Rosemary Stevens by Murder in the Pleasure Gardens Read Free Book Online

escaping her lips. Her shiny dark hair was coming out of its pins, her pretty, wholesome looks marred by swollen eyes and tear-stained cheeks.
    She used the handkerchief I had given her, then spoke. “After that horrid scene with his grandfather, Nicky and I just wanted to be alone. We were going to get something to eat, but the supper boxes were crowded. So Nicky led me to the grassy area behind the Cascade exhibition where we could be completely private.”
    “No one else was back there?” I asked.
    She shook her dark curls. “No one really. The man who turns the crank that makes the waterfall turn was there. But it was very dark. We stayed in the shadows. Anyway, he was drunk and singing to himself. I think he was oblivious to everything going on about him. By the time your father came around the exhibition, Miss Lavender, the operator was unconscious.”
    Miss Lavender nodded. She was being very quiet. The demeanour she had adopted from the time she first heard the lieutenant’s grandfather’s condemnation of her shelter was still in place.
    I looked at Molly. “So the two of you were back a bit from the actual operation of the Cascade.”
    “Yes. Nicky and I were talking . . . and, well, kissing you know. We are betrothed.”
    “Of course.”
    Molly took another sip of her drink. “I was trying to talk Nicky out of that duel. I was so afraid for him!”
    “I applaud your efforts. In fact, I was trying to find him, so I could try to reason with him.”
    “You’re a good friend, Mr. Brummell.”
    “What happened next?”
    Molly looked to one side as if seeing everything in her mind’s eye. “Nicky said he had to fight the duel. His honour was at stake, as well as mine. Then we were kissing again when we heard the shot. At first we didn’t know what it was, perhaps fireworks. It was just a loud noise nearby that startled us. We drew apart and saw a figure run past us in the shadows.”
    “A figure?” I said, leaning forward in my chair. “A man or a woman?”
    Molly shook her head. “As I told Miss Lavender’s father, it all happened so fast, and it was so dark back there, neither Nicky nor I could tell whether it was a man or a woman. There was just the blur of a person running. That’s all.”
    I nodded, concealing my disappointment. “That is understandable. Go on.”
    “Well, Nicky and I moved toward the Cascade. The operator was slumped over in his chair, but then . . . but then we saw—”
    She broke off, tears choking her. Miss Lavender made soothing noises while placing an arm about the girl’s shoulders and hugging her.
    When Molly had control of herself again, she said, “It was awful. We looked up and saw Mr. Jacombe—only we didn’t know it was him then—we saw that he was caught in the mechanism that makes the big waterfall move down the mountain. His body was being lifted and sent over the side. I screamed when I saw it.”
    I remembered hearing that scream right after the thudding sound. “What did you do then?”
    “I just stood there. Nicky put his arms around me, then he told me we had to get out of there, but he stepped on something. It was the gun, Mr. Brummell. The killer had left the gun behind. I remember thinking how small it was for something so deadly.”
    “Indeed.”
    “Nicky picked the gun up from the grass. He said it was warm. We figured out that someone had shot the man. I was so scared, but Nicky said we would turn the gun over to Bow Street and tell them what happened. But then there was all the screaming from out front.”
    “Mr. Jacombe’s body had come over the waterfall,” I told her.
    Miss Lavender trembled.
    Molly continued. “Then all I know is that there was a man, I don’t know who he was. He was finely dressed, so I expect he was of the Nobility. He saw us standing there. Then Mr. Lavender came and saw Nicky holding the gun.”
    I closed my eyes. How much more damning could the situation be for the lieutenant?
    I opened my eyes and looked at