A False Mirror - Charles Todd [30]
“Nevertheless—”
“No. Listen to me. I don’t know why he came to arrest me without any physical evidence and no eyewitness to put me at the scene. But he did. Someone must have told him I was once engaged to Mrs. Hamilton and would have been glad to see her husband out of the way.”
“It looks now to be the truth.”
“No, I tell you. I had nothing to do with the assault on Hamilton. The first I knew of it was Bennett standing in my doorway going on about a body found on the strand and asking me to come with him.” His voice was earnest as he leaned forward in his chair. “I didn’t even understand that it was Matthew he was talking about until he began insisting that I go with him. And then all I could think of was Felicity—Mrs. Hamilton. I had to see her, to tell her I hadn’t harmed Matthew. If Bennett believed it, he’d try to convince her as well. You weren’t there, you weren’t in my shoes—he’d already made up his mind, he had no intention of looking anywhere else. Once I was in custody, I’d be facing trial.”
He was protesting too strongly, Rutledge thought. And yet he sat there, with no weapon visible, speaking to Scotland Yard as if he had nothing to fear. Truth? Or a well-planned fiction?
“You must look at it from Bennett’s viewpoint. You were the one person most likely to benefit if Hamilton died of his injuries. And therefore a strong suspect.”
“Benefit? Oh, yes, I could woo the grieving widow, couldn’t I? But she loves Matthew, and I don’t think I’m likely to step into his place even if he dies. I just didn’t want her to hate me, or believe I could hurt her in any way.”
“Then why did you threaten the two women? Surely by the time Bennett was knocking at the door here, you’d had a chance to explain yourself. Why go the next step?”
Mallory started to answer, thought better of it, and then finally said, frowning, “I’m not really sure myself how it happened. It just—did.”
“Let them go. That will be in your favor. I’ll see them safely away from here, and then we’ll take you down to the station to tell your side of the story.”
Mallory laughed without humor. “I’m not a fool, Rutledge. As soon as I set them free, I’ve nothing to use as a means of bargaining with you. I want you to find out who did attack Hamilton, and bring him here to tell Mrs. Hamilton why. I’m owed that, and when you’ve done it, I’ll give myself up.”
“Mrs. Hamilton ought to be with her husband. If you hold her here against her will, and her husband dies, she’ll never forgive you. Don’t you see that? For her sake, you have to take the chance that you’ll stand trial. Let her go, and I give you my word I’ll do everything I can for you.”
Mallory got to his feet and began to pace. “I can’t let her leave. Bennett would never allow her to come back here again. And if Matthew dies, who’s to speak for me?”
“Then let the maid go.”
“I can’t, don’t you see? If I’m shut in this house for days with Mrs. Hamilton without a proper chaperone, her reputation is ruined.”
“I hardly think the maid, locked away as she is, can speak on behalf of your honor or Mrs. Hamilton’s.”
“Yes, well, Nan’s staying. You don’t know the women in this town.”
“What if I offer myself in Mrs. Hamilton’s place? She can go to the surgery, look in on her husband, comfort him, and then come back again.”
Rutledge could see how torn the man before him was. A range of emotions flitted across his face before he said, “I can’t be sure Bennett will agree to that. He’ll leave you here to rot because you’ve invaded his patch, and you won’t be free to argue when he doesn’t make any effort to get at the truth. No. We keep things as they are. You’ll do what you can to learn who wanted Matthew dead, and I’ll give you my solemn word that both women are safe with me. In God’s name, why should I harm either of them?”
“Why did I drive all the way from London, if you’re unwilling to make any compromise now that I’m here, or show