Page 40 of A Dangerous Vision

“In your dealings with Mr. Pennington, did you have occasion to give him one of Miss Poole’s calling cards?”

Lady Redmayne blinked, seemingly surprised by the change in topic. “Electra asked me that yesterday, and the answer is no. I have given out her card, but never to Percival.”

“To anyone Pennington was acquainted with?”

“No, not that I’m aware of.”

“Do you know anyone who might have borne any ill will toward Mr. Pennington?”

She’d released Electra’s hand and clutched a handkerchief that he hadn’t noticed. Folding and unfolding the square of fabric, she seemed to give due consideration to the question.

“Percival was a quarrelsome man. Perhaps it came from his profession. But he seemed to have…foes, whether real or imagined, in all aspects of his life. Other barristers who he saw as competitors. Clients he viewed as pests. His niece’s suitor, who he loathed for half a dozen inane reasons. He even cast his best friend as his enemy on occasion.” She sighed. “Percival even saw me as troublesome when I would not bend to his wishes. As I said, he saw himself as beleaguered and surrounded by foes.”

Gideon's fingers tightened on the pencil he held, eager for a detailed list of those foes. At least those who were true adversaries and not imagined ones.

“Can you name those who truly opposed him?”

“I don’t know all the details, Inspector. But Percival mentioned a conflict with his brother that seemed to be, at least in part, over their niece. They argued about it frequently. Though it seemed they were never truly amicable. He spoke of Lancelot with derision most often. And, of course, there was the breach-of-promise matter with Roderick Beecham. He had broken his engagement to the man’s daughter, which was folly. Utter folly.”

“And you were the reason he broke the engagement?”

“He claimed it was for me, which was absurd, as I had already broken things off with him. And Miss Beecham seemed a lovely, respectable match for him. I urged him to reconsider such a rash decision.” She chafed a hand along her arm as if she was chilled, though the room was, if anything, overly warm. “I know there was another woman as well.”

Gideon frowned. “Beyond you and Miss Beecham?”

“Yes. Perhaps more than one. Percival frequented a house of assignations, and I know that he was quite taken with at least one woman there.”

“Do you know her name?”

Lady Redmayne shook her head. “He confessed it to me accidentally, I think. One evening when I visited him, he was in his cups and mentioned a lady at a certain house in Bloomsbury. Mentioned that he and Gordon Callister were rivals for some lady there. When I asked him about it later, he was dismissive, claiming it was simply another gentleman’s club that he attended with Mr. Callister, but ladies aren’t admitted to any respectable gentleman’s club.”

Gideon had already planned to seek “Dahlia” at the Regent Square address in Pennington’s diary, but now it felt even more urgent.

“Was there anyone else he mentioned a conflict with?”

“No.”

“Did he mention anything about his plans for after he met with you yesterday afternoon? Anyone he intended to meet later in the day?”

She lifted her shoulders. “No, Inspector. Our conversation was fraught and then over rather quickly.”

“Thank you, Lady Redmayne, for being forthright and answering my questions.”

Electra gave her arm a gentle squeeze, and Lady Redmayne placed her hand over Electra’s, much as he had in their carriage ride over.

“I know you must speak to Kit,” Lady Redmayne said softly. “And I know you are not acquainted with him, but I assure you that he would never harm anyone. Look at his parliamentary record, and you will see that he is reform-minded and is a staunch supporter of Mr. Gladstone. Look at his charitable endeavors, and you will see that he is generous and kind.”

“I have no doubt about Sir Christopher’s character, I assure you.”

Yet Gideon had met many good men who’d made terrible choices in anger or the impulse of a moment. Jealousy, love for another, the desire to protect his wife. What might those feelings drive a man to do?

Everything he had learned indicated that Percival Pennington had been garrulous but had not feared for his life. As yet, he had no reason to believe the man knew of a deadly threat hanging over him.

So was the murder a crime of opportunity joined with murderous fury, or something that had been planned in secret?

Lady Redmayne stood, said a few words to Electra, and then left the drawing room. Gideon assumed she would send Sir Christopher to join them.

His gaze was inescapably drawn to Electra.