They all looked at her.
“She’s right,” Penny said. “The dresses and veils in the photographs are all white. The Queen set the style for white gowns when she was married decades ago, but only the very wealthy follow the fashion.”
Declan looked at her. “Why is that?”
Penny smiled. “White is a very impractical color for a gown. Impossible to clean, you know. Most brides are married in their best dresses. If they do buy a new gown for the ceremony, they usually purchase one in a color and a style that can be worn after the wedding. Only the very wealthy wear white. In these photographs the gowns are all white and the veils are quite elaborate.” She looked at Logan. “But, then, we know that these three young ladies moved in wealthy circles.”
“That is correct,” Logan said.
“Nevertheless, there’s something about these three dresses.” Penny picked up one of the lockets and took a closer look, frowning in concentration. “I think these women are all wearing the same wedding gown and veil.”
“What?” Logan spoke sharply. “I had not noticed.”
“It is a detail that a woman is more likely to observe,” Penny said.“But I’m quite sure this is the same gown and veil in each of the photographs.” She opened a desk drawer and took out a magnifying glass. She examined each of the lockets in turn. “Yes, I’m certain of it. Same gown. Same veil. Take a look, Amity. What do you think?”
Amity took the magnifying glass and studied each of the small photographs. “You’re right. They are all attired in the same bridal gown. It is harder to be certain about the veil, but I think the headband is the same, too.”
“There is something else about the dress,” Penny said. She retrieved the magnifying glass and took another look at all three pictures. “It is, I believe, about two years out of date.”
Benedict looked interested. “How can you tell?”
“This particular sleeve and low neckline were very much in fashion for formal gowns about two years ago,” Penny said with cool authority.
“Interesting,” Logan said. He made a note. “I suppose it makes sense that he used the same gown for all three victims. A man can hardly go to a fashionable dressmaker and start ordering a number of wedding gowns, not without causing comment.”
“So he bought one gown two years ago and reuses it for each victim?” Amity mused.
Declan cleared his throat. They all looked at him. He turned red under the scrutiny.
“What is it?” Benedict said. “Speak up, man.”
“It just occurred to me that perhaps the gown has some special significance,” Declan said.
“It’s a wedding gown,” Logan said. “In and of itself, that fact implies a great deal of significance.”
“No, I mean, perhaps that particular gown has some personal meaning for him,” Declan said.
“Yes, of course,” Amity said softly. “What if the gown was made for his own bride?”
Logan flipped through his notes and paused at a page of names. “Five of the men on this list that Mr. Stanbridge and his brother drew up are married. The other three are not.”
“I have a feeling that we are looking for one of those who is not married,” Declan said quietly. “At least not any longer.”
A short, stark silence fell on the room. Amity was aware of a chill on the nape of her neck.
Benedict looked at Logan. “Are there any widowers on our list? Or men who remarried after losing their first wives?”
“I don’t know,” Logan said. “But it shouldn’t be difficult to find out.” He turned back to Declan. “What makes you think that the first bride to wear that gown is dead?”
“Because there is a horrible kind of twisted logic to the thing,” Declan said. “I remember Dr. Benson lecturing on the subject of murderers who killed again and again. He believes that there is always a pattern—a ritual—involved. If he’s right, I would not be astonished to discover that the first murdered bride was the wife of the killer.”
Benedict looked at Logan. “You said the body of the first victim was found about a year ago. She was engaged to be married but not yet a bride.”
“That’s right,” Logan said. “None of the young women was ever married.”
Declan exhaled slowly and shook his head. “I was just speculating. I’ve never done anything like this before.”
“If he murdered his first wife,” Benedict said slowly, “then that narrows the suspects on our list to a man who was married approximately two years ago and who was widowed.”
