair. When she believed she had full power over me, she showed her darkest side.”

  “Good girl.” Raven squeezed her arm. “You were very convincing. She was certain you’d be dead any moment and could no longer betray her. Claiming we had killed you and tried to blame her was very smart.”

  Merula sighed and winced as her ribs hurt again. “That kick of hers was anything but an act. My side burns as if it’s on fire.”

  “Perhaps some ribs are broken,” Raven said with a worried look. “You should be in bed, not going out to the police station to make a statement.”

  “You can’t keep me from it. I don’t want to miss this for the world.” Merula straightened up, suppressing a groan. “I will be sore for a day or two. But that doesn’t matter. Uncle Rupert will go free now. All will be solved.”

  Light-headed with happiness, Merula walked to the door and out of the damp room among the whispering neighbors who would have a tale to tell for time to come, of the master thief who had lived among them and who had been so clever, leading a ring for years without being caught. Until one day she had begun to fear that her whole scheme was in danger and had decided that only murder could save it.

  CHAPTER 18

  “Uncle Rupert!” Merula ran to hug her uncle. He looked pale and gaunt from his time in prison, but his eyes twinkled as he said, “I heard you had an adventure of your own, girl.”

  Holding her by the shoulders, he added, “You should not have taken so many chances for my sake. I heard it was an entire conspiracy.”

  “The butterfly conspiracy,” Julia said, spreading her hands as if she were unrolling a banner with those words on it. “I still shiver when I think of that awful woman walking past us at the exhibit and pinning that ugly thing to your dress.”

  Merula had told her story to Julia, several times even, as her cousin wanted to know all the details as if she was sorry she herself had not been involved in these exciting events.

  Merula had left out a few things that might be too shocking for Julia’s sensitive mind—such as the creatures in Galileo’s house—and those that she considered a private matter. Foremost, how Raven’s mother had died and how much pain he still felt about that.

  A hint of sadness stabbed her as she realized she had not seen Raven for days now, and she missed him. She had grown used to being around him, and it was strange to be home again with Aunt Emma, Julia, and the servants as if nothing had happened. She had a feeling her adventure had changed her and made her see life in a different way.

  She had experienced what it was like to practice her skills, to go after a goal, and to be persistent in the face of danger. It was something she had never quite felt before. The idea that she was good, a genius even, as Raven had said, and could accomplish things, things that mattered.

  Uncle Rupert said, “I’m sorry they destroyed all your work, Merula. We must see to restoring the conservatory.”

  Aunt Emma said, “No, I will not have it. Butterflies have caused us enough trouble.”

  “But butterflies had nothing to do with it,” Merula protested. “There never was any butterfly conspiracy. The ring of thieves merely used that name given by the newspapers to scare me.”

  “That woman might be arrested now and about to stand trial,” Aunt Emma said, “but the others we do not know. They may not like what you have done.” She looked at her husband. “I wish Merula had not been involved at all.”

  “I will be fine,” Merula said.

  Uncle Rupert smiled. “I think I have good news for everyone. Emma, you do agree it would be best for Merula to be away from London for a while?”

  Merula wanted to protest that she didn’t want to leave at all, but Uncle Rupert winked at her so she didn’t speak up.

  Aunt Emma said firmly, “I would encourage it.”

  “Wonderful. For I received an invitation this morning that I think will be excellent for Merula. A little time away from London to recover from all the anxiety. And spent in a beautiful place.”

  Merula looked at him with a questioning expression.

  Uncle Rupert added, “It even has some zoological interest.”

  “Ah, there we have it,” Aunt Emma cried. “It has to do with disgusting dead animals again. I won’t allow it.”

  “A renowned zoologist has a house in the countryside with a collection full of rare specimens. His kraken, especially, is legendary. A deep sea monster with long arms that could drag a whole ship into the depths of the sea.”

  Julia gasped and shivered while Aunt Emma pulled her most reproving face.

  Uncle Rupert said, “The man is rather solitary, livi
ng like a hermit, but he has agreed to receive a visit from a friend. Merula can come along and have a look at this kraken. The house is in Dartmoor, where you have moors, the sea, clean air. You could recuperate completely.”

  “And who is going with her? Who will take care of her? She can’t simply live with a man on his own. That would be disastrous.”

  Uncle Rupert said, “Merula won’t be alone there. She is traveling with someone I trust. A real gentleman and his valet.”

  Merula perked up. Could it be true? Could it? The thought of seeing Raven again and traveling with him and exploring zoological novelties made her heart sing.

