There was an immediate flutter of interest, the ladies moved closer, assumed expressions of concern and sympathy. ‘And it was so awful,’ I lamented. ‘I wanted to find the best doctor for her, because you know what it is like in a strange town, one just doesn’t know where to turn to find someone really reliable, especially for something, well, personal. So I mentioned it, as discreetly as I could, to my cousin and he said he had met a Doctor Talbot socially and that he had a very good reputation from what he could gather, so why not start by calling on him to see what I thought? Because I couldn’t expose poor Mildred to anyone who wasn’t totally reassuring and gentlemanly.’
It was obvious that they had all heard about Talbot because there was a collective gasp. Goodness knows what anyone observing us would think, because they were clustered round so closely that I might as well have been handing out ten pound notes.
‘So, we went around yesterday without an appointment because Mildred was in such discomfort. It is an intimate irritation, you see,’ I added in a whisper. ‘And we found the doctor’s manservant in a worry because he hadn’t seen him all morning and Cousin Lucian agreed something should be done and got the man to open up the consulting rooms – and there he was. Dead.’
There were gasps, then one matron said, ‘You didn’t see anything?’
‘Goodness, no. But I couldn’t help but overhear. His head, a poker – the hearthrug…’ I finished with a tremble. I hoped I wasn’t overdoing it, but they seemed to be lapping up the drama. It seemed awful to make such a production over the poor man’s horrible death, but if it helped find his killer, I was willing to go all out.
‘How dreadful for you.’ One elderly lady patted my hand.
I smiled bravely. ‘Did any of you know him?’ No-one seemed to be exactly distressed by the doctor’s death itself.
‘He delivered all of my grandchildren.’ Now who was that? I wracked my brains. Ah yes, Lady Chesterfield. ‘A most competent accoucheur with an excellent manner. Quite the gentleman.’
‘I had him for the birth of my second,’ a younger lady whispered. ‘And how I wished I had consulted him for the first!’
‘I recommended him, did I not, Lady Winbush?’ That was Mrs Notting. I thanked my stars for the memory exercises we’d been taught in Special Constable training. ‘He was wonderful with poor dear Charlotte, my sister, when she reached that troublesome time of life, if you understand me. So sympathetic.’
‘I thought he was patronising,’ remarked a tall young woman who had been silent up until then. She looked unhappy, or perhaps simply subdued, and had a rather top-heavy bosom, emphasised by too much lace. She sniffed and gave her dark curls a toss. ‘I mean, I went to him because I was in such discomfort every month and he just said I needed more exercise and shouldn’t coddle myself. All I can say is he was lucky not to have to go through that, time after time!’
‘Not such bad advice,’ one of the younger married women remarked, earning herself a glare from the sufferer. ‘Of course, that is one of the things that marriage is a cure for, I’ve found,’ she added with a naughty laugh. Some the ladies shushed her and looked disapproving, the rest laughed too. But the indiscretion seemed to remind the older women that there were innocents amongst them and the group began to break up.
‘Oh dear, I have scandalised the tabbies,’ the culprit remarked to me.
‘The doctor gave her good advice, in my opinion,’ I said. ‘Naturally I couldn’t possibly comment on your observation. But I am sorry if what I said about Doctor Talbot upset her.’
She laughed. ‘Were we introduced? You are Miss Lawrence, aren’t you? I am Chloe Armistead. My husband is that dashing brute over there, Viscount Turnham.’ She fluttered her fingers at a rather gorgeous blond with broad shoulders and long legs who grinned back. ‘Don’t mind Miss Reece, she’s recovering from a major family upset – they say she refused to marry some ghastly distant cousin her papa was set on, so the poor girl’s been in disgrace. Enough to make anyone want some coddling.’
‘Miss Reece? Is she the daughter of Sir Thomas?’
‘Yes. He’s not so bad – a bit of a dry stick – but her mama is ferocious. The daughter of an earl and doesn’t let anyone forget that there’s a duke in the family tree too. I believe the cousin in question was inbred to the extent that they’d have drowned him if he’d been a gundog, but the title…’
‘Ghastly,’ I agreed. ‘They aren’t going to force the marriage, are they?’
‘No, I gather he’s been snapped up by some desperate female in Scotland so Annabelle is safe. Until her mother spots another chinless heir, that is. Oh look, darling Armistead is looking for me, must dash, we’re off to the Paulsworth’s reception next. Lovely to meet you – you must call.’
She fluttered off to her handsome viscount leaving me not much the wiser. Doctor Talbot had been well-thought of, had a sympathetic and gentlemanly manner and the only criticism was from a disgruntled young lady who hadn’t liked some sensible but down to earth advice. Even the worst of PMT wouldn’t be enough provocation for braining one’s doctor with a poker, I thought. There was nothing to disprove our speculation that ladies might develop a crush on Talbot, but, on the other hand, no-one seemed to be hinting that he had a reputation for encouraging that kind of thing, not if formidable matrons were happy for their daughters to be attended by him.
But then, he wouldn’t, not if he was not attracted sexually to any of them, I brooded as I drifted in the direction of Luc who was now deep in conversation with the group around Sir Thomas.
He saw me approaching and broke away. ‘Are you all right? I rather abandoned you there.’
‘Fine. I got them talking about Talbot, but there was nothing counter to what we already thought. He did have a good reputation and an attractive bedside manner, by the sound of it, although I picked up no whispers of scandals.’ I glanced across at the huddle of men I assumed were all politicians. ‘What about you?’
‘Mentioned Coates and got a lot of tutting from Reece about unstable young men who spend all their money or get entangled with unsuitable women.’
‘Does he believe that’s what happened?’
‘No, seems to be generalisation. A trifle smug about it being one of Salmond’s young gentlemen. Presumably no-one on his staff ever commits an indiscretion.’
‘I met his daughter fleetingly. She’d been a patient of Talbot’s too and it seems he gave her some practical advice which didn’t fit in with what she wanted, which was sympathy and coddling. But that was the only objection to him that I picked up and it is to his credit that he was prepared to give sensible advice rather than merely pandering to what the patient thinks might suit them.’
‘Hmm. We are at the stage of still having too many ideas and no proof of anything.’ Luc scanned the crowd. ‘I was looking for Salmond, see what he has to say.’
‘Someone is trying to attract your attention.’ I nudged him. ‘In fact, he matches the description we had of Mr Salmond. How did that fellow lodger describe him – jolly with side whiskers?’
‘And you immediately assumed he was the villain of the piece? I think it must be him.’