could until circumstances and my bank account allowed me to purchase the building. Iâd then helped the remaining tenants find new lodgings, adding an incentive for them to move out quickly by offering to pay their first monthâs rent if they relocated at once. Since the last had gone Iâd been slowly renovating each floor; in a few more years Iâd have one of the most spacious homes in the district.
The goldstone had been built first to serve as a granary, and a faint scent of wheat and barley still permeated its walls. Iâd ignored all the current fashions in decorânot that I could afford them anywayâand furnished the first floor with the minimal comforts, most of which Iâd taken in trade for my services. Secondhand shops and the thrift market had provided the rest, and what I couldnât manage to buy I did without.
Being reminded by Lady Bestly of my wretched days of dwelling in the parks gave me rather a better appreciation of how far Iâd come since Iâd arrived in Rumsen. Every rug, curtain, and stick of furniture under my roof had come to me through diligence, hard work, and self-sacrifice. My home might be humble by the ladyâs standards, but I hadnât gotten it by charity or marriage. No, Iâd earned every damned inch of it myself.
Revenge by honor, Rina had called it. I liked that quitea bit, I thought as I tossed my reticule on a side table and dropped onto my chaise longue. I might even have it chiseled above my front entry as a personal motto.
The chime of my doorbell got me back on my feet to look through the street-facing window, which gave me an excellent view of anyone on the stoop. The man standing outside my door wore a plain long coat that almost hid the lines of the pistol harness beneath it. Gaslight caught some of the gilded strands of his fair hair, which badly wanted trimming, and glowed along the hard line of his set jaw.
Chief Inspector Thomas Doyle didnât appear happy, either.
As children, Tommy Doyle and I had been playmates for a time. Twenty years later weâd met again, this time as copper and suspect. Although heâd harassed me, detained me, questioned me, and arrested me (twice), Iâd considered him a friendânone of which he remembered now.
From his view this would be only our second meeting, so I composed myself accordingly before I answered the bell.
âHello, Chief Inspector Doyle.â I didnât have to fake the smile; I liked Tommy. âWhat brings the Yard to my door at so late an hour?â
He removed his bowler. âIâm sorry to disturb you, Miss Kittredge. Might I come in and have a word?â
âI live alone and I donât keep servants,â I said. âThis could irreparably tarnish your reputation on the Hill.â
His mouth twisted. âIâm a policeman, Miss Kittredge. My official duties take precedence over society, among which I am respected nearly as much as the average footman.â
âButler, I should think.â I opened the door.
Doyle refused my offer of tea and a comfortable seat, instead taking a position by the window Iâd just checked. âGood view of the street here,â he mentioned as I sat down. âStill, you should have a slot or a peek hole installed in your entry. You living alone here and all.â
The man noticed everything. He also smelled very nice; a bit like the sea on a clear day. âI will take that under advisement.â I sat down and watched him extract a notebook from his coat pocket. âBut you didnât come here to inspect my vantage points.â
âWe received a complaint from a tenant in your office building.â He flipped through some pages. âThis morning you were observed carrying a bucket down into the basement level. Is that correct?â
Not the damned bucket. âYes.â
âFor what purpose?â
âI had to dispose of some undrinkable tea.â And now
Learning to Kill: Stories