Page 79

“She might, but we have some advantages. At this juncture, she does not even know that we are aware Mrs. Devlin is her sister.”

“Shall we play it by ear?” he asked, as if they hadn’t always done so when they worked together on previous investigations.

“Yes, as long as you trust me that much,” she said, a bit of challenge in her tone.

“I trust you entirely,” he said, his voice low and unwavering.

On Charlotte Street, Miss Mahoney’s maid, Alison, greeted them, eyes wide with shock at finding them at the doorstep again.

“Detective Inspector Pierce and Miss Poole,” she said.

“Hello again,” Electra said congenially. “We would like to speak to Miss Mahoney. Is she at home?”

The girl swallowed thickly. “She is not at home, miss.” She spoke the words slowly, almost forced.

“Are you certain?” Electra smiled, trying to reassure her, hoping Gideon would not intervene and frighten the girl further. “You sound unsure, but it’s all right. You may tell us the truth.”

The young maid’s brown eyes kept lifting to glance at Gideon.

“We need to speak with her, Alison,” Electra said. “Please let us in.”

The girl gave a shaky nod and stepped back to allow them inside.

“I'll just go up and see if Miss Mahoney is available to speak to you.”

Electra shot Gideon a look once they were admitted.

“She’s here then,” he whispered as the maid climbed the stairs.

A knock could be heard upstairs, then voices and footsteps.

“I told you we do not want to be disturbed,” Miss Mahoney said, her voice low but faintly audible downstairs.

Alison said something more softly, then a door slammed. Soon, the girl was descending to speak with them again.

“She says she won't see anyone right now. You'll have to come back another time.”

Electra knew Gideon wouldn’t allow the refusal. He finally stepped forward.

“I am afraid that won't be possible,” he said in an uncharacteristically soft tone. “We need to speak to her now on an urgent matter of police business.”

The young maid shook her head. “Beg pardon, sir. She says no, and I cannot gainsay⁠—”

“Would you fetch me a cup of tea?” Electra interjected.

The girl blinked, brow knitting. “Tea, miss?”

“I’m feeling most unwell,” Electra told her, then bent closer and whispered, “I don't want you to get in trouble.”

But while she was attempting to get the girl out of the room so that they could go up the stairs and leave her none the wiser, Gideon strode past them and began climbing the stairs.

“Oh, sir!” Alison gave out a cry of betrayal.

“Go,” Electra told her. “You went to the kitchen to fetch me a cup of tea, and we went up and you couldn't stop us. Yes? It will be all right. Just go.”

A tear slipped down the young maid’s cheek, but she nodded and headed off down the hall.

Electra followed Gideon up the stairs, lifting the edge of her skirts to dash up quickly. There was a long hallway at the top with four doors along it, two on each side. All of them were closed.