“I really enjoyed that walk this afternoon.” Leaning across one of the dining room tables, Pansy laid a folded white linen serviette on the left of the place setting. “Your twins are really fun to be with.”
Gertie twisted her mouth in a wry smile. That was easy for Pansy to say. She didn’t have to clean up after them, or make them behave when they got into mischief. “They’re fun if they’re in a good mood and not scrapping with each other. They get bloody overexcited this time of year. They drive me blinking loopy wanting to know when Father Christmas is going to get here.”
Pansy laughed. “You’re lucky to have them. I wish I had little ones like that.” Her face sobered. “Don’t look as if I’ll ever have ’em, though, at this rate.”
Gertie snorted. “Watcha talking about? You’re only a young kid. You’ve got lots of time to find a husband.”
“I don’t want just any husband. I want Samuel.”
“Yeah, well, I wouldn’t hold your breath waiting for that one.” Gertie picked up a crystal glass and polished the rim with a corner of her apron. “How many times have I told you to look for someone else?”
“Well, if I can’t have Samuel, I want someone just like your Dan. I think he’s smashing.”
Gertie grinned. “Yeah, he is. He’s so good with James and Lillian.”
“He is that.” Pansy lifted the pile of serviettes and moved to the next table. “He was a lot of fun to be with today. He made me and the twins laugh. I like that.”
“Me, too. I don’t think I ever laughed as much as I do with my Dan.”
“He looked tired, though. Like he’d been up all night. How’d he get that graze on his cheek? It looks nasty.”
“Had an accident in his motorcar, didn’t he.” Gertie followed her, resting the tray of wineglasses against her hip. “He told me someone stepped out in front of him and he had to swerve to miss him. He hit another motorcar coming the other way.”
“Goodness!” Pansy looked at her in dismay. “He could have been killed.”
“Nah, he wasn’t going fast enough.”
“Don’t you get scared when you go out riding in that motorcar with him?”
Gertie shook her head. “Dan’s a good driver. He’s taking me out in it this evening. They’re having a Christmas party down at the pub, with dancing and everything.”
Pansy sighed, her face taking on a dreamy expression. “Oh, it must be lovely to have someone take you out dancing. I can’t imagine Samuel ever doing that.”
Gertie felt like shaking her. Here she was having to sneak out tonight to be with Dan and risk getting into big trouble, while Pansy was too timid to go after what she wanted. “Then find someone who will.”
Pansy made a face. “Not that easy is it. I don’t get out much, and when I do I don’t go to places where there’s single blokes.”
“Well, we’ve got a couple of single blokes staying here for Christmas. How about that Archie Parker? He’s here all on his own. He’d probably jump at the chance of taking out a gorgeous young woman like you.”
Pansy made a gurgling noise of disgust. “A fat old medicine man. I can do better than that.” She tilted her chin up and looked thoughtful. “Now, that Sid Barrett. I wouldn’t mind taking a turn around the Esplanade with that one. He can make me laugh, too. He knows how to treat a lady, and make her feel special, all right.”
Gertie’s smile vanished. “You’d better stay away from that one. He’s trouble. I can sense it a mile off.”
“You’re just worried he’ll fancy me instead of you.”
Gertie snorted. “What me? No, thanks. I wouldn’t touch him with a lamplighter pole. You can bleeding have him if that’s what you want.”
“He fancies you, though. He’s always following you around.”
“Yeah, well he’s out of luck. I wouldn’t have nothing to do with him if he was dripping in diamonds.”
Pouting, Pansy slapped a serviette down on the table. “Well, you don’t have to, do you. You’ve got Dan.”
Gertie sighed. She wasn’t too sure about that. It was nice to have someone to go out with, and she really enjoyed being with Dan, but she couldn’t help wondering if she should take her own advice and give up on the idea of him ever asking her to marry him.
Then again, she wasn’t getting any younger, and with the twins and all, her prospects weren’t too bright. If Dan didn’t want a ready-made family it was unlikely anyone else would, even if she did meet another bloke.
