Deadly Wives, an Adaline and Genevieve Adventure

By Tony Flye

Adaline and her sister, Genevieve, living in Victorian London, are the new brides of Lord Cedrick's twin sons Addison and Garrett. Weeks later Lord Cedrick is brutally murdered in his sleep, his throat cut from ear to ear. The Scotland Yard detective sent to investigate the murder determined the murder was the result of a home invasion turned wrong.
Adaline and Genevieve disagree with the Scotland Yard detective's theory because the detective found no evidence of forced entry into the house, no jimmied windows or doors, nothing unusual outside the house. Adaline and Genevieve theorize the killer is living in the house with them.
A short time later a maid is murdered in the same manner, also in her sleep. Then another, then another and yet another maid all murdered with her throat slit.
The sisters' investigation into the murders creates a problem for the Scotland Yard's detective.
Their investigation takes them through a series of interviews with the household staff. Their talks reveals more than one staff member has a good reason to see Lord Cedrick dead Adaline and Genevieve determine if the killer is caught, it would be them to catch him. They know failure to catch the killer quickly will result in more maids having their throats cut.
The death toll continues to rise and Adaline and Genevieve still have absolutely no clues what so ever as to the identity of the killer until a shocked, vulnerable and bewildered witness says she saw a nude blond haired angel holding a bloody knife over a dead maid. No one believed the witness; after all, an angel?
Two more murders and another more reliable witness sees a nude blond woman running away from the latest murder scene. The witness cannot identify the woman she saw hurriedly run away.
Adaline and Genevieve and their husbands catch the killer in the act of attacking two more maids, but these lucky maids survive. The identity of murderer who committed these grisly murders is a shock to everyone.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tony Flye
• Release date: Dec 3, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370117833

Tony Flye

Tony Flye's third book in the Jake Curtis / Vanessa Malone Mystery series, DEATH IN DIVORCE is in the final stages of editing and should be available by Christmas Tony is also working on a collection of short stories tentatively titled STORIES OF HORROR AND MURDER

Book preview

TONY FLYE

DEADLY WIVES

An Adaline and Genevieve Adventure

Copyright 2017 Tony Flye, LLC.

Published by Tony Flye at Smashwords

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return it to Smashwords.com or your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting Tony Flye’s hard work.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Table of Contents

Dedication

Acknowledgments

Cast of Characters

Deadly Wives

About Tony Flye

Other books by Tony FlyeOTHER

Connect with Tony Flye

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

DEDICATION

For my beautiful, better half,Susan, the love of my life.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Cover art by Rocky M.

CAST OF CHARACTERS

LADY ADALINE MONTGOMERY HALVERSON – Lord Addison Halverson's wife.

LADY GENEVIEVE MONTGOMERY HALVERSON – Lord Garrett Halverson's wife.

LORD ADDISON HALVERSON – Lady Adaline's husband.

LORD GARRETT HALVERSON – Lady Genevieve Halverson's husband.

LORD CEDRICK HALVERSON – Lady Ashley Halverson's husband. Murder victim.

LORD GODWIN MONTGOMERY – Lady Adaline, Lady Genevieve and Lord Grayson's father.

LADY ELEANORE MONTGOMERY – Lord Godwin's wife, ladies Adaline and Genevieve's and Lord Grayson's mother.

LORD GRAYSON MONTGOMERY – Husband of Lady Celia Halverson Montgomery.

LADY ASHLEY HALVERSON – Lord Cedrick's wive, Lords Addison and Garrett and Lady Celia's mother.

VIOLET – A downstairs maid.

SALAMA – Cook, Fern's mother.

FERN – Cook, Salama's daughter.

PATIENCE – Laundry servant, Lavina's sister. Murder victim.

LAVINA – Laundry servant, Patience's sister. Murder victim.

BEDELIA – Upstairs maid. Murder victim.

ELMIRA – Upstairs maid. Murder victim.

WEYLIN – Footman.

GLENDA – Upstairs maid.

FARNELL HALVERSON – Lord Cedrick's son by his first wife.

DETECTIVE SUPERINTENDENT RYCROFT WOODRUFF – Scotland yard investigator.

JEREMY DAVIS – Footman. Married to Abigail O'Sullivan.

ABIGAIL O'SULLIVAN – Downstairs maid. Married to Jeremy Davis.

LATHROP JONES – Footman.

MATTHEW TAYLOR – Head footman.

VARINA – Laundry servant, died in an accident. Patience and Lavina's mother.

