Of Night and Dark Obscurity

“Roger likes them.”

Felix shook his head as the man and his dog walked away. “Loon.” Then walked back to Val who was crouching over the body.

He watched as Val made several notes in his notebook and then stood up. “Strangled. Poised. Primrose.”

Felix nodded. “Our witness didn’t see much. The dog is probably smarter than his master anyways,” he added.

Val continued to stare at the woman.

“It will probably be some time before we know who she is,” Felix said.

Val shook his head. “I know exactly who she is.”

???

Caroline brushed down her lavender colored skirt as she entered the hansom cab. She was pleased with herself. Her meeting with Peter Davies had gone very well. The second house was being renovated and quicker than the first because he had the men lined up from the first house and ready to begin.

The tenants in the Irene Derry House were doing better than she had expected. Two of the women were working with Stella to improve their education and were being tutored in their reading and writing, while one of the older daughters was interested in becoming a lady’s maid.

Caroline would have to ask Lady Lyttleton if anyone in her circle needed a maid to be trained. One of the older gentlemen in the house was drinking to excess so she had to speak to him about that. She didn’t want the family to suffer because of his addiction.

All in all, she was pleased with the day’s events and couldn’t wait to tell her grandmother and father about the progress. She settled into the cab for the short ride to the hotel for tea.

She thought back to the morning with Val and smiled. The house was a beautiful one. It was new and well-constructed with beautiful wood flooring and handsome colors; it would be a home to be proud of.

She could imagine herself coming down the stairs and greeting guests as she welcomed them into her home. She blushed at the thought. She found Valentine Pierce was on her mind often. She respected him as a man. When he kissed her, she felt things she had never experienced. When he said he had taken the house with the intent that one day she would be mistress of it, her heart had skipped a beat.

His eyes were warm upon her when he said it and she knew he was not playing games. He was sincere. He meant it, but what did it mean? There was too much she wanted to achieve, too much she wanted to do, and a husband was not something she had ever thought of. She had her father’s name, his protection and money, and it helped her begin to change the city she loved into a city she would be proud of.

When she entered Claridge’s she took a table overlooking the street and ordered a pot of tea. She would wait for Prudence to arrive before she ordered food. She looked at the afternoon sky and watched the people walk past the window and the carriages move along.

She smiled. Things were going well. It was almost too perfect to be believed. The housing project was moving forward, everything was going right. She sipped her tea and was so taken in by the street life outside that she didn’t realize someone was standing beside her.

“Miss Derry.”

She smiled and looked up and then frowned when she saw Val. “Inspector. What brings you here?”

“I need to speak with you.”

“I’m meeting my friend here. I think I told you.”

“This is important. Please.”

“Very well. Is everything all right? Is my father ill?”

He shook his head. “No.”

“Gran?”

He sho

ok his head again. “Please come with me.” He held out his hand. “I’ll leave word with the hostess that you needed to leave.”

Caroline stood up and took his hand even as Val paid for the tea. “You’re scaring me,” she said softly so no one would hear.

“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to.” He added. “I’ll take you home.”

In the short carriage ride home, Val said nothing. Caroline looked outside as the horse drawn carriages and pedestrians went about their business. When they arrived home, no one was in except the servants.