Page 109 of Never a Duchess
“No. He’s to meet me here at eleven o’clock.” The lady coughed and fought to catch her breath. “I told him I had proof you poisoned his perfume. That you’re copying his May Bell scent.”
Daventry drew his watch and checked the time. “We have less than ten minutes until he’s due to arrive.” He paced for a moment, lost in thought.
“Do ye have a plan?”
“Confronting Valmary is our only option,” he said, fighting with an obvious dilemma. Daventry turned to Baudelaire. “If you’re innocent, then Valmary might have poisoned the women.”
“Valmary?” Baudelaire muttered something in French. “Why would the winner sabotage the game?”
“Why did Angelique Grellier leave England if Valmary won her heart? Why did Moira Maclean return to the Highlands if she planned on taking Valmary as her lover?”
Baudelaire and Madame Delafont frowned.
“You’re right,” Lillian said. “It makes no sense. What do the two women have in common?”
Baudelaire gasped. The arm holding the pistol fell to his side like a ton weight. He stumbled a little, releasing his hold on Madame Delafont.
She darted forwards, throwing herself into Lillian’s arms, trembling and weeping and begging for mercy.
“I loved Moira,” Baudelaire said, visibly shaking. “Valmary loved Angelique, but I didn’t know that until after I’d given her the money to leave. But I cannot think he would hurt either woman.”
There was no time to ask questions.
The clip of footsteps on the path outside had them all creeping back from the door. Callan silently cursed. Lillian and Madame Delafont stood huddled together to the left of the door. While he was stuck with Daventry on the right.
Baudelaire stood in the middle of the room, blood trailing down his cheek, the pistol dangling from his loose grip.
Valmary entered cautiously, jerking in shock when he saw Baudelaire swaying and mumbling like a ghost in a graveyard.
“Jaques?” he said with some surprise. Sensing a presence behind him, he turned abruptly, confusion marring his brow. “What’s going on here? What have you done to him?”
“You killed them,” Baudelaire cried before anyone could speak.
“What? Who? Why are you holding a pistol? And what happened to your head?” Valmary scanned their faces. “Forgive me but this feels rather like a trap.”
“There’ll be time for questions and answers at Bow Street.” Daventry pushed away from the wall. “Thaddeus Valmary. I’m placing you under arrest for the murders of Moira Maclean, Angelique Grellier and Marjorie Rowlands.”
“Under arrest?” Valmary shook his head, confused, and glared at Madame Delafont. “Madame, I thought you’d summoned me here to explain how Jaques stole my perfume. I thought you had evidence to prove he’s been adding poison to the bottles to discredit my name.”
Looking like an escapee from Bedlam, Baudelaire took aim, pointing the muzzle at his rival’s chest. “Tell the damn truth or I will shoot.”
Valmary raised his arms in surrender. “The truth about what?”
“You did not win Moira’s hand. None of it made sense at the time but when a man nurses a broken heart, he cannot think clearly. Dounreay found her diary,” the Frenchman lied.
If only it were true.
Callan might have punished this blackguard long ago.
“Moira returned to the Highlands because of her son,” Baudelaire snarled. “You told me she chose you. That you rejected her because you knew I loved her.”
Valmary stuttered, the first few words not making any sense. “Yes. Only because I knew you would chase after her and it was clear she didn’t want you. I couldn’t let you give up everything we’ve worked for.”
Baudelaire shuffled closer. Like the best enquiry agent, he was determined to get to the truth. “She mentioned you gave her perfume as a parting gift. You gave Angelique perfume when she left. You said you hoped she would smell the scent and realise how much she missed you.”
Valmary gulped. “We give lots of women perfume.”
“Yes,” Daventry mused. “Including Mrs Rowlands. How strange that those women should all die from poison added to your May Bell fragrance. The maid stole Mrs Rowlands’ bottle, but luckily hadn’t used more than a dab. We have a chemist analysing the contents.”
