A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Murder

by Dianne Freeman

  I sighed, sharing both his guilt and concern. Patricia Kendrick would see her daughter wearing a cast on her arm when she arrived in two days. She might well have both our heads.

  “Frances!”

  “We’re here,” I called back upon hearing George’s voice.

  He rushed to the stairs, Lily trailing down the hall behind him. After giving Clara a more thorough going-over than I had, he and Leo lifted her, while Lily guarded her arm. Making a face, she held it at the wrist and elbow, not allowing it to move. In this manner, they carried her back to her own room. Rather than follow, I headed upstairs in a blind fury. Perhaps I’d been remiss in chaperoning the girl, but I wasn’t entirely to blame. Someone had some explaining to do.

  I rounded the landing and stepped into a hallway that contained six doors. George had told me his and Leo’s rooms were closest to these stairs, on either side of the hall. I didn’t know who’d been placed next door to Leo, but I knocked anyway. Alonzo, in shirtsleeves, with the ends of his tie trailing from his collar, opened the door.

  “Franny. What are you doing here?” He stepped back and opened the door wide, allowing me entry. I strode in and whipped around to face him, but before I could ask any questions, I picked up a scent in the air. Roses? No, attar of roses. Clara’s preferred scent. My mouth sagged open as I stared at him.

  “Alonzo, how could you?”

  The look on his face was almost comical as he shook his head in confusion and backed away from me. “How could I what?”

  “Clara Kendrick was in your room.”

  “Good Lord, Frances! How did you know that?” On noting the anger in my eyes, he raised his hands in a defensive move. “Franny, I swear I didn’t invite her, if that’s what you’re thinking. She came here of her own accord, and I sent her away immediately.”

  I narrowed my eyes.

  “Stop glaring at me. I didn’t invite her, nor did I give her any undue attention that would lead her to think she’d be welcome.” He ran a shaky hand through his already-mussed hair, making clumps of it stand on end. “My God, what did she tell you?”

  “Nothing.” I drew a deep breath and let it out slowly, studying his face. Alonzo looked not only terrified but sincere. Had the girl come up here to throw herself at my brother? If so, I didn’t envy her mother. Patricia had her work cut out for her.

  Alonzo stared in confusion. “If she told you nothing, how did you know she was here?”

  “I didn’t until I smelled her perfume. Was she upset when she left you? Were you harsh when you rebuffed her?”

  “First you are angry because you think I seduced her. Now you are angry because I may have dismissed her too harshly? How am I to win with you, Franny?”

  I slipped into a chair by the washstand and rested my head in my palm. “I suspect she rushed away from your room to the stairs, where she tripped and tumbled down the length of them. The poor girl broke her arm.”

  He looked stricken. “I pushed her away from my door and told her to return to her room.” He ran a hand through his hair. “She looked surprised, but she was not upset, crying, or hysterical. She left quietly.” He made a supplicating gesture. “I’m very sorry she was injured, but I don’t believe I caused her accident.”

  It was that final word that drew me from my musing. Accident. Yet another one. There had been far too many of them happening around here lately.

  A knock sounded at the door. Alonzo raised his brows. “Another caller?” Stepping over to the door he opened it to reveal George on the other side.

  “Hazelton?”

  George nodded toward me. “I was looking for your sister.”

  I gave him a little finger wave and wearily raised myself from the chair. “Has the doctor arrived?”

  “He’s with her now.” He glanced from me to Alonzo. “Was she up here visiting you?”

  “Not at his invitation,” I replied before Alonzo could speak.

  George raised his eyes heavenward. “Thank God, she’s not my daughter. If you’re through here, may I escort you back downstairs?”

  Alonzo stopped us at the door. “If there’s any way you can keep this from getting to her sister, I’d be obliged.” His cheeks flamed as I gave him a curious look. “I’d hate for the elder Miss Kendrick to think I was trifling with the younger.”

  George and I exchanged a glance. Revealing the truth of Miss Kendrick’s whereabouts would serve no one. “I’m sure we can come up with a suitable story,” I said.