MISS BABBITT – Head housekeeper.

SALLY – Downstairs maid.

JIMMY – Laborer hanging around to see Sally.

MR. STANCLIFF – Head butler.

LYNN – Lady Ashley's Lady's maid.

SCARLETT – Lady Adaline and Lady Genevieve's Lady's maid.

WOODRUFF WYTHE – Lord Cedrick's business factor and then Lords Addison and Garrett's factor.

MISS AGATHA – Farnell's dinner companion at Ashley's dinner.

TIFFANY – Downstairs maid.

DOCTOR ELLSWORTH – Physician.

TATUM – Lady Ashley's former Lady's maid.

CHASTITY – Former maid. Committed suicide.

ODELLA – Upstairs maid. Murder victim.

CLARA – Downstairs maid. Murder victim.

CAMILA – Downstairs maid. Murder victim.

WILLIAM ARTHUR MONTGOMERY – Newborn son of Lord Grayson and Lady Celia.

LADY CALLISTA HALVERSON – First wife of Lord Cedrick, mother od Farnell. Died giving birth to Farnell.

BEASLEY – Gardener

BARRINGTON DALSTON – The Archbishop.

KENWARD – Footman.

DEADLY WIVES

An Adaline and Genevieve Adventure

Chapter 1

Two weeks after the wedding of Adaline and Genevieve Montgomery to Lord Halverson's twin sons, Addison and Garrett, Lord Cedrick's butler, Wallace, found him dead in his bed, laying in a pool of his own blood. His throat had been cut severing his Carotid Artery. His blood ran out through his severed artery in a manner of seconds.

The house, in one of London's finest neighborhoods, was in turmoil over the lord's murder. Stancliff, the head butler, took control of the situation. He sent a footman for Doctor Ellsworth and another footman to Scotland Yard for the police.

The Scotland Yard sent their best detective, Detective Superintendent Rycroft Woodruff, to investigate Lord Cedrick's death. Woodruff was in his late forties and almost six feet tall and had a growing waistline of a man of his years. His brown eyes looked tired belying his being a policeman for more than twenty-six years. He wore a clean, but well worn brown suit with a checked vest, a stained brown necktie and scuffed brown brogans. His originally curly dark hair turned solid gray at the temples and gray started threading through the rest of his hair. The red veins showing on his large nose from his fondness for whiskey resembled a crude road map. His complexion, ruddy, and his teeth stained with tobacco as was the skin between his right index and middle fingers.

Detective Superintendent Woodruff called Cedrick's death a murder most foul. He questioned Addison, Garrett and all of the men of the household. The chauvinist didn't bother talking with Lady Ashley, Adaline, Genevieve, or any of the women of the household, including the maids. Detective Superintendent Woodruff considered today's women only good for two things; taking care of their husband's houses and having their babies. He didn't consider any female important enough to have any evidence about a murder.

That idiot Detective Superintendent Woodruff, did not think we women are smart enough to have anything important enough to tell them, or us worth asking questions because we women are considered to be of lesser intelligence and sensibilities than men, Adaline said, to no one in particular and to the room in general. "Men think of us women only as somebody to cook their meals, take to their beds and bear their children. That is all they think of us. To them we are worth less than the fine horses they have pulling their carriages. I would bet Detective Superintendent Woodruff does not think women are capable of knowing the truth, or even being able to speak the truth. I would bet he even thinks women are too delicate to commit a murder.

We should use his prejudices against him, Genevieve said.

Do you think Addison or Garrett killed their father? Adaline asked.

I cannot imagine either of our husbands killing their father, Genevieve said.

To be sure, we will ask them when we see them, but I think we must each ask them separately and in private, Adaline said.

It is probably the best, Genevieve said.

Yes.

Celia Halverson Montgomery and her husband Grayson, Adaline and Genevieve's brother, rushed to the Halverson's house as soon as Lathrop Jones, a footman, arrived at the Montgomery house with the terrible news. Celia ran crying into her mothers arms as soon as she saw Lady Ashley. Lord Godwin, along with Lady Eleanore Montgomery, Adaline, Genevieve and Grayson's parents, made a condolence call on Lady Ashley and to offer their deepest sympathies. Lady Ashley greeted Godwin and Eleanore in the withdrawing room where Adaline, Genevieve, Addison and Garrett sat quietly with Lady Ashley trying to absorb the violent murder committed upstairs.

