Murder by the Sea Read online

  While she fussed over the babies, the train came rumbling past. It was time to face whatever would happen and make sure that regardless of the outcome, their friendships survived, and they were there for those they loved. She glanced at Jack, who nodded in silent agreement.

  “I love you, Mr. Wakefield,” she said fondly.

  Jack leaned down and pressed a kiss to Violet’s forehead and said low and sweet, “I love you, Mrs. Wakefield.”

  Ham stepped off the train in his same old grubby brown suit. She grinned as she saw it and noted that he had seemed to have cut a little more weight, as well as had his hair and beard trimmed. If he weren’t wearing the old suit—or its twin, given he was smaller now than when she’d first met him—she’d have teased him about primping for his love. It was in bad taste, she thought, given the tightness to his gaze and the way he moved like he hadn’t slept well in days.

  “Ham!” Violet called and skipped up to him to press a kiss on his cheek. She’d have taken his briefcase if he’d let her, but he just dropped his own kiss on her forehead where her cloche ended. “It is so nice to see you.”

  Ham just sort of grunted and then took his dogs from Jack. Both dogs were yipping in excitement at the sight of Ham, and they succeeded where she had not. He grinned at them and rubbed both little grey bellies before he stood.

  “We’ve walked,” Jack told him, “and we’re having deep, clear thoughts about toffee apples.”

  Ham stood with his dogs and leaned over the pram to glance at the babies. “They’re big now, aren’t they?”

  “It’s too fast,” Violet muttered, crossly. “Their grandmother appropriated more than her fair share of time with them.”

  Ham laughed again, and his shoulders eased.

  “There’s an auto, if you’d rather,” Jack told Ham. “We promised a long walk to Kate and Victor and must gather up a duo of nannies who are going back to the house to be tried and probably found wanting by Victor.”

  “He’s turned into a grouchy bear,” Violet added. “He’s dismissed three separate nannies since the girls have arrived.”

  Ham grunted and Jack clapped him on the back, taking the briefcase from his friend and walking it to the servant who had arrived with the auto. Jack arranged the baggage and nannies while Ham silently smoked a cigarette away from the girls and Violet watched him with concern. He had gone back to tense, and she thought he might need to have someone smack him hard to get it out of him. No one was going to throw herself into the arms of an automaton.

  Jack returned with the nannies following. Violet liked the look of Poppy and Jane. She liked their smile lines, the way they laughed back and forth. The way they left the babies sleeping but called them sweet little lambs with such clear-eyed honesty that Violet had little doubt both women adored children. Poppy had rosy cheeks, black and grey hair, a bit of a hook nose, and a wide smile. Jane was a bit quieter and a bit paler, but her face was just as kind and she had more of a button nose.

  A quick back and forth established Violet as the aunt, warned them of Victor’s protectiveness, and told them a bit about Lila and Denny. Nothing that anyone would object to. “I can take them,” Poppy offered.

  Violet shook her head quickly. “It’s my turn.”

  Poppy smiled with understanding.

  Violet and Jack left the women with the servant and followed Ham out of the train station. Ham walked at a clip that his dogs weren’t keeping. Violet didn’t bother to chase after Ham. He’d either slow down or take a much-needed ramble before he met Rita again. Instead, Violet followed Jack to the little shop with the toffee apples and they ordered one sliced and to go. When they left the shop, they found Ham smoking outside.

  He took one look at them and then said, “I might be bad company.”

  “We can’t all be as wonderful as me,” Violet told him consolingly, patting his back.

  He grinned at her, and she winked before leaning to pick up the wriggling Agatha. To Ham she said, “In penance, you can push the pram.”

  Halfway down the first lane, Ham cursed and demanded, “Was this engineered for pixies?”

  “This might shock you,” Violet whispered, leaning in, “but I suspect it was—in fact—engineered for women.”

  The wind whipped around them again, and Jack lifted the squirming Vivi. Ham groaned at the four dogs, including his two disobedient ones, and then plopped them in the pram, pushing it and cursing as they headed back to the house they’d taken for the weekend.

