An Improper Death (Dr. Alexandra Gladstone Mysteries Book 2) (10 page)

“Mr. Forsythe…”

“One shouldn’t be surprised at a boy being protective of his mother, but—”

“Mr. Forsythe…”

“…but, it struck me that he was truly a good boy, who under normal circumstances would never turn to lawlessness, but who somehow—”

“Stop evading the issue!” Impatience and weariness once again got the best of her. “Your clever barrister’s tricks of evasion won’t work with me! What—did—the—boy—say?” The last said in measured tones, as if she was speaking to a dullard.

Nicholas paused, cleared his throat, looked down at his hands, and then raised his eyes again to Alexandra. “I’m afraid I may have spoken out of turn. I’m afraid I would be betraying my client’s confidence to relay what he said. It’s just that, after the altercation and then his second escape, I felt rather unnerved and—”

“His second escape?”

“I’m afraid so.” Nicholas gave her the entire story of the boy’s surrender and escape.

“Constable Snow must have been chagrined.”

Nicholas looked at her with a wry expression. “One never knows with that fellow, does one? Rather taciturn and odd, what?”

“More brandy, sir?” Nancy had somehow materialized and already had more brandy poured in the bottom of Nicholas’ snifter before he had a chance to answer.

Nicholas, who had looked as if he wanted to protest, stared at the second helping of brandy with a resigned expression, swirled it a few times, and took a sip. “One could almost say Snow looks like a suspect, given the odd way he’s been acting.”

“Not the only one acting oddly, I’d say.” It was Nancy, being impertinent and forgetting her place again, or ignoring it. Nicholas was too intrigued to let it show whether he noticed or not.

“Oh? Who else?” he looked up at Nancy.

“That housekeeper of Mrs.
Orkwright. An odd bird if I ever saw one.” Nancy stole a quick glance at Alexandra as she spoke. “Seems she might have even had a reason to do the old sea dog in.”

“What?” Nicholas glanced at Alexandra. Nancy took the opportunity of his distraction to splash more brandy in his snifter.

Alexandra, who had been glaring at Nancy as a signal to say no more, now saw the futility in resisting. “Perhaps that’s a bit of an exaggeration,” she said, “but it does appear the admiral may have shown some cruelty toward the housekeeper.”

“Indeed?” Nicholas was now thoroughly captivated. He took another sip of his brandy and held up his hand as a signal to Nancy that he wanted no more. Nancy, however, ignored the signal.

Alexandra told him the story of young Will’s odd behavior and what he had said about his father being cruel to Annie. “Nancy has pointed out that since both boys seemed to dislike the admiral, it’s possible he had a cruel streak that showed itself against John and the housekeeper.”

“
Umhum,” Nicholas said, “perhapsh she’s right.” He held his hand up again to stop Nancy from adding more brandy to his glass.

“And it could be,” Nancy added, pouring the brandy nevertheless, “that either the housekeeper or the stepson felt they had a score to settle with the admiral and did him in. Or they could have even done it together.”

Nicholas glanced up at Nancy, who still stood by his chair. He had to grasp the arms of the chair for support. “A score to shettle? That’s ’zacly what John said. I have a shore to scettle. Dangerous thing to say if there’s been a murder, what?” He chuckled softly at his own witticism. “But!” He held up one cautionary finger and tried to focus his eyes on Alexandra. “You don’t know for sure the bastard was murdered. Could have jusht drowned, you know.” He hiccupped. “’Cept for those drawers. Now there’s a mystery for you. And how did John know the bashtard, ’scuse me, the admiral was dead?”

Nancy and Alexandra exchanged a quick glance. “Indeed?” Alexandra said.

Nicholas shook his head. “No, I can’t talk ’bout that. Young fool knew he was dead before I tol’ him, but you know I can’t talk ’bout that, so don’t ask me to tell you he said that.”

“Of course not,” Alexandra said.

“Shall I prepare the bed in the guest room, Miss Alex?” Nancy asked.

Alexandra nodded. “I think that would be wise.”

“No need! I have rooms at the inn.” Nicholas was having a difficult time standing up from the chair.

