by Beth Byers
“Neither Algie nor Tomas killed Bettina,” Victor declared.
Violet ran her fingers down her list of suspects. “And Juliette. Juliette had motive, she was physically strong enough, but she’s been tormented by that animal she’s married to. She could have done it. But she didn’t.”
Jack nodded as he said, “I agree. You aren’t going to be in here, Violet, when I question François. I don’t want you to catch his attention. But…you could ask Tomas about what we heard here. How did Bettina find out about Charles’s wealth?”
Violet nodded and Victor said, “I’ll go with her. You don’t need me, old man.”
Jack cleared his throat. “Will you be going with her because of that ring of bruises on her wrist?”
Violet set her wrist in her lap, glancing between them. Victor looked sick as he stared to where Violet had hid her bruise away. Jack, on the other hand, looked furious.
Violet sighed. “Why do you have to be so observant?”
Jack was frowning ferociously as he rounded the table to loom over her. She would not squirm, she told herself. A promise that was nearly impossible to keep when Jack asked Victor, “May I have a moment with your sister?”
Victor carefully didn’t look at her, the fiend, when he left. Her gaze narrowed on his retreating back, but Jack sat next to her and caught her attention. He searched her face, and then he slowly took Violet’s hand in his. He was so gentle as he turned her hand over so the back of her hand was laying on his palm. Carefully, he pushed up the bracelets to examine her bruises. “I can’t tell you how much it bothers me that you got these while I was standing right there.”
She bit her lip and then admitted, “I didn’t want you to know.”
He nodded once. “I don’t know how to feel about you not asking me for help.”
“You and Victor were fighting with each other. Tomas was in his personal hell. He couldn’t handle another dust-up. Getting a little bruise seemed the least of my problems.”
Jack wasn’t appeased. Not even close, but he followed her reasoning. The anger on his face was a little frightening, but she refused to be cowed.
Finally, he said, “You’re important to me, Violet.” He sounded chagrined, as though he wasn’t quite sure what to do with her because of that and wasn’t necessarily pleased.
She licked her lips, surprised by how calm she felt. She put her other hand under Jack’s, turning the one on his palm until his hand was clasped in both of hers.
“You are important to me as well,” Violet said. She, at least, was not upset to know what her feelings were. She knew exactly why he affected her—she was in love with the great oaf.
“I suppose you can understand why I find that hard to believe,” Jack said, “since you left for a short time with Isolde and didn’t come back for months, and then when I found you again, you’re with a man who wants to marry you.”
Violet squeezed his hand and let it go. She would not apologize for having other people in her life who mattered as well. “You aren’t the only person in my life, Jack. This isn’t the time. Let’s find the killer, free Tomas, and throw him at Isolde.”
Jack snorted. “You think someone would take Isolde over you? Your plan is destined for failure.”
Violet’s laugh was truly humorous. “She’s sweeter, kinder, and less obstinate. She’s classically lovely. The only thing I have over Isolde is money, and she’s not as poor as her mother acts. Most people would choose Isolde over me.”
Violet stood and she glanced down at Jack. He stood with her. “Later. We’ll discuss this further later.”
She nodded.
Chapter 17
Victor was in the hall when Violet exited, and he held out his arm. “Are you unscathed, beloved?”
“Absolutely fabulous, darling twin.” It wasn’t a lie so much as a refusal to assess how she felt after that little interaction. She supposed there was a ray of hope. When she’d entered the room she didn’t have much of that. But she also was sure that Jack had mixed feelings about where they stood as well. “Let’s go find out more terrible things to ruin our view of the world and make us wish to retreat to the seaside to be cleaned by the wind and sun.”
Victor snorted. “We’re going home. No more house parties. No guests if we can help it. Our trusted servants and each other. No need to fear a knife in the back.”
They went to Tomas’s room and his man opened the door. He was a little man, dapper with a bald head and sharp eyes.
“We need to speak with Tomas,” Victor said.
The man hesitated until Tomas shouted, “Let them in, Higgins.”
Tomas was sitting next to the fire, book in his lap but staring at the flames. He wore one of those large robes lined and too warm for the weather, but Tomas seemed cold. He shivered while they watched. When he spoke, it was with a hoarse voice. “Lewis Carroll was a genius.”