  The wind whipped away from them across the sea, where the steamship The Majestic Star was coming ever closer. How their jaws would have dropped to see Rita staring down in shock at a man on his knee, holding out a makeshift ring with his promises of love.

  They would have been even more shocked to realize that this was not the blond fellow with the round spectacles that dared to press a kiss on her cheek the night before or the redhead with the wide grin who had slipped a love poem under her door. What would have shocked them all, to their very soul, was the fourth man—watching in the distance, gaze narrowed with hatred as he stared towards the couple with a virulent fury.

  Chapter 3

  Rita had dressed with care. She was wearing a blue sapphire dress that exactly matched the color of her eyes, a long strand of pearls accented by a sapphire and diamond collar, and sapphire and diamond earbobs. Her hair was in marcelled curls with one sapphire hairpin holding them to the side of her face.

  Her cosmetics were perfect with a pink lipstick that looked both natural and vibrant. Against her straight white teeth, the color drew attention to every word that dropped from her lips and those pearls were being attended to by no more than four men who circled her.

  The steamship’s ballroom had a grand staircase that descended into a group of spinning dancers. A band played in the corner that Violet couldn’t quite see from her vantage point. There was also a bar along the wall, and doors that led onto the deck were left open for dancers to come and go.

  Rita met Violet’s gaze, and for a moment, Violet was sure she’d lost her friend to this last adventure as though they hadn’t been friends long enough to last the break, but then Rita shoved past the gents as though they were nothing more than croquet balls in her way. She came darting across the ballroom towards Violet and the others.

  “Hullo, hullo, hullo, hullo!” Rita’s wide grin was a blur as she threw herself into Violet’s arms, hugging her tightly. “Oh! I have missed you so!”

  “Umph.” Violet squeezed Rita nearly as tightly, breathing in the gardenia and jasmine scent of her friend.

  “Well if this isn’t one of the prettiest things I’ve ever seen,” a stranger’s voice intruded, but Rita didn’t let Violet go and neither did Violet. Rita only stepped back when Lila lazily asked, “And where is mine?”

  A moment later, the still slim Lila was being hugged tightly. They were whispering into each other’s ears, and the sight of her two closest friends together filled Vi’s heart with out and out joy.

  “All is well again,” Rita said delightedly as she repeated, “Hullo, hullo! I’ve missed you all so! Even Denny!”

  Denny grunted, but he was grinning at the sight of his wife hugging their friend. Among the close friends, they were all very carefully not looking at Ham. If Rita’s gaggle of lovers were watching Ham, Violet didn’t dare to look. She wanted so very badly to turn and see his reaction, but as private as he was, he deserved the chance to hide what he was feeling.

  Violet grinned at her friends and then turned towards the voice who attempted to interrupt their reunion. It was the first of four men trailing after Rita like ducklings. Oh. Violet barely kept herself from narrowing her gaze and demanding why they were bothering their group.

  The man was dark, slim, with a hook nose, and an arrogant manner that rivaled Violet when she was putting on her earl’s daughter airs.

  “Hello there,” the first gent said with a crooked, smarmy grin. His dark gaze flit to Rita and back to Violet. “Lord Parkington B
idlake.”

  He expected Violet to be impressed. Denny’s evil snort had Bidlake turning his head. While he did, Rita winked at Violet who coolly replied, “Lady Violet Wakefield. This is my husband, Jack Wakefield.”

  Violet never enjoyed using the courtesy title she received from her father except for moments like these. She noticed the rapid blinking as Bidlake reassessed his capacity to impress Rita’s friends and then looked beyond him to the other fellows.

  “Meet,” Rita said merrily, “Oscar Watts.”

  The blonde with the round spectacles waved.

  “Ian Fyfe.”

  A redhead with the most delightful freckles nodded happily, but Violet noted a bit of anger in his gaze, as though things weren’t quite going his way.

  “And,” Rita said with a wicked grin, “Vernon Atkinson.”

  The last of the gents, the one who had lagged the most behind, nodded once, not meeting a single person’s gaze. He was medium in every way, medium hair, build, color of eyes.

