Murder at the Hunt Ball : A 1920s Historical Cozy Mystery

by Sonia Parin

  “You look confused.”

  Evie snapped out of her reverie and slumped back in the passenger seat.

  Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Tom drumming his fingers on the steering wheel. And, she thought, staying right out of the conversation.

  Glancing up, she looked at Lotte Mannering.

  The lady detective had made a valid point. She did want to do this. She’d had four days to think about the offer. Why couldn’t she decide and give her an answer right now?

  She and Tom had been driving out every day to rendezvous with Lotte Mannering. Each day, Lotte had sported one of her many disguises making it difficult to spot her. Today, the lady detective had opted for a deranged look.

  Her hair poked out from under her shabby looking hat. She wore glasses with thick lenses that made her eyes look bigger. Several layers of padding had added to her girth. The coat she wore looked threadbare, hung lopsided and had patches of various colors in the oddest places. For added effect, Lotte had been carrying two large hessian bags full of what appeared to be old rags.

  “My apologies,” Evie said. “I’ve been caught up with reminiscences. I will think about your proposal and I promise I will have an answer for you tomorrow.”

  Tom nudged her. “Someone’s coming out of the store.”

  The ‘someone’ Tom referred to was the real reason for Lotte’s regular trips to the village of Halton.

  Lotte had described the young woman as tall with a mass of blonde curls.

  “That’s her,” Lotte said.

  “We’ll talk tomorrow, I’m sure,” Evie promised. “I expect you will telephone as soon as you set out this way.”

  Lotte Mannering nodded and, staying in character, she stretched her hand out. “Do you have a spare coin for an old woman, milady?”

  Rolling her eyes, Evie dug inside her handbag, retrieved a few coins and handed them over.

  The day before, Lotte had telephoned Halton House to alert them of her planned trip to the village of Halton. When they had driven out to meet her, they’d had to search up and down the main street several times before finally realizing they had driven past her almost as many times.

  She had been dressed as a brawny farm laborer, complete with a rake and a spade. Today, they would have missed her again but when Lotte had seen them approaching, she’d waved them down.

  “Let’s head back,” Evie said. “I should at least tell the others about the offer and hear their opinions. They’re bound to have some.”

  The Countess of Woodridge, Lady Detective.

  No, that didn’t sound quite right.

  Evie ran the phrase through her mind as Tom revved the engine and, with a wave to Lotte, took off.

  “Lotte Mannering is becoming a master of disguise,” Evie said. “I swear I didn’t recognize her this time. Or, for that matter, any of the other times.” The private detective had been staying at a nearby house and had trekked out to meet them in the oddest places, always dressed in a different disguise which, in Evie’s mind, showed a great deal of passion for her profession.

  As her private detective business had continued to expand and thrive, Lotte now felt it necessary to take on a business partner and she wanted someone she could trust.

  How did she feel about becoming a private lady detective? The idea had been tossed around for a while, but she’d never really taken it seriously. Now Lotte had made a firm offer.

  Evie knew she felt strongly about right winning over wrong, truth over lies. And, of course, she felt anyone who committed a crime should be brought to justice.

  In her books, absolutely no one could claim they were above the law.

  Tom leaned closer and said, “I agree with Lotte. It is a simple enough question requiring a simple answer. Yes or no. It’s your decision alone to make. No pressure.”

  Did she wish to go into business with Lotte Mannering? How would it impact her day to day life?

  “I know you think I’m taking too long to decide but, as I’ve said, there’s a lot to consider.”

  “If I had to guess,” Tom said, “I’d say you’ve been busy looking at it from all angles and, in particular, from twenty or more years down the track.”

  “And you’d be right. This would be a long-term venture and, if I accept, it will have all sorts of repercussions. And then, of course, there is Seth to consider.” The young Earl would forever be associated with a lady detective and a titled one at that.

  Tom smiled. “I think Seth will love it. Every family should have an eccentric member.”

