A Death at Crystal Palace

by Caroline Dunford

  ‘Arms merchants such as Richard have all to gain should war break out,’ said Rory darkly.

  ‘Even the threat of war increases profits massively,’ said Bertram sadly. ‘Some countries believe the more armaments they buy, the better they are prepared to defend themselves. While others buy with the intent of being the aggressors. The problem is that no one ever can tell which is which, and it generally ends badly.’

  ‘For everyone except the arms merchants,’ I said. ‘Do you think that the kidnapping of Richenda’s children was meant to keep us away from Von Ritter, so Richard and his allies could make their move?’

  ‘I do not think any of us are that important,’ said Rory.

  ‘There are stages of the game when the most unlikely pawn can become a queen,’ said Madame Arcana obscurely. ‘If you will excuse me, I shall go and arrange your access. Take Euphemia for that walk.’ She made me sound like an inconvenient hound and I found myself blushing. Rory and Bertram hurried to my side to assist me. Madame Arcana vanished.

  Bertram noticed first. ‘I say, she didn’t disappear in a puff of smoke, did she?’

  ‘If I ever had any doubts that she was a fake, they linger no more,’ said Rory. ‘On the positive side, she is a loyal subject of the crown.’

  ‘Or we presume so,’ said Bertram. ‘How can we tell she is telling us all the truth?’

  ‘I should not think she is telling us all she knows,’ I said. ‘She is clearly more important in Fitzroy’s network than we are and thus likely knows a lot more. However, if we are to suspect everyone of malicious intent we will get nowhere.’ I sighed deeply. ‘I want nothing more than to return to the hotel and discover the location of the twins. However, with no leads, our best shot is to investigate Von Ritter’s death. We can only hope it leads us to Fitzroy, if not to the mastermind behind the kidnapping of the twins.’

  ‘I don’t know,’ said Bertram shaking his head. ‘Merry kidnapped. The twins kidnapped. Now Fitzroy has been kidnapped. It is as if we have come to London during a kidnapping festival. It cannot all be so coincidental.’

  ‘I agree,’ I said. ‘Which is what gives me the hope that all these situations are interlinked, and that by untying one knot the rest will follow.’

  ‘I want to believe you are right, Euphemia,’ said Rory. ‘I do. But it is all…’ He did not get to finish his sentence for Bertram gave out a little cry of dismay. ‘Look,’ he said his voice rising to a squeaky pitch, pointing to the edge of the common. ‘Richenda!’

  I followed his gaze. ‘What? Oh my goodness, he’s right,’ I said. I could see Richenda in her distinctive costume walking along the edge of the common. She was headed determinedly in the direction of the police cordon. ‘She must have followed us. How else would she know we were here? We need to hide. We cannot explain what we are doing!’

  Their arms still linked in mine, Rory and Bertram twisted in opposite directions, as they scoured a landscape covered only in scattered trees. It hurt, and I gave an involuntary squeak. Richenda turned towards us and speeded her gait.

  ‘There is nowhere to go,’ said Bertram, his voice still high pitched in alarm.

  ‘I dare say we could move faster than her,’ said Rory, ‘but we cannot get through the cordon until Madame Arcana returns. Unless either of you can think of any way to persuade the police to let us through.’

  ‘We shall have to face her,’ I said. My stomach became lead and began to sink slowly to my shoes.

  ‘But we cannot tell her the truth,’ said Bertram. ‘We are bound on our honour not to.’

  ‘And by the Official Secrets Act,’ said Rory. ‘We can be hanged as traitors for even disclosing its existence to another soul.’

  ‘That is ridiculous,’ said Bertram. ‘I shall speak to Fitzroy about this.’ Then he recollected our situation. ‘When we find him, that is. Honestly,’ he sounded most aggrieved, ‘it is so inconsiderate of that man to put us in this position.’

  ‘I hardly think he got kidnapped on purpose,’ I said. ‘No one enjoys being tortured.’

  ‘Probably makes him feel important,’ said Bertram crossly. Then he snapped, ‘What the devil do we tell her?’

  ‘As much of the truth as we can,’ I said.

  ‘We already got close to treason telling her we were going to find friends who could help,’ said Rory. ‘Be very careful, Euphemia. Richenda Stapleford is not known for keeping her mouth shut. Expect anything you say to be broadcast over the gossip circles within hours.’

