Read Online A Study in Death (Lady Darby Mystery, A Book 4) by Anna Lee Huber - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Anna Lee Huber
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possible you could encounter a maid from another street or square, even maybe Hanover Street.”
Her mouth curled in amusement at my obvious hinting. “It is.”
“Is that something you would be willing to attempt if I asked?” I kept my tone neutral, not wanting to force Bree into doing something she wasn’t comfortable with.
She tilted her head to the side and began pulling a brush through my hair. “I’ve been thinkin’ that Lady Drummond’s maid could surely use a shoulder to cry on, poor lass.” Her eyes flicked up to meet mine in the glass. They twinkled with understanding. “What would ye like me to ask her?”
• • •
I lay in bed that night with my cat, Earl Grey, curled up at my feet, replaying my conversation with Bree. I simultaneously fretted that I’d both forgotten to tell her something to ask Lady Drummond’s maidand just done something monumentally stupid by enlisting Bree’s help. But I had no choice. The maid needed to be questioned. She potentially possessed far too much information that could help us make sense of her employer’s death.
I’d almost drifted into sleep when I suddenly heard a loud thump and a muffled curse coming from the bedchamber next door. I guessed Philip must have stumbled into something in the dark, but then I realized the sound had come from the guest room at the back of the town house. What was someone doing in there? Had my brother, Trevor, come to visit? If Philip had thought to write to him after the scare over Alana’s condition this morning, he might have just arrived from his home in the Borders region, but only if both he and the messenger had nearly crippled their horses.
I frowned, doubting anyone could ride that fast on the muddy March roads.
I grabbed my dressing gown from the bottom of the bed, tugging it out from underneath the bulk of my cat, who grumbled before settling back into sleep. I pulled it on and tied the belt as I opened my door. The light of a single candle gleamed through the open door to the guest room. I crossed the hall on soft tread, careful not to disturb Alana in the chamber at the front of the house. I hoped I wasn’t about to embarrass myself unnecessarily in front of a stranger.
Barnes, Philip’s normally gregarious valet, came bustling through the doorway. He stopped short at the sight of me and his eyes slid to the side. I wondered why.
“M’lady,” he pronounced, bowing once before he hurried off.
I stared after him before turning to face Philip, who now stood in the doorway. He looked harried and exhausted, a state I’d seen him in more and more often of late. His dark hair had even begun to turn silver at the temples, something I would have expected Alana to lovingly tease him about, but she had yet to mention it in my presence.
“Is there something you need, Kiera?” His cravat was askew, as if he’d begun to take it off.
“I heard a crash.”
He nodded. “That was me. I apologize. I’m not used to the arrangement of the furniture.”
“You’re sleeping in the guest chamber?”
He glanced to the side. “Alana needs her rest. I don’t want to disturb her.”
“Yes, but I don’t think Dr. Fenwick meant you couldn’t share the room with her.”
“Maybe,” he replied, still not meeting my eyes. “But I don’t want to take any chances.”
I frowned in confusion, not understanding why his answers did not feel so kind and considerate. “What did Alana say when you told her?” I couldn’t believe she had taken his decision well. She always found comfort in her husband’s presence, even if they were also prone to argue.
“I haven’t.”
The unsettling feeling that had been gnawing at me since my return to Edinburgh bit a little deeper. I stared at him, not knowing what to say.
He sighed wearily. “If you don’t mind, Kiera, I’d like to go to bed. Perhaps we can talk in the morning.”
I nodded, though I knew we wouldn’t. He would be too busy with one thing or
Her mouth curled in amusement at my obvious hinting. “It is.”
“Is that something you would be willing to attempt if I asked?” I kept my tone neutral, not wanting to force Bree into doing something she wasn’t comfortable with.
She tilted her head to the side and began pulling a brush through my hair. “I’ve been thinkin’ that Lady Drummond’s maid could surely use a shoulder to cry on, poor lass.” Her eyes flicked up to meet mine in the glass. They twinkled with understanding. “What would ye like me to ask her?”
• • •
I lay in bed that night with my cat, Earl Grey, curled up at my feet, replaying my conversation with Bree. I simultaneously fretted that I’d both forgotten to tell her something to ask Lady Drummond’s maidand just done something monumentally stupid by enlisting Bree’s help. But I had no choice. The maid needed to be questioned. She potentially possessed far too much information that could help us make sense of her employer’s death.
I’d almost drifted into sleep when I suddenly heard a loud thump and a muffled curse coming from the bedchamber next door. I guessed Philip must have stumbled into something in the dark, but then I realized the sound had come from the guest room at the back of the town house. What was someone doing in there? Had my brother, Trevor, come to visit? If Philip had thought to write to him after the scare over Alana’s condition this morning, he might have just arrived from his home in the Borders region, but only if both he and the messenger had nearly crippled their horses.
I frowned, doubting anyone could ride that fast on the muddy March roads.
I grabbed my dressing gown from the bottom of the bed, tugging it out from underneath the bulk of my cat, who grumbled before settling back into sleep. I pulled it on and tied the belt as I opened my door. The light of a single candle gleamed through the open door to the guest room. I crossed the hall on soft tread, careful not to disturb Alana in the chamber at the front of the house. I hoped I wasn’t about to embarrass myself unnecessarily in front of a stranger.
Barnes, Philip’s normally gregarious valet, came bustling through the doorway. He stopped short at the sight of me and his eyes slid to the side. I wondered why.
“M’lady,” he pronounced, bowing once before he hurried off.
I stared after him before turning to face Philip, who now stood in the doorway. He looked harried and exhausted, a state I’d seen him in more and more often of late. His dark hair had even begun to turn silver at the temples, something I would have expected Alana to lovingly tease him about, but she had yet to mention it in my presence.
“Is there something you need, Kiera?” His cravat was askew, as if he’d begun to take it off.
“I heard a crash.”
He nodded. “That was me. I apologize. I’m not used to the arrangement of the furniture.”
“You’re sleeping in the guest chamber?”
He glanced to the side. “Alana needs her rest. I don’t want to disturb her.”
“Yes, but I don’t think Dr. Fenwick meant you couldn’t share the room with her.”
“Maybe,” he replied, still not meeting my eyes. “But I don’t want to take any chances.”
I frowned in confusion, not understanding why his answers did not feel so kind and considerate. “What did Alana say when you told her?” I couldn’t believe she had taken his decision well. She always found comfort in her husband’s presence, even if they were also prone to argue.
“I haven’t.”
The unsettling feeling that had been gnawing at me since my return to Edinburgh bit a little deeper. I stared at him, not knowing what to say.
He sighed wearily. “If you don’t mind, Kiera, I’d like to go to bed. Perhaps we can talk in the morning.”
I nodded, though I knew we wouldn’t. He would be too busy with one thing or
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