Read Online A Golden Cage by Shelley Freydont - Free Book Online Page B

of their eyes. She pushed her chair back and walked blindly to the door, which fortunately was opened by a footman as she approached. She didn’t slow down as she left the room, didn’t slow as she climbed the stairs. Didn’t stop until she reached her room and shut the door firmly behind her.
    â€œMiss, what is it?” asked Elspeth, hurrying in from the dressing room. “Did they find her? Is she dead? Was it awful?”
    Deanna shook her head. “They haven’t found her.”
    â€œThen what is it?”
    â€œI—I think Joe may be involved in some way.”
    â€œIs the sergeant still down there?”
    Deanna nodded.
    â€œIs he questioning Mr. Joseph?”
    Deanna shrugged and sank onto a chair.
    â€œWell, if you’re looking like that because you think Mr. Joseph bashed that man’s head in, you need to take a tonic.”
    That forced a laugh from Deanna.
    â€œThat’s better.”
    â€œNo, I don’t think he killed poor Charlie.” She was thinking about something else entirely.
Oh, grow up, Deanna. Men do those things. Joe is a man, ergo . . . “
So did you find anything during the search?”
    â€œNothing,” Elspeth said, obviously disappointed. “We looked high and low. Checked every window—and let me tell you, some of these footmen don’t have brains for nothing. They looked at every window, even the ones with sheer drops to the ground. I coulda told them not to waste their time. But would they listen to a maid, even a lady’s maid?
    â€œNo they would not.” Elspeth answered her own question before Deanna even opened her mouth.
    â€œIf you ask me, she walked right out the door. ’Cause while those pretty boys were hanging out the windows with their breeches’ backside in full view, we maids were checking the linen for anything missing and anything that could have been made into an elopement rope.”
    â€œAn elopement rope? She wouldn’t have come here if she was planning to elope with Charlie—or anybody else—she just would have done it.”
    Elspeth fisted her hands and gave Deanna her most exasperated sigh. “That’s just an expression. What I mean is, she didn’t climb out of no window.”
    â€œYour grammar is slipping.”
    â€œSorry, miss, but you can be very vexing,” Elspeth said at her primmest.
    Deanna sank onto her bed. “I know. It’s just that I think Joe was doing something he shouldn’t last night, because Gran Gwen reminded me that I had to meet the cycling club and that I should go change into my cycling outfit. Which I’m pretty sure was just a pretense for getting me out of the room while they found out what he did. And if the Ballards and Gran Gwen are trying to protect me, it must be something bad.”
    â€œNot Mr. Joseph.”
    â€œYou don’t even know what it was.”
    â€œI don’t need to. Orrin says—”
    â€œI thought we were going to dispense with things your brother says after his dead misses on some important issues not so long ago.”
    Elspeth’s eyes rolled up into her lids until the blue irises disappeared. “Well, Mr. Joseph wouldn’t do nothing illegal. And though I’m sure he enjoys his pleasures as much as the next man, if that’s what you’re thinking, he wouldn’t be making up to any young unmarried girl, even if she was an actress.”
    â€œThen who would he—No, don’t tell me what you think or what Orrin says. It’s none of our business.”
    â€œWell, that’s the first sensible thing you’ve said all morning. Now, get up off that chair and let’s get you dressed so you won’t be late for that club of yours.”
    *   *   *
    â€œW ould you like your mother and grandmother to also leave?” Lionel asked Joe as soon as the door had closed behind Deanna.
    â€œNo, of course not. All I did