A Death for a Cause by Caroline Dunford

again at least once, so I was hopeful I would not have to refuse him again today. My events of the morning had taken their toll on me and I doubted I would have the energy to handle such a situation with the delicacy Bertram required. We are friends, but we do argue a lot. 25
    â€˜My dear Euphemia,’ he said with a look of such sympathy you would think I had suffered a family bereavement. ‘I feel I must apologise endlessly for what my wretched sister has embroiled you in.’
    â€˜Please don’t,’ I said with feeling. ‘It was extremely foolish of me not to realise what Richenda was up to. The dress. The sudden desire to visit London. I should have been more suspicious.’
    â€˜At least after this dreadful incident they will have to release you all. No suffragette has ever died in custody before. The newspapers are going to go wild.’
    â€˜Is that what they are saying?’ I asked. ‘That she suffered police brutality and died?’
    â€˜Well, there’s nothing in the papers yet. One of the policemen – someone of rank by his strange uniform I should think – told me while I was waiting for you that one of your cellmates had died. He asked me not to repeat it. Said something about my understanding and you would explain?’ His eyebrows rose. ‘You haven’t killed anyone, have you, Euphemia?’
    â€˜Shall we sit down?’ He pulled out a chair for me and I continued. ‘No, Bertram, I haven’t killed anyone. In fact I am a little offended that you would ask that of me.’
    â€˜I knew it would have been in self-defence anyway,’ offered Bertram. I tried very hard not to be proud that he thought I was capable of such a thing.
    â€˜No, it’s both worse and more complicated than that. You see, I do have to go back into the cell with the murderess. Or rather, I want to. It’s become necessary.’
    24 My cry came out as the sort of noise a parrot might make while being strangled. There were words in it, but they were largely incoherent.
    25 I still do not fit correctly into his well-ordered world, and for all I believe he has some affection for me, this irks him remarkably. Or rather, I irk him often.

Chapter Fourteen
    Bertram blusters
    It took me quite some time to calm Bertram down, but as he has also signed this new-fangled thing called The Official Secrets Act 26 it meant I could reveal everything that had happened so far.
    â€˜Fitzroy,’ said Bertram, as if the word were poison in his mouth. ‘Hasn’t that man caused us enough trouble?’
    â€˜But if I hadn’t gone out to see Richenda I might have been able to prevent Maisie’s death. You must understand I feel culpable.’
    â€˜Oh, I know that dratted man is more than capable of making you feel like that.’
    â€˜No, he wanted to remove me from the situation. I had to beg to stay.’
    â€˜Good God, woman, do you want to be murdered?’
    â€˜I was talking with Richenda about cake when it happened.’ Bertram looked baffled. ‘She came to see me. I wasn’t in the cell when the murder occurred. I am almost certain I would have awoken otherwise.’
    â€˜I suppose that does make it less likely the murderer will be concerned with you,’ interrupted Bertram. ‘It’s not like you could have seen anything.’
    â€˜But that’s just it,’ I said, feeling tears prickle my eyes, ‘if I had been there maybe I would have been able to do something …’
    â€˜Like getting killed?’ snapped Bertram.
    â€˜If I had kept my eyes open. Paid more attention. She was so young, Bertram!’
    Bertram reached out a hand to me across the table and patted mine. ‘You can’t think like that, Euphemia,’ he said gruffly. ‘We both know better than most there is evil in this world and there are ones intent on it whether we will or no.’
    â€˜But…’
    â€˜Enough,’