“Why’s that?” Victor crossed and sat across from Tomas, patting the arm on his chair for Violet.
“We’re all mad here,” Tomas said and then laughed, but there was nothing in that sound that was amused. “I killed Bettina. It’s the only thing that makes sense.”
Violet stood and kicked Tomas in the shin, swift and hard.
“Ouch!”
“Never,” Violet said furiously, leaning into his face, “say that again. Never!”
“Vi, I…”
“Never,” Vi said. “Never. They’ll take you at your word. They’d have to. You did not kill Bettina. You are not that kind of man. You worry about that inside of your head and don’t let a peep of it cross your lips.”
Tomas grabbed her forearm. Victor rose quickly but before he could say a word, Tomas gently moved her bracelets. “I hoped this was one of those terrible memories that aren’t real.” Tomas shuddered at the bruises on Violet’s wrist. “By Jove, Vi. I’m sorry. I…holding you made me feel safe. I held too tightly. What if I did something like that to Bettina? I could have killed her. It could have been me. Look what I did to you.”
“Don’t be an idiot,” Victor said. “Violet will kick you again.”
“Have you eaten?” Violet demanded, ignoring the apology.
“Uh-oh,” Victor laughed. “Violet’s gone into caretaker mode. Tomas, you did not kill Bettina.”
Violet rose and crossed to Higgins. “Bring Tomas food, please.”
“He won’t eat, my lady,” Higgins said. He looked over Vi’s shoulder at Tomas and his worry was evident. For such a little man, he seemed to loom with the cloud of his concerns.
“He will,” Violet said, scowling at Tomas.
Mr. Higgins grinned at Violet. “Yes, my lady.”
Violet returned to her perch next to Victor. “Bettina deliberately pulled in Juliette and François to distract Charles while she went after Algernon. Bettina thought that Algie was wealthier than Charles. Why?”
“It’s a game he plays.” Tomas sounded exhausted. “To see if people will choose him for him. He almost married a fortune hunter once. He’s been angry ever since. He says I’m a fool. I should hide what I have so that people don’t try to take advantage. He’s been needling me about Algie and Theo, let alone the Boutets and Bettina. Tomas the fool. Tomas the schmuck. You know what he’s like, Victor.”
“So,” Victor said, further explaining to Violet, “Charles lives cheap, talks like he’s hurting, asks people for random fivers. It’s ridiculous. He’s got more ready cash than nearly everyone I know except for you and Tomas.”
Violet glanced at Tomas. “Bettina failed Charles’s test. She didn’t stay with him without the money. She, who had nothing, didn’t find what little she thought he had, good enough.”
Victor was furious. “People are so worried about money. Having it. Not having it. Who has more? Algie is wealthy compared to the vast majority of mankind. He has a good allowance. He doesn’t have to work. He’ll inherit well enough to not ever have to work. And yet, he’s jealous of me and Vi. Is his life so hard because he isn’t disgusti
ngly wealthy? If he only knew how much work it was for Violet to manage that business.”
Tomas stretched his legs out. “Algie talks about it all the time. How it wasn’t fair that the inheritance went the way it did.”
“It wasn’t fair,” Violet agreed. “Aunt Agatha could have been far more equitable. What else do you know?”
Victor glanced at Tomas, who seemed truly upset as he said, “That man who was yelling last night is the one you love. Why do you love him? He seems a beast!”
Violet grinned cheerily as though she wasn’t worried that Jack would decide she wasn’t worth the trouble. Or that Tomas was extremely upset. “What does that have to do with anything?”
“I don’t know. I thought he’d be different than he seems to be. Maybe less of an ogre.”
“He’s a good fellow,” Victor said. “You’d like him if you weren’t a jealous blighter. As for Jack? Meeting you while you clutched Violet, making her bloody and you lost to the ghosts wasn’t the best start, my friend. Jack is swimming in jealousy. He’s having to realize he is jealous. It’s a bitter pill. He’s choking on it.”
Tomas laughed bitterly. “I’m going to enjoy that, if it’s all right with you.”
