Read Online Berried Alive (Manor House Mystery) by Kate Kingsbury - Free Book Online
Authors: Kate Kingsbury
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and less like a bird's nest."
Violet looked taken aback. "What's got into you, this morning? Bit liverish, aren't we?"
Sensing another noisy argument brewing, Elizabeth said firmly, "I have to go into the village this morning, Violet. Could you please tell Polly to finish writing out the rent notices, and there's two letters that need answering. Rita Crumm is organizing a scavenger hunt. Most likely some members of the Housewives League will be calling on us to contribute."
"Contribute what?" Violet demanded. "What have you let us in for this time, Lizzie?"
"A scavenger hunt?" Martin looked horrified. "I trust those infernal housewives won't be tramping all over the house, madam? The master will be most displeased. He is upset enough as it is with all the comings and goings of our guests. He told me he is worried that what with all the strangers in the Manor House, an enemy spy could infiltrate and we'd never know he was here."
"Listen to him," Violet said with disgust. She slapped a plate of porridge in front of him. "Blinking barmy he is. What on earth would an enemy spy want with us?"
"I can't imagine," Martin said, rather dryly. "But I dosuppose one of those blighters might be rather interested in the Americans."
"He has a point." Elizabeth patted his hand. "Don't worry, Martin, I'm sure we'd know if a stranger happened to be wandering around the Manor House."
"I fail to see how if I'm not wearing my glasses." Martin shook his head. "Anyone could sneak by me. The girl with the saucy mouth does it all the time."
Elizabeth looked inquiringly at Violet.
"Sadie," she said, shaking her head. "I have to admit, that girl gives him the devil of a time."
"Well, don't worry, Martin." Elizabeth reached for her cup of tea. "I'll have Polly and Sadie look for your glasses today. I'm sure we'll find them somewhere."
"He's probably flushed them down the lavatory," Violet said. "Wouldn't put anything past him." She tilted her head on one side and peered at the unfortunate butler. "Didn't exchange them for a bunch of raffle tickets, did you?"
Martin blinked at her in owlish innocence. "Raffle tickets?"
Violet picked up Elizabeth's half empty plate and tipped the remaining porridge into the sink. "You know what I mean. All those raffle tickets you got hidden away in your drawers."
"How do you know what I have in my drawers?"
"I saw them when I was looking for your glasses." Violet swished water around the sink, and it gurgled noisily down the drain. "You keep buying them off that woman. What's her name? That Carr woman."
"If you are referring to Beatrice," Martin said coldly, "I'll thank you to refer to her as Mrs. Carr."
Violet sniffed. "Don't get all hoity-toity with me, you old fool. I don't know what you've been up to, MartinChezzlewit, but I do know it can't be much good. Buying raffle tickets indeed. Whatever next? Bet you don't even know what's being raffled. I should think you'd have better things to do with your money. If you ask me, that woman is only after what she can get, you mind my words."
"Mrs. Carr happens to be a very charming lady." Martin put down his fork, dabbed his mouth with his serviette, then struggled painfully to his feet. "Which is far more than I can say about some people in this room." He nodded at Elizabeth. "Present company excluded, madam."
"Thank you, Martin." Elizabeth caught Violet's eye and gave her a swift shake of her head.
Violet snapped her mouth shut and turned back to the stove.
Martin leaned his gnarled hands on the table. "May I have the horse and carriage brought around for you, madam? Or will you be riding that dreadful mechanical monster?"
"I'll be taking the motorcycle, thank you, Martin." Elizabeth had long ago given up trying to convince her butler they no longer owned any horses, having sold them to help out with the mounting debts.
"Well, all I can say, I sincerely hope the master doesn't catch you astride that infernal machine. He would be aghast. Can't say I'd
Violet looked taken aback. "What's got into you, this morning? Bit liverish, aren't we?"
Sensing another noisy argument brewing, Elizabeth said firmly, "I have to go into the village this morning, Violet. Could you please tell Polly to finish writing out the rent notices, and there's two letters that need answering. Rita Crumm is organizing a scavenger hunt. Most likely some members of the Housewives League will be calling on us to contribute."
"Contribute what?" Violet demanded. "What have you let us in for this time, Lizzie?"
"A scavenger hunt?" Martin looked horrified. "I trust those infernal housewives won't be tramping all over the house, madam? The master will be most displeased. He is upset enough as it is with all the comings and goings of our guests. He told me he is worried that what with all the strangers in the Manor House, an enemy spy could infiltrate and we'd never know he was here."
"Listen to him," Violet said with disgust. She slapped a plate of porridge in front of him. "Blinking barmy he is. What on earth would an enemy spy want with us?"
"I can't imagine," Martin said, rather dryly. "But I dosuppose one of those blighters might be rather interested in the Americans."
"He has a point." Elizabeth patted his hand. "Don't worry, Martin, I'm sure we'd know if a stranger happened to be wandering around the Manor House."
"I fail to see how if I'm not wearing my glasses." Martin shook his head. "Anyone could sneak by me. The girl with the saucy mouth does it all the time."
Elizabeth looked inquiringly at Violet.
"Sadie," she said, shaking her head. "I have to admit, that girl gives him the devil of a time."
"Well, don't worry, Martin." Elizabeth reached for her cup of tea. "I'll have Polly and Sadie look for your glasses today. I'm sure we'll find them somewhere."
"He's probably flushed them down the lavatory," Violet said. "Wouldn't put anything past him." She tilted her head on one side and peered at the unfortunate butler. "Didn't exchange them for a bunch of raffle tickets, did you?"
Martin blinked at her in owlish innocence. "Raffle tickets?"
Violet picked up Elizabeth's half empty plate and tipped the remaining porridge into the sink. "You know what I mean. All those raffle tickets you got hidden away in your drawers."
"How do you know what I have in my drawers?"
"I saw them when I was looking for your glasses." Violet swished water around the sink, and it gurgled noisily down the drain. "You keep buying them off that woman. What's her name? That Carr woman."
"If you are referring to Beatrice," Martin said coldly, "I'll thank you to refer to her as Mrs. Carr."
Violet sniffed. "Don't get all hoity-toity with me, you old fool. I don't know what you've been up to, MartinChezzlewit, but I do know it can't be much good. Buying raffle tickets indeed. Whatever next? Bet you don't even know what's being raffled. I should think you'd have better things to do with your money. If you ask me, that woman is only after what she can get, you mind my words."
"Mrs. Carr happens to be a very charming lady." Martin put down his fork, dabbed his mouth with his serviette, then struggled painfully to his feet. "Which is far more than I can say about some people in this room." He nodded at Elizabeth. "Present company excluded, madam."
"Thank you, Martin." Elizabeth caught Violet's eye and gave her a swift shake of her head.
Violet snapped her mouth shut and turned back to the stove.
Martin leaned his gnarled hands on the table. "May I have the horse and carriage brought around for you, madam? Or will you be riding that dreadful mechanical monster?"
"I'll be taking the motorcycle, thank you, Martin." Elizabeth had long ago given up trying to convince her butler they no longer owned any horses, having sold them to help out with the mounting debts.
"Well, all I can say, I sincerely hope the master doesn't catch you astride that infernal machine. He would be aghast. Can't say I'd
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