Page 127 of A Much Maligned Miss

“That’s understandable,” he responded at once. “You were far too embroiled in the affair yourself to see the wood for the trees. Your mother’s treatment of you was always so vindictive, how should you have noticed any kind of escalation of hostilities?”

“Well, even so—”

“You also told me you were terrified that morning you ran away and I ascribed it all to the fact you had been drugged. God forgive me, I never even wondered why you had been drugged that day. Or if I did, I ascribed it to some petty motive, never an intent to murder!”

“Gervaise…” She held her hand out to him, and he returned to her side at once. “I have not even told you the worst of it, yet,” she said nervously as his fingers closed around hers.

“I find that hard to believe, but go on,” he said, sitting back down.

“You see, it turns out that this is not the first time Mama has killed,” she said with trepidation. “She told me she killed my father and Mr. Needham, and that after disposing of me, she would turn her murderous attentions next to Diana and even Edgar if he did not fall in line with her wishes.”

Gervaise looked more impatient than appalled. “Yes, I suppose that makes a certain sort of sense,” he agreed. “After killing twice without discovery, I suppose it started to seem a logical solution to all her problems.”

Caroline’s eyes widened. “I—yes, I suppose so,” she agreed weakly.

“Let us return to the carriage,” he said briskly. “I want to know what happened next.”

Caroline gulped. “Yes, I will tell you,” she said, then lapsed into unhappy silence.

“Did they tell you what they had planned for you?” he prompted.

“Yes. Mama had prepared some concoction for me to drink. I don’t know if it was intended to poison or merely to render me unconscious. Then, once it grew dark, Price had found some quiet spot to…well, tip my body into the Thames.”

Gervaise’s hand tightened on the arm of the sofa, and he breathed in then out again, rather noisily. Still, when he spoke, his voice was surprisingly calm. “Now tell me how you escaped,” he said. “I need to hear that part rather badly.”

“Well, the whole time Mama was speaking, I was waiting for the carriage to slow down,” Caroline replied. “I knew I had to jump, that breaking a limb was far preferable to remaining in that carriage with them. We approached a crossroads, and as soon as we came to a halt, I sprang for the door. By great good fortune, Reg appeared at the same instance, pulling it open.

“He had procured a hansom cab and had been following us all the while. I ran for the cab while Reg fought with Price. Mama followed me,” she continued with difficulty. “She was screaming and snatching at me as I dodged through the traffic. Finally, I turned around and…and I pushed her. I just wanted her to stop,” Caroline sobbed. “To leave me alone. I pushed her…straight into the path of a moving carriage,” she whispered and fell silent.

Gervaise pulled her onto his lap, tucking her head under his chin. “Thank God,” he said heavily. “Thank God.” His hands ran up and down her back and sides as though reassuring himself she was in one piece. “It seems I owe Reg a debt I can never repay. We will have to find some role for him in our future household.”

Caroline lay silent against him, her heart beating fast. At some point the repercussions of all she had imparted would hit him, she just knew it. She needed to brace herself for their impact when they struck him. For the righteous indignation that would swiftly follow.

Gervaise reached into his jacket for his cigarette case. “Do you mind if I smoke?” he asked and she noticed his hand was shaking.

“No, of course not.” She made as though to move but his other arm tightened around her.

“No, don’t leave me,” he said. “I need you to stay right where you are for, oh at least twenty minutes.”

“Twenty minutes?”

“After that I promise I will have control of myself. Until that point, though, will you indulge me in this?”

She nodded and he smiled at her, placing an unlit cigarette between his lips. “You have a mind to be a generous wife, I see.”

“Oh yes,” she said quickly, glad she could reassure him on that score at least. “But after the twenty minutes—”

“Then you can take a nice bath,” he said soothingly, “and we can see to your comfort.”

She sat up straighter. “Before that, I will need to go to Scotland Yard,” she corrected him.

He hesitated. “I certainly need to make enquiries,” he stressed, “about any lives possibly lost in the coach incident earlier but—”

“No, Gervaise,” she said firmly. “I know only too well the disgrace it will bring down upon us, and I am truly sorry for it but…I owe it to Sophy.” When he said nothing, she urged, “The guilty parties must be punished for what they did to her. I cannot rest until I have seen justice is done.”

He breathed out heavily. “Very well. Let me send first for my legal man and he can meet us there.”

“Should I also send for Mr. Roxby?” she asked. “He could then furnish the police with the particulars. About my inheritance, I mean.”