Murder by the Sea Read online

  Violet looked back at her friends and then crossed to Jack instead of Victor, taking her seat next to him and laying her head on his shoulder. “What if we were to go to the carnival tonight? The pier and the carnival both look like a fun way to spend the evening.”

  Rita winced. “In order to sidestep giving out my address, I told Bidlake that I’d be attending the carnival this evening when he said they were having an adult-only session after 8:00 p.m. this evening.”

  “You would be,” Violet shot back, “with us.”

  Rita knew Violet’s wicked tone of voice, but she just shook her head and said, “I suppose I would be.”

  “I’m happy to throw him out of the house for you as well,” Victor said. “Or out of the carnival or off the pier. Whatever you need.”

  “We’re really service-oriented friends,” Violet told Rita brightly.

  The rest of breakfast passed peacefully until, at least, Lila’s little sister, Martha, entered. She looked as though she’d cried the evening over, but she’d set aside the simple black dress for a soft pink dress that showed her shoulders and dipped low over her chest. Violet rose to get Martha a cup of English breakfast tea after taking in the real circles under the younger woman’s eyes.

  Martha sniffed and sat down, staring at the table.

  “Come now,” Victor told Martha gently, “it isn’t so bad.”

  “I really loved Samuel,” Martha said, “and—and—he threw me over for money.”

  “He did,” Victor agreed, “which means that he wasn’t the man you thought he was, and he didn’t have the feelings for you that he pretended.”

  Martha stared at Victor as though she’d never thought of that idea. Really, Violet thought, how could Martha be quite so dim when Lila was so clever?

  “He wasn’t, was he? He talked so nicely. I thought a missionary would be better than these regular gents. Like that Bidlake. He was interested enough in me when the ship departed until he found out that Rita was an heiress.”

  “Samuel thought you could get him money,” Violet said nearly as gently as Victor, though she had noted what Martha had said about Bidlake.

  Martha fought to hold back the tears again. “I thought I was going to be married. I thought I’d get a pretty dress and we’d have a big party. How happy Mama would have been when I married a missionary. That’s way better than lazy Denny!”

  Violet tucked her hair behind her ear to fight her reaction.

  “Are you sadder about the wedding or the man?” Rita’s dry voice said she’d long since run out of sympathy for Martha.

  Vi met Rita’s gaze and bit down on her bottom lip. It wasn’t as though they hadn’t warned Rita. She just hadn’t cared when she needed to get away from Ham.

  “Well.” Martha frowned and then she brightly said, “It’s not like I won’t find someone else. I’m pretty and now that we’re off that steamship where everyone around wants Rita’s money, I’ll have a better chance. It’s really unfair that you’re so fashionable and that you have so much money.”

  “No one wants to be married for their money,” Rita snapped. “Whether it’s money for the missionary work or money for parties and suits.”

  Martha scowled at Rita, crossing her arms over her chest. “It’s not fair that Rita is both pretty and rich,” she said again, but this time with more whining in her voice.

  “Life isn’t fair,” Violet told Martha.

  “You’re pretty and rich too. You just matter less because you’re already married.”

  Victor choked on his coffee while Violet stared, open-mouthed. She’d jumped ahead with the shock, though, because then Martha said, “If only I had a rich aunt who was murdered and left me everything.”

  “I say!” Ham snapped while Jack slowly set down his coffee cup. Rita’s gasp was followed by Victor’s low growl.

  Violet rose with a look for Victor. “I’ve got this one.”

  Crossing to Martha, Violet took the girl by the ear and pulled her from the breakfast room. She was twisting until Violet took her by the neck as well, letting her fingernails dig in a bit. Violet calmly walked Martha up the stairs to her bedroom, opened the door, and shoved her in.

  “It is untenable that you’ve made light of my aunt’s murder,” Violet said evenly.

  “I didn’t—”

  Violet held up a hand and her cool voice snapped as she said, “You did. And you know you did. You may rejoin us this evening if you are prepared to keep a civil tongue in your mouth and apologize clearly. Otherwise, I will put you on a train, send you home to your mother, and chase your exit with a letter regarding your behavior.”

