The Blue Girl Read Online Free PDF Page B

dropped them and looked at the portrait again. “Her name was Lily. Lily George. Well, Lily Cream now, I suppose.”
    “How long were you married?”
    “We were married yesterday morning. I brought her back here and when I checked on her before tea she was gone from her room.”
    “Did you send for the police?”
    Cream hesitated before answering. “My sister thought it best to wait. She thought Lily might come back.”
    “But she didn’t come back.”
    “I thought perhaps she needed some time to herself. To get used to the idea of marriage.”
    “Was marriage so disagreeable for her, then?”
    “Not at all.” That wolf smile flickered across his face.
Of course not
, it said,
she was lucky.
Then he remembered that he was supposed to be sad. His mustache bobbed up and down as he composed his expression.
    “Mr Cream . . .”
    “Please, call me Geoffrey.”
    “Mr Cream, you were just married and you were already avoiding your spouse? Because your sister suggested it? Do you always follow your sister’s advice in personal matters?”
    “My sister and I are very close. Our father died too early and we were left with no family but each other, you understand.”
    “And Lily.”
    “Pardon?”
    “No family but each other and Lily, correct? She had just married into the family.”
    He waved his hand, dispelling my remark like a bad odor, and walked away from me around the side of the desk. He sat and leaned back and looked up at me.
    I got the sense that my audience with him was nearing its end. I needed to draw him out. I had no evidence that he had committed a crime, but I didn’t like him.
    “Why did you marry Lily George if you didn’t care for her? Money?”
    “Why would you say such a thing? Yes, she had money, but what of it? I did care for her. Of course I did. She was my wife.” He covered his face with his hands, still trying to muster a human reaction.
    “Did your sister care for her?”
    “I never asked her.”
    “But what do you think?”
    “No,” he said. “I don’t think she did.”
    “Why?”
    “She said . . .” he stopped and I heard a soft gurgling noise coming from somewhere behind his hands. “She once told me we didn’t need Lily.”
    “But you did need her, didn’t you?” I said. “Tell me, just how much money
did
Lily have?”
    “Don’t be idiotic.”
    “I noticed bare spots on your walls. You’ve sold your paintings. And from the dust everywhere, I imagine you’ve let most of your staff go. The little fellow who let me in the door, he’s all you’ve got left, unless I miss my guess. Lily George had the money you needed, but you didn’t love her. Your marriage was a sham.”
    “That’s nothing but idle speculation. I was quite prepared to make Lily happy.”
    “From what I see here, I very much doubt that. I’m going to have to send round to the Yard for an inspector, Mr Cream. Someone from the Murder Squad.”
    He lowered his hands and looked at me. His eyes were dry.
    “Send for an inspector? But my sister told me
you
were an inspector.”
    “Why would she say that? I haven’t met her.”
    “Haven’t you? I thought . . .” he broke off and glared at the wall.
    “I’m only walking my beat,” I said.
    “You’re nothing but a bluebottle? Why would they send you?”
    “You weren’t important enough for anyone to send a detective.”
    He stood and leaned toward me over the desk. Finally he showed some real emotion. “This is outrageous!” His voice cracked as it rose and I could see the muscles bunching under his well-tailored white shirt. “You’ll regret this charade. I can promise you that.”
    “That’s enough, Geoffrey dear.”
    I turned and watched the woman drift in through the open study door. She moved around to the other side of the desk and laid a proprietary hand on Geoffrey’s shoulder. He instantly relaxed.
    “Lily is dead,” he said to her.
    “I heard,” she said. “I was listening at the door. I’m