She might just as well enjoy what she had and stop worrying about whether or not Dan would ever propose. The thought of giving up her dream made her heart ache, but dreams were for young kids, and she wasn’t a kid no more.
“I wonder why that Mrs. Johnson is staying here,” Pansy said, breaking into her thoughts.
For a minute Gertie thought she hadn’t heard right. “Mrs. Johnson? You mean Ian Rossiter’s wife?”
Pansy nodded. “Actually, she’s his widow now, isn’t she. I don’t know if I’d want to stay in the place where my husband was killed.”
“Gloria is staying here?” Gertie shook her head. “I don’t bloody believe it.”
“She’s in room number one. I took her up there myself about an hour ago.”
“Why would she want to stay here?”
“I dunno, but she had a lot of luggage with her. Samuel had to go and fetch it from the High Street.”
“What was it doing in the High Street?”
“Samuel said she and Ian was living in a flat over Ab bitson’s, the butcher’s shop. Just think, if Dan still owned it, he’d be her landlord.”
“Flipping heck.” Having placed the last wineglass on the table, Gertie swung the tray down by her side. “That’s it. I’ve had enough surprises for one day. I’m going back to the kitchen. It’s almost time to start dishing up the supper, anyhow.”
“I’m not finished yet.” Pansy dropped another serviette on the table in front of her. “I have to go and ring the dinner bell in a minute.”
“I’ll ring it for you.” Gertie headed for the door. “You get finished up in here.” She waved away Pansy’s thanks and stepped out into the hallway.
After the bright light of the chandeliers in the dining room, the tiny flickering gas lamps on the walls were dim by comparison, and she blinked to adjust her sight.
Gloria here, in the Pennyfoot, right under her nose. It didn’t seem possible. All she could hope was that they didn’t bump into each other. The less she saw of Ian’s widow, the better.
She had taken just a few steps when she saw a movement outside the library door near the other end of the hallway. Two people stood close together, as if deep in a private conversation.
As she approached one of them broke away and sped off in the direction of the lobby. The woman passed under the gas lamp and Gertie frowned. It was Mabel and she seemed in an awful hurry.
The other figure turned and started toward her. Her nerves jumped when she saw Sid Barrett grinning at her. No wonder Mabel had run off like that. He’d probably been pestering her the way he hassled all the women.
Bracing herself, she approached him with a firm step, ready to brush him aside if he barred her way.
“Hello, me old darling,” he called out, while she was still a few steps away.
“I’m not your bleeding darling.” She glared at him, but he seemed unfazed by her animosity toward him.
“I hear they’ve got a Christmas celebration going on at the George and Dragon tonight. If you’ll go with me I’ll buy you all the gin and tonics you can drink.”
“No, ta very much.”
“Oh, you don’t like gin?” He tilted his head to one side. “How about a nice cherry brandy, then?”
She stared at him, jolted by the suggestion. Cherry brandy would always remind her of Ian. She drank it all the time when they were together. Ian used to tease her about it, saying her nose would turn red if she kept drinking it.
Forcing her thoughts away from the memory, she scowled at Sid. “I’m not going anywhere with you, so just bloody leave me alone.”
Sid simply smiled. “Come on, luv, come and have a drink with me tonight. You need cheering up. It isn’t every day you lose a husband.”
She gritted her teeth. “I already told you, Ian wasn’t my husband.”
“He was your children’s father, though, so he must have meant a lot to you at one time.” He leaned forward, a sly gleam in his eyes. “He must have come visiting a lot.”
Gertie frowned. “I don’t think that’s any of your bleeding business, is it.”
“I’d like to make it my business. A nice looking woman like you shouldn’t have to bring up two little ones alone.”
“Yeah, well, that’s for me to worry about, not you. In any case, I already got a boyfriend, so you needn’t worry about me being alone.” Tossing her head, Gertie marched away from him. She could feel his gaze on her back all the way down the corridor.
She was relieved when she could turn the corner and leave him behind. Cheeky bugger. What was he thinking, trying to pick up someone who’d just lost her husband?
