Death Comes But Twice: Has a killer escaped the hangman's noose? (Carlyle & West Victorian Mysteries Book 2) by David Field

Author:David Field [Field, David]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sapere Books
Published: 2020-08-21T04:00:00+00:00

After Matthew had left, Carlyle insisted on making more tea, then invited Adelaide to leave off sweeping the mortuary floor and sit and talk to him.

‘First of all,’ he said, ‘do you wish me to enquire at the Workhouse about this Mary Byfield? I know that they’ll give me access to their records if I ask nicely, but do you really want the information that I may unearth?’

‘Yes, of course,’ Adelaide insisted. ‘Why would I not?’

‘Because it may cause Matthew even more distress, for two reasons. First of all, for the possible implications for his brother’s feelings for her step-sister. Then regarding the extent to which he’s been taken in by this Miller woman. I was thinking deeply while Inspector Jennings was telling us her life history and a horrible thought struck me.’

‘That she had some exposure to pharmacy, you mean?’ Adelaide asked with a knowing smile.

Carlyle chuckled. ‘I’ve trained you too well, obviously. You made the same connection that I did.’

‘Clearly Skelton — or “Skuja” — was poisoned by someone who had access to a foxglove extract and who knew its properties when converted into digitalis,’ Adelaide said. ‘While it’s medically prescribed for those with a heart condition, it can be fatal if administered to those who don’t need it and no doubt all bottles containing it are clearly labelled to that effect. Also, those giving it out over the counter in a chemist’s shop would be trained to warn the patient of the dangers of overdosing, so Mary Miller would have every reason in the world for knowing how to bump someone off with it, perhaps by slipping it into their tea. Then compare her with Jennings’s preferred suspect, a jailer called Tasker and which of them is the more likely to have poisoned Skelton with digitalis?’

‘But you didn’t warn Matthew against taking tea with Mary Miller — why not?’ Carlyle asked.

‘If she meant to kill him, she’s had every opportunity already, particularly when he unwisely accepted her invitation to visit her house. What could be more innocent than to offer him tea? But she didn’t poison him, so I can only assume that she has some other purpose for him. One thing I seem to recall is that she persuaded him to cease attending hangings at Newgate, not that he seemed to require much persuasion on that score.’

‘Perhaps you were right when you alleged that she simply wants to seduce him,’ Carlyle suggested.

‘Dear God, I hope not. He’s only a naive young man and I imagine that he’s never known a woman. She’s very attractive.’

‘That’s something else I wanted to talk with you about,’ Carlyle told her. ‘I’ve obviously seen you grow from a baby to the delightful young woman that you’ve become and I think I know you as well as anyone can claim to. Do I detect that you’re beginning to warm towards Matthew?’

Adelaide blushed and looked down at the floor. ‘I don’t really know how I feel about him, Father. I just know that I’m happier when he’s around and I feel safer.

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