A Cunning Death Read online

  “Well,” I finally said, interrupting his thoughts. “What do you think I should do about the murder the sender mentioned?”

  His mouth twisted to the side, the mustache twisting with it. “Nothing,” he said firmly.

  “Nothing?” I asked. “We have been warned about a possible murder and you want to do nothing about it?”

  He shook his head. “I want you to do nothing about it. I want to investigate the sender of this message and see what information can be found.”

  “We have no clues with which to begin a search,” I said. “We have no reason to believe any information can be found. Am I really supposed to sit by while an innocent person is murdered?”

  “First, I have ways of finding things out,” Achilles said, winking at me. “It is my job to solve the impossible. Second, we do not know the intended victim is innocent. You make too many assumptions, Mademoiselle, and I worry they will put you in danger.”

  “My life is not the one that was threatened,” I reminded him. I did not like feeling as though I needed protecting. I’d found my way out of more than my fair share of life or death scrapes. Though, now that I was thinking about it, Achilles had helped me escape the first scrape and my cousin Edward had helped me escape the second. I shook my head, pushing the thought aside so I could focus on the matter at hand.

  “This message could be a prank. If it is, there is no need to worry yourself about it or alarm the public. If it is not a prank, however,” Achilles said, holding one finger in the air, “Then the person who sent you the package is obviously a criminal or has criminal ties. I know of no other way in which someone can be aware of an impending murder. In which case, accepting the challenge will only put you in danger.”

  “So, whether the person is a criminal or not, you do not want me to involve myself?” I asked for clarification.

  “It is dangerous, Rose. I know you have had brushes with danger and murderers in the past and come away unharmed, but at some point, your luck will run out. And I, for one, do not wish to see any harm befall you.”

  I took a sip of my tea and returned the cup to the saucer. “Are you saying you are fond of me, Monsieur Prideaux?” I asked, raising an eyebrow and looking up at him.

  Achilles looked suddenly nervous. He fidgeted in his seat, shifting from side to side, and then ran a finger along the length of his mustache. “It is my job to solve crimes. Should you die, I would no doubt be called upon to find your killer, and I have enough work to keep me busy as it is.”

  I grabbed my cream sweater from the back of the chair and slipped it on over my mauve buttoned blouse. “If I do find myself murdered, I’ll do my best to schedule it for when your calendar isn’t so full,” I teased.

  Achilles stood up and walked me towards his front door. “I certainly appreciate that, Mademoiselle Rose. Though, you should know that finding your murderer would be my top priority regardless of my schedule.”

  I was already on the steps, but I turned back to see him smiling at me. I wondered for the briefest of seconds whether this hadn’t been the detective’s attempt at flirting, but then he quickly warned me not to do anything with the information in the letter and slammed the door, killing the thought.

  3

  When I’d moved out of Lord and Lady Ashton’s home the week before, I wondered whether they would truly miss me as much as they claimed they would. I’d only lived with them a few weeks before finding my own place, and before that, I hadn’t seen them for over ten years. We weren’t a normal family, and somewhere in the back of my mind, I assumed we would drift apart. Those fears were quelled, though, by Lady Ashton’s constant dinner invitations. In the seven days I’d been gone, she’d invited me every single night.

  “She is a young woman with her own home,” Lord Ashton had said the third time I accepted Lady Ashton’s dinner invitation. “Certainly Rose has better ways she’d enjoy spending her time.”

  “Rose likes seeing us,” Alice argued, taking her father’s word as a personal affront.

  “Of course, I do.” I smiled at my youngest cousin.

  Alice was fifteen, eight years younger than me, but she and I were by far the closest of all of my cousins. Catherine and I had made moves towards being friendlier, but we were still a long way from being anywhere close to friends. And Edward, the eldest, had proven the most difficult Beckingham to form a connection with. Even after the events of the preceding weeks when he had saved me from being shot and killed by the murderer of Frederick Grossmith, Edward seemed distant. I’d always heard that the strongest friendships were forged in fire, but apparently gunfire was immune.

  “And I really appreciate the delicious dinners,” I continued. “They are much more lavish than I could ever cook for myself.”

  “Rose, dear,” Lady Ashton said, placing a hand on her chest. “You must hire yourself a cook.”

  “I’m still working on filling out my home’s staff,” I said, deciding not to tell Lady Ashton I wasn’t certain I could afford a cook. I had Rose’s inheritance, but until I found a husband, I could only receive it in monthly payments. The stipulation in my father’s will felt beyond antiquated, but there was nothing I could do about it except make the best of the situation.

  “Good for you for taking your time,” Lord Ashton said. “It is important to be able to trust those who help run your household.”

  I sensed a bit of a warning in my uncle’s words. He and Lady Ashton were less than thrilled when I decided to hire George as my driver only a few hours after they fired him. It was true I had briefly thought George might be Frederick Grossmith’s murderer, but I had realized my mistake and had no further reason to doubt his loyalty. My aunt and uncle, however, did not appreciate the discovery that George had lied to them about his criminal past. His misdeeds were minor and nowhere close to murder, but they still dismissed him, and I decided his ability to keep a secret made him an asset to me.