  Alonzo gave us a sheepish smile and closed the door. George and I headed for the stairs. He heaved a sigh. “Thank heaven she’s not my daughter.”

  I glanced up at him. “That’s the second time you’ve given thanks in as many minutes. You realize you will have a daughter when we marry.”

  He took my hand. “Rose is only eight, and already she has more sense than Miss Kendrick. I am not worried.”

  I hated to tell him that sometimes sensible eight-year-olds became quite empty-headed when they turned seventeen. We’d both find out what that would be like—eventually.

  When we reached the stairs, George took my arm. “Watch your step going down,” he said. “She tripped over something.”

  My eyes were already trained on the wooden steps. “It might have just been her hem, but I had the very same thought. In fact, what’s this?”

  He followed the line of my gaze. Taking a few steps farther down, he turned and reached out for a curled strand of something attached to the side of the riser. I watched as he twisted and turned it and finally pulled it free.

  “It’s a piece of line.” He held it up for my inspection. “Looks like the one you found tangled in the tree, doesn’t it?” He brushed my skirts aside to reveal the rest of the stair. “And here’s where it was attached to the other side. It came loose from the nailhead. Someone fastened it across the step as a trip line.”

  I didn’t want to believe the evidence before my eyes. “She could have been killed had she hit the floor headfirst. Who would do such a thing?”

  George stood back up and, taking my hand, guided me down the stairs. “It wasn’t Bradmore. I showed him out just as Lily came to fetch me.”

  “Durant?”

  “He and Mrs. Durant were just going up to their chambers.”

  “No one would have expected Miss Kendrick to visit this section of the house this evening. This was another trap, meant to hurt or kill someone. Considering you and Leo are situated closest to this staircase, I expect it was meant for one of you.”

  “I left Kendrick with his sister. In all the excitement, I forgot about our plans to warn him.”

  We’d come to the foot of the stairs. I leaned against the banister and gazed up at him. “And what of the rest of us? I actually find myself grateful Rose is in bed with a cold, so I don’t have to worry about her stepping into one of these traps. None of us is safe.”

  “That’s why we need to set a trap of our own.”

  Chapter 16

  George’s idea of setting a trap was not high on my list of proper ways to deal with a murderer. I proposed a far less risky option—we should all just leave. He thought no more of my idea than I did of his.

  “Consider it, Frances. Are we to put Leo on a train with Treadwell and Durant when one or both of them might be plotting to murder him?”

  “What if it’s Bradmore or someone we haven’t even considered yet?”

  “There’s nothing to stop Bradmore from following Leo back to London, where he’d have even greater access. Whoever is doing this wants Leo’s death to look like an accident. I’d say it’s someone close to him. Someone with a grudge.”

  We were heading up to the nursery as I had a sudden need to check on Rose. I put my finger over George’s lips as I turned the knob and pushed open the door to the large, airy room. We tiptoed past shelves of books and toys to the bedroom Rose occupied. I slowly opened the door and peeked inside. Nanny had retired to her room next door, and Rose was sleeping peacefully, her long dark braid dr
aped over the covers. No sniffles, sneezes, or coughs. Was it horrible of me to hope she’d require another day in bed? At least then I could be certain she’d be safe.

  We backed out of the room and padded silently to the hall where I pulled George aside, under the light of a sconce. “We’ll speak with Leo in the morning. If he’s agreeable, we’ll work on this trap you have in mind. I want to catch this murderer before anyone else is hurt.”

  * * *

  The following morning, I opened the door to the breakfast room and took a step back in surprise. It was full of guests. I’d forgotten there was no shooting today, so nearly all the gentlemen, except for George, were seated around the table. Nash, the angel, manned the coffeepot, so I handed him an empty cup and found a seat next to Leo, who was digging into a large helping of kippers. Treadwell and Durant were farther down the table by Hetty, working on their own breakfasts.

