“I spoke with Betram.” I stabbed at a blue swirl on the cream rug with the tip of my walking stick. “He says he was practicing his skill at billiards when Taylor was killed. Alone. I asked around. No one saw him, although the butler did hear billiards balls clacking at some point before lunch.”
“So not much of an alibi,” Henry said.
“Not much of a motive, either.” I pressed my lips together. If not liking someone was grounds for murder, there would be a trail of bodies in my wake.
“At least my father is no longer a suspect.” Katherine patted her hair. A small, wrinkled brown leaf fell out and drifted to the floor.
Henry hesitated. “Why do you say that?”
Katherine frowned. “Because he didn’t lose money when Perrin changed the terms of the contract. He already had a buyer waiting. He might have been angry at Perrin’s deceit, but he had no real motive.”
“Anger has been a sufficient motive for many a murder,” he said carefully.
I tapped my thumb on the armrest. “I agree with Katherine. Her father is a man of business. He must have had many deals fall through, and I doubt he went about killing everyone who crossed him. No, I think Mr. Smith is no longer on the suspect list.”
Henry inclined his head. “That is a relief.”
“Miss Walker had motive, and she knows her plants.” Katherine scooted forward in her seat. “She could well know what to use to poison a man. And, with the element of surprise, I believe she’d have the strength to stab someone, too.” She sent a look toward Henry, eyebrow raised.
“There were no bruises on Taylor. No signs of any struggle.” I tilted my head. “He must have been surprised by his killer,which takes strength out of the equation. A woman could have done it.”
“She did refuse to tell us where she was when Taylor was killed,” Henry conceded. “But I still wonder, why Taylor? What’s the connection between him and Perrin?”
“He must have known something.” Southey trotted into the room and made straight for me. I sighed, resigned. “All those hints about him coming into money, that he’d be able to support Katherine. I’d guess that he knew who the killer was and attempted to extort money from him.”
Katherine loosed a low whistle. “I don’t want to think so badly of the man, but it makes sense.”
“I have no problem thinking badly of him.” Henry grimaced. “I must say I find it irritating that Taylor discovered the killer’s identity while our efforts have been fruitless.”
I agreed. I didn’t like to contemplate that the sniveling secretary might have been smarter than me.
“I’m sure he must have witnessed something,” Katherine said soothingly. “He didn’t deduce the knowledge, only observed it.”
That appeased me somewhat, and from the look Henry sent in Katherine’s direction, he felt the same. “And that leaves Lord Havenstone,” I said. “What have we learned about him?”
“We all heard the argument between Katherine’s father and Havenstone.” Henry ran his hand up the back of his head. “A sleeping wife doesn’t make a sound alibi for the time of Mr. Taylor’s murder.”
“And he has been sneaking about,” Katherine added. “Why?”
None of us had an answer to that. I scratched Southey behind the ear before standing. “Let’s ask him.”
Katherine and Henry gave each other arch looks but followed after me obediently enough. We found him in the front sitting room, puffing on a cigar, yesterday’s paper on his lap.
“Good afternoon, Lord Havenstone,” I said briskly. “I hope we aren’t interrupting.”
He laid the paper aside. “The sunlight is fading and I am too lazy to light a lamp. Conversation is welcome.”
“Good.” I settled myself on the settee across from him. Katherine sat at my side and Henry took another armchair.
I inhaled the sweet scent of the smoke. “One of Perrin’s cigars?”
“There were a few things he had good taste in.” Havenstone’s lips quirked. “That includes you, my dear.” He inclined his head to Katherine.
Henry sat up straight, one vertebrae at a time.
Not wanting to be put off topic, I leaned forward and tugged my skirts from Southey’s mouth. “As you know, someone here killed Perrin and Taylor.”
“I am aware,” Havenstone said dryly.
