‘Yet it’s not against the law.’
‘In my opinion, it should be.’
‘It’s not for us to question what they did,’ said Colbeck, tolerantly. ‘The two ladies in question found in each other the love that was lacking in their respective marriages. The tragedy is that it led to the brutal death of one of them.’
‘Mrs Tarleton is the one who surprises me, sir. I mean, she bore children. She did what women are put on this earth to do. It’s what the Bible teaches us.’
‘Agnes Reader had an alternative theology. She married to disguise her inclinations and had no intention of having a family. At first, Mrs Tarleton and she were just friends. Without realising it, the colonel drove them into each other’s arms.’
‘How did he do that, Inspector?’
‘By making a disastrous investment in the railways,’ said Colbeck. ‘His lawyer advised him against it – so did his banker – but the colonel had the single-minded approach we’ve seen in Mr Tallis. Nothing could hold him back. The prospect of earning a fortune was too enticing. He not only lost most of his own money,’ he concluded, ‘he persuaded his wife to venture her wealth as well. Thanks to Stuart Leybourne, they were defrauded out of every penny.’
‘Any wife would have been embittered by that,’ said Leeming.
‘It’s my belief that Mrs Tarleton turned to her friend for comfort. I’m sure that Mrs Reader was extremely sympathetic. One thing led to another with the result that we now know.’
‘It makes my blood run cold, sir. It’s so abnormal.’
‘You should read some ancient history, Victor.’
‘Oh, I know what those Greek women are supposed to have done but that was a long time ago. You don’t expect that kind of thing to happen in this day and age – least of all in Yorkshire.’
Colbeck laughed. ‘What’s so special about Yorkshire?’
‘People there seem so straightforward and down to earth.’
‘Sergeant Hepworth wasn’t very straightforward.’
‘He was the exception to the rule.’
‘And so was Michael Bruntcliffe, not to mention the rector.’
‘You know what I mean, sir,’ said Leeming with exasperation. ‘Country folk are more open. That’s what I found, anyway. I suppose that’s what makes this all the more revolting.’ He shook his head. ‘I don’t know how I can tell my wife about it.’
‘Do you always confide details of our cases in Estelle?’
‘I do most of the time.’
‘Did you tell her about some of the brothels you raided when you were in uniform? Or what a corpse looks like when it’s been in the Thames for three weeks? Or what that peer of the realm we arrested had been up to with his valet?’
‘Oh, no,’ replied Leeming. ‘That would only upset her.’
‘I think it would have upset you even more,’ said Colbeck with an avuncular smile. ‘Why not spare your wife the distress and save yourself the embarrassment?’
‘I think I might do just that, Inspector. What about you?’
‘Me?’
‘Are you going to tell Miss Andrews about those two women?’
‘Only if Madeleine asks me,’ said Colbeck, ‘and I have a strong suspicion that she will.’
Thrilled to have him back in London again, Madeleine had pressed for details of the investigation. She saw it as both an insurance against the future and a form of education. If she was to be the wife of a detective inspector, she wanted a forewarning about the kind of life she would be sharing. At the same time, she found it instructive to learn about the criminal underworld in which Colbeck spent most of his time. Madeleine had been actively involved in some investigations but was completely detached from this one. When he told her about the relationship between Agnes Reader and Miriam Tarleton, her first reaction was to blush. Having met neither of the women involved, she just couldn’t comprehend the strength of feeling between them. It was something entirely outside her experience.
Though she didn’t flinch from any of the details, she was glad when Colbeck had moved on to discuss their own relationship. He admitted that he had prevaricated for too long and he promised her that, when the superintendent returned, he would tell him about the engagement at the earliest opportunity. It was a final hurdle that needed to be cleared. As she prepared breakfast that morning, she glanced up at the clock on the mantelpiece and felt a glow of pleasure at the thought that Colbeck would be breaking the news to Tallis later that same day. Having heard so much about the superintendent and his hostile attitude to marriage among his detectives, Madeleine was alive to the irony of the situation. While she knew that he’d never accept her with any enthusiasm, it was only when he’d been told about her existence that she’d feel wholly accepted by Colbeck. She would be a recognised feature in his life and not something that had to be kept hidden from his superior.
When Tallis came back to work that morning, Colbeck was waiting for him. He noticed how uncharacteristically subdued the superintendent was and put it down to grief. It made him think twice about the promise he’d made to Madeleine and he wondered if he should postpone his declaration until another time. After consideration, however, Colbeck decided that he couldn’t let her down again. It was time to grasp the nettle and explain his situation.
‘There’s something I must tell you, sir,’ he said.
‘I don’t wish to know any more,’ warned Tallis. ‘Whatever you read in the dreadful letters from that woman is no concern of mine. I’ll simply cherish the memory of two wonderful friends. They were buried side by side, you know.’
‘I hoped that they would be, sir.’
‘The funerals took place after nine o’clock in the evening. It was a very moving occasion. Miriam was accorded the rites of a Christian burial while her husband was denied them. But they were together,’ he emphasised, ‘and that was what the colonel would have wanted.’ He took a cigar from the box and rolled it gently between his palms. ‘We have you to thank for that, Inspector. If you hadn’t exposed the rector for the villainous hypocrite he was, we’d still be arguing about when and where the funerals would actually take place. I’m sorry to have missed seeing the rector and his wife in court. I’m grateful to you for putting them there.’
‘Mr Reader deserves some of the credit, sir.’
‘Don’t mention that man’s name,’ said Tallis, sharply, ‘and, whatever you do, don’t bring his wife into the conversation.’
‘I understand,’ said Colbeck. ‘Did you have the opportunity to speak to Mrs Doel and her brother about their plans?’
‘I found it more useful to talk to Mr Everett. He knows what the children are set to inherit. He hinted to me that Eve will receive the bulk of the estate while Adam will have only a token sum of money.’
‘That will upset him.’
‘It’s no more than he deserves,’ said Tallis. A fond smile then lit up his face. ‘Mr Everett was kind enough to inform me that I’d been remembered in the colonel’s will. I was very touched.’
He went off into a reverie and Colbeck saw his chance. He waited until the superintendent came out of his daydream then he plunged straight in.
‘There’s a personal matter I wish to discuss, sir,’ he said.
‘Is there?’
‘I haven’t had the opportunity to tell you this before but now, I feel, is the right moment to do so.’
Tallis was worried. ‘You’re not going to resign, are you?’
‘No, no, it’s nothing like that.’
‘Good – you’re the best man I have, Colbeck.’
‘Thank you, sir,’ said the other, not stopping to savour the compliment. ‘The fact is, Superintendent, that I recently became engaged to be married.’
‘Yes, I know.’
Colbeck was astonished. ‘You know?’
‘For obvious reasons, I don’t read that sort of thing in the newspapers but the commissioner does. He saw the announcement and mentioned it to me. He sends his congratulations, by the way.’
‘Thank you, sir.’
‘Is that all you have to say?’