An Improper Death (Dr. Alexandra Gladstone Mysteries Book 2) Page 11

  Chapter Nine

  Alexandra, dressed in a suit of soft black wool, was in the kitchen taking her morning tea while Zack lay curled at her feet. It was rare that she had the opportunity to have a leisurely morning, but, because of Admiral Orkwright’s funeral, she wouldn’t be making her morning rounds. The funeral was scheduled for nine o’clock. Most of the town would be there.

  In truth, she was unable to take advantage of the release from duty and enjoy the morning. Her thoughts were full of what Mr. Forsythe had said the night before. That John Killborn claimed he had a score to settle, and that he seemed to know his stepfather was dead before anyone could have told him. If he killed the admiral, did Jane know about it? If she did, she would most certainly try to protect him. That could only be an added burden to her, along with the grief of her husband’s death.

  Should she go to Jane and try to comfort her? Or would Jane see that as an intrusion? After all, Alexandra thought, it was only speculation at this point that John might have killed the admiral. Still, if it was true, or even if Jane heard only the gossip, the grief and stress she would experience had the potential of making her ill. Alexandra could at least be prepared for that.

  Nancy, who’d eaten her breakfast earlier, was just placing a rack of toast on the table, along with jam and butter, when Zack sprang to his feet and shattered the morning calm with a single loud bark followed by a menacing growl.

  Alexandra turned her head in the direction Zack was aiming his attention and saw what was left of Nicholas Forsythe standing in the doorway. His coat was missing, and his soiled and dirty shirt was buttoned irregularly so that it was skewed over his chest with the collar protruding on one side at an odd angle. His face was the color of yesterday’s whey, and he had to use both hands to brace himself in the doorway.

  “Good morning, Mr. Forsythe,” Alexandra said. “You don’t look well.”

  He said something incomprehensible then made his way with an uncertain gait to a cupboard, which he used as support as he took a few more steps until he was close enough to the table to risk walking unaided to reach it. Once there, he sat down heavily across from Alexandra. Nancy set a steaming cup of tea in front of him.

  Nicholas immediately jerked his head toward her and demanded, “What’s in this cup?” He then seemed to regret his sudden movement as he pressed his fingertips into his temples and closed his eyes and groaned again.

  “’Tis tea, sir.” Nancy’s answer sounded uncharacteristically prim.

  Nicholas managed to open one eye. “Are you certain? I have reason to believe you are trying to kill me.”

  “Kill you, sir?” Nancy’s eyes were wide with feigned innocence. Alexandra had seldom seen such a fine performance.

  Nicholas turned to Alexandra. “I have never felt so dreadful in all of my… Excuse me!” He stood and rushed to the back door and out into the cold February morning. He came back shortly, wiping his mouth. Nancy handed him a cool, damp cloth. He pressed it to his face, then sat down again across from Alexandra. This time he picked up the cup and swallowed some of the tea.

  “So you’ve decided to trust me,” Nancy said, watching him take another sip.

  “No.” Nicholas returned the cup to the saucer. “I’ve simply decided that if you’ve poisoned my tea, I’d rather drink it and die than to go on feeling as I do this morning. How in the hell did you get me to drink so much?”

  “’Twasn’t any trouble at all, sir.”

  Nicholas glared at her and seemed about to say something but took some more tea instead.

  Alexandra signaled Nancy with a slight movement of her head that she was to leave them. Nancy scowled and turned away reluctantly. Zack started to follow her but changed his mind and turned back to Alexandra. Rather than lying down at her feet, though, he stood like a soldier at attention next to her side and kept his eyes trained on Nicholas.

  Nicholas ignored the dog and spoke to Alexandra. “Did I do anything I should apologize for?”

  Alexandra smiled. “You were a perfect gentleman. Would you like a piece of toast?”

  “No.”

  “If you eat it unbuttered, it will help settle your stomach.” Alexandra pushed the toast rack toward him. He reluctantly took a slice, broke it in half, and took a small nibble. “Did I say anything regrettable?”

  “As I said, you were a perfect gentleman.”

