An Old Money Murder in Mayfair

by Sara Rosett

  “He’s not?” It was another indiscreet question, but Gigi was forthright and didn’t seem to mind.

  “No. He truly loves me for me. Remember during Granny’s horrible Murder Party? Benny was the only one who stood by me—besides you, of course. Captain Inglebrook practically became one with the paneling in an effort to distance himself from me, but Benny spoke up for me.” She reached for her small sparkling handbag and clicked open the metal clasp. “And he gave me this.”

  She took out what I thought at first was a small stick, but then she twisted it. It extended. “Is that your cigarette holder?”

  “Yes! Benny had it repaired for me. Wasn’t that sweet? He’s always doing sweet things for me.”

  “I hope you’ll be very happy.”

  “Thank you.” She collapsed the holder and tucked it away, then said, “How is Mr. Quigley?”

  The conversational turn was quite abrupt, but I said, “He’s well. I’ll be sure and tell him you asked after him. He finds the flat a little confining, but he’s learning to imitate me when I answer the telephone, ‘Belgrave Investigations. Perplexing and delicate situations our specialty.’ I’m hoping to teach him to knock the ear piece off and recite that phrase when the line rings. He’d make a wonderful secretary, don’t you think?”

  “Fabulous, but if he needs more space . . .” She fiddled with the handbag clasp, then her words came out in a rush, “perhaps I could take him off your hands. It could be a wedding present.”

  “You want a parrot?”

  “Yes. Yes, as a matter of fact, I do. I became quite fond of Mr. Quigley when you were at Alton House. I miss his chatter since you’ve gone. Benny and I are buying a pile in the country. It’s not far, only a short train ride away, and it has a conservatory. A monstrous Victorian thing filled with palms and ferns, and I know Mr. Quigley would be perfectly happy there.”

  “You certainly had a way with him. He would come to you and no one else.”

  “I always told Mummy and Daddy that I had a gift for communicating with animals, but they wouldn’t hear of Jeffery or me having any pets in the house. Mummy’s allergic to cats, and Daddy insists that dogs are only for hunting. I’d love to take care of Mr. Quigley, if you wouldn’t miss him too much.”

  “Oh, I’ll miss him, but he’d be far better off flitting around an enormous conservatory than hopping along the window ledge in my flat.”

  “Perfect! Oh, look, there’s Benny with the eggnog, and he’s brought one for all of us. He’s clever like that. He thinks of everything.”

  Best wishes and congratulations were exchanged as we sipped our eggnog. Mr. Tower clearly doted on Gigi, and she was the sort who wanted to be doted on. But he wasn’t so smitten that he’d lost his good sense. As they told me about the house they were buying, Gigi said, “I wanted to gut the whole thing, but Benny’s convinced me that would be too rash.”

  “Judicious improvements,” he said. “That’s the ticket.”

  Gigi said, “Sadly, sleek chrome and glass don’t go with the old pile. Fortunately, they’ll look spectacular in our new flat. I have free rein there to decorate to my heart’s content.”

  “And what will happen with Alton House?” I asked.

  “Mummy and Daddy will live there after they return from their trip. I expect them to arrive home sometime in the new year. In the meantime, Felix will oversee things there, which means Granny does get her wish. I think he’ll do well with the estate, actually. He’s already coordinating with the War Department to lease them a section of land near Altonbury for an airfield. Very savvy of him. And he’s under contract for another ‘shocker,’ so I’m sure he’ll be writing as well.”

  “Yes, he told me how you helped him with that.”

  “It’s funny, isn’t it, how things can be right under your nose and you can’t see them?” Gigi reached for Mr. Tower’s hand, and they smiled at each other. I looked out over the dance floor, feeling like a gooseberry. My gaze fell on Jasper, who was dancing with Essie.

  Suddenly, Gigi said, “Oh, darling, there’s Mrs. Forscue coming toward us. She’s the most horrible gossip. You must distract her. If she sees my ring, the news will be all over London.”

  Mr. Tower said, “I’ll do my duty and ask her to dance. Then I’ll expect at least a waltz in repayment.”

  “At least,” Gigi said, her tone seductive.

  As he intercepted Mrs. Forscue, Gigi said, “Benny really is the bee’s knees.” She turned to me, her eyes bright. “Oh, more news you’ll be interested in. You’ll never believe it. Dowd and Elrick have gone into business together.”