Violet ignored both of them and asked, “Did you tell Bettina that Charles was wealthier than Algie?”
Tomas shook his head., “You know who would have done that? Algie.”
Violet thought about that and realized she could imagine such a conversation perfectly. Algie petulant and upset when he realized Bettina was all mercenary. If Algie figured out that Bettina was purely driven by avarice instead of love? Algie could be petty.
Tomas glanced as Violet paced his rooms. He had a sitting room outside of his bedroom, so there was a couch, two chairs next to the fire, a desk. With doors leading to a bath, his bedroom, and another room, his rooms were extensive. The way Tomas was curled in on himself left him looking a bit like a child playing at being the man of the house.
Mr. Higgins came back with a tray for Tomas and tea for them all. Violet asked him to go and get Algie.
When Tomas hesitated to eat, Violet said, “Eat or we’ll hold you down and shovel it in your mouth.”
He glanced at her and laughed. While Tomas ate, Violet read Alice in Wonderland to him until Algernon appeared.
“Oh, by Jove,” he said as he appeared, “you’ve got a bit of the nosh. Been dying for some toast and eggs, but these two drove me out of the breakfast room.”
Tomas shuddered.
“Are you a complete nincompoop, Algie?” Violet chastised. “Why would you say that? This isn’t a joke.”
“She was stabbed in the front,” Tomas said, sounding haunted. “Right above her left breast.”
Violet shuddered and Victor smacked the back of Algernon’s head. “Well, Algie, was it you?”
“Who killed Bettina?” he gasped. “Well now, I see how it is. You’ve turned on me, your own blood, your family. For Tomas. Trying to pin this murder on me? That is hardly fair. Rather evil to be honest.”
“No,” Victor growled. “You idiot. You don’t think Tomas killed Miss Marino either, sit down and eat. Did you tell Bettina that Charles is wealthier than he puts on?”
Algie gasped again, holding his hand to his chest. “Why would you say that?”
“Because none of us did, and somehow she found out. Tomas didn’t. The Boutets didn’t know. Was it Charles who revealed himself, or did you?”
Algie blushed furiously. “Well now. Been talking about me, have you? Assuming I’m the fool.”
Violet took a sip of her tea and said blandly, “He was the one who told Bettina.”
“Vi!” Algie squeaked. “Vi! Why do you say such things?”
“We don’t think you killed Bettina, Algie. We all know you too well for that. But you told her, didn’t you? It led to her death. It must have.”
Algie’s blush was so deep and fiery that Violet thought she might be able to warm her fingers against his cheeks. “She was a catty woman. She, well, I didn’t think she was really moving on from me to Tomas. Only she did. She threw me over. I hadn’t understood until she told me she was done. I didn’t understand she had no idea about how wealthy Charles is. I thought she left him for me because she’d fallen in love.”
Violet held back her scoff. Algie had been flattered that Bettina had seemed to pick him. So when he got thrown over too—his pride had been hurt. Possibly his heart, but certainly his pride. It was just like him to lash out when he realized how it played out.
Violet could understand, and she didn’t hate him for it. Instead, she took his hand. “Algie, you are too good for this. And for that woman. You have a lot to offer a woman. You don’t need to buy one with your fortune or…”
Algie shook his head, giggling a little meanly. “Victor and Tomas always steal the hearts of anyone I am interested in. The girls like me all right until they meet my friends. Richer, smarter, more handsome.”
She’d have felt bad for him if she wasn’t so inured to his whining. She just patted his arm and glanced at Victor, who knew her so well, he was biting back a laugh.
“You don’t have anything to whine about, Algie. At least you’re not mad as the hatter,” Tomas snapped. “I’m having a hard time feeling bad for you, you…you…spoiled blighter!”
“I think you told Higgins to read Tomas the wrong book, Vi.” Victor crossed his legs. “All that talk of madness is striking too close to home.”
“Well, shouldn’t it?” Tomas asked. “She dreamed and didn’t know it wasn’t real. I dream. Unable to tell the difference between what is real and what is not. At least Alice was a little girl incapable of harming anyone.”
“Clearly,” she said dryly to Victor, ignoring Tomas’s outburst.