Nancy gave him a gentle lift. “Come this way.
Careful now.” She led him to the stairs. “Now, one foot after the other. That’s it. One foot up. Next foot up.” She gave Alexandra a reassuring look.

“So kind of you,” Nicholas mumbled as they disappeared up the stairs.

Robert Snow could admit to himself that the remorse he felt about John
Killborn literally slipping through his fingers was born more of embarrassment than concern over the need for justice. But it wasn’t embarrassment that had pushed him into his current state of depression. It was distress that the entire Orkwright affair had gotten so out of hand. There was so much a man in his position should have foreseen, yet he had not.

One thing he could never have foreseen, however, was the undertaker rushing into his office and telling him someone had desecrated the admiral’s body. It had taken him a good half hour to calm the man.

“I’d say it was the work of the devil if I was a religious man! Or witches!” There’d been more anger than fear in the poor man’s voice. “Came in the middle of the night to work their evil. While the wife and I supped with our son, it was. I tell you, nothing is safe in this world anymore, not even a dead man. ‘Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.’ And if I could ever get my hands on the one who—”

“Calm
yourself, Gibbs, and start from the beginning,” Snow had said.

“The beginning?
In the beginning was the word, and the word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and if that is so, then the word is evil. All is evil, I tell you—”

“Gibbs!” It was often necessary to keep the man on track, since he was a man of confusion—a self-confessed atheist whose profession kept him forever in the presence of depressing circumstances.
Namely preachers and dead men.

“Defiled my work, they did, and I would never have discovered it had I not noticed the dead man’s shirt was a bit soiled. Had to change it, didn’t I? Is not the body more than raiment?
they say, but verily I say unto you, there’s not a one of ’em but would have my hide if the raiment be not perfect. So I changed the shirt, I did, and that’s when I saw it!”

“Saw what?” Snow asked.

“Why the scar. Y-shaped, it was. Like is done when a dead man’s guts is looked at by a doctor. But there was no doctor there, I tell you. ’Twas done in the middle of the night, and no self-respecting doctor, not even Gladstone herself, would perform such a sacrilege in the middle of the night.”

“You’re sure of that?” Snow asked.

“You told her yourself she was not to do it. Ah yes, I know what you will say. She is a strange one, and not a Christian either. For no Christian woman would make herself acquainted with the ways of the world and the bodies of men as she does. With that I will agree. But still, she knows the book of Ecclesiastes where it says that the giving heed unto law is the assurance of incorruption.”

“Perhaps she does not fear corruption,” Snow offered.

Gibbs gave him a surprised look. “All women fear corruption. They have not the boldness and stamina of men. Not even Gladstone. She is bold and vulgar, but she is not a man. And wise enough not to stray into dangerous territory.”

“Wise as the serpent, perhaps,” Snow said.

Gibbs fell silent for a long moment, thinking on Snow’s words. Finally, he spoke, low and self-accusing, quoting Lord Byron. “Believe a woman or an epitaph, or any other thing that’s false.”

“You quote Byron as well as the Bible,” Snow said.

“I am a fool!”

“Don’t concern yourself. I’ll investigate the matter,” Snow had assured him. “Perhaps the good doctor simply misunderstood my instructions.”

“Ha! She is descended from the cunning creature
who would damn the world for an apple, is she not? Be wary of her, my good man!”

Snow had finally gotten him out of his office. He had not gone to confront Dr. Gladstone, however. Instead, he had spent the day dreading it. She had blatantly disobeyed his orders, because she knew he was wrong to forbid the autopsy. He should have expected it. Being Alexandra Gladstone’s teacher had been an enlightening experience for him. He’d never taught a female until then, and he found both Miss Alexandra and her young maid to be bright. Nancy had a quick, eager mind and an earthy common sense about her. Miss Alexandra, as he knew her then, was precocious and impatient to learn, ever questioning and challenging, and in some ways defiant.
At once a source of delight and a thorn in his side.

