the snow, but it could have been more than that. She could have been warning me to keep my nose out of her business. And one of the Misses Ffrench-Finch told me that she’d found out that Sal came to their kitchen door on the night their sister died. She was asking for food and the cook felt sorry for her and let her in. Maybe she had a chance to slip upstairs and turn on the gas then.”
The inspector got to his feet. “Right you are. You’ve put my mind at rest, Lady Georgiana. A good little head on your shoulders, that’s what you’ve got. Well, I’m off right now to find that woman and bring her in. Then finally I may be able to have one peaceful day with my family over Christmas.”
He left with an almost jaunty spring to his step. I didn’t feel so jaunty; in fact, I felt sick inside. Had I just condemned Wild Sal on entirely circumstantial evidence?
It was in a pensive frame of mind that I went back to join the house party. If Wild Sal really was the killer, had she warned me to mind my own business or was she warning me that I was on her list? In which case how did I get there? I tried to analyze that list of people who had died, but I could find nothing in common among them, however hard I tried. If you had wanted a random cross sample of people you’d find in a country village, they would be that cross sample.
I was in no real mood for fun and games but Lady Hawse-Gorzley had rallied everyone while I was being questioned and had a makeshift stage set up for the pantomime. The performers were already getting into their costumes and were all laughing and joking as if nothing untoward had happened. I was glad I didn’t have a part to play and tried to look jolly as Darcy, Monty and Badger made everyone laugh as the stepmother and two ugly sisters. Ethel proved to be a witty fairy godmother and frankly stole the show. Nobody remembered their lines but everybody but me seemed to have a good time and they all declared they were famished by the time we changed for dinner.
The cook had certainly not stinted with the food she had left for us. The main part of the meal was a big turkey curry, with all the accompaniments, preceded by a spicy lentil soup and followed by a whipped cream dessert that slipped down wonderfully. I thought the curry was most tasty. The Wexlers and the Upthorpes eyed it suspiciously, never having eaten curry before. The colonel took one bite, then turned to his wife. “Call this a curry?” he said. “Where we live a good curry is hot enough to singe your eyebrows—you ask the memsahib. Our cook, Mukergee—splendid fellow, been with us forever—he’s a Bengali and he thinks all English are sissies because we can’t take it any hotter.”
“Well, I’m sorry, but this is plenty hot enough for me.” Mr. Upthorpe wiped his brow. “You’re welcome to your foreign food, Colonel. Give me a good English roast meat and two veg any day, that’s what I say.”
“I enjoyed some fine curry lunches when I stayed with my friend the viceroy in Delhi,” the countess declaimed when silence had fallen. “I must say, I miss them and I find this a real treat.”
Lady Hawse-Gorzley beamed. “Thank you, Countess. It’s nice to know that one’s planning is appreciated, and I know that Cook will be delighted with your compliment.”
After the men had had their port and cigars and joined the womenfolk for coffee it was suggested that we play sardines and I was sent off to hide. I chose the linen cupboard and squeezed under the bottom shelf. Almost immediately the door opened and somebody squeezed in beside me.
“Finally we get a chance to be alone together,” Darcy whispered, nuzzling a kiss at my neck.
“How did you find me so quickly?” I whispered back.
“Have to confess I cheated. I saw which direction you were heading and I remembered your fondness for linen cupboards. And I’m not wasting any more time talking,” he added before kissing me. It was cramped and awkward and utterly blissful. I’m not sure how long we were alone together before the door opened again and another figure slipped in beside us. “Found you, you little minx,” said Johnnie’s voice. “You can’t get away from me this time. I have you trapped.”
“I should point out that’s my waist you are grasping, not Georgie’s,” Darcy said. I giggled as Johnnie hastily moved away.
“Well, I never did,” he muttered. “How did you find her so quickly, O’Mara?”
“Let’s just say I have good instincts,” Darcy said, “and I see now that those instincts were right and I needed to protect her from cads like you.”
“It’s a Christmas party game, old chum. Only a bit of fun, what?”
Their talking was overheard and soon more and more people crowded into the cupboard until the door would no longer close and the game was declared over. Darcy winked at me and held me back as we trooped down the stairs. “Next time we need not try too hard to find anyone,” he whispered, “and nobody will notice we’re missing.”
I have to confess I didn’t need much persuading, and when the others scattered around the house Darcy and I ducked into Sir Oswald’s study and picked up where the last kiss had ended.
“It’s been so long,” Darcy murmured.
“And whose fault is that? I’ve been stuck at Castle Rannoch. You, on the other hand, were seen entering the Cafe Royal recently.”
“Do you have your spies on me?” he laughed. “I did go to the Cafe Royal. I had to meet a man who had a small assignment for me. As it happened I turned it down. Sailing a little too near the wind for my taste.” He looked at me with sudden longing. “I wish I could find a normal, everyday sort of job and make a decent living, enough to support a wife and family.”
“You’d be bored in a normal, everyday sort of job.” I tried to make light of it.
“I’m serious, Georgie,” he said. “You know I’d ask you to marry me if I could support you. I’m trying as hard as I can, but there are no jobs for fellows like me—I don’t even have the connections to be sent out to the Colonies.”
“I know, it’s hard,” I said. “I feel the same way. Fig doesn’t want me around and refuses to let me stay alone at Rannoch House and I’ve nowhere else to go, unless I marry the next prince or count that my royal kin produce for me.”
“Maybe you should,” he said. “I can’t expect you to wait for me forever.”
“Darcy, you know I couldn’t. If I can’t marry someone I love, I’d rather stay a spinster. Perhaps I’ll take up a wicked life like my mother.”
He laughed, shaking his head. “You’re not the type, my darling. You’ve inherited your great-grandmother’s moral barometer . . . although after that display the other night, I’m not so sure anymore. Would you have invited the lecherous Johnnie into your bed if he’d escorted you upstairs?”
“Don’t tease, and you know I wouldn’t. In fact, he came into my room, hoping to take advantage of me while I was drunk.”
“Did he, the bounder? And what did you do?”
“I wasn’t capable of doing much, but Queenie threatened to hit him over the head with my water jug.”
“I like Queenie. I’m sure she’s not much use as a maid, but she has grit, doesn’t she?”
Footsteps ran past the door. Darcy stopped talking, then whispered, “Why are we wasting precious time talking?” and kissed me again. But this time my mind wasn’t fully on the kiss. I knew that I hadn’t told him that I wouldn’t be allowed to marry him anyway.
Chapter 25
DECEMBER 27
I’m beginning to agree with Lady H-G. This party has gone on long enough. I’m wishing I could get away from here, before the next awful thing happens. It’s like having a sword of doom hanging over us and I feel so powerless.
It was a glorious bright morning with the sun sparkling on the snow-clad Lovey Tor. At breakfast Lady Hawse-Gorzley announced that she and her family had to attend the funeral of Miss Ffrench-Finch but suggested that the chauffeur drive those who were interested around the local beauty spots, to show them the sights in this part of Devon. They could stop for lunch in an old pub in a historic village. The Upthorpes and Wexlers both wanted to do this. The countess declared that she had spent childhood holidays in Devon before anyone else in the room was born and had no need to see it again. Badger thought he might want to come along for the ride (having become, I suspected, rather enamored of Ethel Upthorpe, or at least of Ethel Upthorpe’s money), but Lady Hawse- Gorzley stopped him.
“You’ll want to start training for the Lovey Chase with the other boys, surely, Badger?”
