Of Night and Dark Obscurity

Caroline clung to Val in the rain even as several constables arrived. Val directed them to take Rowland away as he bundled Caroline into an awaiting carriage.

“I’m sorry Val. I know this is the absolute worse time to tell you, but I love you,” she told him as he held her against his chest.

Val shook his head. “This is the worst night of my life. You are my glimmer of hope.”

He kissed her swiftly on the mouth and pulled something out of his pocket. “I’ve been carrying this around for ages. Put it on your finger where it belongs.”

Caroline opened the tiny box to see the ring she had tried on at Harrod’s. “Oh Val.”

“As soon as this is all over, we’ll marry. “

She nodded. “Yes.”

“And you didn’t ask, I’ll tell you all the same. I love you.”

Caroline laughed. “I hope you do.”

“I do.”

She held her hand up so he could see the ring upon her finger.

“It fits you perfectly.”

She looked at the sparkly diamond on her finger. “It does and we do.”

???

The newspapers took the story and ran with it. It was on the front of every newspaper in London and beyond. The newspapermen couldn’t resist the story of a Detective Chief Inspector solving a five women murder and his own father, uncle and brother were arrested for being the possible murderers.

When the trial began, Charles Lyttleton spoke against the men and confirmed everyone’s worst suspicions. The men had indeed formed an elite club to prey on innocent women and had set out to kill five women including Irene Derry. In addition, one of the members had killed Odean Barton for being the “weak link.”

When the case finally went to court, it was only a formality. The four men had been tried in the court of public opinion and when it was all over, Edgar, Abram and Rowland, who had survived the gunshot, were sentenced to hang. Charles was given a lesser sentence as he did not kill anyone and had been a witness for the prosecution.

On the day the verdict was given, Val was summoned by his mother. She had not been at the trial and he had worried about her health. He journeyed there quickly to find her pacing the floor.

“Mother, are you all right?”

“All right? How can I be all right? Your father and brother are to hang. And my brother. You must do something about this. Speak to the judge. Vouch for their good nature and good name.”

“No Mother.”

“Valentine. This is serious. They are to die. Are you so callous and unfeeling that you’ll let them?” She said, her cheeks flushed and red.

“Five women are dead Mother. A doctor is dead. At the hands of your son, your husband and your brother.”

“These women. What sort of women were they?”

Val shook his head. “I’ll say nothing on their behalf. Nothing.”

“You’re a cold, unfeeling—“ his mother began.

“No Mother. I am not cold. I have love in my heart and I care for my fellow human beings. Your husband, your son and your brother sought out women who had done nothing and took advantage of them and killed them. They are the true monsters.”

“So, you’ll do nothing to help them,” she asked.

“I don’t want their deaths, but it is justice. Their lives for the ones they took.”

“And you—the day your father dies you’ll be the next Earl of Banham. How disgusting. You an Earl,” she sneered.