A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Murder
Page 18
I refused to budge. “Let me assure you, my mother does not speak for my father and she most certainly does not speak for Lily. Their marriage is definitely a settled matter. If you wish to hear Lily’s opinion on the matter, then you must speak to her, not our mother. I’d caution you, however, you are likely to cause her pain if you do reveal your feelings to her.”
Treadwell took a step as if to leave, but I moved into his path and held fast to his arm. “I’ll further caution you that I have my eye on you. If something should happen to Leo, I shall look to you first.” Finally, I had the satisfaction of removing the smirk from his face.
As the music had ended, I left him, stunned and stammering, and strode over to Fiona who watched me in horror.
“Whatever have you done to that poor boy?”
“Nothing he didn’t deserve.” I looked around for my sister, wondering if anyone in the room had missed the heated conversation I’d just had with Treadwell, who, after straightening his cuffs, headed directly to the closest footman, took a drink from his tray, and slipped out of the room. I could use something bracing myself.
Lily sat blissfully at Leo’s side in conversation with Anne and Alonzo. So there were at least four people in the room I hadn’t just embarrassed. What had I been thinking? One does not have an argument in the middle of a dance, even in a private home. I should have better controlled my temper.
Hetty came to my side and pressed a short-stemmed glass into my hand. “It’s about time someone set that young man straight. Though Lily should have done it herself.”
“Bless you, Aunt Hetty. This is precisely what I needed.” I took a healthy sip—and gasped, my throat aflame. “Why didn’t you tell me it was whiskey? I thought it was wine.”
“Ridiculous. Who would serve wine in such a glass?”
She reached for the glass, but I pulled it back. “I didn’t say I didn’t want it.”
“What your sister needs is a good talking-to.” Fiona gave me a cautious look. “I love her dearly, Frances, but I fear she’s leading Treadwell on.”
“I have spoken with her. She agreed to stop seeking his attentions, but I’m afraid that may not be enough. Apparently, my mother also needs a good talking-to. She encouraged Treadwell.”
Hetty huffed. “Daisy never ceases to amaze me. They are to be married in a few days.”
“Lily will simply have to make it clear to him that she is in love with Leo.”
Hetty and I shared a glance. None of this would have happened if Lily hadn’t been emotional and in need of Leo’s attention. One would think love would be easier than this.
“Perhaps it will all blow over,” Fiona said. “There’s little more you can do.” She brightened. “I meant to tell you I heard something of Lady Esther this morning.”
Hetty gave me a little pat on the arm and moved on to speak to Alonzo. I gave my attention to Fiona. “Have you? Is she recovering?”
“From what I’m told, she was never ill.” She nodded at my surprise. “I received a letter from Nash’s sister in London, and she happened to mention Lady Esther was at Lady Grafton’s salon Monday evening.”
“In London?”
Fiona nodded.
“If Mr. Bradmore isn’t nursing his aunt, just what is he doing at her home?”
Fiona raised her brows. “An excellent question.”
Chapter 15
My chance to speak with Percy Bradmore appeared almost immediately. Clara Kendrick required Fiona’s opinion on a millinery shop in the village, leaving me to my own devices. Mrs. Easton stood by the piano bench, stretching both her back and her fingers between songs. I joined her just as she reseated herself and I complimented her skill and good nature in playing for us rather than dancing herself.
She waved aside the praise and leaned toward me in a conspiratorial manner. “I am afraid I ate rather too well at dinner and am quite ready to burst.” She chuckled and shook her head. “Dancing would be far too uncomfortable. Besides, I need the practice. Fortunately, country dances are simple enough, and people don’t notice if I hit a sour note now and then, as long as I give them something lively to dance to.”
Percy Bradmore joined us in time to contradict her. “I noticed nothing sour.”
“Ah, Mr. Bradmore.”
“You, sir, were in the other room,” Mrs. Easton said. “You weren’t likely to notice the music at all.”
A footman stepped up to the piano and offered refreshments. We each took a glass of Fiona’s special punch, and I returned the whiskey to his tray. “Do you play bridge, Mr. Bradmore?” I asked.
