“I’m looking for my niece, Maude,” Kelly lies to the doorman.“She worked here as a maid, I believe.”
“You should talk with Archibald Evans,” the fellow replies.“He’s in charge of all the cleaning staff.”
Evans must be the one the Cockney servants were talking about.The “Archie” who’s so difficult to satisfy.
Crossing the threshold, Kelly and I enter the Windsor lobby.The room is filled with voices, echoing through the rectangular space, sayinglittle out of the ordinary. We stop at the concierge desk, and Kelly asks forMr. Evans. “I’ll send for him,” the clerk replies. “Please wait over there, inthe alcove.”
The overseer joins us promptly and Kelly repeats that MaudeLambson is his estranged niece. Archibald Evans accepts his claim withoutquestion. I’m a little uncomfortable with how well the doctor fabricates,actually. I may never believe another word that comes out of his mouth.
Archibald takes the seat next to Kelly, his old jointscreaking. He smells like liniment, ulcer powder, and laundry starch. Acurmudgeonly combination.
“Lambson left our employ some time ago. She was the worstmaid I ever had.” Evans stops there, appalled by his own candor. “Beg pardon,sir. That was a terrible thing for me to say, you being her family and all.”
I feel Kelly lift the hand resting on the arm of my chair. Theair stirs as he waves it magnanimously. “Don’t give it another thought, man. Wearen’t close. Why did she leave?”
“To marry, of course. You surely must have heard that news. Wehad no inkling Lambson had a beau, let alone a fiancé. Took a break oneafternoon, without so much as a by your leave, and sent for her things the nextday.”
“Who collected them?” Kelly asks.
“Wouldn’t know. A hired coach arrived and the driver took herbelongings.”
Kelly reaches into his pocket. I hear paper moving, beingunfolded, and passed to Evans. Must be money. “Any hint where he deliveredMaude’s possessions?”
“As I recall, the man complained about having to drop hersuitcases off at the train station. In the public cloakroom where any Tom,Dick, or Harry could take them. An irregular situation, to be sure.”
“Ah, I see,” Kelly murmurs, slipping Archibald another bill.“And when was this?”
The elderly man pauses. “Over a year ago. Beginning of June, Ithink.”
That fits. It sounds right.
Kelly rises to his feet, then takes my arm and helps me up.“This may seem strange, Evans. But how would you describe Maude Lambson to me?”
“Well, I suppose that she was small, had reddish hair. Camefrom Cornwall.”
Kelly withdraws something from his pocket again. Doesn’t soundcrinkly, not like money this time. “Did she wear gingham similar to thissample?”
“Quite often, sir,” Archibald Evans replies. “She had it onlast time I saw her.”
15
Quo fata ferunt.
Whither the fates bear.
Weleave the Windsor, and I am thankful to be out in the open air again, until wepass the chestnut vendor. The nuts smell foul in my opinion, but Kelly feelsthe opposite. He’s quite enthusiastic about them, and stops to buy a bag,crunching the odiferous nuts for the rest of the trip.
Cordelia greets us the moment we enter Kelly’s medicalbuilding. “Where have you been? I’ve drunk enough tea to float away. Oh, here’syour pipe tobacco, Doctor.”
Kelly takes the tin. “Right. Thank you, Miss Collins. You werevery kind to get it for me.”
“Easily done, sir.” She touches my shoulder. “It’s Ma and Pa’sanniversary tonight, miss. Do you remember my mentioning it?”
I certainly do—although I had forgotten. Cordie scheduled theevening off weeks in advance. She had planned to leave for the familyget-together halfway through our signing lessons, but Kelly and I threw herschedule into chaos by interviewing Evans at the hotel.
“Dear Miss Collins, please make haste to the celebration andwish your parents well,” Kelly says. “Our apologies for having caused youdistress.”
Cordelia begins to button her coat and turns to me. “Willard’sat the tavern. He’ll drive you home.”
“Be at ease,” Kelly replies. “I’ll make certain she returnssafely.”
Have fun, I sign. Go.
The doctor tells his secretary to send a message to Willard,informing him that his services won’t be needed. I must look surprised.
“I’ll take you home after lessons. I’d like to pay a visit toyour mother and see how she’s feeling. You don’t mind spending a little moretime with me, do you?”
I pretend to be dismayed and Kelly laughs. He leads me into hisprivate office and drops the tin of pipe tobacco on the desk. We work for overan hour on signing, adding more words and phrases to my reserve. Since oursecond lesson, the doctor has allowed me to keep my gloves on. They are made ofthin cashmere and fit my fingers well—that way I can easily feel the positionof Kelly’s hands without actually touching any skin.
“You really are the brightest student a teacher could have,” hesays. “How do you pick things up so quickly?”
Because I hail from a Roman goddess, Doctor, and there’s magicin my blood. I give Kelly a little smile, the Mona Lisa one that he enjoys.
“You’re a mystery, minx,” Kelly says, rising to his feet. “Nodoubt about it.”
He waits for me to stand. “Much as I would like to linger herewith you, we’d better be off. I’d hate for your mother to worry.”
Kelly pays a coachman to drive us to The Revels. Once we arriveat my home, he climbs out of the vehicle and asks the driver to wait. He liftsme down, escorts me into the house. We enter the foyer, and remove our winterthings, handing them to Martha. Kelly follows me up to Mama’s boudoir. She isresting quietly, and I sit in the chair by the fireplace while the doctor givesher a quick assessment. Mama’s voice is breathy as she answers his questions.
“Well, Mrs. Grayson,” Kelly says. “Your heartbeat is ratherfast, and you still exhibit unusual swelling. This is the beginning of yourfifth month, correct?”
“Yes,” she murmurs.
“Is the baby active? Kicking and moving?”
Mama’s voice brightens. “He did near somersaults after dinner.”
“That’s good,” Kelly replies. “Are you comfortable?” I hear himadjusting the blankets on the bed and fluffing the pillows. “Would you bewilling to see an obstetric specialist? I have a colleague at the hospital vastlymore experienced with troubled pregnancies than I.”
My father