  “I was referring to my own professional demeanor. That evil woman plied me with liquor to get me to divulge the information you wanted.”

  Alexandra laughed. “Nancy isn’t evil. Impertinent, yes, but not evil. And you said nothing of any particular importance.”

  “I don’t know whether to be relieved or insulted.”

  “You have nothing to worry about, Mr. Forsythe. You have no cause to be concerned that your client’s confidence has been betrayed.” Alexandra took a sip of her tea, to prevent herself from speaking another lie.

  “Then the evil one got me drunk for nothing.”

  Alexandra took yet another sip of tea. Her silence saturated the room until Nicholas was overcome with its possibilities.

  “You’ve just lied to me! I did say something.” He glared at her.

  Alexandra, who was never very good at lying, couldn’t think of a single word to say to him that wouldn’t make matters worse for both of them. She was relieved when Nancy disobediently stepped into the room. She was wearing her funeral dress of black crepe and a small black bonnet.

  “’Tis half past eight, Miss Alex. Shouldn’t we be on our way?”

  “Of course.” She stood and spoke to her guest. “Please excuse me, Mr. Forsythe. Nancy’s right, we must leave lest we arrive late.”

  Nicholas looked puzzled. “Late? Late for what?”

  “Why Admiral Orkwright’s funeral,” Alexandra said. “I’ll just get my bonnet, Nancy, and we’ll be on our way.” She turned to Nicholas again. “Please do forgive me for rushing off, but I must attend the funeral.”

  Nicholas stood, awkwardly. “Of course, and so must I.” He appeared confused. “How did I get here? Do I have a carriage waiting?”

  “I believe you hired our town’s only carriage,” Nancy said. “But since it is the only carriage for hire, it waits for no one.”

  “Quite so,” Nicholas said without looking at Nancy. He addressed Alexandra. “And will you be walking to the church?”

  “Yes, it’s not far.” Alexandra spoke to him over her shoulder on her way to retrieve her bonnet. “I’m sorry I can’t offer you a ride to the inn, since it’s a bit more of a walk, but as you know, I don’t own a carriage.”

  “Don’t trouble yourself. As you can see, I’m in fine shape this morning.” He made his way unsteadily to the door.

  “Careful you don’t catch a chill,” Nancy said. “’Tis rather cold this morning, you know.”

  Nicholas paused and turned toward Nancy. “How kind of you to be concerned about my welfare. And, may I add, how surprising.” He opened the door and disappeared into the fog.

  It was only a few seconds later, just as Alexandra reached the bottom of the stairs with her bonnet in place that there was a knock at the door. When Nancy opened it, Constable Snow was standing in front of her. Nicholas stood some distance behind him, looking as if he had met the constable on his way out and had turned around to follow him back, perhaps unbeknownst to the constable. He wore a troubled look.

  “I must speak to Dr. Gladstone.” The constable’s voice was as cold as the morning.

  “I’m sorry, sir,” Nancy said. “Dr. Gladstone is just about to leave for—”

  “What is it?” Alexandra was afraid he had come to take her to someone who was ill.

  Snow’s eyes moved first to Nancy, and then back to Alexandra. “I must speak to you alone,” he said.

  Alexandra felt a sudden emptiness in her chest. She feared she knew why he had come. “Of course,” she said. “Nancy, please go on without me. I’ll be along in a moment.” She saw the uneasiness on Nancy’s face befor
e she turned away and walked out the door. Nicholas had advanced to the door by now. He stepped aside to allow Nancy to leave.

  Snow, who had finally noticed him, spoke to him. “If you will excuse us, please.” His voice was as grim as his expression.

  Nicholas straightened with as much dignity as his disheveled appearance would allow. “I am Dr. Gladstone’s solicitor. She has a right to have me present.” Alexandra knew he must have guessed the reason for Snow’s visit, just as she had.

  “You are a barrister, Forsythe,” Snow said in his icy voice.

  “I am both.”

  Snow glared at him a few seconds before he spoke again. “Perhaps it is best that you stay, after all.”