  “I see, I am to ultimately become the eccentric Countess. What other habits will you attribute to me?”

  Tom grinned. “There’ll be plenty of time to work on them.”

  Evie tilted her head in thought. “I’d have to be a silent partner.”

  He looked surprised. “You wouldn’t want to flaunt it?”

  “Absolutely not.”

  “Are you afraid of being snubbed by your society friends?”

  Evie’s voice sounded pensive, “Making it public would work against me. Lotte has her disguises. I could hide behind a mantle of… something or other.”

  “I think you meant to say respectability.”

  “Probably. As for my acquaintances… I think they would be intrigued and amused. But I would prefer to remain incognito. Yes, that would definitely work in my favor.”

  “There’s no escaping the fact you are already associated with several cases.”

  “True. However, my involvement in those cases were all by chance. Anyhow, my greatest concern is about time. Lotte will expect me to drop everything and attend to cases.”

  “Would that be so bad?”

  “I’m still the Countess of Woodridge. By now, you know that comes with a great deal of responsibility. The running of the estate has always been in capable hands but there are other matters to attend to.”

  “Tea parties and fundraisers?” Tom teased. “Maybe your cousin thrice removed could assist you.”

  Evie chortled. “Lady Carolina Thwaites? Yes, Caro would love that. But I’m sure she would prefer an active role in the detective business.” Yes, indeed. Her maid would jump at the chance. “Heavens, I’ve just realized something.”

  “You haven’t told her about Lotte’s offer to become her business partner?”

  Evie nodded.

  “But you’ve known about it for four days. I thought you talked to Caro about everything.”

  “Only when I can get a word in edgewise.” Evie groaned under her breath. “Henrietta, Sara and Toodles will feel left out. I’d never be able to hide it from them. Yes, we have to tell them.”

  Tom assured her, “On the bright side, you don’t have to worry about me. I’m happy to go along with whatever you decide.” Glancing at the envelope Evie held, Tom added, “At least you know Lotte is well organized.”

  Sighing, she drew out the piece of paper and read it. “Sterling Wright?” Lotte had been asking about him all week.

  “What about him?” Tom asked.

  “He’s the one who engaged Lotte’s services.”

  “Hang on. Aren’t we attending a party or something thrown by him? Or are you still deciding?”

  “Are you poking fun at me?” Evie nodded. “Of course, you are. And, yes, it’s the Hunt Ball.” Evie finished reading the case outline. “He engaged Lotte to shadow Miss Marjorie Devon, his fiancée. She’s staying at his house, Hillsboro Lodge. And Lotte has been staying at the caretaker’s cottage. When Miss Devon prepares to leave, Lotte receives a telephone call and she follows her. She doesn’t say who calls her. I assume it’s Sterling Wright.”

  “Does it say why he wants his fiancée followed?” Tom asked.

  “Miss Devon has been receiving threatening letters and he’s afraid she will come to harm.”

  “Since you received an invitation to the Hunt Ball, I assume you know Sterling Wright.”

  “Not really. I only met him once at the races. He’s relatively new to
the district. He has interests in horse racing and hails from our neck of the woods. A native New Yorker, he’s been living in London and recently acquired Hillsboro Lodge. I suppose that’s why he issued the invitation.”

  “Hillsboro Lodge. It sounds familiar. Where is it?”

  “About a half hour drive south of Halton House.”

  “That’s close. So why haven’t we crossed paths with him? Isn’t that odd in these parts? Everyone seems to know everyone.”

  “Yes, yes, it is odd. I suppose he prefers to keep to himself. Or maybe he hasn’t been spending much time in the country. Whatever the reason, it’s about to change. I assume he’s invited all the locals and this is his way of introducing himself.”

  “By locals, you mean the landed gentry and not the local washerwoman.”

  “Are you still poking fun at me? I’ve actually rubbed shoulders with the local washerwoman. Her name is Mavis Child. She’s a widow. Last year, she won the blue ribbon for best fruit cake in the district.”