  Alonzo, seated across the table from me, brightened as Anne Kendrick entered the room. He jumped to his feet and pulled out the chair next to his. She blushed, smiled, and glided over to his side.

  “How is your sister?” Durant asked from his end of the table. “Eliza said she had some sort of accident. Injured herself.”

  I wondered how Eliza, a late sleeper herself, had learned of her sister’s accident.

  Anne nodded. “Yes. Didn’t Leo tell you about it?” She glanced over at Leo who barely looked up from his plate and made a rolling motion with his hand, indicating she should continue. “I only learned of it this morning, but it seems she slid on something in the hall by the entrance to the gardens.”

  She made as if to stand, but Alonzo gestured her back to her seat. “Please continue your story, Miss Kendrick. I’ll fill a plate for you.”

  She smiled and let her gaze follow him as he moved to the breakfront. “Actually, Lady Harleigh might be able to tell the story better. Clara says you found her in the hallway and sent for help.”

  “The poor dear,” I sald. “It was clear she’d broken her arm and I didn’t want her to move on her own. Your brother and Mr. Hazelton helped her back to her room, and the doctor arrived shortly afterward.”

  Durant frowned. “Strange she took that route. Only leads to the kitchens and the bachelors’ wing.”

  “Nothing strange about it,” Leo protested with a hint of anger in his voice. “She left the salon into the formal gardens. Once outside, she took the wrong entrance back in. Easy to become turned around in the gardens. What’s so strange about it?”

  “Actually, I did the same thing,” I lied, wondering how one could become disoriented in a square garden with straight lines and paths, and plantings no taller than four feet. “It was fortunate for Clara that I did or who knows when she’d have been found?”

  “Right.” Durant returned to his food clearly confused, but not interested enough to pursue the subject. Of course, he might not need to pursue it if he knew the story was false. Had Durant fastened that wire across the stair? George said he’d been in the drawing room at the time Clara stumbled into it, but who knows when it had been placed?

  I pushed the frustrating question aside and addressed Leo. “Mr. Hazelton and I would like to discuss some details of the wedding with you and Lily. She should be up by now. Can you collect her and meet us in his office in half an hour?”

  Leo stopped his fork halfway to his mouth. “There are more details to settle?”

  I raised my brows.

  “Of course, we can meet you.”

  “Does that mean you won’t be riding with Rose this morning?” Anne asked.

  “I’m encouraging Rose to stay in bed one more day.” At least I would be doing so. “She’ll want to be completely recovered for the wedding.”

  “What a shame. I’ll stop in and visit with her this morning.”

  An odd sort of flush heated my skin and set my ears ringing. I didn’t put so much as one ounce of credence in Arthur Durant’s claim that Anne had shot her arrow at Charles. Even if he were to be believed, nothing would convince me she’d done it deliberately. So I couldn’t explain the panic that caused my hands to shake at the mere thought of Anne in the same room with Rose. I let my gaze travel the length of the table, from face to face. George was right; we didn’t know these people and we couldn’t guess at their motives. Any one, or none of them, might be the killer.

  Anne smiled and leaned back from the table as Alonzo set a plate before her with such a flourish, one would think he was presenting the crown jewels.

  Lon! He was my answer. “Actually, Lon was speaking of riding this morning.”

  Lon glanced up with a blank stare.

  Ask her, I mouthed, shifting my eyes once more to Anne.

  Ask her what? he mouthed back. Did he never pay attention?

  “Perhaps you and Miss Kendrick might enjoy a ride together,” I said.

  Finally, understanding dawned on Lon’s face. “A ride, yes. Would you care to accompany me, Miss Kendrick?”

  As she accepted his offer, I was hit with another wave of panic. Was I placing my brother in the company of a killer? Heavens, I must stop suspecting everyone.

  “Since we are riding this morning,” Anne said, “I’ll plan to visit with Rose this afternoon.”

  Not if I could prevent it. I popped the last piece of toast in my mouth before excusing myself. Once outside the room, with the door closed behind me, I leaned against the wall to recover myself.

