Enter Pale Death(117)
Joe waited for a spluttering objection from Truelove—“I say! What utter nonsense!”—to roll away and carried on.
“I have in mind a person who was smarting from the insults Lavinia dished out over dinner that evening with such malice. Someone who had formed a secret and hopeless affection for her hostess’s husband. Someone who had the knowledge of country horse-witchery …”
He waited for this information to be absorbed and watched as the audience looked from Dorcas to James and back again with round eyes and an audible intake of breath. He waited for an explosive response from Truelove. But James Truelove made no further protest. He failed to see the disbelief in the eyes of Dorothy Despond standing at his side because he could not bring himself to look at her. Dorothy’s father, Joe noted, moved closer to his daughter and put a protective arm around her shoulders. Dorcas Joliffe had no such comfort, standing by herself, as aloof and friendless as Joan of Arc at her trial.
It was Dorcas who made the first response. Faintly, she pleaded: “James … Won’t you tell them the truth …? Why don’t you speak up for me? Please, James!”
Truelove looked down at the floor and said nothing.
Everyone turned to stare at her. Dorcas had eyes for no one now but Joe. Judging the force powering those dark flamethrowers, he thought he probably had only seconds before he was struck down with paralysis or the plague. Even Adelaide was watching him with incomprehension and disgust. Cecily, on the other hand—always on his wavelength—had shown herself ready to respond to his promptings. She moved straight away to obey him when he requested that she open the door to the vestibule.
Three men who’d been waiting behind the door now strode in and closed it behind them.
“Who the hell is this?” Joe heard Guy Despond protest. “Where’d he get these fellers? Back stage at the Adelphi?”
Superintendent Hunnyton stood, a tall and satisfyingly dramatic presence, flanked by two uniformed constables. He introduced himself in measured police tones and paused for a moment, surveying the company.
“Miss Dorcas Joliffe? Is she here? Good evening, Miss. I’m taking you into police custody so that you can help us with our enquiries concerning the unlawful killing on these premises of Lady Truelove in April of this year. My apologies, Sir James, Lady Cecily … It seemed better to remove the accused quietly. Not good form to drag anyone away from the dinner table.”
He nodded at Joe and walked out, Dorcas following uncertainly with a constable on each side. Her backward glance was for Joe. It told him that, if she was taking her first steps to the Tower of London, that bleak place would be a more agreeable situation than the one she was leaving.
In the Great Hall trembling hands distractedly picked up coffee cups. “Helping with enquiries, eh?” Everyone knew what that meant! The herd began to relax, each member thankful that his or her innocence had been recognised. McIver asked Ben to fetch a tray of brandy. Lady Cecily called for lemonade. James exchanged long looks with his mother. Alex turned for comfort to Adelaide who gave him a hug and a handkerchief and patted his back.
After a moment, Alex freed himself from the doctor’s embrace and jumped to his feet, overthrowing his chair. The crash turned everyone’s attention on him. Red spots of anger glowing on his cheeks intensified the blue blaze of his eyes. He looked desperately from Joe to his mother and Joe’s heart sank as he realised that he had failed to factor into his plans a reaction from Alex.
“She was with me all night!” he yelled. “Dorcas couldn’t have done it! She let me into her room and I stayed. In all honour, I’ll have you know. Oh, it’s not what you think! She took me in and tucked me up in my old bed and read me a story. She was still asleep in her own bed when I crept out at dawn.”
Joe was aware of the masculine reaction of revulsion as eyes flicked in acute embarrassment to the ceiling, the floor, the nearest candlestick. The women, apart from his mother, looked at Alex with pity.
“I’d have gone to my grave before I endangered that poor girl’s reputation but I cannot stand by and see this disgusting calumny heaped on her by a policeman. You’re a cad, Sandilands! And a useless detective!”
“Calm down, Alex,” said Cecily. “I’m surprised but reassured to hear you have some human instincts after all. But you’re not showing much acumen. Weren’t you listening to Joe? The damage was done by the time you were wandering the corridors. Now, thanks to Grace, we know the gingerbread was already loaded earlier in the evening. It was charged with a substance supplied by Dorcas Joliffe. The girl could have spent the night in the footmen’s dormitory and it would have had no more significance!”