Murder at the Orpheus Theatre: A totally enthralling historical mystery (A Tate and Bell Mystery Book 4) by Irina Shapiro

Author:Irina Shapiro [Shapiro, Irina]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Storm Publishing
Published: 2025-02-25T00:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-THREE

It was a good while until intermission, so Sebastian knew Rose would be on her own in the cloakroom. He found her sitting on a three-legged stool. Her head drooped like a wilted flower. Her shoulders were slumped in a way that suggested she wasn’t comfortable, and her back was probably aching. Rose instantly tensed when she saw Sebastian, and sat up straight.

“Are you leaving, Inspector?” she asked. “Shall I unlock the door for you?”

“The doors are kept locked during a performance?” Sebastian asked.

Rose nodded. “There’ve been some thefts from the cloakroom in the past, so the doors are locked once the performance starts in order to prevent someone from wandering in off the street.”

The cloakroom was close enough to the main entrance to be easily accessible should someone decide to help themselves. Even if Rose were there when that happened, she could hardly be expected to deter someone bent on theft.

“I’d like to ask you a few questions, if you don’t mind,” Sebastian said.

“Of course. Anything I can do to help.”

Rose perked up, and Sebastian thought that she was probably very lonely and scared. She was no older than sixteen and had her brother to look after. What would happen to them if Mr. Bonneville dismissed them or if she needed to find other employment? Rose’s infirmity would prevent her from finding a position as a domestic servant. No housekeeper would employ a girl who had difficulty walking, since it would interfere with her duties. If she was handy with a needle, she might find a place in some backroom workshop or failing that, get a job in a seedy tavern, where she’d mop up sick and take out piss buckets. The better places wanted able-bodied, alluring barmaids who appealed to the patrons.

And what would become of Sid? He’d probably find some menial job or take the Queen’s shilling and join the army, but, even if he survived whatever conflict he engaged in, he’d be on his own as soon as he left the army, since military service did not provide a pension for those who’d been discharged. Perhaps if Sid really was serious about joining the police service, Sebastian could have a word with Ransome once the dust of the transition had settled. Sid was too young now, but in a year or two they could surely find something for him to do. He could run errands and deliver messages, and once he was of age he could become a proper constable.

Tearing his thoughts from the children’s prospects, Sebastian asked, “What did you think of Esme and Christopher?”

“They were nice enough, I suppose, but it’s not like we were friendly.”

“Were they having a relationship, do you think?”

Rose nodded. “They didn’t want anyone to know, but it was obvious, at least to me.”

“Obvious how?”

“They tried too hard to avoid each when they were around the others, to make sure they didn’t suspect.”

“What about Ishmael Cabot? Was Esme involved with him as well?”

“Esme didn’t trust him,” Rose said.

“Why not?”

“Because he’s a liar and a thief.

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