Death Comes to London (28 page)

Lucy stared at the dark brown glass of the bottle as an outrageous idea flowered in her head. “By all means let Edith finish the bottle, but make sure you keep it so that we can return it to Lieutenant Broughton.”

“Thank you, Miss.” Edith allowed Anna to give her two spoonfuls of the rose-hip syrup. “Ooh, miss, I can feel it warming the back of my throat already.”

Chapter 18

“T
hat’s a ridiculous suggestion,” Major Kurland said.

Lucy refused to lower her gaze. “Why? If we can’t find a way to implicate Lieutenant Broughton in any of these murders, why can’t we trick him into revealing himself?”

“Because it’s highly unethical.”

“And when have such niceties ever bothered Lieutenant Broughton?”

Major Kurland maintained his stance in front of the fire in the center of the hearthrug, a position that reminded Lucy strongly of her father. Before the rest of the Hathaway household had awoken, she’d taken a maid and gone to see him at Fenton’s. She and her maid had been ushered into the same parlor as on her last visit and had time to kick her heels while the major was presumably woken up, shaved, and dressed by his butler.

“But what if he doesn’t take the bait?”

“Then we’ve lost nothing, have we?”

He frowned down at her. “I’d have to ask Dr. Redmond to help. I cannot guarantee that he’ll cooperate.”

“He doesn’t need to know what is afoot. In fact, it would be better if he didn’t and was thus able to play his part more convincingly.”

“I suppose that’s true.”

“I wonder what he thought about Oliver’s remains? Orfila says that it is possible to detect and identify some types of poison in the human body.”

“I don’t imagine Dr. Redmond has the stomach to dissect Oliver, do you?”

“Then perhaps someone else should.”

“What do you hope to achieve by such an act?”

“We know that Oliver and Broughton fell ill at about the same time as the dowager.”

“Agreed.”

“The dowager died, Broughton was ill, but recovered, and Oliver got worse and then killed himself while his mind was disturbed.”

“Yes.”

“We are assuming that all three of them received different doses of the same things.”

“It is the simplest way to proceed.”

“But from what Dr. Redmond told you, the dowager was given an increased dose of digitalis. Neither Broughton nor Oliver showed symptoms of heart failure, did they? They were both beset with digestive problems, which suggests they ingested something different—if Broughton was truly ill.”

Major Kurland finally abandoned his commanding perch on the rug and sat down. “He certainly looked ill when I saw him. I doubt he would’ve been able to fake that.”

“And you saw Oliver, too, didn’t you? Did he complain of heart problems?”

“Not really. He looked rather like Broughton did on that first night, but he soon got worse and other symptoms appeared.”

“So either Dr. Redmond intends to do away with the whole Broughton family, which we now know is patently ridiculous, or Broughton decided to play his own hand. I sincerely doubt that they worked together.”

“And I sincerely doubt that Dr. Redmond would attempt to do away with Oliver.”

“Then it
has
to be Broughton, and this might be the only way we can make him confess.”

He looked up at her. “I wonder if Dr. Redmond has actually seen Oliver’s body?”

“As you said, he probably wouldn’t want to.”

“But if it proved that Broughton had been poisoning his brother, he might be more willing to help us expose his killer.” He frowned. “Now how can we find out where Oliver’s remains are being held?”

“Oh, I already know that. Lady Broughton said that both the bodies were being held in the crypt of a church the Broughton family help fund in the city. I believe it is one of the guild churches, St. Mary in the Wall.”

“I know it.” Major Kurland nodded decisively. “It’s set into the side of the old Roman wall that enclosed the city of London. I’ll persuade Dr. Redmond to visit the church crypt with me while you ascertain if Broughton and his mother will allow us to visit him at home to pay our respects.”

“Then you’ve decided to go along with my plan?”

He was already at the door, but he looked over his shoulder at her. “It might be fantastical, Miss Harrington, but at this point it is the only option we have.”

Lucy felt rather like a general marshaling her troops for battle as she surveyed all the people who had insisted on being present to witness Broughton’s downfall. He was a very intelligent man and he might still come about. Anna had written a note to Broughton asking if they might visit, and he had replied with alacrity. Sophia had insisted that she had to accompany Anna and Lucy to chaperone them. Major Kurland had sent her a note to tell her that he was bringing Dr. Redmond along.

