“It is customary—if also repugnant—that gentlemen sometimes resort to duelling in order to settle debts of honour,” explained Mr. Gardiner. “The gentlemen creditors of your cousin would happily have turned to this expedient, or more probably to your uncle for payment, had they the opportunity. However, Darcy, by the end, it was believed that your uncle’s estate in its entirety was worth only a fraction of such a sum as was owing, so the money-lenders would have demanded satisfaction from Dunfield directly. When he could not pay, he was forced to borrow at even higher interest. Sadly, but also unwisely, instead of paying off at least some of the debts of honour and redeeming some of his personal credit, he chose to use this money in a final, unsuccessful, attempt to recover his previous losses. At that juncture, it was clear to someone of Crockford’s stamp that the double debt was irrecoverable; and—as the most profitable recompense remaining—the murder of a man of Dunfield’s status would surely give notice to all his debtors—high and low—that they should not contract a debt they could never repay, or hope to escape through flight.”

Not usually obtuse in matters of deduction, Darcy questioned Mr. Gardiner, “Surely there is some doubt that this was a murder, as you have described it?”

Mr. Gardiner had hoped to spare Darcy the worst of the report and was genuinely distressed to recount the horrifying conclusion of the Bow Street superior’s report. Looking first to Lady Hallendale for her permission to continue, she responded by looking disconsolately at her nephew, and gave her quiet consent.

“Darcy, a common murderer would have killed the Viscount and either left the body in the alley-way, or, more readily, have disposed of it in the Thames. That the body was vandalised and left for discovery in Whitechapel is compelling evidence, in my view, that the murderer was interested in neither robbery nor revenge. This base act was an announcement, an exhibition meant to secure protection against future losses.”

Darcy only nodded vacantly and, at length, responded, “Then, we are all to receive this cold comfort: Crockford, or whoever has committed this iniquitous act, cannot come forward to claim payment from my uncle Hallendale, because his doing so would identify himself as a murderer.”

“Yes, Darcy,” replied Mr. Gardiner quietly. “I have seen the books at White’s, and the last entries by the Viscount’s name are marked, ‘Unpaid.’ There is no-one who will come forward to collect from your uncle, of that we can all be certain.”