  “I am a grown woman, and you cannot treat me like a child!”

  “Are you? I hadn’t noticed.” Violet closed the door, locking Martha in. The girl began shaking the handle and demanding to be let out. Violet was certain the only reason she hadn’t had to shove Martha back was that the girl didn’t think she’d get locked in.

  She had always been stupid, Vi thought as she crossed to Lila’s bedroom door and banged on it. Denny answered, looking beyond Violet to Martha’s door where the pounding against it hadn’t stopped.

  “I thought all my dreams had come true,” Denny said with his gaze still fixed across the hall.

  Violet tucked the key into his palm. “She bemoaned not having a rich, murdered aunt.”

  “I say.” Denny’s gaze flit to Violet to see her reaction.

  Her white-faced fury was a precise answer. “I told her to apologize and change her behavior or we’d put her on the train. You can decide when she can leave the room.”

  Violet patted Denny’s cheek and then left as the sound of something breaking crashed against the floor. Denny was almost gleeful as he called out to Martha, “That doesn’t sound like an apology.”

  Her shriek of fury had him giggling. He crossed to the door and knocked on it. In a sing-song voice, he called, “Martha…you’re a child.”

  She pounded on the door in answer. “Let me out!”

  “Apologize!”

  “I’m tired of being treated like a child!”

  “Then stop throwing tantrums! You’re a horrendous brat!”

  “I hate you!”

  “I hate you,” he called back, laughing. “Always have.”

  “Oh, oh, oh! I’m going to tell Mother.”

  Denny’s wicked laughter won the argument.

  Chapter 5

  The traveling carnival was set up near the seaside. The path towards the entrance was lined with torches. They had turned onto the path and Vi paused long enough to enjoy the flicker of the shadows on the pebble walk. The sound from the carnival was filled with laughter and music, and Violet hoped there would be a place to dance.

  Her arm was hooked through Jack’s and Lila walked next to them. Both Violet and Lila had opted for dresses without sleeves and jumpers that could be tied around the neck or worn depending on how crowded the carnival got or how cool the evening became.

  Rita had hurried a dozen steps ahead, excited as they’d left the house. “There is something magical about a carnival. I remember my first one in India. It wasn’t the same as here, of course, but I did get to eat samosas and ride an elephant. My mother had a little monkey that adored her and followed her the whole evening, but I suspect it was because she fed it. She swore, however, it was magic.”

  “That sounds magical,” Ham told her. His gaze followed Rita as though she were a unicorn in the distance—surreal, impossible, and just out of reach.

  Violet watched Ham watch Rita and then glanced up at Jack. She was arrested for a moment at the look in his eyes. “What?”

  Lila laughed and Vi turned to meet her friend’s gaze.

  “He’s looking at you like Ham looks at Rita.”

  “Denny only looks at chocolate like that,” Martha said, “so now you know where you fall, Lila.”

  Vi gasped but Denny cut in, “The key here, Martha, is that no one will look at you if you keep on being a poisonous
wretch.”

  Rita sighed as they saw five men lingering at the entrance to the carnival. Bidlake held a bouquet of flowers, Ian Fyfe held a box of chocolates, Oscar Watts held a small rectangular box, and Vernon Atkinson held a bottle of champagne.

  “Your hands are going to be full,” Martha said sourly. Her own gaze was fixed on Samuel Richards, who held nothing at all in his hands. “Could we please carry on? I am ready to dance and drink and ride that carousel.”

  “Oh Martha,” Samuel said in disappointment, glancing her over. She was wearing a red, fringed dress that danced just above her knees, long glass beads around her throat, and she’d applied her cosmetics carefully. The biggest change was, however, the bob she had reinstituted while locked in her bedroom. “You didn’t even last one day on God’s path without a shepherd.”

  Martha bypassed Samuel, accepted her ticket from Ham, and entered through the gates with Samuel following her. Martha was, however, the only one who hurried ahead. The rest lined up and watched as Rita’s slew of lovers jockeyed to go first. Vernon stepped up while Bidlake and Fyfe were staring each other down.

