9308-3953

More documents

Recommendations

Info

how unpleasant this particular old biddy had been, it seems that after surviving decades upon decades of matrimony, any man could white-knuckle his way to the end. So what might have prompted the old duffer to put her away, and – even more troubling a question - to take the manservant as well? With a sigh that was louder than his earlier curse, the officer pushed away from the table, pausing one last time as he left the room to consider the scene. No matter how pressing the need to conserve ice, whoever had made the decision to entwine the bodies of Rose Weaver and Pulkit Sang was a fool. When it came time to separate them, their limbs would likely break.
Chapter One Leeds, England Rosemoral Estate – The Peacock Lounge August 16, 1889 12:20 PM “It seems that we are running the risk of becoming the last thing I thought we’d ever be,” Tom Bainbridge said, settling back in an elegantly shabby armchair and flicking his cigar in the general direction of an ashtray. “And what is that?” his brother William asked, a bit warily. Tom may be the baby of the family, but he was also wildly confident, stunningly clever, and far too fond of his drink. It all added up to unpredictability, the one thing William couldn’t abide. “I’m rather afraid to say,” Tom said. “I might be struck by lightning for daring to utter the words aloud.” “It’s a cloudless day,” William said, with a glance toward the wide French windows. “Risk it.” “We appear to be teetering on the cusp of being a happy family,” Tom said. William chuckled, with both surprise and pleasure, for now that he stopped to consider it, Tom was quite right. The next day, their sister Leanna would marry Dr. John Harrowman, whom she incessantly referred to as “her intended,” and it seemed that whatever Leanna intended to have, she ultimately did. William had to admit that John was a pleasant enough chap, although a bit too inclined toward liberal causes, and he supposed that John was even what the ladies would call handsome, with his tall slender frame and wavy dark hair. The newlyweds would of course settle at Rosemoral following the obligatory honeymoon abroad, and shortly after they returned, William himself would march to the altar. He would be accompanied by the amiable heiress of the neighboring estate, Hannah Wentworth. “I like Hannah,” Tom said, as if reading his mind. “She seems quite…forthright.” “That she is,” William agreed, with another chuckle. Some gossips might claim his own intended to be plain, even horse-faced, with an unwomanly degree of interest in livestock and farming, but she suited William admirably well. And besides, when they combined the acreage of Hannah’s estate with that of Rosemoral, the result would be the finest farm in three counties, with William as manager of it all. “Thank God she escaped the clutches of Cecil,” Tom added. “Now that time has passed and the dust has settled, it seems completely evident that he was the root of all our problems from the start. Well, Papa was actually first, I suppose, but after he got himself thrown from his horse, Cecil stepped into the vacancy rather well, did he not? Gambling and cheating and sowing discord in every corner.” “Discord?” asked William. “Is that the proper word for what Cecil sows?” The brothers sat for a moment in silence, each man lost in his own thoughts. When their grandfather’s will had quite unexpectedly – quite shockingly, in fact – left Rosemoral to Leanna and not to one of her three brothers, Cecil had exploded with rage. As it had turned out, his gambling debts were far more severe that anyone had guessed, and he was being aggressively pressed for payment by men he had once counted as friends. But even after losing Rosemoral, Cecil had one final
Page 2 and 3: CITY OF BELLS City of Mystery, Book
Page 6 and 7: ace up his sleeve - his courtship o
Page 8 and 9: forgetting, Rayley, that you were g
Page 10 and 11: who might -“ “Read it,” Geral
Page 12 and 13: But I wanted to see India. It was t
Page 14 and 15: “I fear I am being obscure,” Ge
Page 16 and 17: expanded with his career.” “I h
Page 18 and 19: Chapter Three Scotland Yard August
Page 20 and 21: with a distinguished record of his
Page 22 and 23: “The letter was obviously compose
Page 24 and 25: cabins, both coming and going, whic
Page 26 and 27: evidenced by the fact I asked you h