  ‘Poor Hans,’ I said. ‘I wonder if she realises how much trouble she is brewing for him. To be half German at this time is a precarious situation. He needs his wife to be discreet.’

  ‘Then he should not have married my half-sister,’ said Bertram. ‘Oh, God, here she comes. Stand firm, everyone.’ The three of us, arms still interlinked, turned to face her full on.

  Richenda stopped in front of us. Her eyes were reddened from tears and her breath caught in her throat. She did not look at us with anger, but with confusion. ‘You are on the common,’ she said. ‘You are not even talking to your friends in the police?’

  ‘We never actually said our friends were in the police,’ said Bertram. I kicked him in the shin. He gave me a reproachful look.

  ‘Euphemia, you went for a walk on the common with Bertram and McLeod and left me to deal with the police?’ she said. ‘What do you think you are doing? Was Richard right about you all those years ago? For the love of God will you not help me find my children?’ Still there was no ire in her voice, only puzzlement.

  I disengaged myself from the men. ‘I know it is hard to understand, Richenda, and it is even harder for us to explain, but we are doing the best we can. We are searching with utmost effort.’

  ‘By walking on the common?’

  ‘We await someone,’ I said. ‘We will, we hope, shortly be speaking to someone from the police.’ This was not a lie as we needed to speak to whoever let us through and to gather as much information as we could about the crime scene.

  ‘Who?’ said Richenda. ‘Besides, you urged me not to talk to the police.’

  As this was true I could not counter it. ‘What did Hans say?’ Richenda did not reply. Bertram and Rory kept looking towards the Palace clearly hoping Madame Arcana would appear. I, on the other hand, felt certain she would not approach us until Richenda had gone.

  Richenda reached into her large handbag. I assumed she was about to produce a handkerchief before breaking into sobs. ‘There is a park bench nearby,’ I said. ‘Let us take a seat.’ I attempted to take her arm, but she pulled roughly away from me. She pulled out a folded piece of cloth from her bag and thrust it towards me. ‘Look at this,’ she said. ‘Look.’

  I took the cloth. ‘Euphemia,’ warned Bertram stepping forward, but I ignored him and undid the folds. To my relief no object revealed itself. Instead I saw a wet ruby stain that was in the process of turning to brown.

  ‘Blood,’ screeched Richenda. ‘You see what they have sent me? Blood!’

  ‘We do not know whose blood it is.’ I said careful not to let my emotions show in my voice. ‘We do not even know if it is human blood.’

  ‘What else would it be?’ screamed Richenda. ‘A pig’s? That is part of Merry’s uniform. They have killed her!’ Her voice rose. Cries, halfway between laughs and sobs, broke from her throat. It stunned me. I had seen women pretend to have hysterics before, but never the real thing. Rory and Bertram likewise froze in the face of such extreme emotion. Richenda’s cries grew ever louder. Soon we would attract attention. Something had to be done.

  It was at this point that Madame Arcana returned. She slapped Richenda across the face with enough force that the crying woman staggered. ‘The grieving mother, I see,’ she said to me. ‘She is attracting attention.’

  ‘She came with this.’ I handed the cloth towards her. ‘It is from the nursery maid’s uniform.’

  ‘A petty tactic,’ said Madame Arcana. ‘How do we even know this is her blood? It might
be from a chicken or a cat.’

  I led Richenda to the nearby park bench. This time she moved without resistance. She wept quietly and without ceasing. I feared she had lost all hope.

  ‘Now, Mrs Muller,’ said Madame Arcana, coming to stand over her. ‘When did this article arrive?’

  After much sniffing and wiping of tears, Richenda managed to say, ‘A few minutes after they left.’

  ‘So you caught a cab,’ said Madame Arcana. ‘Why did you come here?’

  ‘I thought my brother might be here,’ said Richenda. I inwardly sighed with relief. She did not suspect our link to the exhibition and the delegation.

  ‘And you were going to ask him for help? Richard Stapleford?’ said Madame Arcana.

  ‘Yes. No. I thought he might know where the children were,’ said Richenda and began to sob more loudly.

  ‘Where is her lady’s maid?’ Madame Arcana asked me.

  ‘I expect she left her back at the hotel, in case anyone returned,’ I said. Richenda nodded.

