Riley smiled and shook his head. ‘I’m afraid I can’t arrange the evidence to suit your preferences, Ida.’
‘That’s a pity, but it’s probably just as well. Philip would be terribly cross if there was a family scandal.’
Riley somehow managed not to laugh. Sir Philip could ignore his wife’s infidelity taking place beneath his own roof with a servant, but having a member of his family suspected of murdering the servant in question would not sit well with the baronet, it seemed.
‘I shall be discreet.’
‘I know you will, Riley dear,’ Ida replied, sighing. ‘It’s just all so awful. Poor Ezra. He really was exceptionally beautiful. Too beautiful for this brutal world, perhaps.’
‘I need to know where I can find your younger son.’
‘He will be here later, and Sarah’s in town as well. They have an apartment in South Audley Street and they are up for a family gathering with a few close friends to celebrate Philip’s birthday. Sarah adores her father and wouldn’t miss it for the world.’
‘Well then, I shall speak with them all before the celebrations begin.’
‘I don’t suppose I shall feel much like celebrating,’ Ida said, ‘but I shall have to put on an act. I’m good at that. Goodness alone knows I’ve had enough practice pretending to be something that I am not.’
Riley thought the remark telling, showing a rare glimpse of the lonely and dissatisfied woman beneath all the wealth and pretence at gaiety. He was saved the trouble of formulating a response by the arrival of Salter.
‘Ah, Sergeant, have you come to rescue Riley from my clutches?’ The introspective Ida had been replaced by the flirtatious femme fatale in the blink of an eye, lending proof to her acting prowess. ‘Don’t worry, I haven’t harmed him.’
Salter actually blushed and didn’t appear to know what to say.
‘You are a wicked woman, Ida,’ Riley said, smiling at her. ‘My poor sergeant doesn’t know where to look.’
‘I’ll recover, sir, don’t you worry none about me.’
Riley stood. ‘We shall return at five this evening and see your family, Ida. I hope it won’t be necessary to detain you all for long.’
‘Thank you, Riley.’ Ida stood too and touched his arm. ‘I feel better knowing that you are the one who will find justice for my poor Ezra.’
‘Just one more question, Ida,’ Riley said. ‘Who pays your servants’ wages, you or Sir Philip?’
‘I do, as a matter of fact. I wanted a house of this size and knew that Philip would struggle to maintain it. He is idealistic, and not particularly commercially-minded. Why, is it important?’
‘Most likely not. Anyway, we shall see you later today.’
‘Were it not for the circumstances, I would look forward to it.’
She rang the bell and Gregg materialised with their hats, looking as though he hoped Riley would tell him what direction their investigation would now take. Riley knew it would be beneath Gregg’s dignity to ask, and had no intention of satisfying his curiosity. He nodded briskly as he and Salter left the house. Riley was aware of the butler standing in the open doorway, watching them as they strode off along the pavement.
‘Anything of interest in Ezra’s room?’ Riley asked.
‘Nope. Like a cell, it was. Bed perfectly made and not a scrap of anything personal to be found anywhere. Either he kept all his stuff elsewhere or—’
‘Or someone else beat us to it and cleared the place out,’ Riley finished for him.
‘Right. My money’s on Gregg. He’s hiding something, you just mark my words.’
‘I think you’re right, Jack.’
‘So what now, sir?’
‘A late lunch, I think,’ Riley replied, pointing to a tavern on the corner. ‘Then back to the Yard to see if your constables have returned from Clapham with any useful information for us. We will be returning here at five. There is to be a family gathering to celebrate Sir Philip’s birthday and all his children will be in attendance.’
‘Very convenient for us,’ Salter replied.
‘Indeed, but if one of them did do the deed they’ve had ample time to cover their tracks.’ Riley pushed open the door to the tavern. ‘This is going to be a hard one to solve, Jack, especially since I have an unsettling feeling that one or more of the people we have already spoken to has not been entirely honest with us.’
‘When are they ever, sir?’ Salter asked, rolling his eyes.
Chapter Three
‘Why did you ask Lady Randall that question about the servants’ wages?’ Salter asked, wiping gravy from his chin with his napkin.
‘Because, Jack, that household isn’t large enough to require the services of three footmen, so talk about the other two having to take up the slack was moonshine.’
‘Ah, I see what you mean. Sir Philip would have balked at employing another man who wasn’t needed, but since his wife pays the bills, it didn’t matter to him.’
‘Precisely.’
Salter grunted. ‘Dawson was employed as her ladyship’s plaything.’
‘That’s one way of putting it. But I was surprised when Gregg didn’t mention that Dawson’s services were surplus to requirements. He must have realised that I would reach that conclusion for myself.’
‘What with you knowing all about these things.’
‘Precisely. Our house in Eaton Square is larger than Ida’s and we only employ two footmen.’
‘I’m surprised how you manage to get by, guv’nor,’ Salter said with an irrepressible grin.
‘We make do,’ Riley replied languidly. ‘Remind me to have someone check on James’s whereabouts. We need confirmation that he returned to the house when he said he did. There will be a curfew of sorts. One imagines
