Page 25 of A Sense of Paradise
‘He recently returned from France.’
‘France?’ Flora jerked upright, dislodging Zeus and causing him to growl in protest. ‘It is a big country,’ she added to herself, ‘but even so, it cannot be a coincidence.’
‘Would you have the goodness to explain?’ Lord Riley asked as Sergeant Salter turned a page in his notebook.
Flora leaned forward. ‘You have come to me, one assumes, because you are aware that the bishop and my father conspired to have Mr Yardley offer for my hand in marriage.’
Lord Riley nodded. ‘The bishop himself admitted as much and said it was the reason why his son went abroad.’
‘I see.’ Flora swallowed. ‘And you will be aware as well, of my father’s disgrace.’ Lord Riley nodded. ‘His debauched procedures were attended by some of the leading aristocrats in England, keen to find an outlet for their base desires—in the name of Christianity, of course.’ Flora noticed the sergeant scowl as he licked the end of his pencil and made copious notes with a heavy hand.
‘Lord Felsham and I helped to expose my father’s behaviour,’ Flora went on to explain, even though she suspected that she wasn’t telling the detectives anything they didn’t already know. ‘The matter was dealt with by the synod in the greatest secrecy in order to protect the church’s reputation. Papa’s demotion to a rural parish was explained away as a family matter. I cannot approve of his getting away with his misdeeds so lightly, even though the demotion was a bitter blow to his ambitions. The church is looked up to and respected but did not defend the poor children who suffered at Papa’s hands. I am convinced that some of them died but no one seems to care because they were orphans and no one is here to mourn them.’
‘We cannot intervene without proof of a crime having been committed,’ Lord Riley said softly.
‘Much as we might want to,’ Sergeant Salter added.
‘Oh yes, I am well aware of that and I am not asking you to. But since you are here, I thought it only right to share my views on the subject with you.’
‘For which we are grateful,’ Lord Riley replied politely.
‘Do you think my father killed Mr Yardley?’ Flora asked, fixing Lord Riley with a direct look. ‘Is that why you are here? You hope I might have information that will help you to bring him to justice? If that is the case, then I regret that you have had a wasted journey. I have as little as possible to do with my father. I cannot however, off the top of my head, think of any reason why he would want Mr Yardley dead. He takes risks, but not unnecessary ones.’
‘I find it interesting that you don’t deny the possibility of his being involved,’ Lord Riley remarked.
Flora twitched her nose. ‘There is little my father could do that would surprise me. If he can see innocent children die in the pursuit of degenerate pleasures then there is nothing he would draw the line at. However, the chances are that he would find someone else to commit the crime rather than soiling his own hands. Despite his current lowly position, he is not without influence. He collects evidence that he can use against people in the same way that enthusiasts collect stamps, but with less innocent intentions. You can be sure that he is already devising ways to crawl back into favour.’
‘Yardley did not continue to press his suit after you rejected him?’ Sergeant Salter asked.
‘No, I haven’t seen him since that day. As I say, I thought he was abroad. He has a small estate close to Lyneham, but as far as I am aware it is still closed up.’ She transferred her attention from the sergeant to Lord Riley. ‘You have let me run on, drawing my own conclusions, but you have not yet told me if you do actually suspect my father of involvement in Mr Yardley’s death.’
‘I am paid to be suspicious,’ Lord Riley replied with a charming smile.
‘Which is really no answer at all, but as much as I can expect to receive, one supposes. As to Mr Yardley’s time in France, you had best speak with Lord Felsham in that respect. I dare say you intend to call upon him.’
‘We are going there next.’
‘If you had done so earlier then you would have caught us both at the same time. That is where I was when you first called here.’ She noticed Sergeant Salter’s scowl and took exception to it. ‘There is nothing the slightest bit untoward about my relationship with the marquess, Sergeant, and even if there was, I do not have to explain myself to you. I might have turned my back on my religious family but I can assure you that I am not a woman of easy virtue.’
The sergeant’s face turned bright red. ‘That is not what I meant to imply, miss.’
‘I am pleased to hear you say so,’ Flora replied, partially mollified.
‘My sergeant is a family man and a devout Christian,’ Lord Riley told her, failing to suppress a rather boyish grin.
‘Well then, Sergeant, I can tell you from personal experience that those ordained to preach to us lesser mortals every Sunday do not always practise what they actually preach. My father is most certainly a case in point.’ She rang the bell. ‘Polly,’ she said when her maid answered it. ‘There is a letter on my dressing table. Please bring it down.’
‘At once, miss.’
Flora made no effort to break the awkward silence brought about by the sergeant’s condemnation. When Polly returned with the letter, Flora handed it to Lord Riley.
‘This arrived today from my father and is the reason why I went to Felsham Hall.’
Sergeant Salter looked over Lord Riley’s shoulder as they both read the letter. ‘What on earth does it mean?’ Lord Riley asked.
‘I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.’
‘Matthew, Chapter five verse 44,’ Sergeant Salter said.
