The Cater Street Hangman - Anne Perry [62]
“I don’t believe so. What should I say to Emily?”
“Nothing. She wouldn’t believe you anyway.”
“But I must warn her!”
“Of what? All you can tell her is that Ashworth admired Chloe before he met her. That will help no one. And why shouldn’t he? Chloe was very pretty, poor little thing. I don’t doubt he has admired a great many girls, and will admire a great many more.”
“But what about Emily?” Charlotte demanded. “What if he really did have something to do with Chloe’s death? Emily could find out. She could even be next!”
“Don’t be hysterical, Charlotte!” Sarah said sharply. “Mrs. Abernathy is very old-fashioned and very narrow in her background. I daresay what appears very daring and immoral to her would be no more than ordinary high spirits to us. I have heard her express disapproval of the waltz! How stuffy is it possible to be? Even the queen waltzes, or she used to before she became old.”
“Mrs. Abernathy was talking about murder, not waltzing.”
“To us they are opposite ends of the pole, but to her they are not so far apart. In her mind a person capable of one may very well contemplate the other.”
“I didn’t know you had such a sense of humour,” Charlotte said bitterly. “But this is not the time to show it. What should I say to Emily? I cannot merely do nothing.”
“At least you haven’t told your dreadful policeman yet!”
“Of course I haven’t! And that observation is hardly helpful!”
“Sorry. Perhaps we had better have Emily in here and tell her—I don’t know precisely what. I suppose the truth?” As she spoke she stood up and came to the door.
Charlotte agreed. It was the best idea, and she was grateful for Sarah’s support. She stood aside for Sarah to leave.
A few moments later they were all in Charlotte’s bedroom, the door closed.
“Well?” Emily asked.
“Charlotte heard something today which we think you ought to know,” Sarah replied. “It’s in your own interest.”
“When people say that, it always means something unpleasant.” Emily looked at Charlotte. “All right, what is it?”
Charlotte took a deep breath. She knew Emily was going to be angry.
“George Ashworth was very well-acquainted with Chloe just before she was murdered. He took her to a great many places.”
Emily’s eyebrows rose. “Did you imagine I did not know that?”
Charlotte was surprised. “Yes, I did. But perhaps you do not know what kinds of places? Apparently they were places where moral women do not go.”
“You mean whorehouses?”
“Emily, please!” Sarah said sharply. “I appreciate you are angry, but there is no need to be coarse.”
“No, I do not mean—whorehouses!” Charlotte said sharply. “At least I don’t think I do. But this is not a matter to be taken lightly. Remember that Chloe is dead, and remember how she died. Mrs. Abernathy believes that it was her association with George Ashworth that led to her death, either directly or indirectly.”
Emily’s face was white. “You have not left me unaware that you dislike George, even perhaps that you are jealous, but this is spiteful and quite beneath you! Goodness knows, I am sorry enough for Chloe’s death, but it had nothing to do with George!”
“How do you know?”
“Because it is only your prudish spite that imagines it might have! I know George and you do not. Why on earth should he do such a thing?”
“I don’t know! But I am not telling you for spite, and it is very wrong of you to say so! I am telling you because I could not bear it if the same thing were to happen to you, if through George Ashworth you met someone who—”
Emily let out a sigh of impatience. “If Chloe mixed in bad company then it was because she had not the wit to recognize it. I hope you do not put me in the same category?”
“I really don’t know, Emily,” Charlotte said honestly. “Sometimes I wonder.”
Emily was defensive again. “So what are you going to do? Tell Papa?”
“What for? He could forbid you to see George Ashworth but you would still do whatever you wished—only secretly, which would be even worse. Just—just be careful!”
Emily’s face softened. “Of course I shall be careful. I suppose you mean