Penny blushed. “I admit, the odds of identifying the killer at the ball are probably not very good.”
“But at the very least it would allow us to remove some of the suspects from our list,” Amity said. “The plan will only work if Mr. Stanbridge received an invitation, though.”
“If I did not get one, I know someone who can obtain it for us,” Benedict said. “As I may have mentioned, my uncle is very well connected in certain circles.”
Twenty minutes later Benedict and Logan left the house—Benedict to secure an invitation to the Gilmore ball, Logan to continue with his inquiries.
The moment the door closed behind the two men, Penny looked at Amity.
“There is something I wish to discuss with you now that Benedict and Inspector Logan are gone,” Penny said quietly.
Amity wrinkled her nose. “I suppose this is about a gown for the ball? I’m sure we can rely on your dressmaker to see that I am properly attired for the occasion.”
“I’m not concerned with the dress. Madame La Fontaine will take care of that aspect of things. What I want to tell you is that, in addition to some of the suspects on our list, there is another person who will very likely attend the ball. Lady Penhurst.”
Amity frowned. “Who is she?”
“Her name was once linked with Benedict’s in a romantic fashion.”
Amity sighed. “I see. This isn’t the same woman who left him at the altar, is it?”
“No, this is Leona, Lady Penhurst. She was Mrs. Featherton at the time she was involved with Benedict. She was the widow of an elderly, high-ranking gentleman who did not leave her nearly as much money as she had anticipated receiving. She set her cap at Benedict. When that did not work out as she had hoped, she married Lord Penhurst instead.”
“I see.”
“Penhurst is a widower twice over,” Penny explained. “Leona is some forty years younger than him. It was widely assumed that she married Penhurst because she believed that he had one foot in the grave and could be relied upon to insert the other foot in the near future. But thus far she has been disappointed. Penhurst is in his dotage and going senile but he shows no signs of moving on to the next world.”
Amity clasped her hands behind her back and went to the window. “You’re trying to warn me that she might create a scene.”
Penny came to stand behind her. “I’m not sure what to expect from her. But I did not want you to be taken by surprise tomorrow evening. It is said that Lady Penhurst was furious when it became clear that Benedict had no intention of giving her the Stanbridge necklace.”
“I don’t understand. She wanted a family necklace?”
“It’s known as the Rose Necklace,” Penny said. “It’s worth a fortune. According to the family tradition, the eldest Stanbridge heir—Benedict in this case—gives it to his bride-to-be when he asks her to marry him. I’m sure there was never any possibility that Benedict would have married Leona, but everyone knows she was furious when he ended their association. She is reputed to be a vindictive woman. If Leona believes that there is some way to take her revenge on Benedict, she might be inclined to do so.”
“You think she might try to use me to avenge herself? I don’t see how that is possible.”
“Neither do I,” Penny said. “But Lady Penhurst’s reputation is such that you must promise me that you will be very, very careful if you encounter her.”
Amity smiled ruefully. “I shall be sure to take my tessen to the ball.”
Sixteen
Imust say, the news of your engagement came as something of a surprise, Ben.” Leona, Lady Penhurst, smiled at Benedict, managing to ignore Amity, who was standing beside him. “Can we assume that the wedding will take place in the near future? Or do you plan an extended engagement?”
Leona was a beautiful woman, tall, willowy and regal. Her profile was classically molded. Her dark hair gleamed in the light of the chandeliers that hung from the ballroom ceiling. Diamonds and emeralds decorated her ears and dipped low into the deep décolletage of her garnet-colored satin and lace gown. But all the glitter and charm could not conceal the frustration and bitterness in her brown eyes.
Leona had been blessed with any number of attractive attributes, Amity thought, but she had been cursed in marriage. Lord Penhurst was, as Penny had said, slipping rapidly into senility, but he appeared to be in remarkably good health for a man his age. Amity suspected that a good deal of Leona’s venom was directly attributable to the fact that her husband was still hanging around.
“My fiancée and I intend to marry as soon as possible,” Benedict said. He looked around the room, clearly bored with the conversation.
Amity winced inwardly. She could not blame Benedict, she thought. He probably had no notion of how he had just added a little more fuel to the fires of anger that burned deep inside Leona.
Leona seized on the opening. She focused rather pointedly on Amity’s midsection.
“I understand the need for a hasty marriage,” Leona said with sugary sympathy. “I thought I detected that special glow about you, Miss Doncaster. But not to worry, your gown appears to be designed to conceal any small... mistakes. I congratulate you both. Now, if you will excuse me, I do believe my husband is indicating that he wishes to leave.”
Leona floated away on a foaming tide of elegantly draped skirts. Benedict pulled his attention from the crowd long enough to scowl at Leona’s departing figure.