Even he had been surprised when she carried her defiance so far as to follow in her father’s footsteps and become a doctor of medicine. He thought old Huntington, who was his friend, had been a bit shocked and puzzled by it as well. By that time, however, the old doctor had long since stopped trying to get his daughter to conform to the rules of society and resigned to teach her the skills of his profession himself, since she was allowed to attend only part of the lectures in medical school. Those that were deemed improper for a woman were not open to her. Of course, the late Dr. Huntington Gladstone would never admit he had started the whole thing himself by allowing her to get an education as a young girl.

Now she had created a dangerous sea of trouble by what she had done. Now he had no other choice but to confront her, in spite of the fact that he dreaded her revealing what she might have learned.

Chapter Nine

Alexandra, dressed in a suit of soft black wool, was in the kitchen taking her morning tea while Zack lay curled at her feet. It was rare that she had the opportunity to have a leisurely morning, but, because of Admiral Orkwright’s funeral, she wouldn’t be making her morning rounds. The funeral was scheduled for nine o’clock. Most of the town would be there.

In truth, she was unable to take advantage of the release from duty and enjoy the morning. Her thoughts were full of what Mr. Forsythe had said the night before. That John
Killborn claimed he had a score to settle, and that he seemed to know his stepfather was dead before anyone could have told him. If he killed the admiral, did Jane know about it? If she did, she would most certainly try to protect him. That could only be an added burden to her, along with the grief of her husband’s death.

Should she go to Jane and try to comfort her? Or would Jane see that as an intrusion? After all, Alexandra thought, it was only speculation at this point that John might have killed the admiral. Still, if it was true, or even if Jane heard only the gossip, the grief and stress she would experience had the potential of making her ill. Alexandra could at least be prepared for that.

Nancy, who’d eaten her breakfast earlier, was just placing a rack of toast on the table, along with jam and butter, when Zack sprang to his feet and shattered the morning calm with a single loud bark followed by a menacing growl.

Alexandra turned her head in the direction Zack was aiming his attention and saw what was left of Nicholas Forsythe standing in the doorway. His coat was missing, and his soiled and dirty shirt was buttoned irregularly so that it was skewed over his chest with the collar protruding on one side at an odd angle. His face was the color of yesterday’s whey, and he had to use both hands to brace himself in the doorway.

“Good morning, Mr. Forsythe,” Alexandra said. “You don’t look well.”

He said something incomprehensible then made his way with an uncertain gait to a cupboard, which he used as support as he took a few more steps until he was close enough to the table to risk walking unaided to reach it. Once there, he sat down heavily across from Alexandra. Nancy set a steaming cup of tea in front of him.

Nicholas immediately jerked his head toward her and demanded, “What’s in this cup?” He then seemed to regret his sudden movement as he pressed his fingertips into his temples and closed his eyes and groaned again.

“
’Tis tea, sir.” Nancy’s answer sounded uncharacteristically prim.

Nicholas managed to open one eye. “Are you certain? I have reason to believe you are trying to kill me.”

“Kill you, sir?” Nancy’s eyes were wide with feigned innocence. Alexandra had seldom seen such a fine performance.

Nicholas turned to Alexandra. “I have never felt so dreadful in all of my… Excuse me!” He stood and rushed to the back door and out into the cold February morning. He came back shortly, wiping his mouth. Nancy handed him a cool, damp cloth. He pressed it to his face,
then sat down again across from Alexandra. This time he picked up the cup and swallowed some of the tea.

“So you’ve decided to trust me,” Nancy said, watching him take another sip.

“No.” Nicholas returned the cup to the saucer. “I’ve simply decided that if you’ve poisoned my tea, I’d rather drink it and die than to go on feeling as I do this morning. How in the hell did you get me to drink so much?”

“’
Twasn’t any trouble at all, sir.”

Nicholas glared at her and seemed about to say something but took some more tea instead.

Alexandra signaled Nancy with a slight movement of her head that she was to leave them. Nancy scowled and turned away reluctantly. Zack started to follow her but changed his mind and turned back to Alexandra. Rather than lying down at her feet, though, he stood like a soldier at attention next to her side and kept his eyes trained on Nicholas.

Nicholas ignored the dog and spoke to Alexandra. “Did I do anything I should apologize for?”

Alexandra smiled. “You were a perfect gentleman. Would you like a piece of toast?”