Adaline and Genevieve rose to greet their parents, brother and his wife as they entered the withdrawing room. Adaline and Genevieve gave their father a hug and their mother a kiss on the cheek. They hugged Celia and kissed her cheek, holding her close, a sign of love and support for their new sister. Grayson and Celia were married the day after Adaline and Addison and Genevieve and Garrett's double wedding.

Detective Superintendent Woodruff talked with Greyson and myself as we entered the house, Godwin said to his daughters and their husbands. We told them my family and I called on the Halverson's yesterday afternoon and when we left Lord Cedrick sitting in the withdrawing room finishing his glass of Port alive and well. Other than that, there was nothing we could add to his investigation.

Who would want to kill Lord Cedrick? Adaline asked. Her question turned rhetorical as no one had an immediate answer.

Detective Superintendent Woodruff entered the withdrawing room and came up to Addison and Garrett. "I have talked with everybody in the house and I believe from those talks, Lord Cedrick's murderer was a burglar who broke into the house with the intention of stealing anything of value he could find. I feel the burglar entered Lord Cedrick's bedchamber, waking him. Lord Cedrick surprised the intruder and tried to defend himself. The burglar panicked, afraid of being caught and sent to Newgate Prison and the gallows at Newgate, drew his blade, struck out at Lord Cedrick's and viciously slashed his throat and ran from the house. No one heard Lord Cedrick scream. He must've died instantly.

I looked around the first floor windows and saw no signs of someone trying to break into the house. I looked outside the house. The only thing I found was a boot print in the dirt of the herb garden outside the kitchen door, Woodruff said.

Have you talked with the women of the household? Adaline asked.

No. Why should I? What possible help could a woman give me? Woodruff asked.

A lot, if you only bothered to ask us, Adaline said her anger rising.

Alright, what can you tell me, Woodruff asked.

My husband and I went to our suite of rooms last night right after our dinner. Lord Cedrick was still at the table finishing his coffee and brandy when we left the room, Adaline said.

We were woken early this morning with the news of Lord Cedrick's death, Adaline said.

Then you don't know anything, Woodruff said, with a sneer.

Adaline's temper flared. I do know you are an..., Adaline started to say until her father patted her arm in an attempt to rein in his daughter's explosive temper.

I told you something and you're not smart enough to know what it is I told you. Adaline said.

What did you tell me? Woodruff asked, the smug expression on his face turning to anger.

I told you my husband nor I could've murdered his father. Addison was with me all night, Adaline said.

Woodruff shook his head in dismay.

My husband was with me last night the same as Adaline and Addison, Genevieve said.

"Were the four of you together last night?' the investigator asked.

Not after we left the dining room, Addison said. I took my wife to our suite. We were alone.

The same with us, Garrett said. He looked at the investigator. We four were married a fortnight ago. Garrett gave the detective a knowing wink.

The investigator gave him a knowing wink in return. It is possible you, Lady Adaline and, you Lord Addison worked together to kill Lord Cedrick, Woodruff said. He turned to face Garrett and Genevieve. The same could be said for the both of you as well. Or, the four of you could've conspired together to kill Lord Cedrick. Did the four of you conspire to murder Lord Cedrick? Did anyone of you kill Lord Cedrick?

No, Addison, Adaline Genevieve and Garrett said simultaneously.

Detective Superintendent Woodruff's eyes switched back and forth between Addison, Garrett, Adaline and Genevieve's eyes. No, I don't believe any of you murdered Lord Cedrick. Like I said, I believe it was a burglar who killed your father.

Adaline looked at Detective Woodruff and breathed an imperceptible sigh of relief at not having to prove her innocence. You said you found a boot print in the herb garden? She asked.

Yes, I did.

Did you question the gardener? Was the boot print his?

I talked with him. His foot is much smaller than the one that made the print.

Do you think the gardener murdered Lord Cedrick? Adaline asked.

No.

Did you question the other men in the house about their foot size?

"Yes. All checked out except Jeremy Davies. His foot was the same size.

I cannot believe it of Jeremy, Genevieve said. A sentiment echoed by Addison and Garrett.

He said he spent the last night with one of the maids," Woodruff said.

Addison and Garrett looked at each other. Which maid? Addison asked.

I talked with the maid. She verified Davies' alibi. He couldn't have killed your father," Woodruff said.

I asked you, who was the maid? Addison asked, a little more firmly than before.

The maid only talked with me under the condition she remain anonymous.

I don't care. A maid in my house is sleeping with a footman in my house and you won't tell me who she is, Addison said stronger yet.

