The Uninvited Countess by Michael Kilian

Author:Michael Kilian
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: MysteriousPress.com/Open Road

CHAPTER 15

There were two surprises waiting for him upon arriving at his gallery the following morning. One was an envelope, left by messenger, containing a letter from the General that wished Bedford well in his enterprise and a check for five hundred dollars.

The other surprise came a few minutes later, when the primly dressed woman from the previous day’s funeral came walking through the door and right up to Bedford, who was sitting at his desk.

She wore a pale blue, long-sleeved dress with a longish skirt and white collar and facings. Her hat, gloves, and shoes were white as well. She was delicately featured and had a sweetness about her that put him in mind of Mary Pickford. Her hair was a light brown in color that in the sunlight looked blond.

“You’re Bedford Green,” she said. “You were at the funeral yesterday, but you did not wait to talk to us.”

“That’s true. My apologies for our abrupt departure but we seemed to be disturbing Mr. Howard. I’m afraid I do not know your name.”

“I am Alice Paul, and I am by way of being Howard’s sister-in-law.”

Bedford responded blankly to this, then said very formally: “How may I be of assistance to you?”

Sloane had poked her head from the alcove, surveying the visitor as she might a painting offered for sale—one she was unsure of buying.

“I’m not familiar with the neighborhood,” said the woman, eyeing Sloane warily. “Is there a place where we might have coffee and talk?”

He chose an inexpensive restaurant over on Sixth Avenue which was open in the morning but did most of its business later in the day. Mrs. Paul said little during their walk, except to comment on the strangeness of the street life they passed. She said she was new to the city, and had never been in this district before.

“I’m from Ohio,” she said. “We’re all from Ohio originally.”

“But not the deceased?”

“Oh no. She’s Hungarian.”

“There are no Hungarians in Ohio?”

“None like her.” She smiled demurely.

She ordered a piece of cherry pie with her coffee. Bedford, feeling celebratory because of Sloane’s picture sales, had a dish of ice cream with his.

“Margaret was my sister-in-law,” she said. “I’m married to Howard’s brother Robert.”

Bedford nodded. “So you explained.”

“Mr. Horvath said you were working for the Vanderbilts.”

“How would he know that?” Bedford, of course, knew very well how Horvath might know that.

“I’ve no idea. It’s what he said. Something about helping the Vanderbilts learn something about Margaret’s death.”

“Let’s just say I’m interested in the matter.”

“Well, I’d like to help. So would Robert.”

“You and the countess—Mrs. Howard—were close.”

“I didn’t know her very well, actually. Sometimes she was very nice, very friendly. Sometimes she was difficult.”

“How so?”

“Sometimes she would call when Howard was visiting us and ask him for money. She’d scream and wail sometimes. And curse. I assume they were curses. They were in Hungarian. But they sounded like curses.”

“You don’t seem the kind of lady who would have heard many.”

“Howard curses, but I suppose he’s had reason.”

Bedford finished his ice cream.

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