Independent by Means of Magic

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

McDuff followed a brooding Mr. Haversham down the hall, his eyes constantly moving over the paintings, furniture, and collections that covered every space in the huge house. These weren’t people he understood, and on a basic level, he had no desire to.

He just wanted to get this over with so he could get out and breathe some fresh air not quite so tainted with money and the desperate, endless pursuit of it.

Before they turned the last corner, he smelled something even more enticing than the clean, Scottish air he’d been craving. Sweet, but clear and natural, not a heavy artificial perfume that too many women and men alike wore these days.

A young woman waited for them in the shadows at the entry hall. The purple and red nosegay attached to her collar seemed too small to account for such a lovely aroma, but nothing else made sense.

“Inspector McDuff, this is my daughter, Victoria Haversham,” Mr. Haversham said, pride obvious in his voice. “She’s been such a wonderful help to me over the past couple of years with the business. I know she’ll be able to answer your questions.”

“Mr. McDuff, such a pleasure to meet you,” Victoria said, offering McDuff her hand.

Her grip was surprisingly strong for a small woman who stood not much taller than his shoulder, even more so than her father’s. Mr. Haversham already turned back toward his sitting room, ponderous steps carrying him away from a situation he clearly loathed dealing with.

“Good day to you, Miss Haversham. I’m Inspector Rob McDuff with the Metropolitan Police. Sorry to have interrupted your day for such an unpleasant business.”

He wasn’t quite sure what he’d been expecting beyond the typical empty-headed useless child of wealth. But when Victoria stepped forward into better light, he saw she had none of that air about her. She seemed more studious than frivolous.

Her heavy, dark brown hair fell well past her waist, and her skin was clear and perfect. She wore a pale yellow gown that was well-made, but far more classic than stylish. Fitted to the curves of her body rather than hanging loose in the modern style, but not corseted or tight enough to raise a scandal.

Her dark blue eyes met his gaze with no hesitation or shyness, as if she didn’t have a thing on God’s green earth to hide. He somehow felt in that brief instant that she gained more knowledge of him than he ever would of her.

“Please, you may call me Victoria. Won’t you join me for tea while we have our talk?” she said, holding out one long, graceful arm and hand.

He glanced that way into a charming round breakfast nook with views out to the neatly kept gardens and a sparking greenhouse, cozy table already set with a full high tea.

“Of course, I’d be glad to,” he said without thinking.

He couldn’t quite bring himself to use her given name, certainly not while he was supposed to be conducting an investigation. Having a drink with her father was bad enough, and here he was having a meal with the bereaved young fiancé.

As soon as they arranged themselves, a local boy of about fourteen appeared from out of nowhere. When he reached for the kettle, Victoria shook her head and touched his arm.

“No, thank you, Charlie. I’ll be happy to serve Inspector McDuff and myself.”

The boy bowed his head, not quite hiding his dark red cheeks, and retreated. McDuff stood to pour the hot fragrant tea through the strainers and into the waiting cups before she could.

“Thank you, Inspector. I know the servants mean a lot to my parents, but I never have liked the whole idea of it. I heard more than enough grumbling about the demise of slavery in the colonies to turn me against such things for life. I’m quite capable of taking care of myself. Did you grow up with such nonsense?”

“I… No, not at all. I’m as working class as they come.”

“Milk or sugar?” She pushed both containers, made of a sturdy sky blue pottery in a style he’d never seen before, over to his side of the table. “Am I guessing correctly that you come from Glasgow or thereabouts, Inspector McDuff? What brought you to London?”

“I grew up there, but I’ve been in London for years now. I moved for work. Family matters as well, I suppose.”

He’d caught himself on the verge of asking her to call him Rob. He rarely even thought of himself that way. And he’d nearly shared the joyful news of having a brother in Fodelson Prison chaining him to this wretched city. He proceeded to add too much milk and sugar, which only increased his discomfort.

What had addled his thick head this afternoon? One drink, even of such fine rum, would have done no such thing, but he was dangerously close to acting like a pure i***t.

“I’ve never been so far north as Glasgow,” Victoria said, staring out the window as she stirred her tea, the spoon never touching the side of the cup. A trick Rob never seemed to manage. “I’d love to visit, but I fear it would be more cold and dreary than here.”

