by Rebecca King
“I am not,” Tabatha stammered. “I don’t know anything.”
“Yes, you do, and do you know something Tabatha?” Pie’s drawled in a voice that was as cold and hard as his gaze. He sauntered forward until he was standing a few feet away from her and glared down into her eyes. He watched with satisfaction as she leaned backward and stared at him with wide eyes. “I am going to get to the truth and if I find out that you are lying, I am going to come looking for you.”
“You can’t, we are going to be leaving tomorrow,” Tabatha replied hesitantly.
“Oh, no you are not. Nobody is going anywhere until we know about everything,” Pie countered. He flicked a dismissive glance at her and turned away.
Tabatha glanced around the room and seemed to sense that something else was going on but she had no idea what. “We have to go tomorrow. Unless I am under house arrest for crossing paths with a stranger in the churchyard, there is no earthly reason why you should feel the need to stop me.”
“I am afraid that there has been a murder in the area,” Archie announced flatly. He moved to stand shoulder to shoulder with Pie in a silent show of solidarity. He could tell that Tabatha was nervous about something but, for now, they had to let her go on her way.
Pie knew that Florrie was going to be the easiest person to get information out of, he was sure of it. As long as he could keep the Star Elite off her back, he had a chance of uncovering the truth. He ignored Tabatha’s gasp and met her startled gaze with arrogant contempt. “Until we find out who did it, and why, nobody is going anywhere.” He ignored her instinctive gasp of protest and turned his back. Anything the woman wanted to say now was of little consequence. His gaze met and held Hugo’s for several long moments and a silent understanding passed between them. “Until we call you down again, I suggest you remain in your room. We will send trays up at mealtimes. Do not, under any circumstances, attempt to speak to Florrie. Do you understand?”
“So I am going to be held prisoner?” Tabatha’s voice was horrified and she glared at the unsympathetic gazes of the men surrounding her.
“Yes,” Pie snapped, glaring at her. “We always get to the truth, you should understand that Tabatha. Until we do, stay in your room until you are summoned.” For some reason this woman annoyed the hell out of him and he wondered how Florrie managed to put up with her.
Silence settled around them for several moments. Hugo waited until Tabatha was heading out of the door before he turned to Pie. He raised his voice enough for Tabatha to hear.
“Go and fetch Florrie.” He wasn’t ignorant of Tabatha’s quickened footsteps as she climbed the stairs. The woman definitely had something to hide. Was she running to warn Florrie? Or was she running back to her room before they could call her back for further questioning?
“I think it would be best if Archie and I questioned Florrie on her own in the library,” Pie announced, closing the study door. He had never seen Hugo at work before and could appreciate the man’s level of skill at unnerving his opponent. However, he balked at the thought of idly stepping aside and allowing the same tactics to be used on Florrie, even if she was guilty.
He wanted to get to the bottom of her problems and find out if she was really in as much debt as her aunt claimed she was. He had no intention of getting involved if she was an inveterate gambler. That was Jamie’s problem to sort out, but he just had to know whether his first impression of the woman was accurate.
Within minutes, a soft knock on the library door heralded the arrival of Florrie in the sitting room. Pie had chosen the room because it was smaller and cosier than the study, which was ostensibly a man’s room, even though this was the old dowager’s house. Archie had lapsed into thoughtful silence and seemed willing to sit back and allow Pie to pick up the reins, for which Pie could only be grateful. Although there was only Pie and Archie in the room, the others were still in the study and able to overhear everything that was said.
Florrie slowly entered the room as though she was walking into the pit of Hell. She glanced from Pie to Archie, then back to Pie.
“Florrie, take a seat,” Pie suggested. The softness in his voice lay in stark contrast to the determined glare in his eye.
Florrie shuddered. There was no help from Archie, who looked equally as severe from his position beside the window. She slowly took a seat.
“Who owes the debts, you or Tabatha?”