Detective Woodruff, did you think maybe they both conspired to kill Lord Cedrick and are alibiing for each other as you suggested a few moments ago about my sister and our husbands? Adaline asked.

Detective Woodruff hesitated as if deep in thought. I'm sorry, the thought never occurred to me.

The thought crossed your mind with regards to my brother and our wives. Why did it not come to your mind with regard to the maid and the footman? Addison asked.

Years of experience questioning witnesses and criminals alike. I tended to believe the two were telling me the truth, when they told me they did not kill Lord Cedrick.

Now I demand to know which maid alibied Davies, Addison said.

Woodruff hesitated, debating with himself whether or not to break a witness' anonymity. "I shouldn't do this, her name is Abigail O'Sullivan.

Abbie, Garrett exclaimed. She seems so prim and proper.

Stancliff, Addison called for the head butler.

Yes My Lord? Stancliff said.

Please have Jeremy Davies and Abigail O'Sullivan brought here immediately, Addison said.

Yes My Lord.

Five minutes later Jeremy and Abigail O'Sullivan came into the withdrawing room and immediately let go of each other's hand.

Abigail O'Sullivan was eighteen years old, five feet tall, weighed a hundred pounds and only recently over from Ireland. She had flaming red hair, pale green eyes with a fair complexion and a cute upturned nose, a pleasing smile which never left her face, rosy cheeks and spoke with a strong Irish brogue. Her hands were slender and delicate. Abigail had a full figure. She looked up at Jeremy with warmth in her eyes.

Jeremy Davies was almost six feet tall, a hundred sixty pounds, dark hair, dark brown eyes, dark complected, a virile, well muscled man with strong arms and hands from having worked in a factory making metal parts before becoming a footman. He spoke with an East London accent. He returned Abigail's look with a similar warm look of his own.

I will not have one of our maids having an illicit affair with one of our footmen under my roof, Addison said. How do you explain your affair?

Jeremy and Abbie looked into each other's eyes. Abbie nodded once, barely perceptibly to Jeremy.

Your Lordships, Ladyships, we are not having an affair. Abbie and I love each other very much, Jeremy said. He paused. We were married last week. He handed their marriage certificate to Lord Addison.

Addison examined the document very carefully then looked into Jeremy's eyes. I have one question for you. Did you murder my father?

Stancliff looked straight into Jeremy's eyes. Don't lie to Lord Addison, he said sternly.

No sir, I won't. Turning to face Lord Addison, he said, I swear I didn't kill Lord Cedrick. Lord Cedrick gave Abbie and me his permission for us to marry.

Addison's eyes widened. Cedrick said nothing to anybody about Jeremy and Abbie marrying, but the certificate in his hand said they were married by the local vicar.

Addison turned to Abbie. Is he telling the truth?

Yes My Lord, he is, Abbie said boldly.

Adaline reached out for the marriage certificate. Her husband handed it to her. She read it carefully and handed it back to Abbie.

Congratulations, Adaline said to the newlyweds.

Thank you Lady Adaline, Abbie said humbly.

Addison turned to Woodruff. Are you one hundred percent certain Jeremy and Abbie are innocent of murdering my father?

Yes sir. I have no proof of their guilt, Woodruff said.

"Thank you. You both may go back to your duties, Addison said.

Adaline thought for a long moment pondering what to do with their married staff.

Isn't there a room here where they can have some privacy? Genevieve asked no one in particular.

There has to be a room," Adaline said.

Addison turned to Stancliff. Is there a room Jeremy and Abbie can have?"

Yes Your Lordship, I think there is an available room.

Will you please see to making the arrangements?

Yes your Lordship. Stancliff led Jeremy and Abbie from the withdrawing room.

Thank you, your ladyship, Abbie said as she left the withdrawing room.

Detective Superintendent Woodruff left the house satisfied with his theory the murderer ran from the house out of fear after panicking and killing Cedrick.

What does all this mean? Genevieve asked.

Adaline took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. The only thing I can think it means is Lord Cedrick's murderer is living in this house.

No one said anything. No one wanted to think about the killer running around loose in the house.

Addison took his wife's hand and led her out to the back garden. Adaline, please be very careful with your investigation. I think you may very well be right. My father's killer may still be in this house and it would kill me if anything were to happen to you.

I will be careful It would kill me if anything happened to you as well, Adaline said. They kissed and went back into the house.

Two weeks later Clara, a downstairs maid was murdered. Her throat slashed.

