Entertaining Death

by Lesley Cookman

  ‘I just think if I’m seen off-stage someone might make a connection,’ she told Dorinda after the show on Friday night. ‘And I’m having such a good time I don’t want anyone to spoil it. Why,’ she leant in close and whispered, ‘even Mariah’s cheered up a bit. Have you noticed?’

  Dorinda had. Mariah had even volunteered to help Maude with the odd bit of mending and laundry needed as the week went on. The laundry was the most difficult, as neither Maude nor Mariah had access to a tub or a stove to heat water, but Mariah proved to be somewhat of a genius in removing marks and Maude confided to Dorinda that she hoped Amy would stay with them for Mariah’s sake.

  So Amy and Mariah stayed in their suite at the Mansion House Hotel while the rest of the company paraded through town, the men exchanging jokes and friendly insults with Mickey Bennett’s Magic Minstrels in their smart blazers and straw boaters. One small girl, whose mother had brought her to see the show at least four times during the last week, had formed a lasting passion for Ted, and had to be forcibly removed, howling, by her parent at the railway station.

  ‘Poor Ted,’ Phoebe related to Dorinda and Maude, when the company returned to The Alexandria. ‘I don’t know who was more embarrassed, him or the mother!’

  ‘Coupla toffs there were, as well,’ said Aramantha. ‘Not usual Nethergate stuff.’

  ‘Well, I doubt they’ll be honouring us with their presence,’ said Dorinda. ‘I suppose they’ll be staying at the Mansion House. Was it a family?’

  ‘No, young blokes,’ said Maisie. ‘One of ’em was nice-looking. The other one looked familiar, but I couldn’t see ’im properly.’

  ‘Well, I hope they won’t disturb Amy,’ said Dorinda.

  ‘Recognise her, you mean,’ said Aramantha.

  ‘Well, yes.’ Dorinda frowned.

  ‘Oh, she’ll be all right,’ said Maisie. ‘She can handle anyone, can’t she?’

  Dorinda hoped so, but the fact that two young men had been seen arriving at Nethergate, hardly a fashionable resort, worried her. This was a small family place. Better-off families would take a house for the whole summer, as the Shepherds had when she worked for them; others would take lodgings for a week, or, if they were lucky, two weeks. Was Nethergate going to turn into a new destination for the bored upper-middle-classes after all? She hoped, if it did, that they would follow the King’s lead and approve of concert parties.

  Amy was as cheerful as ever when she arrived in time for the afternoon show, accompanied by the redoubtable Mariah, so whoever had arrived in the town obviously hadn’t disturbed her, and Dorinda relaxed.

  Saturday afternoon shows were always less crowded than other days of the week, as so many people had left the town and the new visitors hadn’t arrived or hadn’t settled in. However, there was a respectable audience and Dorinda was pleased to see her company still performed at their best. She caught some of the complimentary conversations as the audience left and reported them to the company backstage.

  ‘Good as London, some of them were saying,’ she told them.

  ‘I heard someone say they’d seen The Fairies at The Gaiety,’ said Maude.

  They all turned to her in consternation. She looked alarmed. ‘Only that it was just as good,’ she said.

  ‘And it’s done differently,’ said Dorinda, quelling another spurt of unease. ‘I’m sure they don’t use our draperies.’ The Fairies stood completely still during their rendition of the song, draped in swathes of pink tulle.

  ‘It don’t matter,’ said Aramantha. ‘Everyone does the popular numbers, don’t they?’

  ‘But we have to pay for them,’ said Dorinda, a disconcerting image of the pile of invoices on her desk popping into her mind.

  ‘Do we?’ Aramantha wrinkled her brow.

  ‘A lot of them, anyway,’ said Dorinda. ‘Amy, have you bought your songs? I forgot to ask.’

  ‘Oh, yes, they were written for me. Except the “Ta-Ra-Ra-Boom-de-ay” and everyone does that, don’t they?’

  ‘That’s all right, then,’ said Dorinda in relief. ‘Maudie, would you be an angel and pop out to the pie shop for us?’

  ‘Don’t I always?’ said Maude, with a mock sigh. ‘I don’t know. Put upon, I am.’

  ‘I’ll come with you,’ said Mariah suddenly. There was an audible gasp, but Mariah took no notice, merely shook out her skirts and turned to Amy. ‘Can I get you something, Lady Washington?’

