Of Night and Dark Obscurity

She was wearing a black dress for mourning and she felt like a drab crow. She returned the smile as he took her gloved hand and kissed the back of it.

“It’s good to see you again, Charles,” she told him.

He glanced over at his mother and sister and then returned his attention to Caroline.

“What brings you to this archaic meeting of stuffy old women and their men?” He asked trying to lead her away from the crowd.

“I’m here with a friend,” she said pulling away from him and joining Val, who had been watching the entire scene with interest.

Charles’ manner changed as he saw Val and he only said in greeting, “Pierce.”

Val in turn said, “Lyttleton.”

Caroline noticed the change in the air and looked up at Val whose face was closed.

“We must be going,” she told Charles.

“It was lovely seeing you, Caro. We must meet again soon. Perhaps over tea,” he smiled charmingly.

“Perhaps.” She said politely.

Caroline stood next to Val who said nothing and they both watched him re-join his mother and sister. Lady Lyttleton placed a hand up to wave goodbye to Caroline who smiled genuinely in return.

“You know Charles Lyttleton?” She asked looking up at him.

“I do.”

“How?”

“He’s an acquaintance of my brother’s.”

Caroline watched Charles leave with his family. He came from an excellent family with money and breeding and he seemed to be everything a man should be. But there was something odd about him. Something underneath all the breeding and schooling that unnerved her.

“Come. If you’ve seen enough of the exhibit, I’ll escort you home.”

Inside the hansom cab ride home, Caroline studied the handsome face of the Inspector.

“I’m not ashamed to be seen with you. If that’s what you think,” she said suddenly out of the blue.

Val turned his eyes toward her. “I don’t think that. I think you didn’t want Lady Lyttleton to get the wrong impression and that’s why I told her I had forced you to come to the exhibition.”

“I understand why you told her that. But I enjoyed the exhibition, I wanted you to know that, and I enjoyed—“

“Yes?” He waited.

“I enjoyed it.” She finished.

“I’m glad,” he said. “If I recall, you invited yourself along. I was quite content to go it alone.”

“I invited myself along?” She smiled.

“I do recall that was the situation.”

“Then your memory is becoming cloudy, Inspector.”

“Is it?”

“But that does happen at your advanced age, so I’m told.” She teased him.