Caroline looked none too pleased, but she led them to the sitting room and opened the door. “Can I fetch you a cup of tea?”
“Thank you, no.” Cecily smiled at her. “If you would finish the gown right away, I’ll be happy to pay you a little extra for your effort.”
“Then I shall see to it right away.” After one more doubtful look at both of them, she sped off in the direction of her sewing room.
“Better let me go first.” Samuel stepped into the room and looked around. He sounded relieved when he added, “Looks clean enough to me, m’m, though it smells a bit.”
Cecily followed him in and shooed a cat off the nearest chair. Several more stalked around the room, and a couple of dogs lifted their heads to scrutinize the visitors, then went back to snoozing by the fire.
“She likes her animals, doesn’t she,” Samuel observed, looking around the room. “I’ve never seen this many cats and dogs in one person’s house.” He bent over to stroke the nearest dog-a large black animal with only one ear. “She must love animals a lot.”
“Yes,” Cecily said quietly. “I’m sure she does.”
“I just can’t believe she-”
“Shshh!” Cecily put a finger over her lips.
Samuel snapped his mouth shut.
Giving him a warning look, Cecily said loudly, “It must be comforting to have so many animals around when one lives on her own, like Miss Blanchard.”
Taking his cue from her, Samuel straightened. “I’m sure it is.”
Still talking, Cecily moved over to the sideboard and pulled out one of the drawers. She shuffled through the contents and, finding nothing, she closed the drawer and opened another.
She found what she was looking for in the third drawer. Moving a stack of envelopes aside, she caught a glimpse of glittering gold. Carefully, she picked up one of the small gold stamps and held it out to Samuel. Lowering her voice, she whispered, “The signature of the Christmas Angel.”
Samuel stared at her. “I just can’t believe it!”
“Shshh!” Cecily held up a warning finger. Crossing the room to the empty chair, she sat down. “She can’t know we suspect her. Be very careful what you say and how you say it.”
Samuel looked as if he wanted to cry, but he nodded and bent down again to stroke the dog.
The sound of a door closing alerted Cecily. “Samuel, just listen to everything I say, and don’t interrupt or contradict.” She had no time to say more, as the door opened and Caroline entered, carrying the gown over her arm.
“Here it is, Mrs. Baxter.” She held up the shimmering gown. “I hope it is satisfactory.”
“I’m quite sure it will be.” Cecily bent down to pat the black dog on the head. “This is a fine animal.”
Caroline handed the gown to Samuel, who now sat poker-faced and silent. “Yes, he is. I found him wandering around the streets in Wellercombe. Poor thing was nothing but skin and bones when I found him.”
“Well, he certainly looks healthy enough now.” Cecily stood, and Samuel jumped to his feet. “We must be off. We have a very important appointment this afternoon.”
Caroline looked as if she was unsure how to answer that.
Ignoring her, Cecily continued, “I noticed the other day that wheel on the wall in your dressing room. I assume you are interested in the occult?”
Caroline shifted uneasily from one foot to the other. “I have a passing interest, that’s all.”
“Ah, I see.” Cecily moved closer to the door. “Then you must have heard of my friend Mrs. Madeline Prestwick?”
The seamstress seemed unsettled by the question. “I have heard talk of her, yes.”
“Most people consider her a witch, you know.”
Samuel had his back to Caroline, which was fortunate, since an agonized look crossed his face.
Cecily ignored him and smiled at Caroline, who looked just as aghast. “I’m sure-” she began, but Cecily interrupted her.
“She does have remarkable powers. In fact, she has promised to use them to help me find the Christmas Angel.”
Caroline’s face turned ashen. She seemed unable to turn her gaze from Cecily’s face, but felt behind her for the arm of a chair before falling down on it.
Cecily avoided looking at Samuel, who was now staring in dismay at the hapless seamstress. “Madeline is going up to Putney Downs today to the woods nearby the spot where Thomas Willow was killed. There she will conduct a private séance, some sort of ritual that will give her the name of the Christmas Angel. Once she has it, she will bring it to me at the Pennyfoot where P.C. Northcott will be waiting for the news.”
Caroline opened and closed her mouth, as if seeking words that wouldn’t come.
Samuel cleared his throat, and Cecily gave him a sharp nudge. “Come, Samuel. We must get back to the club with as much speed as possible, so that we can be there when Madeline returns with the name of our infamous killer.”
She headed for the door, saying, “Thank you for finishing my gown today. I shall enjoy wearing it at the Welcome Ball.”
Caroline seemed in a daze as she followed them out to the hallway. She barely managed to acknowledge Cecily’s farewell before shutting the front door in her face.
“How terribly rude,” Cecily murmured, as she walked down the path to the gate.
Samuel leapt ahead of her to open it. When he spoke his voice was full of despair. “She just doesn’t look like a dangerous killer.”
“Most people don’t.” Cecily paused at the carriage, waiting for him to open the door. “I’m sorry, Samuel. I know you like her but-”
Samuel shook his head. “You know, lots of people buy those stamps. I saw them in the toy store the other day. A whole pile of them. Anyone could buy them.”
“It isn’t just the stamps, Samuel. On our first visit I smelled something awful burning in the sewing room, like human hair. Also, Lady Marion told me that Miss Blanchard was at the Bellevue estate delivering her gown the morning Henry Farnsworth died.” She swept an arm toward the house. “It’s because of those animals, Samuel. She rescues them, and punishes those who ill-treat them.”
Samuel jutted out his jaw. “I don’t believe it. I don’t believe she’s capable of killing all those men.”
Cecily climbed aboard the carriage and settled her skirt around her ankles. “Given enough reason and the right circumstances, everyone is capable of killing. We all have our dark side. Thankfully the vast majority of us know how to control it. Anyway, it’s out of our hands now. The plan has been set in motion and we shall soon see if I am right.”
Samuel looked far from happy as he closed the door. Cecily leaned back and braced herself for the jerk of the carriage as he urged the chestnut forward.
They had barely reached the edge of the lane before a horse and cloaked rider passed them at lightning speed. Cecily watched them disappear around the bend ahead and slowly let out her breath.
Now that everything was set, she could think of all sorts of reasons why it could go wrong. The bait could be ignored, or dealt with in a way she hadn’t thought about, or, in the worst-case scenario, Madeline could be killed before help could get to her.
Cecily deliberately shut off her thoughts along that line. She had learned from experience never to try to second-guess an adversary. She knew what she had to do now, and the rest was up to providence.
Thanks to Gertie’s help with the dishes, Pansy arrived at the final dress rehearsal with plenty of time to spare. She was thankful she had no lines to speak, since she was certain she would forget every word in her excitement.
Standing in the wings, she watched Doris perform, knowing without a shadow of a doubt that she would never be as good as her. She would just have to do the best she could and hope she didn’t mess things up too much.
Now that she could fly, she could really get into the part of Tinker Bell. She remembered something Mrs. Fortescue had told her. Believe you really are the person you are playing.