Paul Park - Roumania 01 by A Princess of Roumania

Author:A Princess of Roumania [Roumania, A Princess of]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2012-05-29T18:54:55+00:00

The baroness shrugged. “That was it. I had a book that belonged to her. The rest, it was an accident.”

Luckacz stared at her, his head cocked to one side. Doubtless he expected more from her. After a moment he went on: “That’s what the soldier told us. I’m sorry to ask. But your overcoat was found in the cottage that burned. After Miss Schenck’s death, it was turned in to the police. I would have thought you left it there that night, except for the tickets.”

Now came the moment for the baroness’s performance to begin. First she was stupid: “My overcoat was found… ?” She put her hand to her mouth, and allowed a procession of emotions to pass over her face.

“Yes. Not far from the shrine of Venus where Miss Schenck was killed.”

“Oh, no.” There was a wing-backed chair next to the piano, and she allowed herself to sit in it. Nothing exaggerated—she was not overcome with horror or fear. She sat primly on the edge of the seat. She was concerned, that’s all.

And her mind was racing forward, or so it appeared.

“Someone must have put it there.”

“Yes, ma’am. You understand you have some ene-

“I was at the empress’s reception last night. Many can vouch for that.”

“That’s what I meant. But the conductor claimed to have seen you on the train yesterday evening. Wearing this overcoat.”

Puzzled, she knotted her brows. “Someone dressed like me!”

“That is our theory, ma’am. Someone who knows you and Miss Schenck had a discussion. Witnesses saw a man walking away from Miss Schenck’s house, shortly after she was killed. A soldier in a pilgrim’s cape. There were different reports, but it is possible to think he could impersonate you on the train.”

The baroness pursed her lips. She was puzzling it out. “I don’t understand.

The coat was found …”

“Not at the shrine. One of our witnesses took it from the burned house. She brought it to us after Miss Schenck was discovered.”

“I don’t understand. If the idea was to involve me, why not leave it… ?”

“Perhaps he thought it was too obvious, ma’am. Perhaps he wanted to suggest that it was you who were disguised like the pilgrim. If so, you would not have left your overcoat at the scene.”

“But this is terrible!”

“Yes, ma’am. It is lucky you spent the evening in such a public place.”

“I can’t believe it. I decided to go to the reception at the last minute. My idea was to stay home.”

“Perhaps you can think who might have been aware of that.”

The baroness’s drawing room was decorated with pink wallpaper with a recurring pattern of gold birds. There was a clock on the mantelpiece, and she listened to the tick, tick. She decided she’d say nothing until the nnliceman snoke aeain.

“You must understand. Your husband’s death was a great loss. We were grateful not only because of von Schenck’s plot. When the baron was in government, he brought a sense of honor and honesty that is lacking now. I resigned after his death, as did others.

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