Read Online An Unmentionable Murder by Kate Kingsbury - Free Book Online

Martin interrupted her.
    â€œHow dare you, madam!” He started to rise to his feet, struggled for a bit, then gave up and plopped back down. “I refuse to be insulted in this way.”
    â€œHow do you know what I wear, anyhow?” Violet brandished the knife a little too close to his face for Elizabeth’s comfort. “Have you been spying on me, you crazy old goat?”
    â€œYour undergarments hang on the washing line in full view of everyone,” Martin declared. “I keep expecting them to take off in the wind. It’s really not surprising they ended up at the end of the driveway. With the wind in sails that large, I would expect them to reach China.”
    Deciding it was time to intervene, Elizabeth said quickly, “Martin, just when and where did you find Violet’s underwear?”
    Martin gave her a reproachful look. “As I’ve already indicated, madam. I found them at the end of the driveway. They were just lying there, like—”
    â€œQuite. When was that?”
    â€œWhen I returned to the manor this morning, madam.”
    â€œReturned from where, Martin?”
    She’d slipped the question in, hoping to catch him unawares. He was more alert than she’d anticipated. “I regret I’m not at liberty to say, madam.”
    â€œI’m not trying to pry into your personal affairs, Martin—,” she began, but Violet interrupted.
    â€œWe have a right to know where you go, you old fool. We’re responsible for you. What if something happened to you? How would we know where to find you?”
    â€œI’m quite sure someone would alert Madam,” Martin said, apparently unperturbed by Violet’s outburst. “In any case, I was in no danger, I can assure you of that.”
    Giving up, Elizabeth shook her head at Violet, who seemed determined to pursue the matter. Martin would enlighten them when he was good and ready and not before. They just had to be patient, and trust that his assurances of his safety were valid.
    â€œSo you noticed the underwear on the driveway this morning?” she said, effectively silencing Violet.
    â€œYes, madam. I thought it prudent to pick them up, with some considerable distaste I might add, and return them to their owner. I visited my room first, and must have been distracted, since I forgot about them until now.” He turned a watery gaze on Violet. “Had I foreseen the fuss such a valiant gesture would create, I would have left the repulsive garment where it was.”
    Elizabeth frowned. “But I left the manor before you returned, Martin. I didn’t see anything lying in the driveway.”
    â€œThen it must have blown there after you left, madam.”
    â€œAll the way to the driveway?” Violet demanded. “They would have to fly clear over the manor to do that.”
    â€œUnless,” Elizabeth said slowly, “they were not the ones stolen yesterday. Did you put a new line of washing out on the line this morning, Violet?”
    â€œWell, yes, I did. . . .” A look of alarm crossed Violet’s face. “Oh, no, don’t tell me—” She dropped the knife with a clatter on the table, spun around, and headed for the back door. “If they’re gone as well I won’t have any clean ones left.” She dragged open the door and rushed outside.
    Elizabeth held her breath, until an agonized shriek told her the worst.
    Violet burst back through the door, her frizzy gray hair standing on end. “Gone!” she cried. “Every last blooming pair of them. Yours, too, Lizzie. Polly’s and Sadie’s as well. All gone. Now what are we going to do?”
    Elizabeth puffed out her breath in exasperation. “It appears we have a thief on our hands. I shall have to let George know about this. Apart from the obvious inconvenience this person is causing, I don’t like the idea that a lawbreaker is making a habit of trespassing on