Page 22 of Deadly Murder (Angus Brodie and Mikaela Forsythe Murder Mystery #14)

Fourteen

After accompanying Lily back to Sussex Square, we returned to the office on The Strand so that I could add the notes about what Lily and I had discovered to those we already had. And I was most anxious to hear what Brodie had learned from his conversation with His Highness.

“He was reluctant to tell me anythin’ at first,” Brodie explained as he loosened his tie, then leaned his head against the chair back.

I poured us each a dram of my great aunt’s very fine whisky. Perfect on an evening after take-away supper from the Public House, the cold that had set in with the weather, and a fire in the coal stove.

“I can imagine how you were able to persuade him.” I handed him a glass. There was a faint smile in one corner of his mouth.

“I mentioned that unusual title that her ladyship recalled from his university days.”

“The Four Horsemen.”

He nodded. “And explained that ye had discovered that all mention of it appeared to have been removed from the newspaper archives. I then explained that there might verra well be a connection to the notes that have been left on the bodies of the two young men. And that last note that may indicate that the murderer is not finished.”

Most interesting. “What was his response?”

“He didna deny that unusual title.”

“And the note with that quote from the Bible?” I inquired.

“ Sins of the fathers .” He took a sip of whisky.

“It seems there was a particular incident their second year at university that could have meant a serious difficulty for the young prince and his companions.”

That did seem to match what my great aunt remembered from about that same time.

“Prince Albert had gone to Cambridge,” I recalled what was well known. “And Prince Edward left shortly after and took up a commission in the army. Perhaps to avoid a scandal?” I suggested.

“So it would seem,” Brodie replied.

“And the others who were known as the Four Horsemen?” That dark gaze met mine.

“Lord Salisbery and Sir Huntingdon are two of them.”

“Who was the fourth member of their private little club?”

“Sir Alfred Walsingham.”

Though I was not personally acquainted with him, I still recognized the name. Sir Alfred was a prominent barrister and judge in the royal courts.

“It seems that his son died in a riding accident six months ago in St. James’s Park.”

That took me a moment. Four young men who became known as the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse during their time at university. And now, over thirty years later, the sons of three of them were dead?

My thoughts raced.

I did not keep up with the death notices in the newspapers, something I found to be morbid and quite boring. However, what Brodie had learned made sense about that note— “And then there was one. ”

What reason were three young men now dead? I returned to the chalkboard.

“The Four Horsemen”

Did the deaths of three young men have something to do with the reason His Highness was abruptly removed from university years before, and then promptly entered the army and was sent to a distant post?

I stared at the chalkboard.

“The sins of the fathers…” I repeated what had been found in that first note that was discovered. “What sins?”

“I did inquire about that, as well,” Brodie commented. “It seems there was a particular incident that occurred and became known to the university. Not the usual sort of college pranks.”

“What sort of incident?”

“According to His Highness, he and his companions were celebrating end of term with others at a local inn near the university. There was a great deal of drink and gambling through the night, as might be expected.”

The usual sort that young men engaged in, according to my great aunt and other stories I had heard before. Yet, what did that have to do with what was happening now? Excesses like the rumored activities at private gentlemen clubs? What motive was that for murder?

Brodie emptied his glass. “His Highness was adamant that he doesna know anything more, but there is worry now for his own son.”

Arrangements had been made to send the Duke of York and his wife from London for his protection, particularly after the death of his older brother the year before from influenza, as he would one day succeed Prince Edward as regent.

“The sins of the fathers . ”

“Might there be something to be learned at the college they attended?” I commented. “It might be worth a trip there. I would need to find out who Aunt Antonia knows who might be able to provide information in that regard. I’ll inquire in the morning.

“And perhaps there might be something to be learned in speaking with Sir Walsingham,” I added regarding that fourth member of that elite, if notorious, young men’s club.

“Aye, that could be useful.”

We returned to the townhouse even though it was late in the evening.

As Brodie pointed out, after crawling through the hedgerow with Lily, I was in much need of a bath.

