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Beth took a breath "And then?"

"The other four gentle cards None of theentlemen, and the servants Only Ian and Sally Tate" "And everyone departed after ht?" "Stephenson, Harrison, and Thoether so much that they decided to adjourn to Harrison’s ho to their statement, Hart ith the he wanted to wait for his brother"

"And did he?"

"According to Mrs Palmer, Hart returned at about one, waited for Ian, who caether" Fellows s One of the one upstairs at some point, then rushed out later on his own When pressed theBut later, after Mrs Paled her story and said that Hart and Ian had definitely left together at two"

Beth bit her lip Felloasn’t stupid, and thewas suspicious "What did Ian say?" "I did not get the chance to interview your good husband until teeks later By that tian in Beth’s heart Ian reht I had enough to pursue him, but suddenly, my chief inspector pulled me off the case and took awaytramp killed Sally, and he faked the evidence to prove it Case swept under the rug and closed"

Beth pulled her thoughts together with effort "What happened when Sally was found?"

Fellows sat back in the chair, his expression one of frustration "What I was told happened was that a , and Mrs Pal Beth a keen stare "What I believe happened is that Ian was found in the room with Sally, Sally dead But the ladies of that house are all loyal to the bone to Hart Mackenzie, so they sent for Hart, who cleaned Ian up and got him out of there Then they shouted for the police By the time the constable arrived, Ian was on a train to Scotland, and his servants instructed to swear up and down that he’d slept at home" Bloody hell Beth knew it had happened just as Fellows said Ian had to be taken away, because he wouldn’t kno to lie He’d have told Fellows the literal truth and been arrested, perhaps hanged for a ht never have lance, never kissed his lips, never heard his voice whisper her naht Her life would have been empty and shallow, and she wouldn’t have knohy

"You’re a pillock, Inspector," she said vehemently He scowled "Respectable ladies don’t use those words, Mrs Ackerley"

"Botheration about respectable ladies You’ve rubbed round in my face, so you will receive the brunt of it You are a pillock You have been so fixed on Ian that you’ve let the real entleht have told Ian to lie, but Ian can’t He doesn’t see the world like the rest of us, doesn’t know that people never tell the truth if they can help it He thinks we’re all ht" Fellows snorted "Ian Mackenzie will say anything His bloody Grace tells him to, and you know it Lies or no lies" "You don’t know the Mackenzies very well at all if you believe that Ian doesn’t obey Hart He does as he pleases" She understood that now "Ian helps Hart because he’s grateful to Hart for releasing him from that horrible asylum" "And will lick Hart’s boots the rest of his life for it," Fellows snapped He stood "You are the deluded one,you like they use everyone else Why do you think the Mackenzie es fail? Because the wives in question finally realize they’re being chewed up and spat out by the uncaring machine that is Hart and his fa his child," Beth said, getting to her feet to face him "She hardly did that on purpose"

"The woman was terrified of hiossip His Grace was most relieved when she died"

"That’s cruel, Inspector"

"But true Hart needed a good wife for his political career He didn’t care if he never had a conversation with her, as long as she hosted his social events and gave him an heir Which she proved she couldn’t She was better off dead"

"That’s ato say"

"Spare me the ‘oh, they are so misunderstood’ speech The Mackenzies are cold-blooded, heartless bastards, and the sooner you realize that, the better off you’ll be" Beth quivered with rage "I think you are finished here Please leave"

"I tell you this for your own good, Mrs Ackerley"

"No, you tell me this so I will help you hurt theht They should be more than hurt They should be destroyed"

Bethwith Hart Mackenzie, Inspector Fellows didn’t frighten her anymore "Why?"

Fellows opened his mouth to reply, then abruptly closed it His face was red, the htens easily," he said "And I can see you won’t take my word for it But they’ll be the death of you You er, then turned away "Good day, Mrs Ackerley" He marched to the door and yanked it open, and then Beth heard the front door bang behind hih swirling London fog as the inspector strode away She sat nuhibly, letting all he’d said sink in