She was getting a funny feeling in her bones about that man. He was probably chasing after all the maids and making himself a nuisance. Hoping to get one of them alone, no doubt. Well, he wasn’t going to get her alone anywhere with him. Not if he offered her a hundred pounds and all the blinking diamonds she could wear.
He wasn’t her type. Not like Dan. Now, if only Dan was as eager for her company as that sleazy Sid Barrett, she could be really happy.
Right now, however, she had better things to think about. She had to get supper on the tables and then get the dishes washed and put away before she could meet Dan and go down the pub. Now that was something she was really going to enjoy.
It had been a long day, and Cecily was looking forward to a quiet evening relaxing with her husband. She was smiling at the thought as she approached the stairs, but the smile soon faded when she saw one of her footmen standing over by the Christmas tree.
Sidney Barrett was talking to Pansy, and judging from her expression, she wasn’t enjoying the conversation. Two bright spots of red glowed in her cheeks, and she gazed at him with fire in her eyes.
There were guests passing through the foyer, and wary of drawing unwanted attention, Cecily waited until she was close behind Sid before addressing him. Just as she reached him she heard him say, “Go on, you know you want to.”
Pansy didn’t answer him, and he put a hand on her shoulder, as Cecily spoke in her sharpest voice. “Is there a problem here?”
Sid swung around, his face wreathed in a smile. “Mrs. Baxter! I didn’t see you there.”
Cecily ignored him, searching the maid’s face. “Pansy? Is everything all right?”
Pansy nodded, sent a quick glance at Sid, then slid past him and scuttled off across the lobby toward the kitchen stairs.
“I’ve been meaning to have a word with you, m’m,” Sid said, taking Cecily’s attention away from the fleeing maid. “I wanted to offer my condolences.”
Instantly on guard, Cecily met his gaze. “I beg your pardon?”
“I heard about the dead bloke.” Sid waved a hand at the wall. “In the duck pond. Must have been a nasty shock, all right. Especially for them two little ones, losing their daddy right at Christmastime.”
It was inevitable that the staff would find out about it, but that didn’t mean she was prepared for this moment. Cecily drew a deep breath. “We are trying to keep the incident from the guests as much as possible. I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t discuss it among yourselves, particularly wherever someone might overhear you.”
“Oh, right you are, m’m. Mum’s the word, as the great bard, William Shakespeare, once said. Must be hard for the new widow. Right on Christmastime and all.”
Cecily frowned. “Enough has been said on the subject,” she said sternly. “The matter is closed.”
Sid winked. “Gotcha, m’m. Not another word.”
Cecily met his grin with a stony expression. “It might also be as well if you refrained from harassing any of my maids. They have to work extremely hard and they do not have the time or the energy to fend off unwanted overtures from you.”
Sid’s grin wobbled, and for a moment resentment burned in his eyes. Then it was gone, and he looked contrite. “Sorry, m’m. It won’t happen again.”
“See that it doesn’t.” Satisfied that she’d got her point across, Cecily turned her back on him and headed once more for the stairs.
Seated at her dressing table a few minutes later, she toyed with a string of pearls as she wondered how she was going to tell her husband she’d invited Ian’s widow to stay indefinitely at the Pennyfoot.
No doubt he would indulge in another fit of temper. Perhaps she should wait until after supper, so that he wouldn’t upset his digestion.
A vision of Archie Parker popped into her head. She could just imagine him offering Baxter a powder to settle his stomach. The image made her smile, just as her husband emerged from the boudoir, his bow tie strung about his neck and dangling on his chest.
“I can’t get this pesky tie to sit straight,” he grumbled. Seating himself on the davenport, he fiddled with it some more before asking irritably, “Would you please tie it for me?”
“Of course.” She dropped the pearls on the table and rose from her seat. “You know you always have trouble with it. Why don’t you simply let me tie it for you instead of trying to do it yourself and getting all in a dither about it?”
“Because I don’t like being dependent on people.”
“No, it’s more likely because you are stubborn.” She leaned over and took the ends of the tie. “Now, be still so I can tie it properly.”
He raised his chin to give her better access. “So how did Gertie take the news that she’s under house arrest?”