The shower compartment that I’d had installed was one of those modern inventions that I thoroughly enjoyed. And it did have other…interesting aspects.

Brodie departed for the office early the next morning. He wanted to learn if the police had made any progress in their investigation into what were now two recent murders, while I wanted to speak with my great aunt.

“Yes, dear, I do know Sir Walsingham, through his wife, of course. Terrible tragedy the accident their son was involved in several months back. She is quite a lovely person, and he was such a bright young man. It must have been devastating for them both.

“The official mourning period is over, and she may be willing to speak with you,” she added. “I will put out a telephone call to her. I presume this has something to do with your present inquiry case?”

Very sly the way she worked in a question about our case.

I did not go into details about what we had learned, even though she had been present that night at Marlborough House when it appeared that Sir Huntingdon’s son was tragically murdered.

Nor did I explain my adventures through the hedgerow with Lily.

Instead, I hoped that she might know someone associated with Trinity College who could tell us more about that incident that had happened over thirty years before.

“I shall expect you then,” she said after inviting me to join her at Sussex Square.

I called for a cab and quickly dressed.

“Sir Laughton might be able to assist you there,” she replied as I inquired about His Highness’s time at Cambridge over late morning coffee and biscuits.

“He attended law school at Cambridge. That might have been about the same time as the Prince of Wales, as they are very near the same age.”

“Lily was quite excited when she returned yesterday, although she wouldn’t reveal what she had been about with you,” she commented. “I daresay her clothes were in quite a disarray and badly stained.”

She let that dangle, and then, when I did not comment, “Oh, very well, it is obvious that you cannot share matters regarding the situation the other evening at Marlborough House.

And the dailies have apparently been ‘requested’ to print nothing about it other than the brief mention of an ‘accident.’

“Accident, my foot!” she exclaimed. Then, when I offered no comment, “Very well, since you will not discuss the matter, I will have to learn the details elsewhere.”

Which of course, would be the latest gossip among her “ladies,” those distinguished members of her card group, some of whom no doubt had attended as well.

It would have been far simpler if they gathered for a few games of whist, or a seance with Madame Sybille.

Not one to throw cold water on the woman’s talent, she had provided some very interesting information in other situations. Still, Brodie was not inclined to put much weight in her abilities.

“And always for a sizeable fee from her ladyship,” he had commented in the past. “Ye surprise me that ye would even consider the woman’s advice.”

I did not admit that I had reluctantly participated in one of my great aunt’s gatherings, as she called them.

During that session, Madame had proceeded to read my cards and had predicted new adventures that I would be taking along with a dark-eyed stranger. This was just after my return from the Greek Islands where Brodie had retrieved me from certain ruin and scandal.

It did seem as if Madame had some insight into certain things.

I could only hope that whatever my great aunt was able to learn from her “source,” as she referred to Madame, that she would not then take herself off on her own inquiries as she had once declared. I remembered the conversation quite well.

“We could start our own investigations. It could be quite exciting! I would imagine that it could reveal just who is sleeping with whom among the ton. And then there is always a murder or two thrown into the mix.”

As I was saying…I knew Sir Laughton, my aunt’s lawyer, quite well and telephoned his office from Sussex Square. He was not due in court and agreed to meet with me at his office near the Crown Courts.

“Mr. Hastings is available to take you to his office,” Aunt Antonia insisted. “The weather seems to have taken a nasty turn this morning,”

Not that I was fooled. She could be quite clever, and no doubt hoped to learn something from her coachman when he returned.

“There are all sorts of persons around the courts. It might be best if I accompany ye,” Munro commented when he arrived to announce that Mr. Hastings had arrived at the porte cochère at the entrance to the manor.

I suppose that I should have been surprised to find Lily in the coach. I was not.

“I can make notes for ye,” she informed me.

It did seem as if she had overheard my conversation with Aunt Antonia.

It was a paltry excuse at best as I was quite capable of making my own notes. Yet, Brodie’s earlier comment was there—that I could support her participation or attempt to thwart it, in which case she would go about it in her own way.