The Spiritglass Charade (Stoker & Holmes 2)

“Brilliant.” The front of my bodice was now soaked with salted holy water, as well as stained with blood. I hoped I was going to be able to get into the house without Florence seeing me . . . let alone noticing the wound on my neck. Blast.

“Mr. Starcasset didn’t describe that sort of detail in his book.” Mina was still examining my injury. “Would you be adverse to allowing me to collect some of this residue? I’d relish the opportunity to study it in my laboratory. And perhaps a sample of your blood as well, so I can discover the difference between—”

“No,” I said flatly. “Not necessary. I have no intention of getting bit again by a vampire anyway. For all I know, that was the only vampire in London. So no blood, no sample, no residue.”

Mina sniffed, crossing her arms over her middle. “Very well. But it could be helpful in the future.”

Not at all, I thought. I wasn’t going to get bit again.

It was easy for a trained vampire hunter to slam a stake into the heart of an UnDead. All I had to remember was not to look him in the eye.

If I remembered that, I’d be invincible.

Miss Holmes

Deductions, Theories, and Suspects

Two days after Evaline killed the vampire at the Oligary Building (the implications of which I was still mulling), Miss Stoker and I arrived at Miss Adler’s office just before noon.

The four puncture wounds on my companion’s shoulder had almost completely disappeared. It was quite miraculous, and I would insist she allow me to do a more thorough examination if it should occur again.

I was still quite stunned and even a little disbelieving about the appearance of the UnDead. After all, I hadn’t actually seen the creature. But I certainly had smelled something, and there were the marks on Evaline’s neck.

“Do you have any further information on the death of Mrs. Yingling, or the Ashton case?” Miss Adler asked as we gathered in her office.

To my disappointment, Dylan wasn’t present, but I resisted the urge to question his whereabouts. “I was considering a visit to Scotland Yard today to determine whether Inspector Grayling has made any progress on our investigation. I’m surprised I haven’t had any communication from him regarding the crime. Particularly since I am the one who pointed out that it was, in fact, a murder.”

“An excellent point, to be sure, Mina.”

Although she was perfectly groomed in a fresh lemon-colored daydress and a particularly fetching bonnet with yellow roses that matched her ever-present gloves, Miss Adler appeared even more weary than she had on the day we visited Princess Alexandra. I wondered if she’d been ill, or if something had been keeping her up at night.

Whether by accident or design, there was very little one could deduce about Irene Adler from her appearance, other than her excellent taste in fashion. This was part of the reason she’d been such a formidable opponent for my uncle during the Bohemian affair.

I smoothed my skirt. “I have confirmed one new and important fact, however. Evaline, do you recall the terra-cotta pots by Miss Ashton’s front door? A lime and salt residue had seeped through the bottoms of the pots, mixing with dirt and fragments of dried geranium petals and cricket legs. I had some on my own shoes from our first visit, and I am certain you do as well. I took a fresh sample of it yesterday, and it matches the same residue on Mrs. Yingling’s window sill. Therefore, as I suspected, the murderer—and whoever is trying to upset Miss Ashton’s life—has been through her front door recently. Specifically, since those pots were put there.”

“Which eliminates the servants or any delivery people, as they always enter through the rear,” Miss Adler said. “Whom do you suspect, Mina?”

I straightened, preparing for a detailed monologue. Miss Stoker appeared ready to bolt. I ignored her and launched into my discourse. “In order for a murder to occur, there must be motive, means, and opportunity. As far as opportunity and means—we already know the villain has used the front door at Miss Ashton’s. Thus our list of suspects who have come into the house via the front entrance include the obvious: her Aunt Geraldine, her Cousin Herrell, Willa herself, Miss Norton, Mr. Treadwell, and anyone else who has visited since Thursday last. Which is when the geranium pots were placed on the porch. I asked,” I added pointedly, looking at Miss Stoker. She closed her mouth. “That would include Evaline and myself, of course, but I feel confident we can both be eliminated.”

My partner gave an unladylike snort and rolled her eyes. “I should hope.”

I continued. “First, one must consider motive. Why would anyone want to upset Miss Ashton’s life—to make her appear mad, or cause distraction by making her believe her brother is alive? I’m going to focus on the former first: Someone is trying to get her out of the way. It’s the most likely motive. There is, of course, money involved—and even more if Robby is ever pronounced dead, for Willa or her heir will inherit his portion.”

“True.”

“Thus, Willa’s spinster aunt inherits upon the death of either child. Therefore, I am looking very closely at Aunt Geraldine. Although the woman has wealth of her own, for some, there is never enough money. She lives in the house and would have easy access to all of the chambers in order to arrange any of these shenanigans. However, there are at least two other prime suspects as well. Would you care to give it a go, Miss Stoker?”

Evaline gave me an unpleasant look, but nevertheless sat up from her slouched position in the chair. “Right then. Well . . . hmmm . . . if we’re talking of women, Miss Norton strikes me as intelligent enough to do something of this sort. You saw how easily she manipulated Mr. Treadwell into driving with her. And she obviously is attracted to him, while he can’t seem to decide between Miss Norton and Willa. As for motive . . . well, if she wants Mr. Treadwell badly enough, she might do anything she can to get her rival out of the way. We saw how much the young women in the Society of Sekhmet were willing to risk for a man they desired.”

“Precisely along my train of thought. Love can be the strongest of all motives. But there is one other factor that you didn’t mention, which makes Miss Norton an excellent suspect: She is the one who introduced Willa to Mrs. Yingling. An excellent deduction, Evaline.”

“You needn’t look so shocked,” she grumbled. But I noticed she smothered a pleased smile.

“There is one more major suspect. Mr. Herrell Ashton would retain control of his cousin’s not insignificant income if she were placed in a lunatic home or was otherwise out of the picture. And if she married, he’d lose control of her income at that time.”