  When everyone had given their orders and Dorinda had handed over some money – ‘Not that I do this every Saturday’ – Maude and Mariah left and the whole company turned to Amy.

  ‘What’s come over ’er?’ asked Aramantha.

  ‘I think she’s relaxed,’ said Amy. ‘It was a lot of pressure keeping up that ever-so-posh trick. She doesn’t have to now.’

  ‘She still calls you Lady Washington, though,’ said Phoebe.

  ‘Can’t have everything,’ said Amy with a laugh.

  But Mariah didn’t look as happy when she and Maude arrived back at The Alexandria. She pulled Amy apart from the others and began whispering earnestly in her ear.

  ‘What’s the matter?’ murmured Dorinda to Maude.

  ‘I think she saw someone she recognised,’ said Maude. ‘She didn’t say anything, but just as we were coming back down Victoria Place, she sort of stiffened, you know? Then she began to hurry forward, quite leaving me behind.’

  ‘Oh, bother,’ said Dorinda, her mind going straight back to the two young gentlemen the girls had reported to her that morning. Stage-door Johnnies? If they came to The Alexandria, would they recognise Amy? She looked across at Amy and Mariah and noticed with relief that Amy appeared to be dismissing Mariah’s concerns.

  ‘Do I ask?’ she whispered to Maude.

  ‘I wouldn’t. Let her tell you, if she wants to.’

  Dorinda picked up her pie and went to leave the backstage area. As she did, Amy called out.

  ‘Dolly – don’t worry. He won’t come here.’

  Dorinda frowned. ‘Who won’t?’

  ‘Didn’t Mariah say?’ Amy came over to Dorinda and Maude, watched by the rest of the company, who were obviously straining to listen. ‘She saw Jeremy up on Victoria Parade.’

  ‘Jeremy? You mean the young man who –’

  ‘Yes, him. I don’t know how he got wind of me being here, or if it’s just a coincidence. But I shouldn’t think he’d come here. Too much of a toff.’

  ‘Yes, but the toffs go to the music halls in London, don’t they?’ said Dorinda.

  ‘But this is a pierrot show,’ said Amy.

  ‘No, it isn’t,’ said Dorinda. ‘It’s a Concert Party, and remember that even the King enjoys concert parties – and pierrot shows.’

  ‘Yes.’ Amy looked away. ‘Sorry.’

  ‘You don’t think he’ll come here, then?’

  Amy shook her head, but didn’t look as certain as she had before. ‘But even if he did, it wouldn’t make any difference to me.’

  ‘But you’ve been running away from him. He’d have found you.’

  Amy looked confused for moment, as if she couldn’t quite remember why she’d been running away. ‘We’ll see,’ was all she said before turning away and going back to Mariah.

  ‘Curiouser and curiouser,’ muttered Dorinda.

  ‘What?’ Maude turned a surprised face towards her.

  ‘Oh, it’s from a book. One I used to read to Julia.’ Dorinda heaved a sigh. ‘I’m going to eat my pie.’

  The evening audience sounded like a much rowdier version of the afternoon’s as Dorinda listened from inside her office, until Maude stuck her head round the door and said it was time to start. She walked through the auditorium to a smattering of applause, took her seat at the piano and thumped out her opening bars.

  If the audience were noisier, then her troupe were positively effervescing. Dorinda’s eyebrows rose further and further towards her hairline as unexpected bits of business were inserted, impossible high notes were achieved and new meanings seem
ed to pour out of familiar songs.

  In the interval, Dorinda went to congratulate them all.

  ‘What is it, though? You’re all performing like stars,’ she said. ‘Not that you aren’t stars already, of course!’

  ‘I don’t know,’ said Maisie. ‘It’s the audience.’

  ‘They want more, so we’re giving ’em more,’ said Algy, grinning at Maisie.

  ‘And,’ said Amy, rather pink about the cheeks, ‘I was wrong. He is here, after all.’

  ‘Who?’ asked Aramantha, as Dorinda’s heart sank.

  ‘The Honourable Jeremy Coutts,’ said Amy. ‘Blast him.’

  ‘An Honourable, eh?’ Aramantha’s eyes lit up.

  ‘And he’s got another bloke with him,’ Amy continued. ‘I don’t know him.’

  ‘Where are they?’ asked Dorinda. ‘How far back?’

  ‘About four or five rows, I think. Right on the end. Your end.’

  ‘That’s the bloke we saw this morning,’ said Phoebe.