  Evie put away the letter. “Why would Sterling Wright pay Lotte to shadow his fiancée? Shouldn’t he be more interested in finding out the identity of the person sending her threatening letters?”

  “That’s a very good question,” Tom said. “You should ask Lotte tomorrow when you agree to become her business partner.”

  Evie glanced at Tom. She reached over and tipped his hat up slightly. “You seem to be eager for me to say yes.”

  “That’s because I feel you really want to do this.”

  “What if I don’t? Will you be bored with our life here?”

  “Hardly. There’s always something happening. I can’t remember the last time I sat down to read in the library without some sort disruption dragging me away.”

  “Perhaps I should say no so that you can have your quiet time in the library.”

  He glanced at her. “And what will you do?”

  “Work on those disruptions, of course.”

  They drove the rest of the way in silence. Evie managed to suspend all thoughts about Lotte’s offer. Instead, she focused on how she would share the news with Toodles and the dowagers.

  She had no trouble imagining them wanting to become partners in the business. It would be a family affair.

  The edge of Evie’s eyes crinkled with amusement.

  A family who played together and worked together… ended up in prison together or on the front page of a newspaper as proof of some scandalous behavior.

  Could she keep her activities a secret from them? Toodles had been encouraging her to use her time more productively by taking up a profession. More recently, she had actively pushed her to join forces with Lotte Mannering. For all she knew, Lotte’s offer had come as a result of Toodles’ interference.

  “I’ve decided I’m not going to tell them.”

  “Pardon?”

  “I know I don’t need their permission. Since I’m going to be discreet, I’d like to keep it all between us three. You, Lotte and myself. Make that four. Caro will need to know. Oh, and Edgar, of course.” Her butler would never forgive her if she left him out. “In any case, I’m sure Toodles and the dowagers will figure it out and have fun in the process.” Evie sighed. “Then again… they might interfere in the investigation. We saw what happened the last time we didn’t keep them informed.”

  Tom laughed. “I love it when you argue with yourself out loud.”

  Evie huffed out a breath. “Not being able to provide a yes or no answer is plaguing me.”

  “Will Toodles and the dowagers be attending the Hunt Ball?”

  “Yes, I believe so but I don’t think Lotte meant for me to become involved in this case. After all, she is only following Miss Devon. How could I possibly help with that?”

  “Well, she gave you the case outline and you did just raise the question of the threats and why Sterling Wright hadn’t asked Lotte to look into them. Perhaps you could look into that.”

  And how would she do that? Evie tapped her finger on the envelope. “Before the Hunt Ball, there is the hunt itself. I suppose we could take part in the foxhunt. I hadn’t planned on attending but we could go as spectators. There might already be some guests staying at Hillsboro Lodge.”

  Tom laughed. “You haven’t made any firm commitments and you already suspect one of the guests.”

  “Yes, well… We have to start somewhere.”

  “By joining a foxhunt? I haven’t seen you riding in a long time. In fact, I haven’t seen you on a horse since we arrived at Halton House.”

  Evie shrugged. “It’s all this business of sidesaddles. I’m accustomed to riding astride.”

  “And that is definitely out of the question for the Countess of Woodridge? I’m surprised.”

  Ignoring his remark, she asked, “Do you have a riding outfit?”

  Tom grinned. “Of course.”

  It didn’t surprise Evie. Since their arrival in England, Tom had been quite resourceful, showing a surprising ability to procure anything and everything he needed. He either knew how to cut a deal or, as she’d been suspecting all along, he really had struck it lucky in the Oklahoma oilfields. She’d been so blasé about his ability to suddenly produce a new car or full wardrobe she hadn’t bothered to delve further.

  Rather than suggest she might have changed her mind, she said, “We still have a few hours to decide if we’ll join the hunt on horseback or on foot. As soon as we arrive at Halton House I will spend some time in the library making some notes. It would help to know who Miss Devon is.”

