CHAPTER 5
The morning passed swiftly, and in no time, it seemed, Kevin returned to the Pennyfoot. Cecily had invited Madeline to join her and Baxter in the dining room for the midday meal, and Kevin arrived just as they were finishing the last crumbs of delicious apple dumplings with brandy sauce.
When Cecily offered to have a meal sent in for him, he declined, and instead asked that they adjourn to her office. “There is something of grave importance that we must discuss,” he said, filling her once more with cold dread.
She rose at once, signaling Madeline and Baxter to follow her and together they made their way to her office. As Baxter closed the door, she let out a long sigh. “It’s bad news, isn’t it.”
Kevin waited for the women to seat themselves before following suit. “I’m afraid so.” He paused, waiting for Baxter to also take a seat.
Unable to wait a moment longer, Cecily blurted out, “Ian’s death wasn’t an accident after all?”
Baxter looked startled, while Madeline merely nodded.
Kevin glanced at his wife, then folded his hands across his chest. “I decided to take my wife’s advice for once. I examined the wound on the victim’s head. It couldn’t have been caused by a rock. It had a distinct shape. A hexagon, obviously the result of being struck by a heavy object.”
“A candlestick,” Madeline said.
Both men stared at her, while Cecily, realizing at once what was coming, sank back in her chair.
“Candlestick?” Kevin’s voice was sharp again. “How do you know that?”
“There’s one missing,” Madeline said calmly. “Out there on the hallstand. It was part of my display and someone has removed it. I think it might have been used for a much more malicious purpose.”
She gave Cecily a look of apology. “I didn’t want to say anything until I was sure, but when Kevin mentioned the hexagon-shaped wound I knew it had to be the candlestick. I sensed the aura of malice when I touched them, and besides, they have a six-sided base.”
“Good Lord.” Baxter leaned forward, his jaw tense with shock. “Are you telling me someone murdered Rossiter?”
“It would appear that way.” Madeline sighed. “I’m so sorry. I know this must be a shock to you both.”
“Why?” Cecily covered her face with her hands for a moment. “Why here? Why now?”
Baxter groaned. “Not again.”
Kevin got up from his chair and pulled a watch from his vest pocket. “If the candlestick was used as a weapon, then we should try to find it.”
“It’s such a beautiful Christmas candlestick,” Madeline said mournfully. “I do hope you get it back.”
The loss of the candlestick did not concern Cecily at all. Nor was she as shocked as Madeline might think. Ever since Clive had burst into the lobby with the news, she’d had an uneasy feeling that Ian’s death might not have been an accident.
What’s more, she was thinking about Gertie’s reaction when she told her that Ian had died. It hadn’t been the first time Gertie had threatened dire harm to Ian if he didn’t leave her and the twins alone. Not only that, Gertie hadn’t seemed in the least surprised that Ian had returned to Badgers End. Which suggested she already knew that he was in the vicinity.
She needed to have a word with that young lady, Cecily decided. As soon as possible.
Gertie pushed the sweeper back and forth across the carpet, angling in between the dining room tables to get underneath them. Pansy was across the room polishing the sideboard, and Gertie had to raise her voice above the squeaking wheels of the sweeper.
“Where’s that Mabel got to? She’s supposed to be in here helping us.”
Pansy shrugged. “Dunno. She went down to the kitchen and she hasn’t come back yet.”
“Bleeding useless, that girl.” Gertie dragged a chair out of her way. “You’ll never guess what she did last night. Lit all the flipping candles on the Christmas tree.”
Pansy spun around. “Go on! What’d she do that for?”
“She said she’s never seen candles lit on a Christmas tree and wanted to know what they looked like.” Gertie paused to get her breath. “Can you imagine what madam would have done if she’d seen them? Ever since that year when the tree caught fire and nearly burned down the hotel she’s never lit another candle on there. I could have screamed when I saw them all flickering away like that.”
“Did you make her blow them all out?”
“You bet I did. I bloody helped her, too.” Gertie shook her head. “It’s a bloody good job it was after nine o’clock and madam had gone to her suite. I told that little twit she’d better not tell anyone what she done or she’d be out on her ear. If I hadn’t seen the flickering light under the library door and gone in there gawd knows what might have happened.”
Pansy’s eyes opened wide. “She could have burned down the hotel!”
“Well, she didn’t, so don’t say nothing. She might not be much of a worker, but we need her help and it’s too late to hire anyone else for the Christmas season now.”
Pansy turned back to her polishing. “I won’t say nothing, but I just hope she doesn’t do anything else stupid.”
“Yeah, me, too.” Gertie started sweeping again. “So how are you and Samuel getting along now? Is he still not talking to you?”
Pansy shrugged. “I haven’t seen much of him lately. He’s been busy with the horses and the motorcars, what with all the guests coming in for Christmas.”
“You two are always arguing.” Gertie pulled another chair out of the way and shoved the sweeper under the table. “I don’t know why you bother.”
“I like Samuel. And he likes me. He just doesn’t want what I want, that’s all.”
“You mean he doesn’t want to get married.”
“He keeps saying I’m too young to know me own mind.” Pansy spun around to face her again, scrunching up the polishing cloth in between her hands. “He won’t believe me when I say I know down deep in me heart he’s the one for me.”
Gertie leaned on the handle of the sweeper. She felt sorry for the young girl, but someone needed to tell her the truth. It would be better coming from a friend, than for her to find out the hard way. “It’s just an excuse, Pansy. Find someone else. Someone what will bleeding appreciate you. Stop wasting your time on Samuel. The truth is, he’ll never marry you, no matter how old you get. His heart belongs to someone else.”
Pansy’s face crumpled. “But I love Samuel. He’s the only one I want. I can make him forget his old girlfriend, I know I can. Doris is in London now and I’m right here.”
“Doris might be in London but her twin sister is still here in the Pennyfoot. Daisy has to remind Samuel of Doris every time he sees her.”
“I know that. I wish she’d gone to London with her sister. I really do.”
Gertie sighed. “I’m sorry, Pansy, but Daisy is a good nanny and I’d hate to lose her. I’d never find another one to live in a room in a country club and look after the twins the way she does.”
Pansy dabbed at her eyes with her sleeve. “I know. I just don’t know what to do.”
Gertie sighed. “Men. Who’d have ’em. I’ve had more than my share of ’em and, I tell you, half the time they’re not worth the trouble.”
“Well, what about Dan, then? I thought you were really sweet on him.”
“Dan’s all right. But he’s another one what’s bleeding afraid of getting married. Can’t say as I blame him, though. Taking on another man’s kids is not everyone’s cup of tea. The twins can be a handful at times, and it’s hard to tell them off when they’re not yours.”
“But Dan loves James and Lillian. You said so.”
“Yeah, well, loving them and taking care of them is two different things, ain’t it.”
“It’s a shame.” Pansy turned back to her polishing. “Children should have a father to take care of them.”
“Yeah, well, my kids haven’t had much bloody luck in that department, have they. They never really knew their real father.”
Pansy shook her head. “I still can’t believe Ian’s dead. I only met him once, but you’ve talked about him so