“Very poorly, I’m afraid.”
“And your aunt?”
He blinked. “I beg your pardon?”
“Lady Esther is a notorious whist player, but I understand she’s waiting to see if bridge catches on before she bothers to learn it.”
Bradmore chuckled at Mrs. Easton’s comment. “I suppose one doesn’t want to rush into these things. After seven or eight years, it is only an upstart game, wouldn’t you agree?”
It was Mrs. Easton’s turn to laugh. “Your aunt is simply so good at whist, she’s reluctant to give it up. I made the mistake of partnering her at a card party the last time she was in the country. She was appalled by my poor play.” Mrs. Easton pressed her lips into a grimace. “I’ve been working on my strategy ever since.”
I chuckled with her. “Perhaps you will have a chance to redeem yourself in the coming days. As one begins to recover from an illness, amusements are as necessary as any medicine.”
Mrs. Easton tipped her head. “Do you mean to say Lady Esther is in residence?” She turned from me to Bradmore.
“Yes, of course. Has he not mentioned it?” I frowned at the man. “For shame, Mr. Bradmore, you are depriving your aunt of valuable company during her retirement in the country. And just what did you say was ailing her?”
“Just a touch of gout,” he said with a dismissive air. “It does seem as though she’s beginning to rally and might be up to visitors soon.”
Gout? Though I wasn’t particularly familiar with that malady, I’d always attributed it to rich food and drink. Lady Esther was both painfully thin and a teetotaler.
“I am at liberty tomorrow,” I said. “Perhaps Lady Fiona and I could call on her in the afternoon.”
Bradmore drew his brows up but otherwise maintained his patience. “Allow me to inquire of her and send you word. I’d hate for you to waste the trip.”
“It’s a trip of less than a mile.”
Mrs. Easton sighed. “Sadly, I’m engaged tomorrow afternoon, or I’d join you, but I could call on her the following day.”
Bradmore gave her a tight smile. “I’m certain she’ll be delighted to receive you then.” He turned and gave me a nod. “I shall send word tomorrow morning to apprise you as to whether or not she’s up to a visit.”
With that, he stepped away to speak with Mr. Easton, and Mrs. Easton returned to her piano. I still didn’t know what Bradmore was playing at, but I felt certain I’d receive a missive tomorrow advising me not to call.
As I had no further suspects to question, and the dancers were already paired, I decided to step into the drawing room and check on the card players. My mother and George were partners against Mr. and Mrs. Durant. They had just taken a trick as I walked in and Mother rewarded George with a delighted laugh. Though her lips puckered as she considered which card to play next, she looked relaxed and happy, and many years younger. It was difficult to reconcile this pleasant woman with a mother who would attempt to upset her daughter’s wedding plans.
She caught sight of me as I approached the table. “Mind you don’t disturb our concentration, dear.”
“That’s not my intention, Mother. I just came in to see how the game is progressing.”
“They are beating us soundly,” Durant muttered, throwing down a card. “Haven’t taken a hand since the first.” He threw me a glance. “Please disturb their concentration. Might help our chances.”
My mother gave a little toss of her head as if she knew better. I stationed myself between her and Durant, giving me a clear view of George. I enjoyed watching as he pushed his lips out then twisted them to the left, then right, as he considered his play. They took the next trick, and I watched him repeat the process.
“Frances, you are making me nervous.” Mother threw out a card. “Why don’t you go back to the young people and dance with that nice Mr. Bradmore?”
I repressed a sigh. The woman just couldn’t stop herself. Yes, why don’t I go dance with Mr. Bradmore, the murder suspect?
George threw out his final card to win the hand. “It appears she’s brought us luck, Mrs. Price. I quite like having her here.” I rewarded him with a warm smile.
“As if you needed luck.” Durant looked at the tally. “Right. That’s the game. Think I’ve been trounced quite enough for one evening. What say you, Eliza?”
“Quite,” she said, coming to her feet. “A little music perhaps, then I’m for bed. It’s been a long day.”
