The Sign of Death (Victorian Book Club Mystery 2)

“Wait! What about this stack of papers?”

He waved as he left the room. “I will deal with them later.”

CHAPTER 30

Amy lifted Persephone and stared at her very rounded body. “We need to take more walks, my love. You are getting quite chubby.”

“She’s probably breeding.” Aunt Margaret walked into the breakfast room and pulled out the chair across from Amy.

“Breeding?”

“Yes. Increasing, pregnant, expecting, gravid, with child—or rather, with puppy.” She shook out her napkin and placed it on her lap. “You are going to be a grandmother.”

Amy looked wide-eyed back and forth between Aunt Margaret and Persephone. “How did that happen?”

Aunt Margaret took a sip of her tea. “I know you are an unmarried, gently bred woman, Amy, but I am quite sure you have some knowledge of the workings of reproduction.”

“Of course I do.” She raised her chin. “However, Persephone is never out of the house.”

“Given how strange she’s been acting lately and her ‘chubbiness,’ I would say she did manage to escape her confines at some point.”

“Persephone, you have been a naughty girl.” Amy shook her head. “I have no idea how to deal with a dog giving birth.”

“My dear, dogs have been giving birth since the beginning of time with no help from humans. When the time comes, she’ll let you know.”

Amy continued to look at Persephone. “I think I shall go to the bookstore and see if I can find any books on dogs’ breeding.”

“How goes your investigation into James’s murde

r?”

“Not well, I’m afraid. We have a few suspects, but no one who really stands out. What is troubling is that just about everyone we’ve spoken to has indicated that, given the opportunity, they would have done away with the man. He certainly made a lot of enemies in his life.”

“Strange. James had been doing business here in Bath for years. I wonder what made him turn to crime only recently?”

“William shared some confidential information with me that explained what happened. All I can tell you is he made some bad decisions and choices starting not too long after William hired him.

“This morning I am taking a trip into town to see a woman whom we’ve questioned once before. Mrs. Edith Burrows owns a hat shop, and she was also being blackmailed by Mr. Harding. She was not anxious to speak with us when William and I visited her before.”

“Why do you think she will speak to you now?”

“I’m not sure she will, but she does have some lovely hats, and one in particular I might purchase. I’m hoping to work in a few questions while I shop.” Amy took one more look at Persephone, shook her head, and left the room to the dog’s wails.

* * *

When Amy arrived at the store, two women sat in front of small mirrors at a long table, trying on hats. Mrs. Burrows’s lips tightened when she saw Amy, but then she offered a slight smile. “Lady Amy, how pleasant to see you again.”

“And you as well, Mrs. Burrows.” She walked up to the table that the store owner stood behind. “I would like to try on a few hats.”

Mrs. Burrows relaxed her stiff stance and offered an even brighter smile. “That’s wonderful. Please have a seat and tell me the hat for which you have a fancy.”

Amy chatted easily with the other customers while she tried on a number of lovely hats. Once the store emptied out, she said, “I think I would like to purchase these.” She pointed to the two lovely confections sitting on the table in front of her.

“Splendid choices, my lady. They both looked exquisite on you.”

As Mrs. Burrows commenced wrapping up the hats, Amy said, “It must be nice to no longer have to pay Mr. Harding.” She quickly smiled at the woman in sympathy, hoping she wouldn’t throw her two hats at her.

Mrs. Burrows looked up at Amy, and her eyes filled with tears. “I’m afraid not.” She began to wring her hands, and her lip quivered. “I received a letter from someone just two days ago who said he had Mr. Harding’s records and he was going to continue to collect the blackmail money.”