  “Please come into the parlor,” Alexandra said, leading the way. “I’m sorry I can’t offer you tea, but as you know, I was just about to leave.” Her heart was beating rapidly. If it wasn’t to take her to a patient that the constable had come, it must be about the autopsy.

  Snow seated himself on one of the sofas and leaned forward. “I had a most disturbing visit from Mr. Percy Gibbs recently.”

  When neither Alexandra nor Nicholas responded, Snow spoke again. His eyes were focused directly on Alexandra. “I suppose you know what he said and why it was so disturbing.”

  Alexandra could see that Nicholas was about to say something, but she outmaneuvered him. “Perhaps you should tell me what he said, Constable, and then perhaps I can diagnose why you are disturbed.” She saw a look of relief as well as a slight smile flash across Nicholas’ face.

  “Did you perform an autopsy on Admiral Robert Orkwright after I denied you permission?”

  Alexandra took a deep breath. “Ye—”

  “Don’t answer that!” Nicholas said.

  “But I—”

  “Don’t answer!” Nicholas said again.

  “I understand,” Snow said, “that you were not convinced the admiral’s death was an accident. Given that, I can see that you felt it was important to learn as much as you could about his death.”

  Alexandra remained silent, and Nicholas looked relieved, temporarily at least.

  “Why did you do it?”

  “Because Jane Orkwright asked me to,” Alexandra said, this time before Nicholas had a chance to stop her. There was only the slightest change in Snow’s expression—a minute rise of the eyebrows.

  “You must know she is not herself at a time like this,” he said at length. “And that is beside the point anyway. You acted without authority.”

  “My authority was the widow’s wishes.” Alexandra noted that Nicholas had gone quite pale. Was it the liquor or what she was telling Snow? She hoped he wasn’t going to be sick again.

  “Did she truly request it, or did you simply plant the idea in her mind?” Snow did not for one minute take his eyes from hers.

  Nicholas, who had never been seated, took a step toward Alexandra. “Dr. Gladstone, could I have a word with you, please. In private.”

  Alexandra ignored him and addressed her comments to Snow. “It would not be likely for her to have the idea on her own, sir, but after I explained certain things to her, she readily agreed that an examination should be done, and she requested that I do it. I told you that earlier when I came to you for permission.”

  “Which I refused.” Snow’s face flushed with emotion. “You broke into a private building in the dark of night. You acted without authority. You cannot deny that you have broken the law.”

  “I didn’t have to break in the building, sir. I simply walked in.”

  Nicholas edged closer. “Dr. Gladstone, I implore you. Don’t—”

  “And as for my acting without authority—”

  “Alexandra!” Nicholas sounded almost feverish and didn’t seem to notice he had used her first name.

  “I felt time was of the essence,” Alexandra continued, still addressing Snow. “I knew that the admiral’s body would be removed for burial this morning.”

  “You’ve gotten yourself into this situation because you still foolishly insist that his death came at the hand of another.” Snow looked as if he might explode with his anger.

  “I did at the time, sir.”

  His eyes widened. “At the time? Am I to assume you found nothing from the autopsy to support that theory?”

  “Dr. Gladstone!” Nicholas seemed about to explode himself. “I must warn you, don’t say—”

  “Your assumption would be correct,” she said.

  Something changed in Snow’s eyes. It was impossible to say what it was. He was silent for what seemed an eternity but could have been only a few seconds before he said, “May I see your notes, please?”

  Alexandra was puzzled. “I beg your pardon. I see no reason why I—”

  “I am an officer of the law. If there is even a suspicion of foul play, then I have a right, and I insist that I see your notes.”

  There was another pause, then, “Of course,” Alexandra said at length.

  “I implore you, Dr. Gladstone…” Nicholas said, but she was already on her way to her surgery.

  Snow had risen from his seat when she stood, and he started to follow her. Zack was directly behind her, however, and Snow stopped when the animal turned his head and emitted a sharp bark. Alexandra returned shortly and handed him several sheets of paper. Snow examined them carefully and handed them back to Alexandra. There was another long pause before he spoke again. “We must all hurry, lest we be late for the funeral.”

  In her peripheral vision Alexandra caught Nicholas’ sudden look of surprise. “Certainly,” she said to Snow.

