Mr. Hart could pick out two figures-even Mrs. Hart at her window must be able to tell there were two of us, although we were blurred a little by the mist. I turned, looking for Mr. Hart by the church. But then I saw a light bobbing toward the Harts' house, up the walk, to the door, then shutting off.
Victoria had seen it as well. I felt suddenly vulnerable.
She laughed. 'He got tired of waiting for you, Mr. Hart. I don't blame him. I'm here alone in the house. I could kill you quite easily now, and there would be no one to see.'
She was trying to frighten me. I laughed with her.
'You could try,' I said. 'You'd find I was your match.'
I turned to go, but she pulled a revolver from her pocket. 'Don't be so certain of that.'
I stared at it.
'It's from Jack's collection. He gave it to me because I was traveling back from London on the train at all hours, and a girl had been raped and murdered two villages north of here by a soldier who got off at her station and followed her home.' She held it in her hand like a gift, admiring it. 'If you want the truth, I think Jack used it on someone and then wanted to be rid of it. He never said, but I expect I know who it was. An officer whose sister Jack had seduced. He'd told Jack that as soon as he recovered from his wounds, he was going to hunt him down and kill him.' She looked up at me. 'But that's Jack, you never know when he's telling the truth and when he's having you on.'
'You've already shot at Michael, haven't you?' I asked, trying to distract her.
'I think Jack was hoping I'd kill Michael. But I'm no fool. I let the police deal with him instead.' Still, I thought perhaps she had shot at him, and was reluctant to say so. Even here, with no one listening.
I turned and walked away. My skin crawled as I did, knowing that she had the revolver and not knowing what kind of shot she might be. I was halfway down the walk when she went inside and slammed the door.
I reached the street and turned toward the church, and beyond it, the Hart house, hoping that I didn't break an ankle on my way back. The mist was still heavy, and I felt enclosed in it, smothered. I couldn't understand why Mr. Hart had deserted me. It was so unlike him, and I felt very much alone.
And then someone put a hand on my shoulder, and I thought my heart would stop.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
I didn't scream, bottling it up in my throat. Instead I drew back my foot and came down hard on the instep of whoever was behind me.
Simon Brandon swore. 'Damn it, Bess-'
I whirled, but he shushed me at once. 'Just keep walking.' He moved closer and took my arm. 'Watch where you go.' He went on when we were out of earshot of the house, 'I was there, at the corner of the garden where she couldn't see me. Hart had warned me to stay out of sight. I heard most of it.'
'You couldn't have. I didn't see your motorcar-'
'I left the motorcar at your friend's house. Alicia. I thought you were there. When she told me she hadn't seen you, I went to the Hart house. Mrs. Hart sent me here, and I found Hart just by the church. I thought it best to send him home.'
'Did you see Michael?' I asked, remembering why he was here, why he was late. 'Is he all right? Please tell me he'll let us help him!' I could deal with anything, once I knew Michael was willing to work with us.
'He wouldn't see me.' Simon was curt, clearly still angry about what had happened at the prison. 'Short of a full cavalry charge, there was no way to reach him.'
'Did you leave a message for him? Anything that would make him see the light?'
'I told him he was a damned fool to hang for another man's murder. Whether the guards will carry that to him or not, I can't be sure. The only person who could get in to see him now would be his lawyer.'
'I saw Mr. Forbes. I don't think he was impressed by what I had to say.' I turned my ankle and nearly pitched forward, but Simon steadied me. 'He told me to bring the police Mrs. Calder's attacker, and then they'd consider listening to me.' I was still bitter about that.
We had reached the Hart house. 'I must go and thank them. And tell them about Victoria.'
'No. They live here. It's not wise.'
'They know part of the story already,' I protested.
'Listen to me, Bess. In less than a week, they could very well lose Michael. Don't make it any harder for them to face that.'
'They sent me to Victoria. She knows Mr. Hart walked with me to her house.'
He let me have my way. They were expecting us and opened the door almost at once. I thanked them for all they'd done to help. 'As for Victoria-' I began, and saw hope shining in their eyes, even though anything I'd learned was not evidence. 'As for Victoria,' I went on, 'she's so twisted by hate that she can't see herself clearly. Or anyone else, for that matter. But I don't believe she killed Marjorie.'
'What about Melton, Serena's husband?' Mr. Hart asked. 'Is there any hope there?'
'I think it would be best if Inspector Herbert spoke to him. I'm going to London now to try. I'll stay in touch.'
Their faces had fallen into the sadness I'd seen when I arrived. They thanked me, Mrs. Hart gave me a kiss on the cheek, and they both wished me Godspeed. But I could see, all too well, that I had intruded on the careful shell they'd built around themselves this last week, and for a little time had made them feel anything was possible. And now they must build it up again, and mend the cracks I'd caused, to carry them through what was to come.
Simon and I wished them a good night, their door shut behind us with what sounded like finality, and we walked on through the heavy mist toward his motorcar.
'Didn't you think to bring a heavier coat?' he asked as I shivered.
'No. It was warm enough when I left London. This one will do.'
Exasperated, he opened the boot and brought out a rug, handing it to me. I got in and hugged it to me, waiting for the shivers to subside. But they were the aftermath of my encounter with Victoria, not the night's chill.
He started the motorcar and said to me, 'Where do you want to go, Bess?'
'Home,' I said, 'but I don't have that luxury. Scotland Yard.'
Without answering, he pulled away from Alicia's house and turned the bonnet toward the northeast. I sat huddled in my seat, thinking about Jack Melton as the miles slipped by.
It was late when we reached London. Simon threaded his way through what was left of the evening's traffic, and found a space to leave the motorcar a few steps from the entrance to the Yard.
Coming around to open my door, he said, 'Do you want me to stay here or come with you?'
'I spoke to him before. Let me try again.'
The constable on duty told me that he thought Inspector Herbert had gone home.
'Could you send someone to see? Please. It's quite urgent.'
But I was told that Inspector Herbert's door was closed and his light off.
'Is there anywhere I could sit to write a message? Something that can be given to him as soon as he comes back here in the morning?'
They showed me to an anteroom and brought me pen and paper. I sat in the time-scarred chair and tried to think what to say, how best to say it. Finally I wrote a few lines, signed my name, and folded the message.
It read simply, I know now how Jack Melton discovered that Michael Hart was in London to visit Mrs. Calder. He was at the theater, with several American visitors, and he saw Victoria Garrison in the audience. They talked. Victoria was angry that Michael hadn't returned. She told lies concerning his whereabouts. Afterward Jack Melton made his excuses to his guests, and left the theater. Victoria continued to sit there, doing nothing to stop him. I believe he saw this as an opportunity to throw suspicion on Lieutenant Hart, just as he'd done before. That means he could have attacked Mrs. Calder. Mr. Forbes told me that if I could bring you evidence that showed someone else had stabbed her, you would consider reopening Michael Hart's case. Well, I've done that. It's up to the Yard to fill in the details. One more thing. I think you'll discover that Jack Melton seduced Lieutenant Fordham's sister, and
