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"And she never did Will you please not discussthe best she could in difficult circumstances" "No, Mrs Villiers wasn’t lucky like you," Fellows said "You have been uncoentleman who took care of you Then you beca yourself with her that she left you her entire fortune Now you’re the guest of English aristocrats in Paris Quite a rise from the workhouse, isn’t it?"

"Not that my life is any of your business," Beth said stiffly

"But why is it of such interest to a detective inspector?"

"It isn’t, not in itself But murder is"

Every limb in her body stiffened, like an ani stalked

"I haven’t done anyto srave, I did not She was old and ill, I was very fond of her, and I had no idea sheto me" "I know I checked"

"Well, isn’t that a ine what you are trying to tellup your mother and father because I want to speak frankly with you about topics thatthat you are a woman of the world and not likely to faint at what I have to say" Beth fixed hi I ht have the footmen throw you out, yes, but swoon, no"

Fellows held up his hand "Please bear with me, madam The woman killed at St Paul’s, Covent Garden, was called Lily Martin"

Beth looked at him blankly "I don’t know anyone called Lily Martin"

"Five years ago, she worked in a brothel in High Holborn"

He waited expectantly, but Beth shook her head again

"Are you asking whether my mother knew her?" "Not at all Do you recall that there was a o?" "Was there?"

"There was indeed The details are not pretty A young woman called Sally Tate, one of the ladies of the house, was found dead in her bed one h the heart, then her warm blood deliberately shtened "How dreadful"