Once Upon a Wallflower

A stirring of dread moved in Nicholas’s gut, but he forced a demeanor of detached curiosity, cocking an eyebrow and smiling faintly. “And how, pray tell, have you arrived at this conclusion? Unless someone actually knows the identity of the man in question, how can anyone be certain that he was wealthy?”

Mira frowned. “I do not wish to betray any confidences.” She worried her lower lip with her teeth for a moment, clearly trying to determine how much she could tell him without exposing her source. “Suffice it to say that both Bridget and Tegen were in possession of certain gifts—in Tegen’s case, certain intimate gifts—which bespoke a benefactor with resources.”

Nicholas sighed, suddenly feeling old and cynical. “So really, Mira, you are looking only for a man with enough money to buy a bauble or two.”

“Oh, no, sir, Bridget apparently hinted that the gifts she had received were only the beginning, that her, her…lover,” a furious blush stained her cheeks instantly, “her lover was quite wealthy.”

Nicholas crossed the floor to sit more comfortably in the chair next to Mira’s footstool. He reached out to absently tweak a stray curl and smiled fondly at the earnest young woman before him. “Mira-mine, your naiveté is most endearing. This mysterious man who was courting Bridget and Tegen—assuming there is only one man—he would hardly be the first man in history to misrepresent his means in an effort to woo a lady. Bridget and Tegen may have thought he was wealthy, but that does not make it so.”

“Oh.”

She looked so crestfallen, Nicholas had the absurd desire to take back his words, to let her go on believing that Bridget and Tegen must have been right. But he could not do that. The more possibilities he presented to Mira, the more complex he made the problem seem to her, the more likely she was to abandon her pursuit of the killer. And the sooner she did that, the safer they all would be.

Suddenly, her face brightened, and a smug smile crept across her face. “Aha,” she said, “there is a flaw in your logic, sir. You assume that this gentleman could misrepresent his wealth, that Bridget and Tegen would not have any independent knowledge of the man’s standing. But that is highly unlikely. Assuming the murders were committed by the same person—which seems most probable given the similarities between the crimes—the murderer had to be in or around Upper Bidwell for an entire year. Even if he were a newcomer to Bridget, Tegen Quick would have had to have known the man, Upper Bidwell is simply not that large a town. Could he have maintained the illusion of wealth for a whole year if it were only that, an illusion?”

Nicholas admired the quickness and soundness of Mira’s reasoning. She was a clever, clever girl, and he was rather enjoying this game of wits.

“Unless,” he challenged, “the person did not reside in Upper Bidwell all year long, but merely happened to be here around the time of the murders.”

As soon as the words were out, Nicholas realized the import of them and wished he could snatch them back.

“Nicholas, are you quite all right? You have suddenly grown terribly pale.”

Nicholas realized he was holding his breath. He shook himself and braved a glance at Mira. She was staring at him with a look of genuine concern on her face. “Just gathering a bit of wool. I am quite well, I assure you.”

Yes, he thought, quite well, but quite the fool. He had been right to worry about the clever Miss Fitzhenry. He enjoyed her company, her quick wit, and he had allowed his guard to slip. He would need to be more careful about what he said to her in the future. After all, his goal in this investigation was to steer her away from danger, to keep her from asking the wrong questions. Or the right questions, depending on one’s perspective. Either way, he certainly did not intend to help her learn the truth. If she came too close to the truth, he would have to send her away, and he was growing increasingly reluctant to do that.

Nicholas looked down at Mira, who was frowning in earnest concentration. As clever as she was, Mira was naïve. She did not understand that right and wrong were not always so easily distinguished. Nothing would bring Tegen and Bridget back to their families, and so some secrets would have to remain hidden.