She could only hope that the countess wouldn’t object to such a large party descending upon her home, or that Lieutenant Broughton wouldn’t become wary. According to Major Kurland, he seemed to believe he was above suspicion, which worried her. Would her amateur efforts to trap him fail? And if they did, how would he react?

“Lucy? Are you coming in?”

Anna’s voice recalled her to her surroundings, and she followed her sister and Sophia up the stairs and into the now-familiar drawing room of Broughton House. The countess looked even frailer than when Lucy had last seen her. Fresh indignation hardened her resolve against the countess’s eldest son.

After saying all that was necessary, the countess rang the bell and asked the butler to find the lieutenant. When he returned to say that Broughton was entertaining guests in his laboratory and had asked not to be disturbed, Lucy immediately rose to her feet.

“We are quite willing to go down and see what fascinating experiments he is engaged in, aren’t we, Anna?” She patted the countess’s pale hand. “You don’t need to accompany us, my lady, we know the way.”

Lucy led the way down the stairs and out into the garden. The stillroom was dark, but a faint light shone through the window of Broughton’s laboratory. Gathering her resolve, Lucy fixed on a smile and went in. Lieutenant Broughton, Major Kurland, and Mr. Stanford were gathered around one of the worktables with their backs to the door. There was no sign of Dr. Redmond.

Major Kurland was the first to look up as Sophia firmly shut the outside door. “Good afternoon, Mrs. Giffin, Miss Harrington, Miss Anna.”

Lieutenant Broughton swung around, too. “Good Lord, I became so engrossed in my conversation that I forgot that you were all coming to see my mother. Please forgive me.” He placed a bloodied knife on the table. “Excuse me while I wash my hands.”

He moved away, revealing what looked like the remains of a frog pinned out on a wooden board. Lucy swallowed convulsively and Sophia resorted to pressing her handkerchief to her nose.

After a swift glance at the ladies, Mr. Stanford picked up the board. “Shall I bring this over to you as well, Broughton? I don’t think our companions will enjoy viewing this as much as Major Kurland and I did.”

“Of course! How remiss of me.” Broughton chuckled as he washed his hands. “I forget how delicate the female of the species can be.”

“And the male,” Major Kurland murmured as he moved away to look out of the window. To Lucy’s surprise, his complexion held a hint of green. “I’ve seen far too much of the insides of living beings in my life already to want to see any more.”

Anna stepped forward with a determined smile and wandered back toward the cages at the end of the room, coughing as she walked.

“Do you still have the white rat, Lieutenant Broughton?”

“No, Miss Anna.”

“Did you set him free?”

Broughton smiled indulgently at her. “I don’t think my mother would have appreciated me setting a rat free in her house, do you? The rat helped me prove a very significant point in my latest theory.”

“Oh.” Anna coughed again and covered her mouth with her gloved hand. “The poor little thing.”

The door opened and Dr. Redmond appeared, his medical bag in one hand and a leather-bound journal in the other.

“Lieutenant Broughton, your mother said I would find you all out here. I’m sorry to interrupt, but I wanted you to have the latest edition of the
Fletchers Scientific Journal
. They published that article you wrote.”

“They published it?” An incredulous smile broke out on Broughton’s face. “That’s the first time anything I’ve written has been accepted.”

Anna coughed again. “Congratulations, sir.”

“Thank you. It might seem a small matter to you all, but it will help me convince my father that there is a future career available for me that does not involve the military.”

Lucy rushed over to Anna. “That is indeed good news, Lieutenant, but might I trouble you for a glass of water for my sister? She seems unable to get rid of this worrying cough.”

“Of course, Miss Harrington.” Broughton hurried to do Lucy’s bidding while Anna continued to cough. When he returned, he studied Anna intently.

“Did the medicine I gave you ease the cough at all?”

“Indeed, it did,” Anna replied. “In truth, we were hoping you might give us another bottle as ours is all gone.”

“Of course, Miss Anna. I’ll fetch one from the stillroom for you myself.”

“That would be very kind of you, Lieutenant.” Lucy smiled at him. “A dose of that excellent rose-hip medicine would be most appreciated.”

“Then I’ll go and get you a bottle right now.”