It was the last thing Florrie had expected to hear. Her eyes grew wide and she stared in horror at Pie. Surely they didn’t think she would owe such a huge amount of money? She had the answer on Pie’s face.
“Tabatha.” Florrie had no doubt that they had spoken to her aunt who had pointed the finger at her. It was something her selfish aunt would have no compunction against doing. Florrie sighed. “The man in the churchyard yesterday was Dexter Arnold, owner or manager, or something of a gaming house in Oxfordshire.” She turned and met Pie’s gaze with a frank one of her own. “I don’t know if you ever went to Tabatha and Archibald’s house, but it was really quite opulent while Archibald was alive. If you go there now, it is nothing short of a ghost of its former self. Tabatha has sold practically everything to pay some of her debts, but then she goes and gambles again and the debts just get bigger.”
“Does Dexter want his money back?”
Florrie nodded. If Tabatha was happy to accuse Florrie of owing the money then Florrie had to protect herself. That meant telling the men everything they needed to know. After all, Florrie had no idea if the body in the churchyard was a warning from Dexter. If it was, Archie needed to know what Tabatha had brought to his future brother-in-law’s house. Her thoughts turned briefly to the children upstairs and she shuddered in horror at the thought of their little lives being blighted by Tabatha’s sordid lifestyle. Florrie owed it to everyone to ensure that the Star Elite had all the information on her aunt they needed to enable them deal with Dexter and any threats he brought with him. She could only hope that Jamie wasn’t going to do something stupid like pay Tabatha’s debts off for her when he found out about them.
“Tabatha can’t pay all of the debts off, the money isn’t there. She has a few items of furniture left but I think she has plans to pawn those too. Unless she is prepared to sign the house deeds over, there is very little left except the pouch of coins she has brought with her.”
“Is it one repayment of many?” Pie demanded, trying to keep his voice casual.
“It is part payment, I think. One of several instalments, but I cannot be sure.” Florrie turned to the man before the fire and met his green gaze directly. “I have tried to keep out of Tabatha’s problems, but I have been aware of various items around the house disappearing and my aunt going out until all hours of the night. At first I wondered if one of the staff was a thief, but then Tabatha began to lay them off one by one until there is only one scullery maid left. But items of furniture have still been going missing. I caught sight of a set of plates that used to sit in Tabatha’s dining room, in a pawn broker’s shop window one day and knew that she was selling the house contents off. She didn’t deny it when I asked her about it, just told me to mind my own business. When the strange men began calling at the house, I started to wonder.” At first Florrie had wondered if her aunt was being rather promiscuous and the men were her lovers. However, after overhearing a few heated arguments, it became apparent that her aunt had gotten herself out of her depth financially and the men were calling for their money back.
“They could be lovers,” Archie sighed, rubbing his hands wearily down his face and wished he was with Portia. He had managed to share a meal with his future wife, who was more than sympathetic and understanding but, right now, he just wished he could hold her.
“They threatened her, Pie. One of them said that they would be back for the rest of the money if Tabatha didn’t meet the repayments.” Florrie sighed and gazed absently into the fire.
“Did they threaten you at all?” Pie asked, feeling his temper surge at what her aunt ha
d dragged her niece into.
“Not directly, but I am afraid I am guilty by association. Although I haven’t run the debts up myself, I am in the house I share with my aunt and was there when these men called for their money. I don’t mind telling you that they unnerve me.”
“Have they approached you for money?”
“No. Tabatha wants me to speak to them for her, but I keep refusing. This isn’t my problem and I don’t see why I should get dragged into it because of Tabatha’s selfishness.”
“Was the body in the churchyard familiar to you?” Pie really wanted to demand if she had killed him, or if she knew if her aunt had killed the man, but wisely kept quiet.
“I have never seen him before in my life and that is a promise. I wouldn’t cover for Tabatha if she was likely to commit murder either. She may be a self-centred and reckless gambler, but I can’t see even her being cold blooded or ruthless enough to deliberately take a man’s life.”