  “How was breakfast?”

  I glanced up to see Fiona approaching. I sighed. “Tense. Frightening. Exhausting.”

  She gave my shoulder a pat. “I completely understand. That’s why I only ever have tea. You ought to consider switching from coffee.”

  I pushed myself from the wall and headed up to the nursery, coming to a complete stop when I saw Rose and George, heads together, leaning over a puzzle on the table. Rose smiled when she spotted me.

  “Look what Mr. Hazelton found, Mummy. It was his when he was a boy.”

  “How kind of you to share your toys, Mr. Hazelton.” I stepped up to the table and gave him a grin.

  “It was part of our bargain.”

  “The two of you made a bargain?”

  Rose passed one of the small wooden pieces from hand to hand. “I wanted to go riding today, but Mr. Hazelton said if I’d stay in my room to recover one more day, he’d bring me something to do.”

  “An excellent idea.” Looking around the room, I noticed we were alone. “Where is Nanny?”

  “Seeing to the breakfast tray.”

  “Herself?”

  “Yes, well, I asked her to do so. A footman will help her bring it up, of course.” He gave me a sheepish smile, and I realized he was just as concerned for Rose’s safety as I. When Nanny did return with the footman and the tray, we managed to restrain ourselves from testing the food first, but did give her instructions not to allow anyone to visit with Rose alone.

  Having thoroughly frightened the woman, we left for our meeting with Leo and Lily.

  “I rode into the village first thing this morning and spoke to Sergeant Fisk,” George said as we descended the stairs to the first floor. “They’ve contacted O’Brien’s family and interviewed some of the villagers about his activities. I passed on the information the first footman gave you concerning the staff’s true feelings about O’Brien, and I mentioned the accidents we’ve experienced lately.”

  We’d reached the gallery and turned right, toward the north wing. “What was his reaction?”

  “That they were likely just accidents, but he’d keep them in mind as the case progressed.”

  “I’ve been thinking about the line across the stair,” I said. “Though we exonerated the two men who were still in the salon, the truth is, almost anyone might have placed it. They needed only to excuse themselves for a moment, slip through the garden to the north wing, and place the line.”

  We’d reached the estate office, and George held the door open while I preceded him into the room. “I considered that as
well, but Treadwell is housed in the bachelors’ quarters. He had the best access.”

  I took a seat in front of the desk as George moved around it. “He would also have known you and Leo were closest to the staircase.”

  “Though all Durant had to do was ask a servant where Leo’s room was located.”

  I tsked. “I hate dismissing Bradmore. The man definitely seems to be up to something, but I don’t know how he could be responsible for this accident. That leaves us with Treadwell or Durant. Or Treadwell and Durant in partnership? We considered that possibility earlier.”

  “Consider one more. Miss Kendrick’s fall down the stairs brought to mind the luggage cart that fell down the stairs at the train station.”

  I raised my hand to my throat. “You and Leo were at the bottom of those stairs. How could I have forgotten?”

  “There’s been a bit of excitement since that accident.” He cocked his head. “But what if it wasn’t an accident? Neither Treadwell nor Durant were near that cart or the stairs.”

  “Bradmore? He arrived in the country that day.”

  “It might have been an unrelated accident, but I intend to find out where Bradmore was at the time.”

  A knock sounded at the door, followed by Lily and Leo stepping into the room.

  “Good morning,” Lily called out, seemingly in good health and spirits. I feared we were about to ruin the latter.

  George stood up from behind the desk and waved an arm toward a worktable in the center of the room. A collection of books littered its surface, and he pushed them aside. Once we were all seated, he and I exchanged a look.

  “Where to begin?” George mused.

  “We think Leo’s life may be in danger,” I said, letting the words come out in a rush.

  Both of them jerked back as if struck. George glanced at me, his chin resting on his fist. “I probably wouldn’t have started with that.”

  “Apologies,” I said. “I thought it best to get right to the point.”