“There’s no need.” Dr. Redmond joined the conversation. “I happen to have a bottle of that here in my bag. I meant to return it to you last time I was here.”

He produced a brown bottle from his bag and shook it before pouring a dose into a silver measuring cup and holding it out to Anna. As she slowly brought it to her lips, Dr. Redmond continued talking.

“I found this bottle beside Oliver’s bedside. I’m fairly certain it came from the same batch Hester Macleod made.”

“No!” The lieutenant moved so quickly that Lucy gasped as he dashed the cup out of Anna’s hand. The dark red liquid splashed over her blue muslin skirt, staining the fabric like blood. “Don’t drink that!”

Major Kurland stepped in front of Anna. “Whatever has come over you? Why shouldn’t she drink it, Broughton?”

“Because . . .”

Robert picked up the bottle and examined it. “Please continue, Broughton. We’re all very interested in hearing what you have to say.”

“It might have spoiled. It’s better to give Miss Anna a new bottle.”

“Spoiled?” Robert brought the open bottle to his nose and slowly inhaled. “It smells perfectly fine to me.” He paused, holding Broughton’s gaze. “If you don’t want Miss Anna to endanger herself tasting it, how about me?”

“I’d rather take that risk myself.” Broughton held out his hand. “Give it to me. My grandmother’s potions are not always safe.”

“Your grandmother didn’t make this one.” Robert checked the label. “You and Hester Macleod did; however, I agree that it’s probably not fit to drink.”

Broughton lowered his hand. “Whatever do you mean?”

“I think you know.”

“You’ll have to be more specific, Kurland.”

Robert withdrew a piece of paper from his pocket and squinted down at the cramped handwriting. “According to the man who studied it for me, it does indeed contain rose hip, honey, and other palliatives that one usually finds in a syrup of this kind. Unfortunately, it also contains something else.”

Broughton rounded on Dr. Redmond. “What did you do?”

“I did nothing, I merely—”

“Don’t lie to me!” He turned back to Robert and the ladies. “I had hoped to keep this a secret, but Dr. Redmond has gone beyond the pale! I have in my possession a bottle of digitalis I retrieved from my grandmother’s reticule that he gave her that caused her heart failure!”

Robert leaned back against the table. “If that is truly the case, Broughton, why didn’t you take your findings to the coroner and the magistrate at Bow Street?”

“Because Dr. Redmond didn’t work alone.” His features twisted. “He led my poor brother astray. He and Oliver were involved in a sinful relationship. I suspect that when Oliver asked him for his help to dispose of his grandmother and myself, Dr. Redmond was too weak to disagree.”

“That’s not true! I—”

Robert held up his hand and Dr. Redmond fell silent.

“And what if I say I don’t believe that for a minute?”

Broughton went still. “I beg your pardon?”

“I said I don’t believe you. Even if Dr. Redmond was involved in the dowager’s death, I doubt he had anything to do with Oliver’s.”

“But he took the innocent bottle of medicine that I made with my own loving hands for my brother and put arsenic in it!”

“I don’t think he did. You are the first person to mention arsenic, Broughton.” Robert put the bottle back on the table beside him. “And you’re the one who uses industrial white arsenic powder to dispose of vermin, aren’t you? Did you give it to the dowager, too?”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Kurland, why would I do that when Dr. Redmond had already planned to kill her?”

“To make sure she died at Almack’s? I also understand from Mr. Stanford that a new test has recently been developed by a Mr. James Marsh that can specifically detect arsenic poisoning in a body.”

“That’s not correct,” Broughton snapped. “No such test exists.”

“But it does. Mr. Stanford has the research papers with him if you care to take a look. The test performed on the dowager’s body was quite conclusive. Did you dissolve the powder in the orgeat as well as the digitalis?”

Broughton raised an eyebrow. “One might imagine that you injured more than your leg at Waterloo, Kurland. Your mind appears to be quite unhinged.”

“I almost wish that were true, Broughton, but the fact is that you poisoned your grandmother in order to gain access to her finances, and science can prove it.”

“It can prove she had arsenic in her body. It can’t prove that I put it there.”

“I have a suggestion of how he
did
put it there.” Miss Harrington stepped forward. “The dowager countess took snuff. She took a large pinch just before she drank the orgeat and died.”