  “Rita, I wonder if I might steal part of your evening.” He smiled charmingly, adjusting his tie with the champagne tucked under his arm.

  “Thank you for the very kind offer,” Rita started.

  Vernon’s smile shifted from charming to triumphant.

  “—but, I have plans this evening.”

  “Rita, darling, I only have so much time in Felixstowe, before I have to get back to my regular obligations. Surely, you know I am expecting an answer to a certain question.”

  Rita glanced at her eager audience, winced, and then said, “I’ll find you later if I can. But I came with these friends and have already agreed to have a dance with Lord Bidlake.”

  Vernon’s smile disappeared and Violet had to bite down on her bottom lip as he scowled, chucked the champagne aside, and went into the carnival.

  “Why didn’t he just leave?” Violet demanded under her breath. “Why is he going to a carnival after being turned down?”

  “That’s a lot of money on the line,” Denny muttered. “Even a man of my high principles would be tempted to declare love for that bullion. And it isn’t as though Rita is repugnant. A girl as lovely as Rita who is also wealthy? That’s worth rolling with a rejection.”

  Lila shook her head. “For as often as fellows attempt to marry a girl for their money, it isn’t as though it’s so easy as they make it seem. We’re not lined up like apples at market.”

  “Apples?” Jack asked.

  Violet laughed and then they all shut up in unison as Bidlake pushed ahead of Fyfe, which only infuriated him further. Ian Fyfe, was red-faced, squint-eyed, and ready to blow up.

  Jack tensed enough for Violet to become even more alarmed. Fyfe shoved back in and said, “Rita! I—”

  “I heard what you said to my friend,” Rita told him flatly, ignoring Bidlake to deal with Ian Fyfe.

  “You don’t understand—”

  “Don’t I?”

  It wasn’t possible for Fyfe to blush deeper. “She was baiting me! Trying to trap me!”

  “Whatever are you talking about? She forced that word from you? I hardly think so. In fact, I hardly think any gentleman would use the term regardless of what the object of his dislike was doing.”

  Ian’s hands fisted as he demanded furiously, “Why are you taking her side? Why would you trust her over me?”

  “Because she’s my dearest friend,” Rita shot back. “Of course I trust her over a man I’ve known for a few weeks.”

  “She wants you to end up with that…that…idiot Barnes.”

  Violet’s nails dug into Jack’s forearm, and her gaze jumped to Hamilton, who was entirely unaffected. “He’s not worried.”

  Jack laughed silently, but Violet felt the vibration of it against her arm. “Ham doesn’t need to worry about that fellow even before Fyfe insulted you. I don’t think he needs to worry about any of these fellows.”

  Violet watched Ham. His close-cut beard hid the little twitches of his mouth that would have given Jack away. If anything, he seemed as though he were waiting in line. Not particularly bothered, not particularly excited.

  Violet believed his performance almost as much as she believed Fyfe’s protestations of love.

  “What’s all this now?”

  A couple in their middle years watched the group of younger people carefully and then said, “Fyfe? Ian Fyfe? Whatever are you doing in Felixstowe? I thought you were to catch the train to Edinburgh the moment the ship landed?”

  “None of your business, Martin. Keep your nose to your own self.”

  “Why are you bothering this young woman? Your father isn’t going to like hearing of this.”

  “Keep to your own self!” Ian shouted. “Bloody hell man, can’t you see this is my girl?”

  “Here now,” Bidlake muttered.

  “She’s my girl,” Violet announced. “We’re making a scene. Rita, darling, I hear that the toffee apple man has a stand in the carnival today.”

  “I like toffee apples,” Rita said, glancing in near apology to Bidlake and Oscar Watts before she sidestepped Fyfe with Violet. “My heavens, I hadn’t seen that side of Ian before. He hates you, Vi.”

  “At least Victor and Kate decided to stay home with the babies. Your lover might have attacked Victor. Then I would have had to bring out my mean face.”

  Vi glanced behind her and found Ham and Jack trailing. They’d have seemed like nursemaids except they both had their wolf faces on. All protective and aware. Vi watched Ham’s gaze dart to several drunken young men before he took two steps forward and casually blocked them getting closer to Rita and Vi.

