Did he sound like a jealous ape?
No doubt.
“It is for her protection, Greeves. There is a murderer on the loose and I will trust no one until he is caught.”
“Understood, my lord. She is fortunate to be under your protection. Please believe that none of us take the matter lightly. We shall watch her like hawks.”
It was a short carriage ride to Gory’s home. The place was already buzzing with activity when he arrived. The constables were there, as was Mr. Barrow and his best runner, a burly fellow by the name of Mick.
The earl’s body was still on the floor of the study, unmoved.
“The murder weapon is a knife,” Mr. Barrow said, indicating the earl had been stabbed repeatedly through the heart. “But this candlestick is what we believe was used to knock Lady Gregoria unconscious. Just as she surmised.”
“Lady Gregoria knew what weapon was used to knock her out?” a man said from behind Julius.
Julius turned and quickly took the measure of this stranger who stared back at him. “Who are you?”
“Inspector Alexander Havers, my lord.” He bowed to Julius, but there was an air of arrogance in his manner. “I am the magistrate’s man in charge of this investigation. At your service, Lord Thorne.”
“You know who I am?” Julius nodded to acknowledge the man who appeared to be in his late twenties at most, not even thirty yet. He had hawk-sharp dark eyes, and carried himself with an authority beyond his years.
“Yes. Your family is quite well known in London.”
“What did you mean by your remark concerning Lady Gregoria?” Julius asked. “She happens to be one of London’s most illustrious experts in the field of forensic studies. She is in charge of the Huntsford Academy’s new laboratory, as I am sure you are aware since she has already helped your constabulary solve several crimes.”
Havers held his hands out wide and nodded. “I meant nothing by my comment, my lord.”
“Yes, you did. Lady Gregoria is a victim, and I will not allow you to consider her a suspect.”
Havers glanced at Mr. Barrow. “All right, for now I will rule her out.”
“For now?” Julius wanted to smack the man’s arrogant head against the wall, but that would serve no purpose other than to antagonize him. “I know you must consider everyone, Havers. But you will be wasting your time by fixing your attention on her. She did not do it.”
“Forgive me, my lord. But that has yet to be determined.” He held up his hands in supplication again when Julius scowled. “Please, Lord Thorne. I am not saying she did do it. Your high opinion of her carries great weight with me. But I am no novice to such investigations.”
“He is the magistrate’s top man,” Mr. Barrow said. “I’ve worked with him on several investigations and he is very good, my lord. He’ll get the job done.”
“Is that so?” Julius frowned. “Make certain you get it done right, Havers. Tell me what you have learned so far.”
Julius took notes as the man went over every detail. The position of the earl’s body. The knife found plunged in his heart. The number of stab wounds. The bruising around his neck. The extent of the body’s decomposition. “Do you think a woman could have overpowered him to stab him with such force?”
Havers nodded. “A strong woman, perhaps.”
Julius arched an eyebrow. “Someone built like a man?”
“Perhaps, or someone clever and swift.” He cast Julius a wry grin. “I have seen Lady Gregoria from a distance. I know she could not have done this simply by brute force. But she is very clever, is she not? And she knows the workings of the human body better than anyone else in London. She could have surprised her uncle.”
“Caught him unaware? But she didn’t,” Julius said, his voice a lethal growl.
Was Havers purposely riling him?
Havers sighed. “Your admiration for the lady is duly noted, but her interests are best served by letting me do my job. What other questions do you have for me?”
Julius tried his best to set aside his annoyance, for nothing was more important than protecting Gory. He had promised to find out all he could and present the facts to her. If she were then able to figure out the identity of the killer based on these clues, all the better. “Was the knife angled upward or downward? Can you tell if the first knife thrust was the lethal blow? Have you drawn any conclusions as to the killer’s height? Was he tall and stabbing downward? Short and stabbing upward? Or was it a direct stab?”
Havers arched an eyebrow. “Are you asking me these questions or is Lady Gregoria?”
“I am standing before you. She is recovering from her injuries in my brother’s home. He happens to be the Duke of Huntsford.”