“But she is out of her depth,” Archie sighed.
Florrie nodded. “Even if she sells what is left in the house, she cannot hope to repay the sums of money involved. I don’t know the full extent of her problem because I am trying to keep my distance from it, but I have overheard conversations and there are large sums of money being discussed.”
“How did she manage to secure such a debt in the first place though? I mean, money like that isn’t just handed over,” Pie reasoned, moving to sit beside Archie on the chaise. “Was there something, anything, that she could have used as collateral? Anything she could have offered that would be valuable enough to persuade the creditors to allow her to run up debts of that size?”
Florrie felt her stomach church with sickening dread. She realized then that she had done the right thing in purchasing her cottage and leaving what was left of her available funds in Silas’ care. She knew that Silas and Tabatha had never got along very well. Tabatha liked to consider herself better than everyone else, and had frequently locked horns with Silas, who had no patience with such pretentiousness and had told her so on many occasions.
“Unless she has a hidden stash of wealth somewhere, I cannot conceive of anything that she could use except for the house, no.”
“This morning in the churchyard,” Pie began. He hated to watch the paleness appear on her cheeks but needed to get the answers while she was willing to talk. “Did you see anyone else or notice anything unusual, apart from the body that is?”
Florrie frowned blankly at the rug on the floor and mentally ran through the events of the morning. “I can’t think of anything, no.”
“Why did you sneak out of the house?”
Florrie opened her mouth to instinctively deny sneaking anywhere but then mentally winced. She had snuck out of the house. She realised then that someone must have been watching her. Was it Pie?
“I just wanted some time to myself. The wedding and celebrations were wonderful, but after all of the food, drink and constant flow of people, I just wanted a few moments to myself to gather my thoughts.” She glanced ruefully at Pie, then Archie. “This house is wonderful but it is impossible to get a moment to oneself.”
Pie glanced ruefully at Archie whose lips twisted wryly. He nodded in silent understanding and couldn’t find fault with her argument.
“Can you remember seeing anybody in the area, or the churchyard, before you arrived at the church? Think carefully, Florrie,” Pie growled. He caught himself silently willing her to come up with anything that would confirm her innocence.
“I can’t remember seeing anybody. I saw Portia and Harriett walking across the gardens but I am sure that I didn’t see anyone else,” Florrie whispered with a frown. She searched every detail of her moment and was bitterly frustrated when she came up with nothing that would help.
“I think that for now, you need to sleep on it. If you remember anything then you must tell us at once, Florrie. We can’t help you if we don’t have all of the facts.”
“I didn’t kill the man,” Florrie whispered, fighting tears. She suddenly felt so very tired that she wasn’t sure how much longer she could remain sitting in the chair. Her head ached and she was so confused about the myriad emotions tumbling through her that she didn’t know what to make of them.
“I am not saying that you did, but if there is anything you remember then you need to let me know.” Pie’s eyes met and held hers for several long moments. He tried to convey everything he couldn’t say in that steady look and hoped she understood that he wasn’t there to judge, or condemn, he simply wanted the truth.
The way the fire lit the bronze strands in her hair and made them shimmer was captivating. Again her hair was pulled back in a rather severe style and his fingers itched to pull the pins out and see if the curls that framed her face ran through the rest of her auburn tresses. But now wasn’t the time or place. With a mental shake of his head he rose and moved toward the fire to stare down absently into the flames.
Archie bid her a quiet goodnight, clearly dismissing Florrie from further questioning for the day.
“Florrie?”
She paused on the threshold of the door.
“For now, don’t speak to anyone about what we discussed, not even Tabatha.”
Florrie nodded. She wished that she could tell either Archie or Pie everything she knew, but her cottage was the one thing that she knew she had to keep a secret for now, if only to protect her future.
“I’ll go with her,” Pie drawled, relieved when Archie made no move to protest.
