Chapter Ten

I nspector Liam Ashton

The chirping of a canary sounded as the door to Mrs. Tucker’s flat swung open. Mrs. Worth returned the key to the elderly woman but made no move to enter. I walked inside and set the package on a table.

Mrs. Worth waited until I left the flat before she guided Mrs. Tucker inside. “I will send one of the girls down with your supper.”

“You are a good girl.” Mrs. Tucker shut the door.

“I haven’t seen Mrs. Tucker since my promotion.” Since the hallway was narrow, I was close enough to see the dewy texture of Mrs. Worth’s skin. As a mere constable, I had been familiar with most of the neighborhoods inhabitants. Since my promotion, I rarely mingled with them like I used to, which was rather disappointing given my social nature. “I will ask my mother to check in on Mrs. Tucker. She often visits the elderly.”

“That is very kind of you.” Mrs. Worth turned on her heel and took the stairs to the next floor. I followed, not wishing to end our time together.

Something savory drifted in the air, causing my stomach to growl. I had forgone my supper with my family to see her home. “It sounds like you help her out. You are a good woman.”

Once on the landing, I shifted from foot to foot. Manners said to bid her good night and be on my way. I stood rooted to the spot. She made me nervous, and I was unsure why.

“I try to be.” She smiled up at me. “Thank you for your escort tonight.”

I curled my hand into a fist, resisting the mad urge to brush her cheek with my knuckle. “It is my pleasure. I—”

A muffled shriek came from the other side of the door, followed by more screaming. Mrs. Worth paled, her hand moving to the doorknob. “My sisters are here alone.”

“Stand back.” I motioned for her to remain where she was and opened the door to more screams. My heart racing in anticipation of trouble, I stepped inside the long, narrow flat. Three young girls of variable ages crouched together on a sofa. The fourth, an older girl, was bent low and running toward the door, with a soup ladle in her hand. A tabby cat shot past me, dangling a mouse from its mouth. The girl halted mid-stride at the sight of me, her eyes widening.

I looked over my shoulder at Mrs. Worth in time to see the cat stop and drop the mouse at her feet.

Mrs. Worth visibly shuddered as the cat began to rub itself along her leg. The mouse took the opportunity to escape, the cat in hot pursuit.

Screams continued from inside, the girls pointing at me and huddling together, extremely frightened to see a strange man barge into their home. The eldest girl was now standing before her sisters, the ladle lifted like a weapon.

“It’s all right, girls.” Mrs. Worth moved past me and rushed into the room. She held her hand out to the girl with the ladle. “Violet, this is Inspector Ashton. He is Mr. Moran’s friend .”

Eight pairs of eyes, all similar to Mrs. Worth’s, locked on me. Now that the drama of the mouse was over, curiosity replaced their terror. Violet angled her head, her ginger curls bouncing. “Then you are not investigating him?” Violet asked.

“Violet,” Mrs. Worth admonished, the flush she’d worn since we’d begun our outing deepening.

I was far from offended. In hindsight, I had given that impression on purpose as a way to harass Moran, not to fool Mrs. Worth into thinking something was wrong. “No, Miss Violet, I am not,” I said.

Mrs. Worth snapped her head around and rolled her eyes at my reminder. “You must admit, it was suspect.”

“I will admit you have a very active imagination.” I couldn’t stop smiling at the chastisement in her regard. Without a doubt, she was comely, and I liked her sharp wit. She’d vacillated between friendly and on guard during our carriage ride. What secrets did she keep? Although manners said I should bow out and leave, I stood my ground. I wasn’t ready to leave her company. “Something smells wonderful.”

Violet beamed at me. While her younger siblings hadn’t said a word, the girl wasn’t shy. She glanced sideways at her older sister before saying, “I was getting ready to serve supper when Tabby nearly tipped over the pot in pursuit of that pesky mouse. Won’t you join us? We have plenty.”

“I am sure Inspector Ashton has somewhere he needs to be.” Mrs. Worth removed her hat to expose honey-brown hair.

“No, I am free for the evening.” I removed my hat, ignoring the glare she sent in my direction. My entire reason for escorting her home was twofold. I wanted to ensure she was safe, but I also wanted to learn more about her. In the brief time I had spoken with her, my interest grew. “Whom do I have the pleasure of dining with tonight?” I asked the girls, who continued to stare at me. With all the drama, introductions had been forgotten.

“Caroline is seven, Janice is eight, and Annie is ten.” Mrs. Worth pointed to each sister in turn. They all looked like a slightly older image of the other. Unlike Mrs. Worth, they possessed ginger hair but had the same green eyes. “And Violet is fourteen. My eldest sister, Eloise, is not home.”

“I will set another plate,” Violet said, motioning for her sisters to follow.

“Since you are staying for supper, would you like a sherry? I could surely use one.” Mrs. Worth took my hat and waited until I removed my greatcoat before she hung them on a peg on the wall.