  “Where’s Denny and Lila?”

  “Denny saw a chocolatier.”

  Rita snorted, sidestepping a girl with her arms full of prizes and her trailing lover. “The best things never change. Oh, look!”

  Violet followed Rita’s casual pointing. It was Samuel Richards talking quietly to two large men. They were nodding as he spoke quickly to them, and Violet would have guessed he was giving the fellows orders if there was the slightest chance that the blokes were parishioners. What was he doing? Asking for donations? Trying to convert carnival goers in their frivolity? Surely he knew the best time to catch someone for the Lord was when they were regretting their life choices, not when they were in the midst of making them. Finding those fellows hungover and sick the next morning with a couple of aspirin and the good word? Perhaps.

  “What an odd man he is,” Violet murmured to Rita. “Did you get to know him well on the steamship?”

  Rita shook her head. “He definitely seemed to move among the passengers. Spent an odd amount of time with Bidlake, to be honest. I was always surprised by that, but avoided them when they were together. Ian spent a good amount of time with Richards too, but Ian also spent a lot of time with some of the sailors, with one of the mates—perhaps the second? Honestly, we were all in each other’s pockets so much that we had to try to avoid each other to be successful at it.”

  “Fyfe doesn’t seem like a man who would be willing to avoid anyone. Better that they avoid him.” Ham’s comment wasn’t negative and Rita faced him in surprise. She had a low-level blush running and Violet was guessing it was due to the sheer presence of Ham. What if Vi and Jack faded into the crowd and left the two of them together?

  Vi looked at Jack and he shook his head at her. Her gaze narrowed, and he shook his head again. Darn him! His preternatural ability to guess what she was thinking was irritating indeed. “If we’re going to a carnival—”

  “And we are,” Rita added.

  “Then we must eat fairy floss, ride the carousel, and play one of those tossing things games.” Violet lifted a brow in challenge at Rita, knowing that Jack would be happy with whatever they chose to do. He’d already told her that he wanted to walk along the shore, go fishing on the ocean, and visit an old friend in Ipswich. Beyond that, he was w
illing to be pleased.

  “I wonder if we can find a place to ride horses on the beach.” Rita’s gaze was on the costumed white horses performing near the center of the carnival. “Look at those magnificent creatures.”

  They watched for several minutes and were interrupted by Victor appearing behind them. “Hullo, hullo.”

  Violet glanced up and lifted a brow.

  “Kate fell asleep. The nannies told me unequivocally to leave them be or else, and I thought—‘well, I could, couldn’t I?’ So I did. I just put on a suit and left the house and to be honest, I feel as though I might be able to fly.”

  Jack’s laugh had Victor shooting him a dark look. “Just wait until you have a little creature who can’t even lift their head without depending upon you. You’ll be as anxious as I have been.”

  “What convinced you to trust Poppy and Jane?” Violet didn’t believe for a minute that being ordered away by the nannies would have persuaded Victor if he truly didn’t trust them.

  “Smith’s report on those old girls. He’s a shady fellow. He followed them, watched them with other children, snuck into their rooms. He even took note of what they ate. How did he find that? But I’ll tell you what, that Poppy drinks an excessive amount of tea, but the old girl didn’t just take care of her own charges, she was found protecting and looking after other tots too.”

  “Finish it,” Violet told him.

  Victor grinned. “Smith said—and I quote, ‘Should I ever have the misfortune of being overcome by progeny, I’d do what I could to hire these old broads myself.’ I figured if a fellow like Smith would trust them, why shouldn’t I?”

  “You don’t think he has lesser standards?” Ham asked. “Being half-way to a criminal?”

  “I think if anyone would see the worst in someone, it’s a shady bloke like Smith. That report about set my heart alight. Even Kate agrees.”

  Violet bit down on her bottom lip to hide a wide grin at that. Kate wanted a nanny, and she wasn’t nearly so paranoid in her judgement of her fellow man. Victor saw a devil behind every pair of knitting needles. Kate was far more rational.