Death of a Matriarch (Riley Rochester Investigates Book 7) by Soliman Wendy

Author:Soliman, Wendy [Soliman, Wendy]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Publisher: UNKNOWN
Published: 2019-11-11T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

Riley was about to leave for the Yard the following morning when Stout appeared, dressed very flamboyantly in a spotted cravat and light linen suit. His hair, usually meticulously styled, flopped across his eyes, adding to his theatrical air.

‘Well, Stout,’ Riley said amused, standing back to examine his man, astonished by the transformation. ‘You appear to have fallen straight into character.’

‘I do my humble best, my lord.’

‘So what were your initial impressions of the Audition Club?’ Riley asked, adjusting his tie before slipping his arms into his coat.

‘Shabby and underfunded, but artfully made to seem as though the air of neglect is deliberate,’ Stout replied. ‘There is a decided lack of financial input. Axton does a good job of playing the genial host and the supper parties go on late into the night, after the theatres close. The ladies all seem besotted with Axton and he exploits their interest in him to the maximum.’

‘Miss Sutherland included?’

‘Especially Miss Sutherland, but I will get to her in a moment. Mrs Axton doesn’t like the fact that her husband is obliged to trade on his looks in order to attract custom.’ Stout’s expression clouded over. ‘I should mention that some of the theatrical gentlemen are not immune to his charm either.’

Riley flexed a brow. ‘You think he returns their interest?’

‘Impossible to say, my lord, but he certainly doesn’t discourage it. However, regarding Mrs Axton, I didn’t have much time to develop an opinion about her. She appeared fleetingly, then took herself off, presumably back to Lady Pemberton’s abode. I overheard her husband reminding her to ensure that her sisters didn’t profit at her expense.’

‘Meaning, I suppose, that there are small valuables other than the jewels that the ladies will come to blows over.’ Riley sighed at the nature of human greed. He saw enough of it in his line of work and wondered at its power still to surprise him. ‘What else struck you about Miss Sutherland?’

‘Now there’s a fine piece of work,’ Stout replied, twitching his lips in disdain. ‘She has Clifford Kinsley and just about every man in that establishment dancing to her tune. But she latched onto me the moment I made it clear that I was looking to invest in the theatre.’

Stout paused and Riley left him to his cogitations, aware that his man would present facts and educated opinions without allowing prejudices to cloud his judgement.

‘I can’t prove it yet,’ Stout continued, ‘but I would wager there’s something going on between Axton and the young lady.’

‘My thoughts exactly,’ Riley replied.

‘He plays up to the other ladies but seems impervious to their interest in him. Yet he watches Miss Sutherland with what I can only describe as obsessive hunger. I have seen that possessiveness on the faces of any number of besotted men over the years, which does not bode well for Axton’s relationship with his wife or her nephew. How Clifford has not noticed his uncle’s interest in the girl I couldn’t say. I do know that

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