Perhaps longer than her husband knew, I thought, recalling her tryst with the under-butler this morning.
Durant guided his wife into the other room while George retrieved and stacked the cards. My mother stood up with a sigh. “I think it’s time I found my bed as well.”
I wondered if I should mention Treadwell and her interference but decided that was a conversation best held in private. I gave her a kiss on the cheek as she passed by me. “Good night, Mother.”
George came to his feet as well. “Thank you for the game, Mrs. Price. Your skills are impressive.”
At the doorway, she turned, narrowing her eyes. “You may be a good partner, young man, and I must admit I’ve enjoyed the last hour in your company, but that does not mean I’ll allow you to linger here alone with my daughter.” She jerked her head toward the other room. “Both of you, come join the other guests.”
I nearly gawked at the impertinence of her statement and opened my mouth to tell her, in no uncertain terms, I’d make my own decisions. George stopped me with a hand on my arm. “We are right behind you, ma’am.”
She sniffed and continued on her way. “Be sure that you are.”
George and I shared a look that sent us both into spasms of laughter, which we choked back as best we could. “Honestly, you would think I were eighteen again.”
“You’ve been out of her life that long, Frances. It may well be how she still sees you.”
I scoffed. “She clearly considered you a naughty schoolboy.”
“She always has.”
“Why is she so standoffish toward you?”
He gave me an impish smile. “I told you, you will have to ask her that question. I won’t come between a mother and daughter.” He laughed at my scowl. “It’s nothing I hold against her, Frances. At least, not any longer. Ignore it and set your mind to our investigation. Have you learned anything this evening?”
I told him about my mortifying argument with Mr. Treadwell on the dance floor, and the mysterious appearance of Lady Esther at a London salon. “I expect a note from Bradmore tomorrow telling me his aunt is unable to receive me.”
“Strange that he’d invent a ruse so easy to disprove.”
I shrugged. “We can’t exactly disprove it without seeing her empty bedchamber. No matter how many reports we have of Lady Esther in London, he can keep denying it.”
“Still, it only buys him a little time. Perhaps a week at most before someone informs the lady that some rogue is staying at her home.”
“Then whatever purpose has sent him here, he expects to accomplish it in short order. Though I can’t find a connection to him and the poisoned sherry, he is the most suspicious to my mind.”
He lifted a brow. “We don’t know for certain the arsenic was in the sherry.”
“There’s not much we do know for certain. However, I think it’s time we warn Leo.”
“Agreed. Let’s see if he’s still in the salon.”
Almost no one was left in the salon when we entered. Mr. and Mrs. Easton and Mr. Kraft had taken their leave of Fiona and gone home. With the music over, nearly everyone else had gone up to their rooms. Only Fiona, Nash, Durant, and Mr. Bradmore were still about.
“I shall go and look for Lily.”
George nodded and moved to speak with Bradmore while I bid the others good night. Rather than return to the drawing room, I left through a side hallway and stepped outside to the formal gardens, situated in something of a courtyard between the two wings. A lovely spot for a romantic rendezvous, but I saw no sign of Lily and Leo as I crossed the cobbled path. It was possible they’d retired for the night. As I was closer to the north wing, I decided to enter the house that way.
Once inside, it took a moment to get my bearings. This house was entirely too large. I’d have to return to the gallery, take it back to the south wing, then up to the first floor to tap on Lily’s door. I’d just about reached the gallery, when I saw Lily waiting at the foot of the stairs to the bachelors’ quarters. She leaned against the wall, her eyelids drooping.
“Are you waiting for Leo?”
She snapped around at my words. “Frances, you startled me. Yes, I am waiting for him. He’s looking for a coat of some sort for me so we can walk out in the gardens for a bit. I didn’t want to fetch one from my room or Mother might hear me, or see me. Then, of course, she’d demand my attention for something, and I’d lose my time alone with Leo.” She huffed in exasperation. “It seems we’re either parted all day or in company with a dozen other people. I had no idea how little we’d see of each other once we came here. I begin to wish we’d eloped after all.”