  ‘She has some sense then,’ said Madame Arcana. She crouched down to speak with Richenda more quietly. ‘Your friends are doing everything they can to help you. You must trust them. Was there a ransom note?’

  Richenda reached into her bag and produced a crumpled piece of paper. On it I could see written nothing but a very large amount. ‘This was in the cloth,’ she said.

  ‘Obviously they could not expect you to raise that amount immediately,’ said Madame Arcana. ‘It will be the first of a series of communications. You would be best served to return to your hotel and let your friends deal with the police. There is nothing you can do here.’

  ‘But Richard!’ began Richenda.

  ‘Is not currently in a position to help you,’ said Madame Arcana. She beckoned a police constable over. ‘See that this lady is returned with speed to her hotel.’ Then to us she said, ‘Come.’

  I tried to convey my sympathy with my eyes to Richenda as I was led away, but she was too occupied crying into her handkerchief to notice me.

  Bertram managed to give her a light pat on the shoulder before following the rest of us. ‘Buck up, old bean,’ he said. ‘It will be all right. I promise.’

  Madame Arcana led us up to and through the cordon. A few policemen cleared the crowd from our path and we were lead back to the Crystal Palace tea shop. A sign hung from a potted plant declared it closed, but there was a hubbub of activity inside. We walked past the ropes that marked its boundaries and Madame Arcana sat down at a table. She indicated we should join her. ‘Until we know exactly how Von Ritter died,’ she said, ‘I will refrain from offering you tea.’

  ‘Yes, gosh,’ said Bertram, who had been eyeing the urn. I could hardly blame him. The last few hours had been extremely unsettling. In such dire situations as these, there is nothing like a good cup of tea to calm one’s nerves.

  ‘I am sorry about your niece and nephew,’ said Madame Arcana.

  ‘You think the blood was theirs?’ I said.

  ‘I have no idea, but the kidnapping of these infants is obviously a ruse. The demand for money is way beyond anything Richenda or her husband could ever manage. The bloody dress is meant to frighten. Clearly, whatever is happening, it is important to the kidnappers to keep the three of you off kilter. This suggests to me that your next actions will be vital in our moving forward.’

  ‘So you think the twins are alive?’ said Bertram.

  ‘I cannot promise you anything,’ said Madame Arcana. ‘We are working very much in the dark here. I think the first thing I should get you to do is talk to the police doctor. Perhaps, during my time away, he has discovered something of actual use.’ She got up and walked over to the other side of the tea shop. As I watched her passage I spotted a sheet covering a large object on the floor.

  ‘I say,’ said Bertram, who must have been following my gaze. ‘What do you think that thing is?’

  ‘Von Ritter’s body,’ said Rory in tones that made it clear he thought the question imbecilic.

  I looked from one to the other nervously. The last thing we needed right now was for them to break into one of their bickering sessions. I suspected Madame Arcana’s reaction to such would be fearsome.

  But the man who came over to the table next was not dressed in a policeman’s uniform. It was the nondescript man who had been in Madame Arcana’s séance.

  Chapter Eleven

  The Man Without a Name

  ‘Good afternoon,’ said the man. ‘I am here to tell you who was observed to be around Baron Von Ritter when he was taken ill.’

  ‘And you are?’ said Rory.

  The man ignored his question and continued. ‘So far the doctor believes that Von Ritter died of a heart attack. As you may have observed he was not a particularly fit man. He was known to dine well and live well. His frame was stocky, and he carried a great deal of weight around his waist. Modern medical opinion would suggest that it was merely a matter of time before he succumbed to his lavish lifestyle. However, shortly after his death, the member of the public who first rushed to his aid, a Dr D.M. Gardener of 14 Brockle Place, observed there was some foaming at the mouth and a distinct smell of almonds. By the time the police doctor had arrived, Von Ritter’s aide, Friedrich Gottlieb, a possible asset or operative, had wiped his face clean and tidied the body as much as he could in situ. He opined he had done this for his master’s dignity. Here is a list of all the people in the delegation.’ He took a list from his pocket and passed it to us. ‘Those marked with a cross are, as far as we can tell, the ones who were nearest to him when he died. I suggest you question them first. As far as anyone else is concerned, you are members of the plain clothes police division, who happened to be attending the exhibition. You,’ he pointed at Bertram, ‘are the inspector and McLeod is your sergeant. Euphemia is the inspector’s wife. Fortunately, she has spent her idle days learning shorthand and is able to assist you. She will not, however, be able to ask questions. She is to function as a secretary.’ And with this he slid a small pocket book with attached pencil from his pocket and across the table to me. As he did so, he angled his body to block the action from sight of any of the police milling around the tea shop. If I had any doubts before as to what he was, these were now removed.

