The Death of Countess Cornelia

Lord Leo Lipovsky:

Well, well, well, you’ve figured it out, have you? Aren’t you clever! 

Yes, it’s true, the Countess and I go back a long, long way. We were childhood friends and neighbours, we even had the same governess. In fact, for a little while, we became sweethearts – “Leo and Cornelia”, always together. In our childish minds, we thought it would last forever. 

But then, Cornelia simply had to move to London, get her education, and become ever-so-sophisticated. Far too worldly and interesting for the likes of me!

I never saw the allure of the city. I moved to the south of France instead, to get away from it all. We kept in touch over the years, the Countess and I, but she never looked at me that way again. I dropped into some of her recent parties when I was in town and that’s when I saw it – her eyes were clearly on another prize – some other, younger cad.

In fact, that’s how this misadventure started. I met the delightfully eccentric Madame Antigone at one of Cornelia’s famous Patterly Mansions soirées. She conducted a psychic reading for me, gazing into that ridiculous crystal ball of hers, but I thought it would be rather a good laugh.

She starts babbling about seeing great riches in my future. And suddenly, without warning, her eyes widen in horror, and she gasps as if someone has their hands around her throat. In a ghastly voice, she whispers just one word: Death.

Imagine that, the clairvoyant kook saw both riches and death in my near future! It’s all nonsense of course, but even so, I wasn’t taking any chances. The future’s mine for me to make. So I decided to make the riches mine, and the death…someone else’s.

Cornelia has always been a terrible show-off. Even as children, she loved to impress our governess, reciting the great poets and solving complex sums, leaving me lagging far behind.

All of society had heard of the Countess’ recent acquisition of the priceless ruby necklace. I knew her peacocking nature wouldn’t allow her to hide them away on the night of her precious party.

The truth is, funds have been running a little low of late. I’ve taken a few risks that haven’t panned-out in my favour. I would have made the money back, of course, but I just needed a little something to tide me over. I had to have those gorgeous rubies.

It was incredibly easy to bring Madame Antigone into the plan, that woman has no scruples whatsoever. But then, look who’s talking!

Aries tampered with the wiring that caused the blackout, giving me the chance to make my move. I was already standing near the Countess, and as the lights went out, I grabbed hold of those blood-red jewels from around her grubby little neck. With one swift movement, I replaced her priceless chain with a rope, and before the lights came back on, the deed was done. She never even saw it coming!

If it weren’t for your bloody meddling, I would have gotten away with it.