Chapter Two
Jocelyn allowed Inspector Ness to help her into her carriage, her mind awhirl with everything that had happened so far that morning. The bad feeling she’d had since she first found out her sister was missing had intensified with every passing moment, and now that she knew Evelyn had not been arrested at one of her suffrage protests, it had grown to a clamor of dread and worry.
Where on earth could Evelyn be? It wasn’t like her to disappear without a word.
She settled into the forward-facing seat, and the inspector sat down across from her.
“I’m very grateful for your help,” she told him nervously as the carriage jolted forward. He seemed a very busy man, and Mayfair wasn’t even part of his jurisdiction, so she was surprised he was helping her at all.
“I could use the distraction,” he answered, sounding weary. “I’ve been swamped with trying to find out who killed those girls from Mercy House, and I’m really not getting anywhere with it. Sometimes it’s good to get out of my office and clear my head.”
Jocelyn nodded sympathetically. She knew more about those horrific murders than most women of her station would, simply because Allison was the benefactor of Mercy House. Her friend had been living with her during the time that the murders had taken place, and Allison had told her all the salacious details, much to Jocelyn’s dismay.
“Where are we going first?” she asked.
“I thought we’d go to your house. I’d like to look through Lady Evelyn’s things, see if I can find any clues about where she might have gone.”
Jocelyn felt a little twinge of guilt about letting a stranger poke through Evelyn’s things, but what else was she to do? She hoped Evelyn would understand that she’d felt like she didn’t have any choice but to let him try to find some answers. She supposed she should have looked a little more thoroughly before she’d dragged the inspector into this.
“Of course. Can you tell my coachman to head for home, then?”
He nodded and leaned out the window, yelling up at the coachman, then ducked back inside. “Tell me more about your sister,” the inspector said, leaning comfortably back in his seat, stretching his long legs out before him, drawing her gaze to his muscular thighs encased in serviceable black trousers. “Maybe you’ll say something that will help me figure out where we might best find her.”
She met his bright blue gaze, trying to ignore the little thrill of attraction that ran through her. She’d been intrigued by him at the wedding, if only because he’d agreed with her that love was an illusion. But during the hour she’d spent at the station with him, she’d been unable to help but notice that he was an attractive man.
A very attractive man.
His hair was a deep, rich chestnut, thick and slightly wavy, though he kept it cut short. His eyes were a piercing blue, and he towered over her by nearly a foot. She also liked his demeanor. He was a bit gruff but exuded confidence and capability. She felt that if anyone could find Evelyn, it would be this man.
She sighed and tried to focus on the matter at hand. What details of Evelyn’s life would be most important for the inspector to know?
“Evelyn’s always been quiet and bookish,” Jocelyn said at last. “She’s two years older than me, which makes her twenty-four, but she’s never married.” She debated telling him why but ultimately decided against it. She didn’t think that had anything to do with her sister’s disappearance. “After our parents died last year, she moved in with me. We get along well, and she generally keeps me apprised of her comings and goings, though, of course, she doesn’t have to.”
“Does she often stay out all night?” he asked.
Jocelyn shook her head emphatically. “Only the one time I told you about when she was arrested. But even then, she managed to send word to me, letting me know what happened.”
“You said that she is involved with the women’s suffrage movement. I assume she has friends there. Is it possible they were out late, and she just decided to stay with one of them?”
She bit her lip. “I suppose. But I’m certain she would have called or sent word. She would have known I’d worry.”
“What about gentleman friends?” he asked casually, as though what he was suggesting wasn’t completely scandalous. “Is it possible she spent the night with one of them?”
“She has no gentlemen friends,” Jocelyn assured him testily.
He didn’t look as though he believed her, but thankfully, he let the matter drop. “Is there someone involved in her suffragette group we could talk to? Someone who could tell us if Lady Evelyn attended a meeting last night?”
Jocelyn bit her lip. “I’m sorry. I feel like I should know who Evelyn’s friends are, but her cause has never held much interest to me, so I rarely pay attention when she talks about it.” As she spoke, her shame and embarrassment grew. Evelyn’s activities were important to her; Jocelyn should have listened. If she had, she wouldn’t have had to enlist the inspector’s help.
“Equal rights for women doesn’t interest you?” he asked, raising a brow. “Voting? Property rights? I find that odd. Since you’re a woman.”
She frowned, stung. “It’s not that I don’t want that. I just don’t believe I’ll ever see it in my lifetime.”
“Not if women like you, the ones who actually have some wealth and power, don’t do anything to try and change it,” he said evenly.
“I...” She didn’t know what else to say because he was absolutely right. How was it that Evelyn had talked to her endlessly of this to no avail, and this man, who was little more than a stranger to her, had made her feel like she should do something with just a few careless words?
He smiled a bit. “You don’t seem like the sort of woman who would want a man to make all your decisions for you. I know Allison certainly doesn’t like that.”