  Aunt Emma said, “I still don’t see how it would be proper. I assume the gentleman in question is not married? His wife can’t be a companion to Merula?”

  “I’ve thought about a companion for Merula. Lamb can become her maid and assist her with everything.”

  “But Lamb’s mother…” Merula protested, not sure how she could explain that the old woman needed support and Lamb could not leave for weeks on end.

  “I’m sure we can find a way to take care of Lamb’s mother,” Uncle Rupert said with a twinkle in his eye. “Now you’d better decide about everything you need to take along, for I understood from this rather impatient gentleman that he wants to leave tomorrow.”

  “And who might he be?” Aunt Emma asked, still looking icy.

  “Lord Raven Royston.”

  “That disaster magnet, as you always call him?”

  “Used to call him. I changed my mind now that he and Merula solved the case of Lady Sophia’s sudden death and brought the murderer to justice. Remember, dear”—Uncle Rupert tapped Aunt Emma’s arm—“without them I would not be standing here.”

  Aunt Emma muttered something, but she didn’t repeat that Merula couldn’t go.

  Merula clapped her hands together and resisted the urge to do a little dance through the hallway. She couldn’t wait to see Raven again, and Dartmoor, where she had never been before.

  It wasn’t just a name to her, though, as it had always been the only connection she had to her parents. They had perhaps once been in a little place in Dartmoor. That place marked on the pendant on a chain that had been left with her as a baby. She felt for it, safely hidden under her clothes. As her fingers touched the metal, she felt connected for a brief moment to her past. To the people she had never known and could not help wondering about.

  Would her journey into Dartmoor also provide an opportunity to learn more about her parents?

  It would make an already exciting prospect even more inviting. With a smile, she hurried up the stairs, wincing as her hurt ribs ached, making their presence known again. She was not fully recovered yet, but that would come. The fresh air would aid that, and so would spending time with Raven, looking back on the case and looking ahead. That he wanted to travel with her, take her to his friend, to see the kraken, was simply wonderful.

  At the top of the stairs, Merula turned and looked down to where Uncle Rupert was standing. Aunt Emma straightened his tie, rebuking him, but with a tender tone in her voice.

  Julia watched them with a wide smile.

  Merula laughed and ran to her room. Her family was reunited again. And soon she’d be reunited herself, with the man who had become her ally in solving Lady Sophia’s death and whose friendship had outlasted that case. There lay something ahead for her and Raven, with Bowsprit, Lamb, and the other friends they had made along the way. Something exhilarating. Something good.

  Something that made her feel more alive than ever before.

  ALSO AVAILABLE BY VIVIAN CONROY

  CORNISH CASTLE MYSTERIES

  Rubies in the Roses

  Death Plays a Part

  COUNTRY GIFT SHOP MYSTERIES

  Written into the Grave

  Grand Prize: Murder!

  Dead to Begin With

  LADY ALKMENE CALLENDER MYSTERIES

  Fatal Masquerade

  Deadly Treasures

  Diamonds of Death

  A Proposal to Die For

  AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

  Having spent many afternoons as a teen on the Nile with Poirot or confronting sinister spinsters in sleepy English towns with Miss Marple, it was only natural Vivian Conroy would start writing mysteries of her own. Atmospheric descriptions, well developed characters and clever plotting made several of her cozy mysteries #1 Amazon US and Canada bestsellers in multiple categories. Her new Victorian mystery series features a female zoologist, allowing Vivian to share her fascination with natural history, a field where in the Victorian age costly deceit, questionable experiments and extraordinary theories offer great inspiration for a mystery writer’s fertile imagination. Besides writing, Vivian enjoys hiking, collecting stationery and trying new desserts, especially if chocolate is involved.

  This is a work of fiction. All of the names, characters, organizations, places and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to real or actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Copyright © 2018 by Vivian Conroy

  All rights reserved.

  Published in the United States by Crooked Lane Books, an imprint of The Quick Brown Fox & Company LLC.

  Crooked Lane Books and its logo are trademarks of The Quick Brown Fox & Company LLC.

  Library of Congress Catalog-in-Publication data available upon request.

  ISBN (hardcover): 978-1-68331-765-4

  ISBN (ePub): 978-1-68331-766-1

  ISBN (ePDF): 978-1-68331-767-8

  Cover design by Melanie Sun

  Book design by Jennifer Canzone

  Printed in the United States.

  www.crookedlanebooks.com

  Crooked Lane Books

  34 West 27th St., 10th Floor

  New York, NY 10001

  First Edition: August 2018

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