  “Doing what?”

  “Employment agency. Apparently, they were both thrifty with the salaries that Granny gave them. They’ve pulled their savings together and set up shop.”

  “Goodness. Who would’ve thought—a business partnership between those two.”

  “I believe they’re ideally suited, and they’re out of Alton House, which suits me down to the ground.”

  “It probably suits them too.”

  “I’m sure it does.” We sipped our eggnog and watched the dancers for a moment, then Gigi dipped her head toward the chairs that lined the dance floor. “Addie’s here as well. I spoke to her earlier. She’s danced with no one except her brother.”

  “I hope Rollo is being as faithful.”

  “Apparently so. He’s in Paris but has refused to attend any social events. He spends his days writing letters to Addie. I called on his mother. His parents are wavering about sending him on to Switzerland and then Italy.”

  “It’s a rather large expense, a grand tour.”

  “I hinted that it might be expedient to bring him home and spend the money on a wedding. Her brother now has pots of money, so they can’t object to Addie’s finances any longer.”

  “I hope they come around for Addie’s sake.”

  “I think it’s a matter of time.”

  Jasper swept by with Essie in his arms. He gave me a brilliant smile, and I felt my cheeks heat up.

  Gigi said, “Goodness, you’re both besotted. This should be interesting.”

  Mr. Tower danced by again, blowing a kiss at Gigi while Mrs. Forscue’s head was turned.

  “Gigi,” I said, “are you sure about Mr. Tower—”

  “Olive, darling, you’re going to have to call him Benny. The husband of one of your close friends is no longer a ‘Mister.’ And yes, I’m sure.”

  “But how well do you know him?”

  “I’ve known him forever.”

  “As a business acquaintance.”

  Gigi patted my hand. “You’re sweet to worry, but I’m definitely sure. Besides, I know him as well as you know Jasper.”

  A woman stopped to chat with Gigi, and I shifted my attention to Jasper as he fox-trotted around the dance floor. How much did I really know about him? He’d had a lonely childhood. He’d visited Parkview every holiday because his father had been in the civil service in India. He had excellent touch-typing skills. He often disappeared from society for short increments, and he was extremely closemouthed about what happened during those gaps of time. He presented a façade of a rather foolish gentleman about town, but in reality, he was quite clever.

  The woman left, and Gigi turned back to me. “Do you have a new case you’re working on?”

  “Yes, I think I do.” I stopped there.

  Gigi nodded, her expression solemn. “You can’t speak about it. Confidentiality. I understand.”

  The dance ended, and Mr. Tower—Benny—came to escort Gigi to the dance floor. “You don’t mind, do you, Olive?” she asked.

  “No, you go ahead.” I waved them off. It gave me time to contemplate how I would begin my investigation into Jasper Rimington.

  The Story Behind the Story

  Thank you for joining Olive and Jasper for another mystery! When I’m plotting a book, I draw inspiration from many sources—books, blogs, memoirs, and my own travel. When I began working on An Old Money Murder in Mayfa
ir, I decided it had been far too long since I’d visited England. A research trip was in order. I began writing the first draft of the book while reading all I could find about London’s high society in the early 1920s. I delved into researching the lives of several women that the press of the day dubbed the Bright Young People, including Loelia, the Duchess of Westminster, Nancy Mitford, Barbara Cartland, Elisabeth Ponsonby, Lady Eleanor Smith, and the Jungman sisters, Zita and Teresa.

  I discovered many of the elegant London townhouses like my fictional Alton House have either been torn down or converted to embassies or hotels, but I didn’t let that stop me from traveling to London. I toured a few of the stately homes that remained and tromped all over Mayfair. I also sampled tea at several tea shops and visited the Savoy, a favorite stop for Jasper and Olive.

  The inspiration for the Murder Party came from a real incident. Extravagant themed parties were all the rage, and one hostess hired a party planner to stage a murder. As in this novel, only a few people were in on the secret that it was a fake murder. Zita Jungman, who did know the whole thing was an elaborate joke, played the part of the victim, while hired actors took on the roles of investigators. They gathered clues and accused the Duke of Marlborough of murder. The party made the front page of the Daily Express the next day with the headline that the duke had murdered a woman. My fictional murder party occurred in 1923, much earlier than the real incident that inspired it, but when I read about the Murder Party, I knew I had to include something like it in An Old Money Murder in Mayfair.