“Only three days stand between you and your wedding.” I placed an arm around her shoulders. “You’ll be glad you avoided the scandal of eloping—and Mother’s wrath. She would have been horrified if you’d just run off and married.”
“Mother seems to be trying to come between me and my wedding as well. What is wrong with her? Why does she dislike Leo so? You came in at the tail end of her tirade this morning. You should have heard the things she said.”
“Mother means well. She just has a different view of marriage than we do.” I paused. “By the way, you may have to have another conversation with Mr. Treadwell and make sure he understands you want to marry Leo. I’m afraid Mother’s encouraged him.”
Lily rolled her eyes, but I held firm. “You did your part to encourage him, too. Now you have to tell the poor man the truth.” Though I said the words, I had a difficult time seeing Treadwell as an unfortunate bystander. It seemed more as if he felt entitled to Lily’s affections. And he might be trying to murder his best friend. Perhaps I should have let them elope.
“I wonder what’s taking Leo so long?” Lily mused.
“There’s a back stairway,” I said, remembering my tour of the house a few days ago. “It’s closer to his room. Let’s see if he’s gone that way, shall we?”
Lily threw me a glance as we walked down the hall. “Please tell me you plan to excuse yourself when Leo does arrive. I really would like to spend some time alone with my fiancé.”
“I won’t keep you long,” I said, uncertain how to tell her I had some rather upsetting news to impart. Before I could form the words, a scream rent the silence, followed by a series of thumps.
We froze for an instant before racing to the back staircase. I gasped when we arrived to see Clara Kendrick’s limp body sprawled half on the carpeted stairs and half on the stone floor of the hall.
Her chest heaved as she struggled to take in the breath that had been knocked out from the fall. Thank heaven, she was alive. As I rushed to her side, I noticed her arm lay twisted at an unnatural angle.
“Don’t move, dear,” I said, stooping to the floor next to her. “I’m afraid your arm is broken. Any movement could make it worse.” I
swept the chestnut hair from her eyes to examine the pupils through her tears. They did not appear to be irregular. I glanced up at Lily. “Find Mr. Hazelton and send him here. Then ask the butler or housekeeper to call Dr. Woodrow. We need him immediately.”
She hastened up the hallway, and I turned my attention back to Clara, who struggled to right herself until a stab of pain made her gasp.
“I know it hurts, dear. Try to be still. We’ll have help for you right away. Would you like me to call for one of your sisters?”
The wail she sent up was enough of an answer for me. Fine. No sisters. Instead, I worked my arm under her neck and cradled her as best I could without moving her arm. Her tears gave way to a quiet whimper as she tried to keep still in this awkward position. I needed to distract her from her pain until help arrived. I glanced up the stairs, wondering what was keeping Leo, which reminded me exactly where we were.
“How did you come to be in the bachelors’ quarters?” I asked.
She muttered something I couldn’t make out, then said, “I lost my way.”
I wondered if she knew how true that statement was. She had to be visiting one of the young men. It could only be Treadwell or Alonzo, and so help me, if one of them had encouraged her, he’d have to answer to me. I should have taken responsibility for this young lady from the start. She was only seventeen after all. Her mother was absent, and neither sister seemed to care what she did.
I was trying to decide which gentleman I would have to throttle when Leo stepped down from the landing.
“Take care,” I called to him. “Your sister has just fallen down those stairs. You had best watch your step.”
He’d paused when I first spoke, then, completely disregarding my warning, skittered down the stairs as fast as he could, leaping over Clara’s legs to the floor.
“Clara, my heavens. What are you doing here? Are you all right?”
I went directly to his second question. “No, she has a broken arm at least. We cannot move her until we can do so without damaging it further. Mr. Hazelton is on his way, and the doctor has been called.”
His mouth gaping open, he took in the scene of his youngest sister spread out on the stairs and at least half cradled in my arms. “Thank goodness for your quick thinking, Lady Harleigh. My mother would have my head if Clara came to any harm.”