  ‘One of them is,’ said Betty. ‘I’ve seen the other one before, though, I’m sure, although he’s kep’ his hat on. Pulled down.’

  Leaving the company in a state of nervous excitement, Dorinda went back to her piano to open the second half. Before she did so, she looked down the aisle towards the fourth row back. In the end seat was a dark-haired young man, who looked faintly amused by the proceedings, but intelligent and interested. Then Dorinda looked at the man next to him. And looked straight into the eyes of Jack Colyer.

  Chapter Five

  She saw him smile faintly before she turned her attention back to the piano. Her heart was thumping and there was a strange rushing in her ears. ‘Don’t faint,’ she muttered to herself, ‘don’t faint.’ With an effort she brought her hands down on the keys and swung into the second half opening chorus.

  With difficulty she kept herself from turning to look at the two men at the end of the fourth row throughout the second half, but when at last she stood to take her own bow she saw that Jack Colyer had disappeared. Still feeling slightly shaky she went backstage to speak to the company.

  ‘’Ere!’ said Aramantha. ‘That other bloke – it was the Inspector! Did you see?’

  ‘Yes, I saw,’ said Dorinda.

  ‘Inspector?’ echoed Amy.

  ‘From London!’ said Phoebe. ‘He was here before. Nice he is, isn’t he, Dolly?’

  ‘Quite pleasant,’ said Dorinda, praying her cheeks didn’t look as hot as they felt.

  ‘Why was he here?’ asked Amy, who was now as pale as she had been pink earlier.

  ‘When we had the murder,’ said Maisie. ‘You know about that.’

  ‘Oh.’ Amy looked quickly at Aramantha. ‘Sorry.’

  ‘Why is he here, though?’ Dorinda looked quizzically at Amy. ‘And why is he with the Honourable Jeremy?’

  ‘I don’t know.’ It was almost a mumble, and Amy turned away quickly to slip behind the curtain into the women’s dressing area, where Mariah’s voice could be heard, scolding. The rest of the women looked at one another with raised eyebrows.

  ‘Dolly.’ Maude appeared from the auditorium. ‘You’re wanted.’

  Dorinda didn’t need to ask who wanted her. She followed Maude back through the now empty auditorium to where Inspector Jack Colyer stood outside her office door.

  ‘Miss Alexander.’ He gave her a small bow.

  ‘Inspector.’Dorinda nodded. ‘Would you like to come into the office?’ She turned to Maude. ‘I won’t be long, Maudie. If you want to go home without me, I don’t mind.’

  Maude opened her mouth, glanced at Jack Colyer and closed it again.

  Dorinda opened the office door and preceded the Inspector inside. She took her seat behind her desk and waved him to the visitor’s chair.

  ‘What can I do for you?’

  ‘No pleasantries? No “how nice to see you again”? I’m disappointed.’

  Dorinda sighed. ‘It’s the end of the week and I’m tired, Mr Colyer. If you have a reason to seek me out, I should be grateful if you would tell me as quickly as possible.’

  He leant back in his chair and folded his hands over his waistcoat. ‘Lady Washington.’

  Dorinda regarded him steadily. ‘What about her?’

  ‘You do know she’s in your company?’

  ‘Of course.’ Dorinda raised her eyebrows at him. ‘Using her old stage name.’

  ‘Do you know why?’

  ‘Why what? Why is she using her stage name?’

  Colyer frowned. ‘You know exactly what I mean. Why has she joined your company?’

  ‘She enjoys the work.’

  ‘Is this something to do with your friend Ivy?’

  ‘Lady Anderson,’ Dorinda corrected icily, and saw her adversary’s lips twitch.

  ‘Well, does it?’ he asked.

  ‘Lady Anderson introduced me to Lady Washington.’

  ‘And did she tell you why?’

  Dorinda knew that her cheeks were growing pink again. ‘I’ve already told you.’

  ‘She didn’t happen to mention that she had been questioned by the police?’

  Dorinda’s heart gave a terrific thump.

  ‘No!’ she was able to answer truthfully.

  Colyer was silent for a long moment, looking at her thoughtfully. ‘And did you know the young man sitting next to me?’ he asked eventually.

  ‘Amy told us. The Honourable Jeremy Coutts.’

  ‘Us?’

  ‘The company,’ said Dorinda, surprised. ‘She said she didn’t know who you were.’

  ‘We’ve never met,’ said Colyer.

