“We were discussing the dance at the Assembly next Saturday evening. I assume, since you are not in mourning for your fiancé, that you will attend?” Lady Graham’s semi-insulting question had her daughter, Lady Susan, blushing.
“Ex-fiancé.”
The Assembly dance would be a good opportunity for Amy to look over members of her various circles to determine if there were others to be added to their list of suspects. Plus, she might gain information about St. Vincent’s nephew. “Yes. I believe I will be attending.” She looked the woman in the eyes and raised her chin. “And yes, you are correct, Lady Graham. Since Mr. St. Vincent and I had parted ways before his unfortunate death, I am not in mourning.”
A quick glance in Miss Hemphill’s direction proved Amy had been correct. The hatred pouring forth from the woman’s entire body was an unsettling and very dangerous thing. Amy would be sure to ask William to attend the Assembly with her.
The next couple of hours passed without Amy ever having the chance to speak with Miss Hemphill. But given the nasty looks the woman had given her all afternoon—when she thought no one was noticing—convinced her that a conversation with the woman would not happen anyway.
Finally tired of all the sewing and gossiping, Amy packed her supplies in her satchel. “I believe I will leave you ladies now. As I mentioned earlier, we have a staff problem which needs my attention.”
Lady Ambrose rose and grabbed Amy by the shoulders. “Thank you so much for coming today. We can always use another pair of hands.”
Surprised at the woman’s honest words, Amy was even more startled when Lady Ambrose leaned in and kissed the air alongside her cheek and took the opportunity to whisper, “Be careful.”
Stunned, Amy merely nodded and took her leave.
Be careful?
* * *
As Amy did not see William for the rest of the week, by Saturday she was more anxious than ever to speak with him about her visit to the sewing circle. He’d sent a note around Thursday morning saying he would not be attending the book club meeting but asked that she do him the honor of attending the Assembly Saturday evening with him. If she was amenable, he would pick her up at eight o’clock.
He offered no reason for his absence from the club meeting, which left her hoping he was busy uncovering information to help in their search for the killer.
Amy had spent her time finishing up her book and pondering Miss Hemphill. It had been a rainy, dreary week, and she and Aunt Margaret left the house a few times to shop and have tea on Broad Street. Eloise was still not up to snuff, so rather than risk becoming sick herself, Amy passed on visiting her friend, but sent along notes of fond wishes for a full recovery soon.
Since her aunt knew Amy and William were investigating St. Vincent’s murder, she now felt comfortable keeping her up-to-date on the happenings, even though Aunt Margaret made no secret of her disapproval.
Surprisingly, Aunt Margaret had made a few suggestions that actually made sense. Perhaps Amy was not the only one in the family with a logical mind. Or perhaps a criminal mind.
“Have you considered the path these illegal drugs take?” Her aunt swirled a hefty teaspoon of sugar into her tea as they enjoyed the end of their dinner before they both were to dress for the Assembly dance.
Amy nodded. “I am assuming, since Mr. St. Vincent owned the shipping company founded by his great-grandfather, most likely the drugs came from there.”
“Yes, perhaps they did. But on the other hand, there would have to have been someone to accept the drugs from the ship and then distribute them. I don’t see your fiancé—”
“Ex-fiancé.”
“—dirtying his hands by actually dealing with that part of it. I’m thinking there was another man who accepted the drugs, packaged them for individual sale, and then perhaps turned it over to other distributors, to sell. This person would receive a cut of the profits for his part in the chain.”
“A very good point, Aunt Margaret.” Amy thought for a minute. “If what you say is correct, then the man who was taking a cut of the profits might have reason to do away with St. Vincent. After all, he was accepting the drugs. Why not just sell them himself? Or perhaps demand a larger cut.”
“Except Mr. St. Vincent owned the shipping company. He was the one bringing the opium into the country. That would still be necessary. Would whoever inherited it be willing to continue the practice?”
They both remained quiet as they pondered this new idea.
Aunt Margaret checked her timepiece and slid her chair back. “It is time to prepare for the Assembly.”
They were both ready and waiting in the drawing room when William arrived to escort them to the dance. Why was it, now that they were spending more time together, she noticed how handsome and well dressed the man was each time he appeared at her doorstep? This was the same old William she’d known for years.
As they rode in Wethington’s carriage through the town to the Assembly Rooms on Bennett Street, she went over in her mind the discussion she and Aunt Margaret had just had about the drug distribution. That was something else to bring to William’s attention.
She glanced out the window as they approached the Assembly Rooms. Pleasant weather would be wonderful for a spring evening ride; however, they were instead burdened with another downpour that had already wet her gown, even though she’d worn a long coat and huddled under the large umbrella William had used to cover the three of them from the house to the carriage.
At least the rain had slowed a bit by the time they arrived at their destination in the heart of the city. While the Assembly Rooms had been built almost two hundred years before, new upper rooms had been added and opened with a grand ball in the late eighteenth century. They had become the basis of fashionable society, with Miss Austen and Mr. Dickens as well as nobility frequenting the place.
The building, made of Bath stone, was U-shaped, with four main function rooms: a ballroom, the tearoom, the card room, and the octagon. It was richly decorated with fine art and crystal chandeliers and remained one of Amy’s favorite places to gather with her friends and enjoy an evening of dancing.