“A sherry would be most welcome.” The flat had a comfortable feel about it, and I settled my hands on my hips, inspecting the trey ceilings and deep green walls. A table and chairs with a small hutch were at the far end, and a cook stove was in the corner. The temperature in the room was warm enough to shake off the chill from outside. “Do you think Mrs. Tucker heard your sisters?”

“No, she is hard of hearing. Otherwise, I am sure we would have been evicted by now.” Mrs. Worth moved to the sideboard and unstoppered a decanter. She poured two glasses, her head down to expose the tiny hairs at the back of her neck. A rush of desire shot through me, and I averted my gaze. Moran’s warning whispered inside my head. He explicitly forbade me from pursuing her, but he didn’t truly have the right to tell me what to do. He might not be considering courting Mrs. Worth, but I genuinely liked her. After Suzette’s departure, I contemplated settling down more and more. I wanted what my parents had, a partner in life to raise our children together.

“No, Inspector Ashton is sitting there,” Violet said to the youngest girl. “You sit next to me.”

“But that’s my spot,” the girl protested.

“Caroline don’t argue with Violet,” Mrs. Worth said, bringing the glass over to me. She held my gaze while I took it, our fingers brushing. Her pupils dilated, the leafy green irises disappearing before she lowered her lashes. “Shall we sit?”

“Of course.” I held out my arm to her, and she laid her palm on my sleeve. The faint scent of parchment clung to her, rather like with Moran. Whenever I cracked open a book, he instantly came to mind.

Mrs. Worth went to the head of the table and indicated that I should sit to her right. I held her chair for her, pushing it in after she sat. The tiny hairs beckoned once more. I had a bad habit of falling hard and fast when interested in someone new.

Violet placed a tureen of hearty stew on the table and used the ladle to dish it into white ceramic bowls. “I am most anxious to hear about the many criminals you have brought to justice,” she said.

“My sister considers herself an amateur sleuth and is an avid reader of Sir Author Conan Doyle’s serials about Sherlock Holmes.” Mrs. Worth broke off a piece of rustic bread from a loaf and positioned it on the plate to my left, a small smile playing around her mouth. “If Inspector Ashton is amenable, you may ask him questions. However, let us keep the discussion to topics that won’t disturb the children.”

I reached for the slightly chipped, porcelain butter dish. The tablecloth also showed signs of wear. With five sisters to support, the strain on Mrs. Worth must be great. “I am amenable. Would you like to hear the latest case I solved?”

“Do tell.” Violet leaned forward, avid interest in her stare. The younger girls ate their food, all eyes locked on me, not saying a word.

“Well, unlike Mr. Doyle, I don’t tend to name my cases, however, I will make an exception.” Knife in hand, I began to butter the bread. I met Mrs. Worth’s interested regard, her hand hovering over her bowl while waiting for me to speak. Unlike many widows I had met over the years, she wore no ring. Perhaps she had been forced to pawn her jewelry to feed her family. “I will call it The Case of Tabby and the Mouse King,” I said.

Violet frowned for an instant before her smile returned. “You are fooling with me. That isn’t a real case.”

“It is indeed. Just ask your sister. She witnessed it firsthand.”

“Indeed, if you could have heard yourself from outside screaming like a banshee, and then Ashton came in, and Tabby ran out with the mouse...” Mrs. Worth began to laugh, her entire face lighting up.

The girls began to giggle with childish glee.

“I can honestly say I have never been threatened with a ladle before.” I bit into the bread, the flavors of yeast and butter coating my tongue. My family ate together every night, it was one of the highlights of my day. In the near future, I hoped to host dinners of my own. There was one problem, and that was finding a wife.

“It should be any inspector’s weapon of choice,” Violet said. Like Mrs. Worth, she possessed a smart wit. “After claws and sharp teeth, I assume.”

“Tabby The Detective Cat. It has a nice ring to it. You should propose a book for children to Mr. Moran.” Mrs. Worth drank another sip of her wine, more relaxed than I had ever seen her. Of course, I had only met her the day before. It already felt like a long time.

If she knew the books I wrote for Moran, she’d escort me out of her flat.

“Tabby went after it like any good inspector.” I stirred the contents with my spoon, not commenting further. The stew was hearty, with chunks of potatoes and carrots in a brown gravy.

“I have faith that he will prevail over the mouse king,” Violet said. “Now, will you tell me a real story?”

I used the food as an excuse to gather my thoughts. My latest case wasn’t fit for children’s ears. At times, I wished I hadn’t stumbled into it. Sitting at the table with the innocent girls who, while not living in the lap of luxury, had a roof over their heads and food on the table was a far cry from the seediness of London’s streets. Pushing the darkness back, I nodded and began to regale them with a heavily embellished story about a pickpocket for their enjoyment.

With food in my belly and good company, I could well imagine myself sitting next to Mrs. Worth every night. Which meant I should cut my association and quick. Moran wouldn’t be happy, nor could I shake the feeling that she would be a good fit for him.

I would wait to see how things unfolded; in the meantime, I would enjoy the time I could spend with Mrs. Worth.