  Besides hosting over-the-top parties, the Bright Young People engaged in a number of other entertaining activities. They really did have treasure hunts and raced around London in motors looking for clues. Scavenger hunts came into fashion, and they hunted for unusual items like a police bobby’s hat or a feather from a black swan. They hosted a fake exhibit of modern art, creating a fictitious persona, Bruno Hat, and fooled many of the attendees. They dressed up and took on diverse roles—reporters, literary award presenters, and even foreign royalty—all for a laugh.

  It was a madcap lifestyle, and I tried to capture that sense of energy and fun in this book. Yet under the frivolity, there was a frantic aspect to the lives of the Bright Young People. The realities of the Great War were still very close, and it seems they didn’t want to slow down because then they’d have to examine the grief and sorrow that had touched every family.

  Another tidbit from real life is the issue of The Sketch magazine that Olive discovers in Addie’s room. Agatha Christie did write many short stories for magazines in the 1920s, and The Cornish Mystery was one of those. A poisoning is central to the plot, but I won’t give away the details here.

  Until I began researching what makeup Olive and Gigi would wear, I had no idea that cosmetics could be such a rich source for a mystery writer. Belladonna, lead, and arsenic are just a few of the dangerous ingredients that were common in makeup over the centuries. Arsenic was an ingredient in many cosmetics throughout the Twenties, even though it was well known it could be deadly. It was nicknamed “inheritance powder.” Coco Chanel popularized sunbathing and tanning, but pale skin was still prized. I was amazed at the number of advertisements that promised to remove freckles, calling them “blemishes.” Some of the beauty treatments like bleaching the skin sounded painful, while others like those touting the benefits of radium were dangerous. You could buy radium day or night creams or get a radium mud treatment!

  If you’re curious about Olive’s references to her time with Jasper at Hawthorn House, that story is in Duplicity, a crossover dual timeline novel. One storyline follows Olive in 1923, while the modern storyline follows Zoe from the On the Run series. The two women are separated by nearly a century, but both women chase the same masterpiece.

  The most frequently asked question I hear from readers is Will there be more Olive books? Yes! Up next is a Christmas mystery. I hope to write many more Olive adventures after that book.

  If you have the time and inclination to leave a review on this book or any other book in the series, especially the first book, Murder at Archly Manor, I’d greatly appreciate it. Reviews help readers find books, which enables me to continue writing the series.

  Sign up for my updates at SaraRosett.com/signup to get exclusive content and early looks at the books. I’d love to stay in touch!

  About the Author

  USA Today bestselling author Sara Rosett writes fun mysteries. Her books are light-hearted escapes for readers who enjoy interesting settings, quirky characters, and puzzling mysteries. Publishers Weekly called Sara’s books, “satisfying,” “well-executed,” and “sparkling.”

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  Sara loves to get new stamps in her passport and considers dark chocolate a daily requirement. Find out more at SaraRosett.com.

  Connect with Sara

  www.SaraRosett.com

  Also by Sara Rosett

  This is Sara Rosett’s complete library at the time of publication, but Sara has new books coming out all the time. Sign up for her Notes and News Updates at SaraRosett.com/signup to get exclusive content and information on new releases.

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  High Society Lady Detective

  Murder at Archly Manor

  Murder at Blackburn Hall

  The Egyptian Antiquities Murder

  Murder in Black Tie

  An Old Money Murder in Mayfair

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  Murder on Location

  Death in the English Countryside

  Death in an English Cottage

  Death in a Stately Home

  Death in an Elegant City

  Menace at the Christmas Market (novella)

  Death in an English Garden

  Death at an English Wedding

  On the Run

  Elusive

  Secretive

  Deceptive

  Suspicious

  Devious

  Treacherous

  Duplicity

  Ellie Avery

  Moving is Murder

  Staying Home is a Killer

  Getting Away is Deadly

  Magnolias, Moonlight, and Murder

  Mint Juleps, Mayhem, and Murder

  Mimosas, Mischief, and Murder

  Mistletoe, Merriment and Murder

  Milkshakes, Mermaids, and Murder

  Marriage, Monsters-in-law, and Murder

  Mother’s Day, Muffins, and Murder