“I see. Well, I shall take the striped scarf.”
“Very good, sir. May I assist you with anything else?”
“No, thank you.” We moved to the counter to settle the payment. Although a myriad of questions absorbed me with regard to Miss Bennet, I refrained from querying the man lest I betray a peculiar interest in her. She must live in the area, so in all likelihood I should make her acquaintance soon. Unless… My next thought caused a leaden mass to develop in my gut: although she hadspokenlike a gentlewoman, based upon her dress, shemightbe the daughter of a tradesman. Any female who attracted me in such aforceful way yet could not make me a suitable spouse must be avoided at all costs.
When I reached the tannery, Hayward met me at the doorway, and we returned to his coach. I did not ask about Miss Bennet; nevertheless, I should remain alert for any mention of her by my friend or his wife.
Later that day, I met Mr. Allan Barton, a widower of an age with Hayward’s father, and his son, Mr. Noah Barton, a tall gentleman with blond hair and attractive features, when they called at the house. Although Mr. Noah Barton proved to be the most garrulous of the pair, his father appeared to be amiable enough.
I noted the elder Mr. Barton had a prominent cleft in his chin. In the course of our conversation, I managed to confirm he had recently returned from a month-long stay in town; thus, I already had one name to provide Mr. Notley.
By the time the Bartons departed, I had formed a favourable opinion of both men. The possibility that the elder Mr. Barton, a respected estate owner, might have killed Mrs. Cooper seemed far-fetched, to say the least.
Whilst Hayward and I played a game of billiards, it occurred to me that I ought to confide in my friend; he would be apt to know which men in the area may fit the suspect’s criteria. Thus, I related the known facts of Mrs. Cooper’s murder and the description of the unknown man who used the alias Mr. King and may reside near Salisbury.
Hayward took his shot and sank the red ball in the corner pocket. He straightened and met my gaze. “What a strange turn of events. It must have been a shock to learn that a murder occurred so close to your own house.”
“Yes, without a doubt.”
“I hate to think the killer could be a local resident.”
“The elder Mr. Barton meets the profile, but he is an improbable suspect.”
My friend snapped his fingers. “By Jove, yes. He is the right age, has a cleft in his chin, and his most recent trip to town puts him there at the right time.”He shook his head. “But the very notion is ludicrous. Barton cannot be the murderer.”
“Have you ever known him to wear a white wig?”
“No, never.”
“Can you think of any other local gentlemen who fit the suspect’s profile?”
Hayward’s forehead crimped. “No, there are none that come to mind.”
I replaced the red ball and took my turn, hitting Hayward’s white ball into a side pocket. “How did Mrs. Barton die?”
“She suffered complications from a difficult childbirth, and her infant son perished as well.”
“Oh, that is…terrible.”
“The loss hit Barton very hard, and it took him well over a year to rally again. I recall my parents voicing their concern for him back then.” Hayward cocked his head, twisting the cue in his hands. “In contrast, his first marriage was one of convenience.”
I turned sharply towards him. “Mr. Barton was married before?”
“Yes, my understanding is that his late father had mortgaged the estate, and the first Mrs. Barton brought the needed funds to discharge the loan.”
“What was the first Mrs. Barton like?”
“Well, I never met her, but my mother described her as a rather plain, reserved, and soft-spoken lady. I do not believe she made any close friends in the neighbourhood. Of course, she died less than a year after she married Barton.”
“What happened to her?”
My friend leaned upon the pool table. “She and Barton had been riding on the estate when her horse shied and jumped from a deer leaping across their path. Mrs. Barton fell, hit her head upon a stone, and died later that day.”
“Did anyone find her death to be in any way suspicious?”
“I recall my father saying that the lady’s father came for the funeral and publicly accused Barton of causing the incident, but he had no basis for the allegation. The coroner had deemed her death an accident.” Haywardscratched the side of his head. “And lest you speculate that Barton may have already fallen in love with his future second wife by then, he did not meet her until two years after the first Mrs. Barton’s death.”
The fact remained, though, that Mr. Barton had married the first Mrs. Barton for her money, and her death freed him so he could make a later love match. Had Mr. Barton acted toinfluencehis first wife’s fate?
