Edward Marston - Railway to the Grave

Tallis was worried. ‘You’re not going to resign, are you?’

‘No, no, it’s nothing like that.’

‘Good – you’re the best man I have, Colbeck.’

‘Thank you, sir,’ said the other, not stopping to savour the compliment. ‘The fact is, Superintendent, that I recently became engaged to be married.’

‘Yes, I know.’

Colbeck was astonished. ‘You know?’

‘For obvious reasons, I don’t read that sort of thing in the newspapers but the commissioner does. He saw the announcement and mentioned it to me. He sends his congratulations, by the way.’

‘Thank you, sir.’

‘Is that all you have to say?’

‘Yes,’ said Colbeck, amazed that he’d escaped the lecture and the condemnation he’d feared. Overcome with relief, he reached for the tinderbox on the desk. ‘Let me light your cigar for you, sir.’

‘This is not my cigar, man – it’s for you.’

Colbeck took it from him. ‘That’s very kind of you.’

‘It’s in lieu of the congratulations I’m unable to extend. There’s no need to explain why,’ said Tallis, taking a second cigar from the box. ‘For a man like you, marriage will be an unmitigated disaster. It will weaken your resolve, slow your responses, impede your readiness to work away from London, divide your loyalty and act as a permanent distraction. Well, you only have to look back over the last week to realise the damage that ensues when you take a woman into your life. Not that my strictures will have an effect,’ he went on, creating a spark to light his cigar. ‘Marriage is madness.’ He puffed hard until there was a glow at the end of the cigar then he beamed at Colbeck.

‘I want you to do me a favour, Inspector.’

‘What’s that, sir?’

‘Prove me wrong.’

It was a long time since Madeleine had been able to spend a whole evening in Colbeck’s company and she was determined to make the most of it. Since he was taking her to the theatre, she spent much longer than usual in front of the mirror on her dressing table. He arrived in a cab to pick her up and marvelled at her appearance. Only one thing was on Madeleine’s mind. As soon as they settled into the cab, she turned to Colbeck.

‘Did you tell him, Robert?’ she asked.

‘Tell who?’

‘This is serious. Did you speak to the superintendent today?’

‘I spoke to him several times.’

‘Don’t tease me,’ she said. ‘Did you or did you not tell him?’

‘I suppose the truthful answer is that I didn’t,’ said Colbeck.

‘Robert…you promised!’

‘I know and I did my best but it was totally unnecessary. He already knew. Mr Tallis had been told by the commissioner.’

She was angry. ‘Have I been suffering all this time without really needing to?’ she asked. ‘Why didn’t the superintendent tell you that he already knew about the engagement?’

‘That’s the sort of person he is, Madeleine.’

‘You mean that he deliberately made no comment?’

‘I mean that this kind of behaviour is in the nature of the beast.’

‘That’s one way to describe him,’ she said with a laugh. ‘Are we going to invite him to the wedding?’ She saw the look of absolute horror that he shot her. ‘I thought not.’

‘Mr Tallis knows and disapproves yet he nevertheless gave me one of his cigars by way of celebration. That’s all we need to say on the subject,’ decreed Colbeck. ‘We’re going to put my work completely out of our minds and enjoy an evening at the theatre. Is that agreed?’

‘Yes, Robert. What are we going to see?’

‘It’s a play called Money by Edward Bulwer-Lytton. I’ve seen it before and I think you’ll find it very amusing.’

‘What’s it about?’

‘Something that both of us will endorse,’ he said, pulling her close. ‘It’s about getting married for the right reasons.’