  “Yes, absolutely, Uncle,” I said, smiling.

  After my sleepless night and my meeting with Achilles Prideaux, I had wanted nothing more than to go home and enjoy the solitude of my own house. However, Lady Ashton sent a servant to deliver an invitation to dinner. She expressed several times in the short letter that she had something of the highest importance to discuss with me. So, when I sat down at the dinner table with my family, I expected the discussion to revolve around my inheritance or a death in the family. I was bracing myself for an upheaval of some kind, news that would throw my life out of orbit.

  “Rose,” Lady Ashton began, adjusting a lace napkin in her lap and smiling across the table at me, her lips pursed. “We would all love nothing more than for you to join us this weekend at our family’s country estate.”

  I blinked several times and glanced around the table. Everyone, save Edward and Lord Ashton, was looking at me with wide smiles stretched across their faces. Alice seemed close to bouncing right out of her seat with excitement.

  Was this the important topic my aunt had wanted to discuss? Surely not. A weekend getaway wasn’t something that had to be discussed over dinner. Lady Ashton could have simply telephoned me or written the request in her invitation.

  “Well,” I began, trying to work out how to excuse myself from going without seeming rude. “Things at my house are still in a bit of disarray. It would be pretty difficult to leave so soon after moving in.”

  Lady Ashton’s smile fell. She stared at me in thinly veiled horror, as if I’d just announced to everyone that I enjoyed killing stray cats.

  “You aren’t going to come with us?” Alice asked, eyes wide and glassy. Was she about to cry?

  “I’m just not sure if it would be a good idea right now,” I said.

  Lady Ashton cleared her throat and straightened up in her seat. “I’m sure we can all understand your predicament,” she said in a way that was not at all understanding.

  I nodded and started in on the first course, trying to ignore the heavy silence surrounding me. I kept waiting for Lady Ashton t
o move on to the very important topic she had mentioned in her letter, but she didn’t seem in any sort of hurry to begin a new conversation, and I had to wonder whether the weekend trip to the family estate hadn’t been the urgent matter she needed to discuss with me. Finally, when the silence became too much to bear, I laid my silverware down on the table and cleared my throat, drawing my aunt’s reluctant attention.

  “Is there anything else you needed to discuss with me, Aunt?” I asked as delicately as I could.

  She looked confused and then shook her head. “No, I do not believe so.”

  “Oh.” So, the weekend getaway had been the important matter at hand. That would be good to know for future. The Beckinghams took their holiday plans very seriously. On any other weekend, I would have accepted the offer. After receiving the mysterious letter that morning, however, I felt like my attention was being pulled towards that. Achilles Prideaux had told me not to get involved, but how could I not? The author of the letter claimed to have information about Jimmy, and since they seemed to know all of my secrets, I had no reason to doubt them. In truth, it would be nice to have my family out of the city for the weekend, so I could focus on the puzzle without being distracted.

  “Rose!” Alice practically shouted, dropping her napkin in her lap.

  “Alice,” Lord Ashton warned, his voice deep and booming. “There is no need for such hysterics.”

  It was astounding to me that Lord Ashton was Alice’s father, yet could still be surprised by her frequent and passionate outbursts.

  Alice continued without hesitation. “You have to come with us this weekend. I will be bored silly in the country without you there to keep me company.”

  “Rose cannot help it if she is busy,” Catherine said, patting the back of her younger sister’s hand and smiling an apology at me. “She can come to Somerset with us next time.”

  Suddenly, my interest was piqued. “Somerset?”

  Catherine and Alice both nodded at once.

  “The family estate is in Somerset?” I asked, hoping for more of an answer this time.

  “Didn’t you know that?” Lady Ashton asked. “I thought you and your parents had been to the estate before.”

  I’d become so comfortable with the Beckinghams that occasionally I forgot I was only impersonating their niece. The real Rose Beckingham had an entire life with these people before I knew her. She had probably spent countless weekends at the family estate with her own parents, romping around the countryside with her cousins.

  “Of course, I have been,” I said, shaking my head and smiling. “I just forgot it was in Somerset.”

  “It’s beautiful up there,” Alice said, still trying to sell me on the family trip.

  “I thought you just said you’d be bored silly there without Rose,” Edward said, speaking up for the first time since I’d arrived.

  Alice shot him a dirty look. “Just because I find the country boring doesn’t mean it isn’t beautiful.”

  Edward said something sly back to his sister, but I didn’t hear it. My mind was busy mentally rereading the mysterious letter from that morning. The author had warned me that a murder would occur this weekend in Somerset. Could it be a coincidence? I didn’t know my family was heading to the countryside until this very minute, but could the author have somehow known in advance?

  The chess piece stuck out in my mind. I hadn’t paid much attention to it when I’d first opened the box, but now I wondered whether it wasn’t a hint at the type of game the mysterious writer liked to play. The writer was a chess master with a view of the entire gameboard, whereas I only had a single, spent pawn. If I wanted any chance at learning the Chess Master’s identity, I needed to sneak a peek at the board. And I had a suspicion that could only happen in Somerset.