Chapter 2

Godwin, old boy, Lord Cedrick Halverson started to say some weeks back while he sat in one of the two big leather barrel back chairs in front of the cold fireplace in Lord Godwin Montgomery's English walnut paneled study. I would like to talk with you about arranging a marriage between your daughter, Adaline, and my son Addison. Old boy was one of Lord Cedrick's favorite facetious pleasantries.

Lord Cedrick Halverson was a wizened old man of fifty-five with knobby hands who still saw himself in his own eyes as a virile young man. He had two sons, identical twenty year old twins, the oldest named Addison. Cedrick was five feet eight inches tall two hundred pounds Cedrick's gray hair was thinning, but his waist line was expanding to make up for it. He wore expensive, custom tailored clothing which were always neat and he never ventured out of his house without his boots always having a high gloss polish. Cedrick had the small, brown, beady eyes of a ferret. He had a long, thin nose, gray, bushy eyebrows and three long gray hairs sticking out of his nose.

Cedrick Halverson ruled his house and family with an iron hand. He came from a long line of socially prominent citizens of England dating back over two hundred years to the time of Charles, the First. Lord Cedrick was one of the richest men in the country, and by rights feels he is entitled to everything he desires. His young wife, Lady Ashley, is seventeen years his junior and is still a beautiful blond haired woman with a full figure which still draws the stares of any man who looks at her. With a beautiful wife like Lady Ashley, it is rumored Lord Cedrick has several mistresses he sees on a regular basis.

Lord Godwin Montgomery is the polar opposite. Where Cedrick's hair was thinning gray, Godwin's hair was still dark, full and wavy which he brushed straight back. He was a slender man of a hundred fifty pounds and five feet nine inches tall and fifty-two years old. Godwin had dark brown eyes which he passed onto his daughters Adaline and Genevieve. Godwin had a round face and he always had a smile on it. His hands were large and strong. He wore expensive, well tailored and styled clothing, however his boots needed an occasional buffing. The Montgomery line goes back as far as the Halverson's. Lord Godwin Montgomery is as wealthy as Cedrick Halverson. Godwin Montgomery was sill in love with his wife of twenty-six years, Lady Eleanore.

Lady Eleanore was sixteen years his junior at thirty-eight. She married Godwin at sixteen, lost a child after their first year of marriage before Adaline came along. She was tall and slender like her husband and eldest daughter. Lady Eleanore always had a smile on her face, especially for her husband. When she smiled, her white teeth glowed from between her naturally red lips. She passed on her high cheekbones to her daughters and her deep blue eyes to her son. Her long slender and delicate fingers and hands helped her to become an accomplished harpsichordist. Nothing made Lady Eleanore happier then her husband and her children.

It was a hot and muggy summer day in 1838 London. The air over Lord Godwin's four story brick townhouse was stagnant and filled with the stench of burning coal from all the houses and factories using the black diamonds for power and heat. A heavy, low lying, lead gray cloud cover held the coal smoke in place over the city. Godwin was in a happy mood. His well crafted plans to marry off his eldest daughter, Adaline, to Cedrick's son Addison were finally coming to fruition. He had casually mentioned often to Lord Cedrick, Adaline would make an excellent wife for Addison.

I had a dream last night. I saw my Adaline walking down the cathedral aisle on my arm and your son Addison standing next to the Archbishop Barrington waiting for his bride, Godwin said.

Cedrick laughed.I know many women who have a child or two in the nanny's care by your daughter Adaline's age, Cedrick said.

She was waiting for your firstborn son to become ready for marriage, Godwin said, a grin on his thin bearded face.

There is some doubt about Adaline's purity. After all to have reached the age of twenty and still not be wedded and bedded, well you understand, Cedrick added.

No, I do not understand. There is no doubt about my daughter's purity, Godwin shouted at his friend. Such an insult to my daughter's virtue will not be tolerated. I suggest you leave my house immediately. Godwin paused for effect. Get the hell out of my house – now!

Cedrick, caught up in his friend's vehemence, pulled up short. I am truly sorry. It was not my intention to insult your lovely daughter or your family. I know you have brought both of your daughters up to be modest and virtuous young woman, Cedrick said. I think your Adaline would make a splendid wife for my son Addison.

I forgive your momentary lapse of good breeding and manners, Godwin said, with his tongue in cheek insult. The barb passed right over Cedrick's head without him realizing he had been insulted. Godwin paused, then smiled at Cedrick. While Godwin