“No.”

“If you eat it unbuttered, it will help settle your stomach.” Alexandra pushed the toast rack toward him. He reluctantly took a slice, broke it in half, and took a small nibble. “Did I say anything regrettable?”

“As I said, you were a perfect gentleman.”

“I was referring to my own professional demeanor. That evil woman plied me with liquor to get me to divulge the information you wanted.”

Alexandra laughed. “Nancy isn’t evil.
Impertinent, yes, but not evil. And you said nothing of any particular importance.”

“I don’t know whether to be relieved or insulted.”

“You have nothing to worry about, Mr. Forsythe. You have no cause to be concerned that your client’s confidence has been betrayed.” Alexandra took a sip of her tea, to prevent herself from speaking another lie.

“Then the evil one got me drunk for nothing.”

Alexandra took yet another sip of tea. Her silence saturated the room until Nicholas was overcome with its possibilities.

“You’ve just lied to me! I did say something.” He glared at her.

Alexandra, who was never very good at lying, couldn’t think of a single word to say to him that wouldn’t make matters worse for both of them. She was relieved when Nancy disobediently stepped into the room. She was wearing her funeral dress of black crepe and a small black bonnet.

“
’Tis half past eight, Miss Alex. Shouldn’t we be on our way?”

“Of course.”
She stood and spoke to her guest. “Please excuse me, Mr. Forsythe. Nancy’s right, we must leave lest we arrive late.”

Nicholas looked puzzled. “Late?
Late for what?”

“Why Admiral
Orkwright’s funeral,” Alexandra said. “I’ll just get my bonnet, Nancy, and we’ll be on our way.” She turned to Nicholas again. “Please do forgive me for rushing off, but I must attend the funeral.”

Nicholas stood, awkwardly. “Of
course, and so must I.” He appeared confused. “How did I get here? Do I have a carriage waiting?”

“I believe you hired our town’s only carriage,” Nancy said. “But since it is the only carriage for hire, it waits for no one.”

“Quite so,” Nicholas said without looking at Nancy. He addressed Alexandra. “And will you be walking to the church?”

“Yes, it’s not far.” Alexandra spoke to him over her shoulder on her way to retrieve her bonnet. “I’m sorry I can’t offer you a ride to the inn, since it’s a bit more of a walk, but as you know, I don’t own a carriage.”

“Don’t trouble yourself. As you can see, I’m in fine shape this morning.” He made his way unsteadily to the door.

“Careful you don’t catch a chill,” Nancy said. “
’Tis rather cold this morning, you know.”

Nicholas paused and turned toward Nancy.
“How kind of you to be concerned about my welfare. And, may I add, how surprising.” He opened the door and disappeared into the fog.

It was only a few seconds later, just as Alexandra reached the bottom of the stairs with her bonnet in place that there was a knock at the door. When Nancy opened it, Constable Snow was standing in front of her. Nicholas stood some distance behind him, looking as if he had met the constable on his way out and had turned around to follow him back, perhaps unbeknownst to the constable. He wore a troubled look.

“I must speak to Dr. Gladstone.” The constable’s voice was as cold as the morning.

“I’m sorry, sir,” Nancy said. “Dr. Gladstone is just about to leave for—”

“What is it?” Alexandra was afraid he had come to take her to someone who was ill.

Snow’s eyes moved first to Nancy, and then back to Alexandra. “I must speak to you alone,” he said.

Alexandra felt a sudden emptiness in her chest. She feared she knew why he had come. “Of course,” she said. “Nancy, please go on without me. I’ll be along in a moment.” She saw the uneasiness on Nancy’s face before she turned away and walked out the door. Nicholas had advanced to the door by now. He stepped aside to allow Nancy to leave.

Snow, who had finally noticed him, spoke to him.
“If you will excuse us, please.” His voice was as grim as his expression.

Nicholas straightened with as much dignity as his disheveled appearance would allow. “I am Dr. Gladstone’s solicitor. She has a right to have me present.” Alexandra knew he must have guessed the reason for Snow’s visit, just as she had.

“You are a barrister, Forsythe,” Snow said in his icy voice.

“I am both.”

