The Sign of Death (Victorian Book Club Mystery 2)

“No meat?” William asked. “How very odd.”

“What will you eat?” Eloise asked as she passed the platter of lamb to Amy, who shook her head and handed it to William.

“Vegetables. Hence the word vegetarian.” Amy piled potatoes and peas on her plate. She also selected a piece of warm bread and buttered it.

William shook his head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, and I’m sure it’s not healthy.”

“Not so,” she said, placing a forkful of lovely buttered potatoes in her mouth. “Did you know we have a Vegetarian Society right here in England? It was established in 1847, and by 1863 it had eight hundred and eighty-nine members.”

“A lot of eights,” William murmured.

“Have you joined?” Eloise looked at her lamb, shrugged, and popped a piece into her mouth.

“Yes. I have. I haven’t yet attended any meetings, however. In fact, I’m not sure they hold meetings, but I sent in my application form and fee two weeks ago.”

“Amy, I must say, you never cease to amuse me,” Aunt Margaret said, biting into a piece of lamb and making a rapturous sound. She chewed and swallowed and looked over at her niece. “I wonder what you will entertain us with next?”

CHAPTER 3

William tried his best to set aside every Thursday evening for the Mystery Book Club of Bath meetings. It was one of his favorite things to do and he looked forward to it each week.

As he dressed for the meeting, tying his cravat into an acceptable knot, he thought about his life, which was quite pleasant and satisfying. With the book club, seeing friends at his gentleman’s club, attending church, enjoying a few dances at the assembly every Saturday, and putting in enough hours each week with his holdings and investments to keep his finances solid, he’d always been a contented man. Until recently.

Despite his mother’s pushing him toward the altar, he’d found himself thinking more and more that a wife to come home to each evening and to raise children with might not be a bad idea. A smart, funny, agreeable woman with whom to share his life. He smiled as Amy came to mind.

Whistling an unnamed tune, he grabbed an umbrella from the stand next to the door and hurried down the steps to his waiting carriage. The night was a typical English evening, with mist and a slight drizzle, and the chilly January air supported his decision to wear his heavy coat.

He stepped into the back room at Atkinson & Tucker for the meeting and immediately spotted the one person who had occupied his mind a short time ago. She could easily rearrange his perfect life.

Then perhaps it wasn’t so perfect and could use some rearranging.

Amy stood across the room, waving her arms at something she was saying to the group around her.

“Good evening. It looks like you are in a deep discussion. The Sign of the Four, I assume?” William joined the small group and took his position next to Amy.

“We were commenting on Holmes disguising himself as a sailor and fooling even Watson,” Amy said. “We were considering whether it was really possible for him to disguise himself so thoroughly that even his best friend and roommate wouldn’t know him.”

“I contend it is impossible for someone so close to the individual not to recognize the man, no matter how well disguised,” Lord Temple said.

Amy opened her mouth to speak, then glanced over William’s shoulder, and her eyes widened. He turned to see Miss Gertrude and Miss Penelope O’Neill hesitantly enter the room. He looked back at Amy. “They did come after all.”

She continued to watch them. “I still don’t understand why they want to join a mystery book club.”

He frowned. “They do know we read mysteries? And some of them”—he cleared his throat—“especially those by E. D. Burton, are quite, shall we say, intense?”

She elbowed him in his ribs.

“Hello, Lady Amy. Oh, and Lord Wethington.” Miss Gertrude hurried to their little group with her sister right behind her.

“Good evening, ladies,” William said with a slight bow. “I am pleased you have decided to join us.”

“Yes,” Miss Penelope gushed, looking around the room. “Sister and I are so excited to join the group.” She leaned in close to William and said softly, “Not many people know that we love to read murder stories.”

Nothing could have surprised him more. These two older ladies, stalwarts of the church, enjoyed murder mystery books? He shook his head, thinking that one never knew what surprises awaited one when dealing with members of the human race.

Before they could continue their conversation, Mr. Colbert, who acted as moderator for the group, suggested that they begin to take their seats.

While they waited for all the members to settle in, William flipped through the pages of Keene’s Bath Journal, the local newspaper for Bath. Amy scanned the pages of The Sign of the Four.