“It, ah, the climate there can be a bit challenging. I’m sorry to be so dreadfully rude, but may I ask you a few questions about your fiancé?”

She closed her eyes and pursed her lips for a second, and McDuff held his breath. Miss Haversham wasn’t being investigated for anything. She would be perfectly within her rights to get up and leave, and to throw him out on his ear as well.

He hoped she wouldn’t.

Mostly for official reasons.

“Former fiancé, please,” she finally said, looking into his eyes. “I’ve only heard a small bit about what’s happened, but that was more than enough.”

“I’m sorry to upset you, Ms. Haversham. If it’s too difficult—”

“I want to help if I can, of course. That poor, poor child. The sooner I can end my association with Mr. Abernathy, the better.”

“Very well,” McDuff said. “Please let me know if the questions get too uncomfortable.”

She nodded, dropping her gaze. McDuff took a deep breath, sternly reminding himself to focus on why he was here. A young girl’s life had nearly ended over the same man who’d made this young woman in front of him miserable. That man could still easily be tried for murder if the girl’s condition worsened, and a charge of attempted murder was a near certainty.

That was the only reason McDuff was here, no matter what his racing heart and warmer parts of his body tried to tell him.

By the time they finished the tea and all of the cakes and cookies, McDuff was no closer to finding the answers, or even the starting point. Despite her outward independence and professed abilities to take care of herself, which he did not doubt for an instant, the entire relationship with Abernathy seemed to be sadly typical.

Victoria had hardly spent any time with the man she was supposed to have married in a few short weeks. Her father had found a suitable match—for appearances and business and financial interests, everything except matters of love—and that was intended to be that.

And yet…

Something about Victoria Haversham, besides that intoxicating scent, her lovely eyes, and her clear intelligence, kept McDuff a bit on edge. Something that felt just a bit out of place, like a crumb caught between his teeth.

There was no reason to suspect anything here, but McDuff knew how his own mind worked once he caught a trail. He’d worry at it like his tongue after that bit of food.

He didn’t know whether it was that nearly irresistible scent or the sunlight glinting through Victoria’s mass of curls, but McDuff wasn’t quite ready to leave after he’d exhausted his supply of relevant questions.

“I understand you spent time in the Caribbean.”

“Most of my childhood. The best part of it, anyway. When I wasn’t being shipped off here for one purpose or another, of course. I suppose my college years formed and shaped my adult mind, almost as much as my youth in the colonies.”

“You preferred the Caribbean to England, then?”

“I know I’m supposed to be proud and patriotic,” she said, staring at her hands. “But yes. Many times I’ve wished we’d never left Enceleas. I hope to return someday.”

McDuff was startled at the way his mind seized on how she pronounced the word.

Lilting, like a caress.

In-seh-LAY-us.

Time to get himself away from such heady surroundings and back to familiar ground.

“Well, when things calm down a bit, perhaps you’ll be able to,” McDuff said as he pulled out his watch. “I’m so sorry, Ms. Haversham. I’ve taken up far too much of your time with this difficult matter.”

She smiled, the first one he’d seen, and McDuff caught himself hoping her flush had something to do with him.

“I thought it was a rather pleasant tea myself,” she said in a way that he didn’t feel mocked at all.

“You have a point,” he said, getting to his feet. “The company has been lovely, even if the topic of conversation has not. Thank you for your time.”

“You’re quite welcome, Inspector.” She stood before he could get around to pull her chair back. He was quite sure she’d noticed his intention. Victoria seemed far more pleased than annoyed. “I do hope you’re able to get to the bottom of all of this.”

“I’ll certainly do my best. For now, please do your best to keep him off your mind.”

“I’m finding that easier with each passing day,” she said. “Do you remember the way out?”

“Certainly. Thank you for your time, Victoria.”

She smiled again, and McDuff turned and walked out as quickly as he politely could.

That smile hadn’t been sneering or mocking, but he couldn’t pretend she didn’t look satisfied with herself. Pleased over something, maybe his saying her name in such a familiar manner.

Best to make a quick escape before he made even more of a fool of himself.

Rob McDuff stood outside the closed door, breathing deeply though he could smell the soot and smog from London even so far out. He couldn’t quite get the aroma of those delicate flowers out of his nose.

Or maybe that was his mind wishing to hold on to it.

“Victoria,” he said under his breath.

He shook his head and walked away.