  Rita introduced the rest of them in quick succession and without lingering on any one person. Like, Violet thought, Hamilton Barnes. Ham, on the other hand, had clearly examined each of the gents chasing Rita with a dark, judging gaze.

  Violet ignored Ham because she thought he’d want her to. Instead, with a merriness that didn’t reach her soul, Vi asked Rita, “How was your trip?”

  “Oh lovely!” Rita said, hooking her arm with Violet’s. She looked at the others apologetically. “I do need to talk to Vi for a moment.”

  Rita pulled Vi into the crowded ballroom, not bothering to look back at everyone they’d abandoned.

  “Jack will understand, right?”

  Jack was not Violet’s concern.

  “They can get drinks,” Rita said, knowing they were being rude. She waved towards the bar where drinks could be acquired.

  A black woman with a low voice was singing with the accompaniment of a full band, and Rita pulled Violet into a dance. “I—”

  Violet lifted a brow.

  “I didn’t mean to.” Her gaze moved to the gents who were staring after Violet and Rita. “They’re suffocating.”

  With a snort, Violet laughed. “It’s your natural beauty.”

  Rita shook her head. “I don’t think so. Oh, how that sounds, but no. Somehow rumors of my father’s money got out. I had an older woman ask me if my father was that rich bloke Roderick Russell.”

  “No!” Violet’s gaze returned to the gents and she had to wonder which of them was money grubbing. Possibly all of them? Definitely that Bidlake fellow. Certainly, more than just Bidlake, as lovely as Rita was. It was a competition between those fellows, and the prize was likely Rita’s money not her heart.

  Rita nodded. “I didn’t say a word. Ian and Oscar had been flirting before the rumors, but after—”

  Violet didn’t need Rita to expand. As an heiress herself, Violet knew all too well what happened when a man who was slightly interested realized there was a mountain of gold behind that set of fine eyes or whatever it was they sort of liked.

  “Where is Martha? Didn’t she help?”

  “Oh no. She’s in love,” Rita said, batting her lashes. “I’m sure she’ll be about, and I’ll wait for you to see her.”

  Violet paused at that because there was something in Rita’s tone that conveyed that Vi would be surprised by what she saw. Martha was hardly Violet’s concern. Lila’s little sister was pure, spoiled trouble.

  “Tell me more,” Violet said and listened to the descriptions of blue seas, fantastical animals, wonderful countries. Temples that left one awestruck, and three separate proposals.

  “How did you reply?”

  “I said I appreciated each offer but that I wasn’t prepared to accept any proposal.”

  Violet was certain the ‘any’ was for Ham, and she winced. Violet wanted her friend Ham and her friend Rita—who adored each other—to marry each other and find happiness. Ham had, however, flubbed up everything when he sidestepped Rita’s feelings in order to avoid being seen as pursuing her for her money.

  Leaving her open, Violet scowled, for fellows like that Bidlake. Men were so stupid with their pride ruining the good things. Who cared if Rita inherited money from her father when her choices were honorable men like Ham, being alone, or ones she couldn’t be sure of like those trailing ducklings?

  “Don’t look at me like that,” Rita muttered, pulling Violet towards the side door and out onto the deck where they could talk quietly. “I just—that hurt, Vi.”

  Kate followed them onto the deck before they could decide between a deckchair or leaning against the railing. Kate hugged Rita tightly. “I know you’re avoiding Ham, but I needed my hug too.”

  “I missed you all so much,” Rita murmured. “Adventures aren’t the same when home is so appealing.”

  “You don’t have to accept Ham,” Kate said before Violet could. “We will love you regardless. You’re one of us now. Even to Ham. I know he wants you to feel like you’ve come home despite his feelings for you. Or that his feelings for you are secondary to you being one of us.”

  Rita looked between them, tears swimming in her eyes. She blinked them quickly away. “That’s what I love about him.”

  Neither Kate nor Violet bothered to ask what Rita didn’t like about him. Falling in love and trusting yourself to another was terrifying even before you included the fact that Ham’s pride had split them up before. Violet was sure there were a few things about Ham that Rita didn’t care for; Violet could certainly think of a thing or two about Jack.