Page 28 and 29: “But the extremities go first sim
Page 30 and 31: their level of detective skill, it
Page 32 and 33: In the beginning of the fourth week
Page 34 and 35: member of the crew. These were not
Page 36 and 37: ecome an energetic and modern city,
Page 38 and 39: “Whyevernot? I should dearly like
Page 40 and 41: “Shall we tell you what we need?
Page 42 and 43: But the truly important thing is th
Page 44 and 45: “Silly indeed,” Geraldine agree
Page 46 and 47: peered out. She was rewarded with t
Page 48 and 49: said, jerking his head toward anoth
Page 50 and 51: Weaver shook his head impatiently.
Page 52 and 53: Chapter Eight The Weaver House 3:15
Page 54 and 55:
equest of its occupant than anythin
Page 56 and 57:
“Not a waste of time at all,” h
Page 58 and 59:
sent us, not accompanied us, and I
Page 60 and 61:
“No,” Rayley said. “What you
Page 62 and 63:
“Bravo, Detective Welles. And can
Page 64 and 65:
where the bodies of so many victims
Page 66 and 67:
its highest point and wit is at its
Page 68 and 69:
“Tell Mrs. Morrow Amy will likely
Page 70 and 71:
comrades. Apparently only one among
Page 72 and 73:
and India was a large country. No o
Page 74 and 75:
Geraldine sat in her own bed, the s
Page 76 and 77:
Morrow that the poor woman is scrap
Page 78 and 79:
need for the muslin and I named an
Page 80 and 81:
“If there used to be two birds?
Page 82 and 83:
“You mean the fathers of the girl
Page 84 and 85:
“He told me he drives by here som
Page 86 and 87:
Chapter Twelve The Tucker House 12:
Page 88 and 89:
“The suicide tree doesn’t make
Page 90 and 91:
sort of creature lies beneath. “W
Page 92 and 93:
the servants -“ “Speaking of su
Page 94 and 95:
“My uncle get me job,” said Fel
Page 96 and 97:
elatives in England. At least accor
Page 98 and 99:
“Weaver and Everlee, I presume,
Page 100 and 101:
and off, leaving that solemn task t
Page 102 and 103:
her bank draft be returned. Hardly
Page 104 and 105:
who read quickly, then shook his he
Page 106 and 107:
the murder investigation.” “I d
Page 108 and 109:
composing herself a bit. Pulling he
Page 110 and 111:
the air outside the open windows ha
Page 112 and 113:
ingest his mistress’s medication?
Page 114 and 115:
must never happen again.” Geraldi
Page 116 and 117:
although they were standing too far
Page 118 and 119:
“I was also introduced to your au
Page 120 and 121:
The man does not seem at all well,
Page 122 and 123:
“And Sang was with you.” Weaver
Page 124 and 125:
“And Rose.” “And Rose. Of cou
Page 126 and 127:
many memories to contend with, so m
Page 128 and 129:
Morass sniggered. “Hardly. Fewer
Page 130 and 131:
was the same reassuring manner that
Page 132 and 133:
onions.” Adelaide entered slowly.
Page 134 and 135:
Miss Hoffman, sitting across from t
Page 136 and 137:
“When the men came down to greet
Page 138 and 139:
processional. She had abandoned her
Page 140 and 141:
Chapter Eighteen Did she remember o
Page 142 and 143:
the years. And the man who had hire
Page 144 and 145:
Chapter Nineteen Cawnpore 11:20 AM
Page 146 and 147:
focus to cooperating with the Vicer
Page 148 and 149:
“Their families would certainly c
Page 150 and 151:
“I like it well enough,” he sai
Page 152 and 153:
gingerly felt his ribs, then took a
Page 154 and 155:
Sirs? Before we risk trying to move
Page 156 and 157:
most likely.” But Davy was shakin
Page 158 and 159:
Chapter Twenty The Tucker House 11:
Page 160 and 161:
een in Bombay. It is my reward. A s
Page 162 and 163:
only when it is very late and very
Page 164 and 165:
“And I see the end of me. I am un
Page 166 and 167:
combined with old age and an almost
Page 168 and 169:
Trevor flipped the photograph back
Page 170 and 171:
Chapter Twenty-Two Bombay Jail Infi
Page 172 and 173:
oth. The truth is that I was attrac
Page 174 and 175:
“I can only assume that Rose lied
Page 176 and 177:
Geraldine’s heart, which had spen
Page 178 and 179:
inclinations…Oh, do not misunders
Page 180 and 181:
elative who swears to fend for her.
Page 182 and 183:
Chapter Twenty-Three Bombay Jail 1:
Page 184 and 185:
his palm and said “This is the wo
Page 186 and 187:
she was but six years old. It burns
Page 188 and 189:
might say, or perhaps an early tea.
Page 190 and 191:
ship. “It would appear that he tr
Page 192:
What’s next? Next up is a bargain
show all

9308-3953

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?