  “Don’t listen to him, Rose,” Alice said, waving away whatever Edward had just said. “Like I said, with the right company, the family estate can be a wonderful time.”

  Catherine nodded her head. “I have to agree. The company is everything.”

  Edward rolled his eyes at both of his sisters and returned his attention to his plate, mumbling something about the countryside feeling crowded.

  Could these people, who I had mostly come to love and cherish, be in danger? Was the Chess Master, as I had begun to think of him, threatening my family with his ominous note? By the way Lady Ashton had treated the subject with such reverence, I knew there was no hope of convincing them to stay in London for the weekend. And I couldn’t show them the letter without opening the lid on a lot of issues I would rather keep to myself. So, if my family would be going to the Somerset countryside completely unaware of the possible dangers that awaited them, it was my responsibility to tag along and try to keep them safe. Achilles Prideaux had warned me not to get involved, but it seemed as if the Chess Master was making that impossible.

  “You’ve all convinced me,” I said suddenly, causing all other table conversation to cease.

  Lady Ashton gasped. Alice once again began to bounce up and down with excitement. Catherine smiled. Even Lord Ashton winked at me across the long table. Edward seemed to be the only person who offered up no reaction, aside from a scowl and violently stabbing his fork into the meat on his plate.

  I knew I couldn’t let the Beckinghams stumble into a dangerous situation without trying to assist them. But as much as I wanted to pretend my motives were pure, I also knew I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to receive information about my brother Jimmy. Based on what the Chess Master had written in his note, a murder would occur in Somerset whether I was in attendance or not, so it figured I should go and give myself a chance at solving the crime

  Lady Ashton clapped her hands, redirecting my attention. “This weekend is going to be so much fun.”

  4

  Although Aseem had found the mysterious box outside of my house, I hadn’t revealed the contents to him or explained why I’d rushed to meet with Achilles Prideaux right after opening it. But still, I got the impression he sensed something was slightly amiss about my weekend plans with the Beckinghams.

  “Are you certain you ought to travel this weekend?” he asked for the third time as he placed my luggage out on the sidewalk for George to load into the car.

  “It will only be for a couple of days, Aseem,” I said, trying to reassure him.

  The young boy nodded. “I could come and assist you with anything you might need while you are there.”

  “You would be much more useful to me here,” I said. “There is so much unpacking still left to do. And I would enjoy my time away more knowing my home will be in capable hands.”

  George coughed behind me, and I turned to smile at him. “In two sets of capable hands,” I amended.

  Though George was obviously grateful to me for hiring him after the Beckinghams let him go, he didn’t take particularly kindly to being made equals with a twelve-year-old. I knew he would see how mature Aseem was over time, but until then, he would need reassurance.

  Aseem waved reluctantly from the corner as George maneuvered the car into the traffic and headed for the train station. He dropped me off at the end of the block at my urging.

  “I can take you to the front entrance,” George said.

  “No, it’s fine, George. I don’t want you to have to face the entire Beckingham family so soon after your dismissal.”

  He laughed. “I can assure you it will not bother me in the slightest. Their opinion of me is no longer important. The only thing that matters is that I am a quality driver to you, and I would not be a quality driver if I didn’t deliver you directly to your destination.”

  “I appreciate your loyalty, but you would not be a quality driver if you disregarded my wishes. Lord and Lady Ashton didn’t want me to hire you, so I do not wish to flaunt my decision to do so. Dropping me at the end of the block is as much for my sake as it is yours.”

  In the end, George relented, and I carried my own luggage to the train.

  Edward raised an eyebrow as I
approached and reached for my luggage.

  “Thank you,” I said, allowing him to help me. Normally, I would have insisted I could do it myself, but I was still desperate to make a connection with Edward and refusing his help didn’t seem like a good way to do that. As he finished with my luggage, he turned back to me. “Is your driver injured? Typically, he would deliver your bags to the train.”

  Edward spoke of George as though he did not know him and the cool look in his eyes let me know his offer of assistance had been little more than a reason to criticize my decision to hire George. I’d confided George’s past to Edward and asked him not to tell his parents. I swore to him that George was a good man, that his past no longer defined him, but Edward immediately shared the information and George had lost his job. Now, Edward wanted to try and prove to me that he had been correct in his decision and that I shouldn’t have hired the chauffer.

  “George wanted to see me safely on the train, but I insisted he stay with the car and avoid the foot traffic. Anyway, what are cousins for, after all?” I tried to keep my tone light and playful, but I knew Edward and I were in a sparring match. Each conversation determined who had the upper hand, and I didn’t want to let Edward thing he had any kind of power over me.

  “Rose!” Alice ran up and wrapped her arms around my waist. Even though she was as excitable as ever, even in the short time since I’d arrived in London, I could see that Alice was growing from a girl into a woman. “I’m so glad you decided to come. This weekend will be much more enjoyable now that you are here.”

  “That’s sweet of you to say.” I wrapped my arms around her shoulders and squeezed, grateful at least one of my cousins liked me.

  “We had better take our seats,” Catherine said, ushering Alice and I onto the train, where we joined Lord and Lady Ashton who were sitting in a quiet back corner of one of the train cars. They had an entire bench and a two-person seat waiting.