  “Vi,” Kate cut in. “I saw Martha.”

  There was something in that tone that had Violet staring in surprise at Kate. “Did you?”

  “You’ll want to as well.”

  Violet glanced between Kate and Rita, who were both hiding wide, wide grins.

  “I don’t care for Martha, and I’m sure she’s not going anywhere.”

  “Oh.” Rita shook her head. “Actually, I’m sure she’ll be leaving soon.”

  “But there’s a party,” Violet said, glancing between the two. “The disembarking party. They’re famously good fun. With lots of drinks and handsome men.”

  “Indeed.” Rita didn’t argue, but somehow that mattered.

  “Ham loves you,” Violet said fiercely. “You love Ham. We all love you both. Our opinions don’t matter.”

  Rita nodded.

  “Do what you need to do, except for Bidlake. You’re going to need to not end up with him despite the proposals.”

  “He’s a good dancer,” Rita told Violet simply.

  “That doesn’t extend to day-to-day life.”

  “I know,” Rita admitted and her wicked grin had Violet grinning in return. “But the ship stopped so many places, and there were so many evenings of dancing to be filled. Oscar is a sweetie and so is Vernon, but their dancing leaves something to be desired.”

  “Your toes?”

  “I wanted to walk on the beaches of the islands where we stopped and dive into the deep end of the pool without a flash of pain.”

  “She’s demanding, isn’t she?” Violet asked Kate, who yawned into her gloved hand and then nodded.

  “I’m sorry. Babies—”

  “Oh, I am so excited to see them. I bought all of the baby things I saw, I think.”

  Kate hugged Rita again and then said, “Really Vi. Lila needs you, I think.”

  Slowly Violet started back towards the ballroom where she’d abandoned her other friends. As she searched for Jack’s head towering over the rest, Violet paused. In front of Jack was a slender woman wearing a very simple, very stark black dress. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a low barrette, far outside of fashion. Given that it had been bobbed the last time that Violet had seen Martha, she must have been trying to grow it longer since she left. Next to her was a man in all black, wearing a collar.

  “Is that…”

  “Brother Samuel Richards,” Rita murmured. “Just returning to England
to raise more funds for his next mission. He joined us a few stops from where the ship started, from this tiny island. It seemed he was doing good works there, but—”

  Violet’s jaw dropped as the woman next to him turned slightly and Vi noticed Martha wasn’t wearing any cosmetics. No! Then Vi noticed the look of disgust and irritation on Lila’s face. Violet hurried across the ballroom, abandoning Rita and Kate.

  As Vi arrived she heard Martha said, “Like the good book says, a virtuous woman is valuable above rubies.”

  “Like Vi says,” Denny said loudly. His disgusted look was only slightly eased when Victor thrust a cocktail into his friend’s hand and then handed over his own cigarette.

  “Ah, brother Denny,” Samuel said, “that is indeed a scripture. Though, of course, Martha has misquoted it slightly. It says, of course, “Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.”

  Violet blinked at Denny, whose mouth had dropped open. He was gaping like a fish as he stared at the fellow Martha was clinging to.

  From behind them, Violet added, “She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly,” Violet’s gaze was intent as she stared at Martha, “with her hands.”

  Denny’s evil snort combined with Violet’s quote had Martha blushing furiously. She turned and the circle of friends widened to allow Violet, Kate, and Rita to enter.

  “Yes, yes, of course,” Samuel said, holding out a hand to Violet. “How right you are, sister.”

  “Violet is fine,” Violet told him. He was handsome. Shockingly so. Tanned from the island, with blue eyes and dark hair, it was an arresting combination.

  “Sister Violet—”

  “Just Violet,” she cut in with a smile.

  His smarmy smile lessened his looks dramatically. “Are we not all sisters and brothers, children of God?”

  “We are indeed,” Violet said quickly, “but I am afraid that I only accept the title of sister from Victor. The rest of mankind will need to use my name.” It was a firm order, and he attempted to stare her down, again lessening his looks. He’d gone from attractive to repellent with just a few words.