Page 95 of A Whisper at Midnight

“I hope you slept well,” she said. “We must prepare ourselves for a difficult assignment this morning with the Pollards.”

“How so?” Hadrian asked as the coach moved toward their destination on Oxford Street. It seemed she preferred to avoid discussing yesterday’s flirtation. Which was fine. It was better that they focus on the investigation.

“My goal is to discover why Joanna visited Martha,” Tilda said. “However, we can’t explain how we know that she did. She was veiled, after all. It’s not likely that someone would have recognized her or even been able to describe her.”

“You’ve an idea to provoke her to confess?”

Tilda lifted a shoulder. “I have some thoughts. I do think we must divide and conquer with Mr. and Mrs. Pollard, and our stated purpose ought to be shopping.”

“Shopping?”

“I will begin with Mrs. Pollard by asking her for a gown.”

Hadrian’s admiration for Tilda’s intellect somehow grew. It had already been quite high. “That’s brilliant. You’ll have her talking about something she loves. She’ll relax, and who knows what she will reveal.”

“Exactly,” Tilda replied with a nod. “Can you do the same with Pollard?”

“I will endeavor, though I am not sure what he is passionate about. The store, I suppose?”

“He also seems to like his club,” Tilda noted.

“True. I’ll do my best to befriend him. Or appear to, anyway.” Hadrian still hadn’t warmed to the man, though their interactions had been limited.

After a few minutes of silence, Tilda asked, “Have you been worried about Beryl?”

Hadrian had wondered how she’d spent her night incarcerated. “I hope it wasn’t too uncomfortable. I actually found myself wondering what will happen to her when this is over—ifshe is innocent.”

“It seems her family won’t help her. She may need to marry again.” Tilda wrinkled her nose. “It’s a shame she’d have to relinquish her independence as a widow.”

Hadrian smiled. “I imagine that independence would appeal to you.”

“Indeed it would, though the ‘becoming a widow’ aspect does not.”

“Because that would mean losing your spouse?”

She inclined her head. “As well as taking one to begin with.”

Yes, she was staunchly against marriage. Another reason, perhaps the primary one, he needed to not think of kissing her. It was one thing for a widow to carry on with a gentleman but quite another for an unmarried woman, even someone who considered herself a spinster.

“Is there no circumstance in which you would marry?” he found himself asking. “Not even love?”

“Not even love,” she said, her gaze moving toward the window. “We have arrived.”

The coach slowed and came to a stop. And that was the end of their intriguing conversation.

They departed the coach, and Tilda took his proffered arm. It was a short walk to the door of the shop. She took her hand from Hadrian’s sleeve as he knocked.

A moment later, Pollard answered, his brows immediately pitching into a V. “Why have you come again? The murder is solved. Mrs. Chambers has been arrested.”

“She has indeed,” Tilda said. “We have come on another matter. I am in need of a gown, and I was hoping Mrs. Pollard might help me.”

“I decided to accompany Miss Wren,” Hadrian said with a smile, warming to his new role. “I couldn’t help noticing the men’s gloves that were stacked on a case during our last visit.”

Pollard appeared nonplussed. “But we aren’t open for business.”

“As I understand it, you should be,” Hadrian replied. “If you would prefer we went elsewhere, perhaps you can recommend an alternative.”

“No, no, come in.” Pollard opened the door more widely.