Once Upon a Time in Bath (The Brides of Bath #7) - Cheryl Bolen Page 0,40
her affections amongst a broad field of admirers?”
“I had no desire to prolong the courtship. I’d made up my mind and was ready to act on my decision.”
“Then you have no doubts? No regrets?”
Of course he had regrets! He’d longed to marry a beautiful woman who captivated him the same way Glee had bewitched Blanks or Catherine Bexley had won Melvin’s undying devotion.
But he vowed to never mention those regrets to anyone. He owed Dot that much respect. “I have found that Miss Pankhurst and I suit very well, and I’m a most fortunate man.”
He actually was most fortunate to have secured the lady’s hand. Had he not met her on the precise day he did, someone else might have snared her affections. Thank God for that bloody cat of hers!
“My only regret is that you feel things will change between you and me.” Appleton’s gaze locked with Elvin’s. “They won’t. You’ll always be my closest friend. And confidant.”
Elvin drank up. “Then I’ve behaved like a bloody woman.”
They both laughed. “God, don’t say that. You’re my respite from the fair sex—with whom I’ve spent far too much time as of late.”
“I must say there’s been a remarkable transformation in your intended. Misjudged her. She does credit to her gender. Wouldn’t know she’d not always mingled with the likes of our sisters.”
Sir Elvin regarded his friend, amusement flashing in his dark eyes. “I am given to understand she attended the musical last night without her cats.”
Appleton really did not appreciate anyone, not even his closest friend, thinking Dot peculiar. “I believe the lady’s excessive attachment to her felines was encouraged because of her isolation. She’s an only child. Now she has me, Annie, and many new friends that should supplant those demmed cats.”
“Good to know. Didn’t like to think of you toting around those cats.”
“There are some things at which I will draw the line.”
Laughing, Elvin got up to refill their glasses. “How can you possibly have anything in common with a lass from Lincolnshire?”
“Surprisingly, we get along far better than I had expected. In fact, she intrinsically understood how upset I was about Ellie’s death. Even though she’d never met her, she has been very disturbed over the murder.”
“What woman wouldn’t be?” Sir Elvin shook his head. “I can’t dispel it from my thoughts. Such a terrible thing. It’s the kind of tragedy one might expect in London, but not here in Bath, and not to someone we saw regularly. Ellie was so pretty. And young. Terrible pity.”
“Did you ever hear of her mixing with any of the patrons outside of Mrs. Starr’s?”
Elvin’s eyes rounded. “Ellie? Never. There was something . . . well, something innocent about her.”
Appleton nodded. “I too felt that way about her.” He hesitated a moment, then decided to share with Elvin the inquiries he and Dot had made. “I found out from Mrs. Starr where she lived, and Dot and I went there.”
“I take it Dot is Miss Pankhurst?”
“Yes.”
“Whatever did you go to Ellie’s for?”
“Miss Pankhurst feels it’s our duty to bring the murderer to justice.”
Elvin’s brows scrunched together. “She knows who he is?”
“Good lord, no! But it’s our aim to discover his identity.”
“Sounds bloody dangerous. The blighter’s killed once already!”
“Be assured I won’t let Dot out of my sight.”
“You are not invincible! Looks like I’m not going to be able to let you out of my sight!” Elvin took a long sip of Madera. “So what did you learn at Ellie’s lodgings?”
Appleton told him everything they’d discovered.
“There’s no way Ellie could have saved up fifty pounds on the pittance Mrs. Starr gives her girls,” Elvin said, “and we know Ellie wasn’t interested in earning money in other ways.”
“I will own, it’s highly suspicious, but the only explanation is that she likely did earn money and likely from one of the patrons of Mrs. Starr’s. Now we have to find out who he was.”
“Maryann must know. Apparently Maryann was her closest—and possibly her only—friend. Do you want me to speak to her?” Elvin asked.
“No. Dot and I will. I wish you could have seen the clever way Dot handled the landlady. I will need you to speak to Maryann for us and set up a meeting since I refuse to step foot in a gaming establishment ever again.”
Elvin looked at him as if he’d suddenly sprouted a halo. “You really were serious?”
“Have you ever in these past twenty plus years that you’ve known me known me to go back on my word?”