Page 57 of Murder on Harley Street
“I have read the advertising material, Mr. Lombardi. It is quite the list of testimonials you’ve acquired. As a fellow businessman, I admire your promotional endeavors.”
Mr. Lombardi attempted to look humble but failed. “It is only because the tonic is so very good at curing all manner of ills. Have you tried it, Mr. Bainbridge?”
“No. I’m not ill.”
“I will give you a bottle tomorrow. I have been wanting to give one to your mother, but I have not seen much of Lady Bainbridge in the hotel. I think she suffers from her nerves, yes? She will benefit from my tonic, I guarantee. The entire world cannot be wrong.”
Floyd’s fingers skimmed over the silver cutlery. I hoped he had enough control not to pick up the fork and threaten the guest the way I had. I doubted Mr. Lombardi would report me to my uncle, given it would mean revealing the reason I wanted to stab him, but I doubted Floyd could get away with it. To alleviate some of the tension I sensed Floyd was feeling, I was about to mention the article in the Italian newspaper that discussed the closure of Mr. Lombardi’s factories but decided against it. I didn’t want to reveal all the cards in my hand yet.
At the restaurant entrance, Mr. Chapman greeted Uncle Ronald and Flossy. They all looked at us before my uncle and cousin approached our table. While my uncle stopped to speak to a guest, I put a smile on my face and asked Mr. Lombardi a question that I hoped would unsettle him. “The Nerve Elixir is your bestselling product, is that right?”
He looked pleased that I was taking an interest. “It is, because it is so powerful, so good. Many people suffer from melancholy, particularly women, but my tonic revives them. It gives them energy.” His hands gestured to his torso with a lifting motion.
“So your marketing materials say. What I want to know, however, is what happens if it stops selling?”
He tilted his head to the side. “I do not understand the question.”
“If sales of the Nerve Elixir fall significantly, does your business fail?”
Floyd stood as Flossy arrived at our table, having left her father behind.
Mr. Lombardi didn’t stand. He continued to stare at me. “Sales will not fall, Miss Fox. There is nothing wrong with the ingredients in my tonic.”
“I didn’t say there was.” I turned to my cousin. “Flossy, dearest, you’re here. Come and sit down. No, not beside Mr. Lombardi. He wants Uncle Ronald to sit on his other side tonight so they can more easily discuss business matters.” I may be stuck with him, as it was impolite to swap places now, but I could save Flossy. Hopefully, the horrid man wouldn’t dare flirt with me—or try anything else—after I’d threatened him with the fork.
The dinner was surprisingly, and blessedly, short. Mr. Lombardi excused himself before dessert and left. Uncle Ronald ate his vanilla blancmange quickly, then got up to mingle with hotel guests, leaving me with my two cousins.
Flossy pushed her trifle away, untouched. “Pretending to enjoy listening to that man is the absolute worst. The sooner he checks out, the better.”
Floyd leaned across her to speak to me, forcing her to sit back. “What were you and Lombardi talking about when I arrived, Cleo? I want the truth this time.”
I was going to lie, but decided there was no point. Besides, Flossy needed to be warned. “His flirtation crossed a line.”
“That bloody cur. Just say the word and I’ll call him out.”
Flossy screwed up her nose at him. “Don’t be silly. You couldn’t duel with a fly, let alone a man.”
“It wasn’t anything I couldn’t handle,” I said. “Do not cause a scene, Floyd. Not until after his event is over, and, even then, wait until he has left the hotel altogether if you must say something to him.”
Somewhat mollified, he sat back and finished his dessert.
I ate mine, too, but hardly tasted the ice cream. I couldn’t stop thinking about all the famous people who’d endorsed the Nerve Elixir. “Do you think Lombardi personally knows the people who’ve given testimonials praising his tonic?” I asked Floyd.
“He told me he sent them all free samples of the tonic and asked them to write back endorsing it if it worked. He says he has thousands of positive reviews, but only uses the most famous people in his advertisements.”
“It must have been expensive to send free samples all around the world,” Flossy said.
“It’s ingenious. Think about it, Flossy. If you needed a new medicine, would you try the one endorsed by the queen or the one that fellow over there says cured him?” He pointed to a man at a far table.
“The queen, of course.”
“It may have been expensive sending all those bottles, but it was a successful endeavor.”
Flossy didn’t seem to be listening anymore. She longingly eyed her dessert.
Floyd followed her gaze. “Are you going to eat that?”
She shook her head, and he swapped his empty bowl for her full one.
