The Cater Street Hangman - Anne Perry [37]
Charlotte felt a rush of warmth towards Emily. She hoped Emily knew it.
“Murder itself is hardly sensible, Emily,” Edward’s colour heightened with anger. To be defied by Charlotte was becoming habit, but by Emily as well was intolerable. “It is a bestial crime, a crime of animal passion, and unreason.”
“Are you saying he’s mad?” she looked at her father. “That Maddock is bestial, or passionately, unreasonably insane?”
“No, of course not!” he snapped. “I am not an expert in criminal insanity, and neither are you! But I presume Inspector Pitt is; it is his job, and he believes Maddock is guilty. Now you will not discuss the subject any further. Is that understood?”
Charlotte looked at him. His eyes were hard, and could it possibly be that they were also frightened?
“Yes, Papa,” she said obediently. She was used to obedience. It was habit. But her mind rebelled, whirling with new thoughts, with new fears finding shapes, with something very dreadful.
Chapter Five
THE WRETCHED POLICEMAN RETURNED the following day, questioning Maddock first, then Caroline, then finally asking if he could see Charlotte again.
“Why?” Charlotte was tired and this morning the deep unhappiness of fear and the reality of death had settled upon her. The blindness of the first shock had passed. She had gone to sleep on tragedy, and wakened to find it still with her.
“I don’t know, dear,” Caroline replied, still in the doorway. She held the door open for her daughter. “But he asked for you, so I suppose he must think you can help somehow.”
Charlotte stood up and walked out slowly. Caroline touched her arm gently.
“Do be careful before you speak, my dear. We have had a great tragedy; don’t let your distress, or your concern for Maddock, provoke you into saying something you may afterwards regret because it has led to conclusions you did not foresee. Do not forget he is a policeman. He will remember everything you say, and try to see meanings beneath it.”
“Charlotte never thought before she spoke in her life,” Sarah said crossly. “She’ll lose her temper, and I can’t blame her. He is a most disgusting person. But the least one can do is behave like a lady, and say as little as possible.”
Emily was sitting at the piano.
“I think he admires Charlotte,” she said, touching the top note lightly with her finger.
“Emily, this is no time for levity!” Caroline said sharply.
“Can’t you ever think of anything but romance?” Sarah glared at her.
Emily smiled with a small uplift of the corners of her mouth.
“Do you think policemen are romantic, Sarah? I think Inspector Pitt is excessively plain, and of course he must be common, or he wouldn’t be a policeman. But he has the most beautiful voice, sort of surrounds you like warm treacle, and his diction and grammar are excellent. I suppose he is trying to better himself.”
“Emily, Lily is dead!” Caroline gritted her teeth.
“I know that, Mama. But he must be used to that kind of thing, so it won’t prevent him from admiring Charlotte.” She turned to her sister and regarded her objectively. “And Charlotte is very handsome. I dare say he doesn’t mind her tongue. He is probably used to indelicacy.”
Charlotte felt her face flaming. The thought of Inspector Pitt’s even entertaining such an idea about her was unbearable.
“Hold your tongue, Emily!” she fumed. “Inspector Pitt has no more chance of enjoying my attentions than—than you have of marrying George Ashworth. Which is just as well, because Ashworth is a gambler and a cad!” She pushed past Caroline and into the hall.
Pitt was in the smaller, rear sitting room.
“Good morning, Miss Ellison,” he smiled widely; it would have been charming in anyone else.
“Good morning, Mr. Pitt,” she said coldly. “I cannot think why you should have sent for me again, but since you have, what is it you want?”
She stared at him, trying to make him