Snow glared at him a few seconds before he spoke again. “Perhaps it is best that you stay, after all.”

“Please come into the parlor,” Alexandra said, leading the way. “I’m sorry I can’t offer you tea, but as you know, I was just about to leave.” Her heart was beating rapidly. If it wasn’t to take her to a patient that the constable had come, it must be about the autopsy.

Snow seated himself on one of the sofas and leaned forward. “I had a most disturbing visit from Mr. Percy Gibbs recently.”

When neither Alexandra nor Nicholas responded, Snow spoke again. His eyes were focused directly on Alexandra. “I suppose you know what he said and why it was so disturbing.”

Alexandra could see that Nicholas was about to say something, but she outmaneuvered him. “Perhaps you should tell me what he said, Constable, and then perhaps I can diagnose why you are disturbed.” She saw a look of relief as well as a slight smile flash across Nicholas’ face.

“Did you perform an autopsy on Admiral Robert
Orkwright after I denied you permission?”

Alexandra took a deep breath. “Ye—”

“Don’t answer that!” Nicholas said.

“But I—”

“Don’t answer!” Nicholas said again.

“I understand,” Snow said, “that you were not convinced the admiral’s death was an accident. Given that, I can see that you felt it was important to learn as much as you could about his death.”

Alexandra remained silent, and Nicholas looked relieved, temporarily at least.

“Why did you do it?”

“Because Jane Orkwright asked me to,” Alexandra said, this time before Nicholas had a chance to stop her. There was only the slightest change in Snow’s expression—a minute rise of the eyebrows.

“You must know she is not herself at a time like this,” he said at length. “And that is beside the point anyway. You acted without authority.”

“My authority was the widow’s wishes.” Alexandra noted that Nicholas had gone quite pale. Was it the liquor or what she was telling Snow? She hoped he wasn’t going to be sick again.

“Did she truly request it, or did you simply plant the idea in her mind?” Snow did not for one minute take his eyes from hers.

Nicholas, who had never been seated, took a step toward Alexandra. “Dr. Gladstone, could I have a word with you, please. In private.”

Alexandra ignored him and addressed her comments to Snow. “It would not be likely for her to have the idea on her own, sir, but after I explained certain things to her, she readily agreed that an examination should be done, and she requested that I do it. I told you that earlier when I came to you for permission.”

“Which I refused.” Snow’s face flushed with emotion. “You broke into a private building in the dark of night. You acted without authority. You cannot deny that you have broken the law.”

“I didn’t have to break in the building, sir. I simply walked in.”

Nicholas edged closer. “Dr. Gladstone, I implore you. Don’t—”

“And as for my acting without authority—”

“Alexandra!” Nicholas sounded almost feverish and didn’t seem to notice he had used her first name.

“I felt time was of the essence,” Alexandra continued, still addressing Snow. “I knew that the admiral’s body would be removed for burial this morning.”

“You’ve gotten yourself into this situation because you still foolishly insist that his death came at the hand of another.” Snow looked as if he might explode with his anger.

“I did at the time, sir.”

His eyes widened. “At the time? Am I to assume you found nothing from the autopsy to support that theory?”

“Dr. Gladstone!” Nicholas seemed about to explode himself. “I must warn you, don’t say—”

“Your assumption would be correct,” she said.

Something changed in Snow’s eyes. It was impossible to say what it was. He was silent for what seemed an eternity but could have been only a few seconds before he said, “May I see your notes, please?”

Alexandra was puzzled. “I beg your pardon. I see no reason why I—”

“I am an officer of the law. If there is even a suspicion of foul play, then I have a right, and I insist that I see your notes.”

There was another pause, then, “Of course,” Alexandra said at length.

“I implore you, Dr. Gladstone…” Nicholas said, but she was already on her way to her surgery.

Snow had risen from his seat when she stood, and he started to follow her. Zack was directly behind her, however, and Snow stopped when the animal turned his head and emitted a sharp bark. Alexandra returned shortly and handed him several sheets of paper. Snow examined them carefully and handed them back to Alexandra. There was another long pause before he spoke again. “We must all hurry, lest we be late for the funeral.”