CHAPTER FIVE
Florrie and Pie arrived at her bedroom door in total silence. She was about to push open the door to her room when the flurry of movement at the end of the corridor announced the determined arrival of Tabatha, who strode angrily toward them.
Pie heard Florrie’s sigh and was disturbed by the brief flicker of dread that appeared on her face at the sight of her aunt.
“I want a word with you, Florrie,” Tabatha demanded, her gaze cold and hard.
“Not now, Tabatha,” Florrie snapped, refusing to be cowed by the woman. She instinctively moved slightly closer to Pie’s commanding presence. Although she was no wilting flower, having his reassuring strength beside her bolstered her courage to face the woman down. Tabatha had gotten them both into an awful mess and Florrie resented the woman’s persistence, especially after this morning.
Her gambling and the debts she had run up were Tabatha’s problems, and she had to be the one to deal with them as far as Florrie was concerned.
Florrie knew that the time had now come for her to distance herself from the woman who had never been an aunt in the first place, and behaved like a caring relative even less.
“You can’t avoid me forever, I am going to speak with you and that’s final.”
“We have nothing to talk about,” Florrie snapped. She glared at the older woman in disgust and wanted to shake her aunt for her selfish recklessness.
Pie, sensing an argument was brewing, placed his solid bulk between the two ladies. He stared down at Tabatha who drew to a halt and glared at him in defiance.
“I do believe that I told you to keep yourself to your room,” Pie drawled menacingly and nodded at her room. “I suggest you get back in there.”
“You cannot keep me a prisoner here. You have no authority over me. Unhand me this instant!” Tabatha protested, trying to tug her elbow out of Pie’s relentless grasp as he marched her back down the corridor. Once at the doorway he lowered his head until they were standing eye to eye. He kept his voice low for Tabatha’s ears only.
“You have dragged her into enough and it is going to stop right now, Tabatha.”
Pie knew he had hit on some hidden nerve by the sickening dread that was quickly replaced by wavering bravado. He knew that there were more surprises lurking and wondered just how Florrie was involved, and if he would have to shake the truth out of Tabatha, but in the end drew himself up to his full height and stared coldly down at her.
“You are not to
approach Florrie, or talk to her unless I am present. Do you understand? If I have to arrest you to interfering in an investigation, I will.” He ignored her sputtered protests, opened the door behind her and shoved her roughly into her room. The sense of satisfaction he felt at slamming the door on her indignant objections eased his temper somewhat, until he turned around and caught sight of a maid standing hesitantly outside of Florrie’s room. She was holding a note.
“A note has arrived for you ma’am,” the maid said, holding out the missive in a quivering hand.
“You have a note for me?” Florrie frowned down at the parchment and hesitantly took it from the maid. “Who is it from?”
The maid looked apologetic and shook her head. “I don’t know ma’am, a man brought it and just left.” She didn’t wait for further instruction. Florrie stared at the empty doorway in consternation before staring blankly at the unfamiliar handwriting on the parchment.
She looked up at Pie who appeared in the doorway. He lifted his brows in silent query and entered the room. Pushing the door closed behind him he moved to study the note in her hand.
“Lover?”
Florrie looked aghast at him and rolled her eyes. She didn’t even deign to answer him.
“You won’t know what it says unless you open it,” he prompted when she continued to stare down at it.
Florrie carefully unfolded the note:
Florrie Seabrook, The first payment is overdue, 12 noon at the village green tomorrow. Don’t be late or I will come and find you.
At first she was nonplussed, then confused, then horrified as she stared at the barely legible scrawl on the rough parchment. It had been written by someone who was barely literate but the meaning of the note was abundantly clear.
“Seems that the man wasn’t his money back,” Pie drawled, feeling somewhat disappointed that all fingers of blame were pointing toward Florrie.
“I don’t owe anybody any money,” Florrie whispered. “Why has he sent the note to me? It isn’t my debt, it is Tabatha’s.”
