The Cater Street Hangman - Anne Perry [60]
“A great deal better than her father and I would have wished. But he was charming, and titled. You can’t tell young girls.” She blinked several times.
Charlotte would have liked to leave the subject—she knew it could only cause pain where the wound was already deep—but for Emily’s sake she had to know.
“Do you think he treated Chloe badly, that he was less than frank with her affections?”
“Mr. Abernathy gets very angry with me for saying this,” her face pinched, “but I believe that if Chloe had not known that man she would be alive today.”
Charlotte felt as if she were entering a dark corridor, as if its shadows were closing in on her.
“Why do you say that, Mrs. Abernathy?”
Mrs. Abernathy leaned forward, clutching at Charlotte’s arm.
“Oh, please don’t repeat it, Charlotte! Mr. Abernathy says I could end up in the most terrible trouble if I say too much!”
Charlotte closed her other hand over Mrs. Abernathy’s, gripping her firmly. “Of course I won’t. But I would like to know why you consider George Ashworth such a bad influence. I have met him, and although I didn’t care for him, I would not have judged him as ill as you seem to.”
“He flattered Chloe into believing all sorts of things that could not come true, that were not true of her station in life. He took her to places where there were women of low morals.”
“How do you know? Did Chloe say so?”
“She told us a little. But I heard it from others who saw them there. A gentleman friend of Mr. Abernathy’s told him he had seen Chloe where he did not expect to see any daughter of a respectable family.”
“And this friend is truthful? Not given to misunderstanding or exaggeration? And has no cause for spite, no wish to damage Chloe’s reputation?”
“Oh, none at all. The most upright of men! Good gracious!”
“Then forgive me, but what was he doing in such a place as you describe?”
Mrs. Abernathy looked confused for a moment.
“My dear Charlotte, it is quite different for men! It is perfectly—acceptable for a gentleman to frequent places that a woman of good moral character would not go to. We all have to accept these things.”
Charlotte was loath to accept any such thing at all, but there was no proper way of arguing it now.
“I see. And you feel Lord Ashworth may have led Chloe into unfortunate company, and even tempted her to practices not acceptable to her, or to anyone of decent upbringing?”
“Yes, I do. Chloe was not really part of his world. And I think she died because he tried to make her part of it.”
“Let me not misunderstand you, Mrs. Abernathy. Are you saying that you think either Lord Ashworth, or someone in his circle, killed Chloe?”
“Yes, Charlotte, I believe it. But you have promised not to say that I said so! Nothing can bring Chloe back, and we cannot be revenged against such people.”
“One can prevent them from doing it again!” Charlotte said angrily. “And, in fact, one has a duty!”
“Oh, but, Charlotte, please, I do not know anything. It is just my foolish feeling. Perhaps I am quite wrong, and I should be doing a great injustice!” She was on her feet now, anxious, flapping her hands. “You gave me your promise!”
“Mrs. Abernathy, my own sister Emily is currently in acquaintance with Lord Ashworth. If what you say is true, how can I take no interest in your feelings, whether they are accurate or not? I promise you I will say nothing, unless I feel Emily to be in danger. Then I cannot keep silent.”
“Oh, my dear,” Mrs. Abernathy sat down sharply. “Oh, my dear Charlotte! What can we do?”
“I don’t know,” Charlotte said frankly. “Have you told me everything you know, that you either know for sure or have reason to suspect?”
“I know that he drinks too much, but then gentlemen often do. I know that he gambles, but I imagine he can afford to. I know that poor Chloe was enamoured of him, that he swept her off her feet and she saw in him all sorts of romantic dreams. I know he took her with him into his social world where standards are quite different from ours, and where they do all kinds of terrible things for amusement.