  “Perhaps you’re right. Perhaps Mrs. Orkwright’s request places the situation in a new light.” Snow said. It was unlike him to give up his argument so easily. “And the fact that you went into the dwelling late at night to perform the autopsy is, perhaps understandable, although certainly in bad form, if not illegal. We can discuss this later. For the moment, however, you are fortunate that Mr. Gibbs’ concern was that you had desecrated the body and not the fact that you entered his property, locked or unlocked, without his invitation. Perhaps I will be able to make him understand the circumstances.” He had already started for the door.

  Alexandra and Nicholas exchanged a quick glance. “Of course,” she said to Snow’s back. She watched him leave before she turned to Nicholas. “He seemed relieved, didn’t he? That I didn’t find anything, I mean.”

  “Uncommonly relieved,” Nicholas said, “and, oddly, not anxious to arrest you for your decidedly illegal act of entering a house not your own without permission. What do you make of that?”

  “As I said, he was quite obviously relieved that I didn’t find anything, and he was willing to let my indiscretion pass in the hope that I will be grateful enough not to stir things up more.”

  “Precisely. You were quite lucky, Dr. Gladstone, but you were foolish to speak so openly. You could have incriminated yourself.”

  “The important thing is that I didn’t.” Alexandra took her cloak from the rack near the door.

  “We can’t be sure of that,” Nicholas said, helping her with her cloak. “And you must never contemplate discussing your actions without consulting me first.”

  “I’m afraid that would be rather inconvenient.” She opened the door. “I must hurry, Mr. Forsythe. You are quite welcome to stay here with Zack if you like.”

  Zack growled.

  “I shall see you at the funeral.” He followed her out and walked toward the inn while she took another direction toward the church.

  A large gathering of carriages was waiting outside the church when Alexandra arrived. The funeral coach, draped in black velvet, was among them. Six black plumes ruffled in the breeze atop the heads of the horses. They were attended by a groom, also dressed in black and with an old-fashioned weeper tied around his top hat, the length of the black cloth flowing down his back. Inside the church was more black, row after row of it, like a field of blighted wheat. Neither Jane Orkwright nor young Will were among the mourn
ers, since it was not customary for ladies of her class, nor their children, to attend the funeral.

  Alexandra slid into her pew next to Nancy, who gave her a worried look, then leaned toward her and whispered, “What did the constable want?” Alexandra responded only by a reassuring pat on her hand and turning her attention to the eulogy the vicar was reading, extolling the admiral’s distinguished career and faithful service to the queen, her Royal Navy, and to England.

  Admiral Orkwright was known to have family in the area. He had, in fact, grown up as the second son of some minor landed gentry in a neighboring parish, which accounted for his coming back to the general area to retire. It also accounted for what must have been a few male acquaintances occupying the front pews. The ladies in the family, if there were any, did not attend. They would be at Gull House comforting Jane.

  It was not until the service ended and the sealed casket had been removed from the church that Alexandra saw Nicholas. He had obviously slipped in late, and he had transformed himself into a properly dressed, if somewhat bruised and sallow-faced gentleman. He saw her as well and signaled to her. Alexandra tried to acknowledge his signal and move toward him, but Nancy distracted her.

  “You’ve got to tell me, Miss Alex, what did the constable want?” She spoke in an animated and nervous whisper.

  “To inform me that he knew about the autopsy I performed on the admiral.” Alexandra whispered her answer as she kept her eye on Nicholas.

  Nancy grabbed her arm and kept her from advancing toward him. The expression on her face was one of pure fear. “I knew he’d find out! And now ’tis the gallows for us!” she said aloud.

  “Not yet, Nancy. That’s one adventure we’ll have to postpone for a while.” Alexandra spoke in a low voice, nodding to others who greeted her.

  “I beg you, don’t toy with me, Miss Alex, not when I’m about to succumb to apoplexy.”

  “What is it about funerals that bring out the theatrics in you? Apoplexy would be a waste of your time, since I think the constable has lost interest in us. He seemed quite relieved when he realized that I’d learned nothing as a result of the autopsy.”