“Interesting thought, Lady Georgiana. But the medico was pretty sure. He said you could see where a thumb had pinched her nose shut. And her eyes showed indications of hemorrhage brought on by suffocation.”

“I see.” I shuddered, wondering if she was already unconscious at the time or whether she had struggled, fought to live.

“You’re one of the bright young things, aren’t you?” he said suddenly. “So maybe you’d know how we get in touch with her chums. There’s a young man in particular we know visits her flat from time to time. Don’t know if he’s a romantic interest or not, but he should certainly be able to tell us where she went to have the baby. He may even know who the dad might have been. Come to think of it, he may well have been the dad himself.”

“Oh, I’m afraid I didn’t move in Bobo’s circles,” I said. “I’m not often in London.”

“He was a fellow aristocrat,” the DCI said. “I’m sure your type bump into each other at hunt balls and things. The name is Darcy O’Mara. The Honorable Darcy O’Mara.”

Chapter 15

STILL NOVEMBER 5

The world stood still. I felt as if I had been punched in the gut. I couldn’t breathe. Inside my head words were screaming, “No, you’ve got it wrong. Darcy would never have been involved with a woman like that. Darcy would never . . .” But I had been raised to be part of a family that takes everything in its stride. A lady never displays emotion. If a native suddenly hurls a spear at a royal person and it misses, a slight nod of the head and royal smile are all that are permitted. That training kicked in now.

“I’m afraid I have no idea where you might find the Honorable Darcy O’Mara,” I said. “He is often out of the country. In fact you might ask Sir Jeremy. I believe Mr. O’Mara works for him, or in conjunction with him from time to time.”

“But you do know the young man?” he asked.

I wondered if it was a trap, that maybe he had known all along that I was close to Darcy. Maybe he already had him in custody.

“Yes, I know him.” I tried to sound frightfully breezy and offhand.

“Quite chummy with him, are you?”

This use of the words “chum” and “chummy” would have been irritating to me even if my nerves hadn’t been torn to shreds. “I haven’t seen him for several months, Detective Chief Inspector,” I said. “I hope that answers your question.”

“Not even a postcard from him?” He made a face that I wanted to slap. “Sir Jeremy seemed to think you were quite good pals.”

“Which we are. I have lots of good pals, but our class of person tends to travel a lot. Especially Mr. O’Mara.”