Read Online A Study in Death (Lady Darby Mystery, A Book 4) by Anna Lee Huber - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Anna Lee Huber
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upheaval, I’d completely forgotten about it. “I was supposed to visit Madame Avignon’s shop today for my final fitting.”
“I sent a letter roond earlier to tell her what happened. She said she’s happy to send her assistant by on the morrow.”
I spun around to face her. “Did I call you a gem? I should have declared you a saint.” I sighed. “Thank you, Bree.”
She brushed my grateful words aside and gestured for me to turn back around so she could start on the buttons up the back of my dress.
I considered her in the reflection of the mirror, still somewhat amazed at how easily we’d adapted to each other. I had never been completely comfortable with my previous lady’s maids. The first had been too muchunder my late husband’s thumb, whether out of fear or reverence, and I’d never trusted nor liked her. If I’d been allowed, I would have replaced her almost immediately. While Lucy, an upstairs maid from Philip’s household at Gairloch Castle, had proved untrustworthy and far too naïve.
Bree, on the other hand, was perhaps more worldly-wise than even I was. I knew she had seen and experienced things she’d only hinted at, and I had to admire her resiliency and determined good cheer. And, of course, there was also the fact that she wasn’t afraid of me and my scandalous reputation, no matter how unfairly it had been earned. I suspected not many maids would consider themselves lucky to be employed by me.
I wondered what would happen to Lady Drummond’s maid now. Would she remain in the household, perhaps passed down to the stepdaughter, Imogen, as she came of age, or would she be forced to look for employment elsewhere? And if so, how long would Lord Drummond wait before he gave her a reference and sent her on her way? I suspected it depended on how much the girl had seen.
I wished I could have spoken to her. She could probably tell me more than any of the other servants combined. After all, she helped the baroness dress and bathe, took up her breakfast tray, attended her when she was ill, and a hundred other tiny, intimate tasks. She would know if Lady Drummond had hidden any bruises or if she had been feeling poorly of late. She might have also been witness to an altercation or two between Lord and Lady Drummond. And most important, she had been with Lady Drummond immediately before she suddenly became sick, collapsed, and died. She could tell me how the morning had proceeded, what the baroness had eaten, and who had visited her employer recently.
I felt an almost urgent need to talk to the girl before it was too late. The poisoner could begin to wonder, like me, if she had seen too much. Or Lord Drummond could send her away, whether he was the killer or not, because he worried what she might report if someone did start asking questions.
I supposed there was also the possibility she had been the murderer’saccomplice, since she was so intimate with Lady Drummond and could easily slip her the poison, but I didn’t think so. My instincts told me she was not involved. Her grief and upset at the baroness’s passing were too genuine, and I had seen no fear or contention in the maid’s eyes when she looked at Lady Drummond during the days leading up to her death.
If only there was a way I could interview the lady’s maid and all of the Drummond staff without Lord Drummond knowing. I glanced again at Bree, who was now pulling pins out of my barely tamed hair. Her auburn curls were still neatly arranged after a fourteen-hour day of work.
“Bree, do you ever get an opportunity to converse with the lady’s maids from other households?” I mused.
“I chat wi’ some o’ the maids in the houses next door oot in the mews from time to time. And if by chance we meet on our day off or oot runnin’ errands.” She glanced up from extracting a pin from a snarl in my hair, a curious look in her eye. She was smart enough to know I had not asked my question out of idle curiosity.
“So it’s
“I sent a letter roond earlier to tell her what happened. She said she’s happy to send her assistant by on the morrow.”
I spun around to face her. “Did I call you a gem? I should have declared you a saint.” I sighed. “Thank you, Bree.”
She brushed my grateful words aside and gestured for me to turn back around so she could start on the buttons up the back of my dress.
I considered her in the reflection of the mirror, still somewhat amazed at how easily we’d adapted to each other. I had never been completely comfortable with my previous lady’s maids. The first had been too muchunder my late husband’s thumb, whether out of fear or reverence, and I’d never trusted nor liked her. If I’d been allowed, I would have replaced her almost immediately. While Lucy, an upstairs maid from Philip’s household at Gairloch Castle, had proved untrustworthy and far too naïve.
Bree, on the other hand, was perhaps more worldly-wise than even I was. I knew she had seen and experienced things she’d only hinted at, and I had to admire her resiliency and determined good cheer. And, of course, there was also the fact that she wasn’t afraid of me and my scandalous reputation, no matter how unfairly it had been earned. I suspected not many maids would consider themselves lucky to be employed by me.
I wondered what would happen to Lady Drummond’s maid now. Would she remain in the household, perhaps passed down to the stepdaughter, Imogen, as she came of age, or would she be forced to look for employment elsewhere? And if so, how long would Lord Drummond wait before he gave her a reference and sent her on her way? I suspected it depended on how much the girl had seen.
I wished I could have spoken to her. She could probably tell me more than any of the other servants combined. After all, she helped the baroness dress and bathe, took up her breakfast tray, attended her when she was ill, and a hundred other tiny, intimate tasks. She would know if Lady Drummond had hidden any bruises or if she had been feeling poorly of late. She might have also been witness to an altercation or two between Lord and Lady Drummond. And most important, she had been with Lady Drummond immediately before she suddenly became sick, collapsed, and died. She could tell me how the morning had proceeded, what the baroness had eaten, and who had visited her employer recently.
I felt an almost urgent need to talk to the girl before it was too late. The poisoner could begin to wonder, like me, if she had seen too much. Or Lord Drummond could send her away, whether he was the killer or not, because he worried what she might report if someone did start asking questions.
I supposed there was also the possibility she had been the murderer’saccomplice, since she was so intimate with Lady Drummond and could easily slip her the poison, but I didn’t think so. My instincts told me she was not involved. Her grief and upset at the baroness’s passing were too genuine, and I had seen no fear or contention in the maid’s eyes when she looked at Lady Drummond during the days leading up to her death.
If only there was a way I could interview the lady’s maid and all of the Drummond staff without Lord Drummond knowing. I glanced again at Bree, who was now pulling pins out of my barely tamed hair. Her auburn curls were still neatly arranged after a fourteen-hour day of work.
“Bree, do you ever get an opportunity to converse with the lady’s maids from other households?” I mused.
“I chat wi’ some o’ the maids in the houses next door oot in the mews from time to time. And if by chance we meet on our day off or oot runnin’ errands.” She glanced up from extracting a pin from a snarl in my hair, a curious look in her eye. She was smart enough to know I had not asked my question out of idle curiosity.
“So it’s
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