The Blue Girl (5 page)

“I touched her, that’s all. She was so fragile, there was nothing to her.”

“Why would you choke her? And why wait until last night?”

Veronica’s eyes flicked over to her brother and I realized.
Turn back, turn back, you pretty thing
. “They would have consummated their marriage,” I said. “That’s why, isn’t it? That’s why you finally attacked her.”

Veronica swallowed hard and closed her eyes and I knew I was right. My stomach turned.

“What’s he saying, Veronica?” Geoffrey said. “What did you do to Lily?”

“You’re hardly blameless, Mr Cream,” I said.

“I didn’t kill anyone.”

“I think she loved you. Letting her believe you loved her back was most unkind.”

“You didn’t know her.”

He was right. I felt angry and I felt uncomfortable, and I wasn’t certain if it was because the Creams loved each other too much or because they hadn’t loved the blue girl. She had been cruelly used by them and she had taken her own life. Someone needed to bear the responsibility for that. Someone needed to care.

“You know what must have happened. Maybe she met someone, a ruffian.” I looked at Veronica, but there was nothing human left in her eyes. “But I think Lily threw herself into the canal. Because your sister made it so very clear that she wasn’t welcome here. You inspired her to take her own life.”

“None of this constitutes a crime, even if it were true,” Veronica said. “And you’ve no proof of any of it.”

“But I do. I had proof the minute I laid eyes on Geoffrey, sitting here in yesterday’s clothing. The same clothing you were married in, isn’t that right?”

“What does that have to do with . . .”

“Marriage is the family business, isn’t it? I mean wasn’t your father an expert?”

“I’m sorry?”

“
Marriage, Custom and Practise
,” I said. I pointed to the library copy on Geoffrey’s desk. “Written by Robert Cream.”

“My father wrote many things.”

“I see that. How many of those did he write?” I gestured at the sea of marbled cardboard on the wall. “But this is the one that mattered to Lily.”

I took the copy I had borrowed from the pocket of my overcoat and tossed it on the desk. It skidded and stopped when it bumped up against its twin. Two identical library books.

“She was superstitious. She didn’t have any choice about getting married on a Saturday, but she still put sixpence in her shoe. She was doing her best to balance her luck, wasn’t she? And yet you wore those things.”

“My shoes?” he said.

“It’s bad luck for a groom to wear new shoes. Your sister needn’t have said anything to her. Lily left your father’s book out for you and yet you didn’t bother to look at it. If you had, you’d have known and you’d have given her the wedding she dreamed of. You simply didn’t care.”

“But that’s . . . That’s still not a crime.”

“Perhaps not, but I hope the scandal ruins you.”

Geoffrey Cream’s eyes went wide. “What scandal?”

“You’re going to be arrested,” I said. “That’s sure to cause some talk.”

Veronica launched herself at me, her nails raking my cheek as I reeled backward. My shoulder hit the door and I fell into the hallway, directly into the path of the Creams’ single servant. I grabbed the little man and threw him at his snarling mistress, and they both went down in a heap. Through the open door I could see Geoffrey, still standing there, looking down at his shiny new shoes.

I dabbed at my face with my handkerchief and was relieved to see that it came away with very little blood. I smiled. “That’s absolutely perfect,” I said. “As I was saying, you’re both under arrest. For assaulting a policeman.”

I picked the little man up and apologized for using him as a projectile, and sent him to fetch the police round with a wagon. I kept watch over the strange siblings, but neither moved or spoke another word. They stood facing each other, almost touching, and they didn’t notice when I used Geoffrey’s stationery to write a note to my pretty shopgirl. I was going to miss our dinner date.

•   •   •

I didn’t see the old priest when I returned to the church. It was just as well. I didn’t want to have to explain to him that Lily George was dead because she’d had too much faith. It was no one’s fault that she’d placed her faith in the wrong man.

I stayed there just long enough to light a candle for the blue girl. I didn’t believe a candle would help her, but she had believed. She had believed in a great many things.

I had her portrait in my pocket, along with her wedding ring. The ring was rightfully hers and I had decided it belonged with her family. I didn’t know where to find them, but I had a decent pair of shoes. They weren’t new, but they were serviceable. I could walk all night if I had to.

On the way out I dropped a penny in the poor box.

For luck.

•   •   •

For a complete list of this author’s books click here or visit www.penguin.com/grecianchecklist