  “I bet you anything Henrietta will know something,” Tom suggested. “She always knows who’s who. What about Sterling Wright? What else do you know about him?”

  “As I said, I only met him briefly. He’s not much of a conversationalist. In fact, I suspect he doesn’t even know much about horses. I don’t remember hearing him talk about them.”

  “And what did he do to be able to afford to live here?”

  She shook her head. “I’m surprised I don’t know. Usually, that’s the first thing we hear about a new person. Especially a foreigner. That’s so and so from somewhere or other and he made his fortune in mining or the railways.”

  Tom mused, “A mystery man with a fiancée in peril.”

  “I wonder why Miss Devon is running around without a care in the world? Is she unaware of the threat? Or just reckless and carefree?”

  “Lotte will be delighted by your curiosity and I think you want to impress her. This is definitely the right move for her. You see things from a different perspective. As they say, two heads are better than one.”

  “Why do you think she wants me as a partner? I mean, I could always just consult. This all sounds so formal. You don’t suppose she needs a financial boost. She said her business is thriving. So, that can’t possibly be the reason.”

  “She’s in competition with another lady detective. Perhaps she sees this as a way to overtake her. With two of you, she’ll be able to take on even more cases.”

  Evie thought about it and then shook her head. “No, she gave the impression she wants us to work together. She’s cunning, so this might actually be a lure to rope me in.”

  “Brace yourself.” Tom pointed ahead toward the entrance to Halton House and the dowagers’ motor car. “Henrietta and Sara are here.”

  Chapter 3

  Suspicious minds

  The library, Halton House

  “Did you notice anything unusual at lunch?” Evie asked.

  “Are you still on the trail of suspicion? Actually…” Tom looked up from his newspaper. After a moment of thinking about it, he said, “Henrietta smiled a great deal. And, not her usual knowing smile. It was more of a brilliant smile. I think she might have been trying to distract us from her twitching eye.”

  “Her eye is twitching? I didn’t notice.”

  Lunch with the dowagers and Toodles had been a lively affair. Conversation had flowed and witticisms exchanged right along with knowing smiles.

  Evie
gave it some thought and then agreed with Tom. Henrietta’s smile had been rather brilliant.

  She supposed she hadn’t really noticed because her attention had been focused on those exchanged smiles. They knew something and they were not bringing it out into the open. “They’re up to something.”

  “So are we, Countess.” Tom tapped his newspaper. “Sterling Wright is mentioned in an article about a new horse he purchased at auction. It went for a record price. That answers one question. He’s loaded.” He signaled to a stack of newspapers next to him. “Also, one of his horses placed in this year’s Derby.”

  “I suppose that makes him a serious racing man. Was that ever in doubt?” Evie asked. “No, I don’t think so. Then again, and I think I’m quoting myself, suspecting everything and everyone is a good place to start. The guilty do always hide behind a mantle of innocence.”

  “I could not have said it better myself.” Tom set his newspaper down. “However, I doubt the thought would have occurred to me.” Tom leaned back and looked up at the ceiling. “Actually, no real crime has been committed, so we have no reason to suspect Mr. Wright.”

  “True. I’m getting ahead of myself.”

  “And in the spirit of it all? I think you’ll make a fabulous lady detective.”

  Evie hummed under her breath. “We might actually have reason to suspect him. Remember, he hired Lotte to trail after his fiancée but not to find out who is sending her threatening letters. I find those actions suspicious.”

  Tom smiled. “It’s almost as if you’re willing him to commit a crime. I wonder if his fiancée has an interest in horses.”

  “Not all couples have shared interests,” Evie mused and glanced at Tom. “I never asked. Are you interested in becoming involved in investigations?” He’d already expressed his enthusiasm for her involvement, but how did he feel about being dragged into chasing criminals?

  “I most definitely am interested.” He smiled. “You do make it interesting.”