Cecily shrugged. “You know Gertie. She took it all in stride, though she’s concerned, of course.”
“Well, of course she is. Being accused of murder is a serious matter. She should be concerned.”
“She swears she didn’t kill Ian. I believe her.”
“I hope she’s telling the truth. If only she hadn’t gone around threatening the man loud enough for everyone to hear, Northcott might not have been in such a blasted hurry to arrest her.”
“There.” Cecily surveyed her handiwork with a nod of satisfaction. “Perfect, if I do say so myself.”
Baxter grunted and got up from the bed to peer at himself in her mirror. “Looks all right. Thank you.”
“Not at all.” Cecily sat down at the dressing table once more. “Actually, you know, that’s what puzzles me.”
Baxter frowned. “What? That I can’t tie a bow tie and you can?”
Cecily smiled. “No. It was Northcott saying someone told him that Gertie had threatened Ian with a knife. Yet Gertie insists she and Ian were alone in the kitchen when she did that. So how could anyone have known about it?”
“Well, someone must have seen or heard her.”
“But who? Gertie was quite sure they were alone. Until Clive came along, that is.”
“Clive?” Baxter gave her a sharp look. “Where does he fit into all this?”
“He came to the back door when Gertie was arguing with Ian. Apparently he ran Ian off the premises.”
“Well, good for him.” Baxter paused, an odd look on his face. “You don’t think Clive could have killed him?”
Cecily swallowed, afraid to admit the thought had crossed her mind. “No, of course not. Clive wouldn’t step on a spider, much less kill a man.”
“I don’t know. He’s quite protective of Gertie and the twins.”
“Whoever hit Ian took the candlestick from the hallstand. Clive was in the kitchen. I think Gertie would have seen a candlestick in his hand, and I hardly think he dragged Ian into the hotel to get the candlestick to hit him, do you?”
Baxter’s frown cleared. “Does seem a bit far-fetched. Then again, who else would want to kill Rossiter? He hasn’t lived here in years. He doesn’t know anyone here.”
“He knows just about everyone who works here. Or…” She paused, staring at her reflection in the mirror.
“Or what?”
Cecily looked up, meeting her husband’s concerned gaze. “Perhaps he fell into bad company when he moved down here. His wife did say she didn’t like the company he kept.”
Baxter stared at her. “His wife? Where did you see his wife?”
Cecily took a deep breath, then spoke in a rush to get the words out. “Right here in the hotel. She came looking for Ian. I had to tell her he’d died. She was so upset, she had nowhere to go and I felt so sorry for her, I offered her a room here until she can get settled somewhere else.” Running out of breath, she braced herself, waiting for her husband’s wrath to explode once more.
To her surprise, after a moment’s tense silence, Baxter said quietly, “That might have been a mistake.”
“Yes,” Cecily said slowly, “I realize that now. I just hope she doesn’t cause Gertie any trouble.”
“She has no cause to be angry with Gertie. After all, Gertie had no idea Ian was already married to someone else when she married him.”
“Maybe not, but I do think that Gloria blames her all the same.”
Baxter grunted. “Well, Ian’s gone. The problem is, now that you’ve offered his widow free room and board, she is likely to take advantage of it and you might never be rid of her.”
“In that case, I shall ask her politely to leave.”
Baxter smiled. “That, my dear, would be quite remarkable indeed.”
“Piffle.” She returned his smile, but couldn’t quite banish the uneasy feeling under her ribs. She didn’t feel comfortable with Ian’s widow in the hotel, and she wished now she hadn’t been quite so accommodating with her. But she wasn’t sure exactly why it bothered her. It could be because of Ian’s attempted kidnaping of his daughter, though it didn’t seem likely that Gloria would want to steal either of the twins away, now that Ian was no longer alive.
Whatever the reason for her apprehension, she would have to make sure to keep an eye on Gloria Johnson. With any luck, the woman would soon find other accommodations and leave them in peace. For until she did so, the memory of Ian Rossiter would hang over their heads and be a constant reminder that another murder had been committed, and that his killer was still on the loose.