  Dorinda scowled at him. ‘Please, Mr Colyer, either tell me what you’re doing here and what this is all about or go away. I would actually rather walk home with Mr and Mrs Beddowes than on my own, and if you keep me any longer, that is what I shall be doing.’

  ‘I could escort you.’

  ‘No, thank you.’ Dorinda pressed her lips together.

  Colyer sighed. ‘Very well. I shall need to talk to Lady Washington tomorrow. Will she be here?’

  ‘Unless she decides Nethergate is suddenly unhealthy,’ said Dorinda.

  ‘Which is possible.’

  ‘She’s still here.’ Dorinda had been keeping an eye on the slope and so far, only Betty and Patsy had left.

  ‘I won’t disturb her now.’ Colyer stood up, then leant forward with palms flat on the desk. ‘And don’t try protecting her.’

  ‘Protecting her?’ Dorinda leant as far back as she could. ‘From what?’

  ‘Me.’ Colyer gave a wolfish smile, turned and left the office. Dorinda sat still and watched as he strode up the slope to Victoria Place, where he turned and tipped his hat in her direction.

  She shook herself, let out a breath and stood. It was time to talk to Amy.

  She was almost too late. Amy and Mariah were just coming out of the auditorium dressed for the street.

  ‘Amy. I need to talk to you. Would you come into my office, please?’

  ‘No, of course not!’ Mariah, predictably, expostulated.

  ‘Amy.’ Dorinda fixed her with a steely eye. Amy lowered her head and stepped past Dorinda, who then stopped Mariah as she attempted to follow.

  ‘No, Mariah. I wish to see Amy alone.’ Dorinda went into the office and shut the door in the affronted woman’s face.

  ‘I wish I could do that,’ said Amy wistfully, as Dorinda resumed her seat behind her desk.

  ‘I thought you were very fond of Mariah?’

  ‘Oh, I am,’ said Amy, on a sigh, ‘but sometimes…’ she broke off. ‘What did you want to talk to me about?’

  ‘I’m sure you know.’ Dorinda rested her chin on her hands. ‘But I’ll hazard a guess. Those rumours put about by your – stepdaughters, if you can call them that – reached the ears of the police, didn’t they?’

  Amy was staring at her like a hypnotised rabbit.

  ‘Didn’t they, Amy? And the police questioned you. And, as they were sitting to
gether, I gather they probably questioned young Jeremy, too.’

  ‘They? Who’s they?’

  ‘The Honourable Jeremy and Inspector Colyer from Scotland Yard. Did the police question him, too?’

  Amy nodded, still doing her hypnotised rabbit impression.

  Dorinda sighed. ‘The Inspector wants to talk to you tomorrow. I don’t think he intends to do anything else, or he would have demanded to see you tonight, so I advise you to see him. In the meantime, I would like you to tell me exactly what has been going on. As your employer, I think I ought to know.’

  Amy looked down at her hands clasped tightly in her lap.

  ‘I told you the truth,’ she said eventually. ‘’Cept about the police. They came an’ questioned me – an’ Mariah. It was ’orrible. An’ then Jeremy called. ’E was – well – quite angry. ’E said the police ’ad been to talk to ’im as well. Actually at ’is club! No wonder ’e was angry.’

  ‘And this was just because Sir Harold’s daughters had laid information with the police?’

  Amy nodded. ‘Oh, they didn’t say as much, it was more “information received”, if you know what I mean. But they’d accused me to my face, so it ’ad to be them, didn’t it?’

  ‘It certainly seems like it. So that was when you decided to leave town?’

  ‘People began to talk.’ Amy’s face was turning pink again. ‘I couldn’t go out. An’ I said I wanted to go back to halls. Mariah was against it, of course, but then I went to see Ada. You know, Ivy’s sister?’

  ‘Yes, I know Ada.’

  ‘And Ada told me all about you, and I knew Ivy already, of course. So they suggested I come down ’ere, an’ … well, you know the rest.’

  ‘So you were really hiding from the police, not just society?’

  Amy’s colour deepened even further. ‘Yes.’

  Dorinda shook her head. ‘Why do you think there’s a Scotland Yard detective down here? With the Hon. Jeremy?’

  ‘I dunno!’ wailed Amy. ‘Jeremy can’t believe I killed Harold! I can’t even kill a spider.’

  ‘Perhaps he’s down here to protect you,’ suggested Dorinda.

  ‘I don’t see ’ow ’e could do that.’ Amy put her head in her hands.