Death in the Devil's Acre - Anne Perry [42]
Crossgate Street was dirty and cold, but Pitt had no difficulty locating the Daltons’ establishment. It was large and seemed to be cheerful, full of gaudy red and pink furnishings, and there was a fire in the main receiving room, even though it was the middle of the afternoon. Apparently the Daltons catered to clients around the clock. The place did not have the stale, acrid smell of a public house in off-business hours; it seemed they kept maids, like any domestic establishment.
He was met by a plump round-faced girl, ordinary enough, with a country-fresh complexion. Pitt felt a twinge of pity that she should be engaged in such an occupation. Still, she was far better off in a bawdy house such as this, with a roof over her head and regular meals, than many another woman who walked the streets looking for any man who would buy her body for the price of a day’s food for her child, or a piece of clothing for its back.
He saved her the indignity of importuning him. “I’m here from the police,” he said immediately. “I want to speak to Mr. Dalton. He may be able to help me with some information.”
“Mr.—oh!” Comprehension and amusement flooded her face. “You mean Miss Dalton. Would that be Miss Mary or Miss Victoria, sir? Although I’m not rightly sure as they’ll want to be seein’ the police!”
“Miss—” It had not occurred to him that the Daltons would be women, although there was no reason why not. There was an air of femininity about the place, a simple sensuality that was less self-conscious and infinitely less effete than the house of either Max or Ambrose Mercutt. Somehow he found it less offensive, although he could not think why.
“Either Miss Dalton will do,” he answered. “And I am sorry, but I insist upon seeing them. It is a matter of murder. If they make it necessary, I shall return with other officers, and things may become unpleasant. I cannot imagine that anyone will wish that. It is bad for business.”
The girl looked startled. His manner was courteous, his voice so very civilized, and yet what he said jarred. “If you’ll wait here—” She scuttled away, and immediately Pitt was sorry. He had had no need to be so harsh, but it was impossible to undo it now.
Barely moments later, a slightly older woman appeared, perhaps in her early thirties, buxomly built, with a blunt, handsome face and a dusting of freckles on her skin. She looked like a competent parlormaid on her day off. Her dress was high to her neck and of plain lavender color; there was no paint on her face that Pitt could see.
“I am Victoria Dalton,” she said civilly. “Violet says you are from the police and you wish to speak to me. Would you like to come into the parlor at the back? Violet will bring us tea.”
Feeling ludicrous, as if he had made a wild error of judgment, Pitt silently followed her trim back as she walked out of the big red and pink hall, with its sofas and cushions, along a corridor and into a small, more intimate room where there was another fire burning. From somewhere upstairs he heard the peal of woman’s laughter, followed by a shriek of delight and a fit of giggles. He did not hear any man. Apparently it was two women recounting exploits to each other—not a matter of trade.
Victoria Dalton sat down on a large green sofa and invited Pitt to make himself comfortable on a similar one opposite her. She folded her hands in her lap and stared at him pleasantly.
“Well, what is it you wish of us?”
He was a little taken aback; she was so composed, so totally different from Max, or Ambrose Mercutt. This place was like a middle-class house, comfortable, with an air of family about it. He felt impelled to use euphemisms, which was ridiculous.
“I am investigating a murder, ma’am,” he began, not as he had intended. Somehow she had put him out of ease. “In fact, three murders.”
“How unpleasant.” She spoke as if he had remarked upon the weather.
She continued to regard him candidly, like an obedient child, waiting for him to continue.