She rose and straightened Tomas’s desk. As she worked she considered what they’d learned. “Were you aware that Juliette and François Boutet are married?”
“What? Where are their spouses? Someone has been telling you fairy stories, luvie,” Algie said. “That Juliette has been after Charles since the day they met. Paved the way for me and Bettina to be honest. No married man would put up with that. Or a brother of a married sister. He’d have taken her aside and told her to be true. Any man would have.”
Victor and Violet glanced at each other and Victor shook his head slightly. Don’t tell Algie that the relationships had been planned before they’d even begun. It was the kindest route.
Tomas, on the other hand, understood immediately. “They don’t look alike, do they? They pretended to be siblings because it made finding patronage easier.”
“François Boutet is a snake in the grass,” Victor said. “I have never been more appalled at a member of mankind, barring murderous cousin Meredith.”
“Well, she did kill our aunt,” Algie said idly. He didn’t even sound upset. Violet crossed to him and smacked his shoulder. “What, Vi? Goodness, Merry did. Of course, she’s the worst of us.”
Violet smacked him again. “Don’t say it like that. Like it’s half a joke. It’s not.” Vi had to bite her lip to keep back shouting at him. “Nothing about her death is funny. Nothing about Bettina’s death is funny. This is all disgusting.”
“Speaking of things that aren’t funny,” Victor said to Algie, “you have to stop associating with Theodophilus. He threatened you to me. But far more importantly, he threatened Violet.”
Algie sniffed. “Well now. I…I don’t appreciate any part of this…this…this setup! You all are uniting against me.”
“Let me be perfectly clear, Algie. You’re our cousin. We care about you. I paid your debt to Theo yesterday when I sent him to London. If you’d told me you needed help, I’d have helped you with him.”
“You sent him to London?” Algie asked. “Well, I’m not sure that’s quite the thing. I… That was poorly done, Victor. Theo’s a good enough fellow.”
“Then you won’t be happy with my next statement. If I see you with Theo again or if I see you helpi
ng Theo into our group, or needing money because you fell for Theo’s tricks, or if you bring Theo anywhere near Violet again. Ever. We’re done.”
“Done? What does that mean?”
“You know exactly what it means.” Victor lifted a brow, but the set to his jaw was telling.
“I…well…I…don’t think that’s quite fair. Tomas? You don’t agree, do you?”
He cleared his throat. “Victor gave me an idea of what Theo did to Violet.”
“She was teasing him. She overreacted. Theo’s a good fellow. Been a friend a long time. We all need to just calm down, now.”
Victor stood, leaning over Algie. “Of the two, I choose Vi. Make your own choice but realize there are consequences.”
“Well I…I…of course, I choose you. Violet, this isn’t quite the thing. Surely you see…”
Violet bit the inside of her mouth until she could taste blood. How dare he say she didn’t understand? That she didn’t realize Theo’s intent? How dare Algie demand that she pretend all was well? She wouldn’t feel like she could leave Victor’s side if Theo were around.
“Violet, don’t say a word,” Victor said, touching her shoulder. “It doesn’t matter what Violet thinks. Not when I’m concerned for her safety.”
“Her safety?” Algie laughed, a nervous squawk.
“Make a choice, Algie. Drop us a note. When we leave here, I want to hear you’re done with Theo—who manipulates your money out of you—or I want to hear that you’ve chosen him, and we’re done with you. It’s a simple either-or situation. But if you bring him around Vi again, it isn’t just Theo who will get a beating.”
Chapter 18
Violet wanted to go back to her room after they’d spoke with Tomas. The need to apologize to Gwennie and Lila was distracting Violet from nearly all else. She had been fighting with both Victor and Jack and had snapped at her friends. She expected better of herself.
If she’d had Beatrice, she’d have sent her maid for them. Violet was sure she had the bigger bedroom and better space to linger, but Beatrice was keeping Juliette safe. Violet dug through her trunks until she found one of the bottles of limoncello she’d brought with her to Bruges and three of the smaller boxes of chocolates. She put all of the things in a basket from the armoire, added her and Victor’s more recent book along with the review that had described V. V. Twinning as a female, and carried them down to Lila’s bedroom.