  ‘Why us?’ said Bertram. ‘Surely you have more… more… appropriate people.’

  ‘Instructions were left,’ said the man, rising and tipping his hat towards us. ‘I will return in one hour at which time you may pose questions to me about any of the suspects you find of interest.’

  ‘Where are you going?’ I asked.

  ‘To find information about the suspects of interest, of course,’ he said and walked off.

  ‘Do they all have to have that bloody awful sarcastic sense of humour,’ said Bertram bitterly.

  ‘We should look at the list,’ said Rory.

  I opened it out on the table, so we could all see it at once.

  Friedrich Gottlieb – Aide to Von Ritter

  Dietrich Habermann – German Diplomat

  Rudolf Beiersdorf – German Industry Magnate

  Robert Draper – British Industry Magnate

  Algernon Porter – British Diplomat

  ‘I take it that we interpret “Arms Merchant” when they say “Industry Magnate”?’ said Rory sourly.

  ‘We need to talk to them,’ said Bertram.

  Rory and I looked at him in amazement.

  ‘What did you think we were going to do with them?’ said Rory.

  ‘I mean,’ said Bertram, ‘why should they speak with us? I can’t see Madame Arcana any more. There’s no sign of Fitzroy and the chap that said he’s gone off to find more information on these people has, well, gone off.’

  ‘But he will have at least told the police and others to cooperate with us,’ I said. ‘It would be insane not to.’

  ‘I do not think the chap - blast it, why could he not give us a name? I will call him Michael. I do not think Michael knows much beyond his limited sc
ope. After all, there was that talk about compartmentalised knowledge, was there not?’

  ‘You mean when Madame Arcana said they did not know much about each other? That Fitzroy was essentially the linchpin.’

  ‘Aye, I can see him loving that,’ said Rory darkly.

  ‘So, we will need to introduce ourselves as servants of the crown?’ I said.

  ‘Exactly,’ said Bertram. ‘Except we do not all need to do so, do we?’

  Rory and I exchanged glances. ‘The German delegation - and the Brits for that matter, will be able to work out that Euphemia and I work together because of our escapades earlier, but they do not know McLeod.’

  Rory frowned. ‘Are you saying I do not have the right credentials? Fitzroy asked for me as much as you.’

  ‘You misunderstand,’ said Bertram. ‘I am saying this is a good thing. Euphemia and I have worked alone before. If we can convince them to let you through the cordon again - say you are my servant or chauffeur...’

  ‘Or some other person of low importance,’ growled Rory.

  ‘Oh, I see,’ I said. ‘How clever, Bertram. Rory can go back and see if there are leads we haven’t explored at the hotel.’

  ‘You want me to find the twins,’ said Rory, raising his eyebrows.

  ‘Look,’ said Bertram, ‘I know I must serve my country, but I am damned if I am going to turn my back on my own sister and her children. I might not be able to scour for leads, but I can send the man I trust the most to do so.’

  ‘I know I said I thought that when one piece of the puzzle was solved the others would reveal themselves, and that may well still be true,’ I said, ‘But I would be happier if one of us could interview the hotel staff and be there to support Richenda.’

  ‘I’m honoured you would trust me,’ said Rory gruffly. He got to his feet. ‘I’ll get through that cordon if I have to fight my way through.’

  Fortunately, this proved to be unnecessary. We despatched Rory back to the hotel and introduced ourselves to the police doctor, a Dr P.K. Cambridge. His name was printed in neat gold lettering along his doctor’s bag and his suit was well cut and pressed. He had a perfectly trimmed beard, and hands with such astonishingly long and elegant fingers they drew your attention almost as much as his light grey eyes did. He moved with grace about the fallen Von Ritter, but at the same time there was a suppressed energy that hinted that any moment he might sprint into the distance. A man more alive I have rarely seen and yet he had chosen to work with the dead.