Having taken in the scale and wonder ofthe room, Mary moved to the nearest shelf and pored over the tomes beforeher. Her forefinger moved carefully over the coarse spines, tracing thegold and black lettering, absorbing unfamiliar authors and titles. To herdelight, Mary’s fingertip came to rest on Four Sisters, the most recentnovel by her favourite author, Alice Ashdown. She delicately pulled thebook from the shelf then turned it over in her hands.
‘What are you doing?’ a voice whispered atthe open doorway, making Mary drop the book in fright.
‘Edward! Don’t creep up on me likethat!’ Mary said.
Edward pushed the door closed. ‘Mary, I’m serious. What are you doing in here?’
‘Bringing up a coffee pot. Icouldn’t find one of the dreadful servants, so I did it myself,’ she saidplayfully. ‘I shall be having coffee, luncheon, afternoon tea, dinner andsupper in here.’ Mary stooped down in an exaggerated fashion to pick upthe fallen book. ‘See to it that I’m not disturbed, Mister Mercer.’
Edward shook his head. ‘Mary, you’llget us both in big trouble if you’re found in here.’
‘Please address me as Lady Mercer,’Mary said with her head held high, staring down her nose at her cousin, thehandsome Blackfriars footman. She and Edward had both inherited theirgrandfather’s fiery red hair, a simple familial resemblance, but which othersimbued with implications about shared personality traits. It was truethat, as children, Edward was one of the few people who had really understoodher mischievous sense of adventure. After Edie, Edward had always beenher favourite relative.
A small smile appeared on Edward’sface. ‘Mary, put that book back. This coffee is for Lady Rothborne,she’ll be in here at any moment.’
Mary flung her red hair to one side andmarched in an exaggeratedly indignant fashion to the tall windows. ‘Inview of the impetuous snow we’re having of late, I shall enjoy my coffee onthis delightful window seat. Fetch it over please, Mercer.’ Marysat bolt upright in the window chaise longue, the book placed in herlap, with all the posture of an eminent lady.
Edward drew closer and stood in front ofher. ‘Lady Mercer,’ he said exaggeratedly. ‘Will you pleaseget out of here!’ Edward gently placed his hand on her elbow and ran hisfingers up her arm and into her tousled hair.
His touch sent a wave of delight throughher, a feeling that shocked and surprised her. She remembered what Ediehad just told her and whipped her head to one side so that his hand fell fromher. She looked at the window and watched fat chunks of snow silentlycolliding with the window, slowly transforming into droplets of water.
A moment’s silence was interrupted by thesound of the door opening behind them, quickly followed by a mild gasp. Edward immediately side-stepped and stood up straight, knowing that he had beencaught.
‘What in God’s name is happeninghere?’ a grave, female voice bellowed across the library.
Mary looked over at the doorway and there,in an elegant coal-black dress which stretched to the floor, stood theformidable Lady Rothborne, Dowager Countess of Blackfriars. She allowedher words to linger and echo among the book-laden walls like a reverberatingspell. Despite her old age, she stood with perfect posture, staring atthe pair of them.
Edward stepped forward with a deferentialnod of his head. ‘Your Ladyship, I was just showing Miss Mercer the wayout. She got lost bringing your coffee up. She was doing the chef afavour.’
Lady Rothborne strode into the room andstopped before Edward. ‘Miss Mercer?’
‘Yes, Your Ladyship—she is my cousin.’
‘I can see the resemblance,’ LadyRothborne said, without so much as a glance towards Mary. ‘What is your cousindoing assisting Monsieur Bastion? I was not aware of any new scullerymaids at Blackfriars. Where is her uniform?’
Edward’s eyes sank to the floor. ‘She was just waiting here while her sister has an interview with LadyRothborne, Your Ladyship. She has come for the job of third housemaid.’
Lady Rothborne raised an eyebrow, herharsh features softening momentarily. ‘Has she now?’ She glancedacross to Mary but addressed Edward. ‘That will be all, Mercer.’
Edward looked uncertainly at Mary.
‘That will be all, Mercer,’ Lady Rothbornereiterated in a louder, more severe tone.
‘Yes, my lady,’ Edward said. With aslight nod of the head, he hurried from the room, closing the door behind him.
Mary stared at Lady Rothborne, anxiouslywaiting for her to speak; even to look at her directly. Edie would bemortified to know that she had been caught by Lady Rothborne holding a bookfrom the Blackfriars library. Mary lowered the copy of Four Sisters andslowly began to push it behind her back.
Without a flinch, Lady Rothborne turnedand snapped, ‘And what are you planning on doing with that?’
‘Well, I would love to borrow it,’ Marysaid.
Lady Rothborne could not hide a look ofpuzzlement. ‘You want to borrow a book from the Blackfriars library, MissMercer?’
‘Only if you don’t mind.’
Lady Rothborne raised her eyebrows. ‘I’m afraid there is no precedence for handing books out willy-nilly to thepublic.’ She paused and smiled. ‘For employees, on the hand, wemight make an exception. May I ask, why you did not apply for the role ofthird housemaid?’
Mary shrugged. ‘I don’t have theexperience. My sister, Edie has done it for years.’
Lady Rothborne smiled. ‘Nonsense. I’m sure you would pick it up in a flash. Would you likea job here?’
Mary’s eyes suddenly came alive, as herimagination was reignited. Books, cousin Edward, Lord Rothborne: littleconsideration was required. It wasn’t exactly what she had dreamed of butit was a start. A way in. ‘Yes, I would like that very much.’
Chapter Three
Mortonwas sitting in his study, sipping a large cup of coffee and steadily siftingthrough the wodge of paperwork provided by his new client, Ray Mercer. Having initially buzzed through the pile of papers in order to ascertain thecontents, he was now working through them systematically, creating a basicgenealogical chart for the Mercer family as he went. So far, so ordinary. Nothing which would give rise to the disappearance of a seventeen year-oldgirl. He had so far been most intrigued by the note left on Edith’s gravein 1962. I hope you are at peace. Morton had carefullystudied
