Read Online Room With a Clue (Pennyfoot Hotel Mystery) by Kate Kingsbury - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kate Kingsbury
Ads: Link
mine.”
With a look of extreme distaste, he did so.
“This will not look good for us, Baxter,” Cecily said gloomily, watching the smoke curl lazily up to the ceiling. “The hotel will have a smear against its name. You know how people love to gossip.”
“Not the staff, madam.”
“Of course not the staff. I have complete faith in their loyalty. I meant the guests. Once word of this dreadful accident travels around Mayfair, the Pennyfoot’s name will be sullied.”
Baxter opened the door of the sideboard and pulled out a silver ashtray. “Perhaps it was not an accident.”
Cecily looked up sharply. Something in his voice had given her a quivery feeling in her stomach. “What do you mean?” she demanded, dreadfully afraid she already knew.
CHAPTER
7
Baxter crossed the room and laid the ashtray in front of Cecily. “Milady could have jumped.”
“Jumped?”
“Thrown herself off the roof, madam.”
Uneasily she tapped cigar ash into the ashtray. “Well, I know what you meant, but …” She resisted the urge to look at the body. “I don’t really think Lady Eleanor is the kind of person to do that, do you?”
“Who knows which of us could be desperate enough to take our own life?”
“I would certainly hope she did no such thing. I find that unforgivable. Too many good people have lost their lives far too early because of disease or accident. Some people never fully recover from the loss of someone they love.”
Baxter said nothing, but she knew he was aware she was thinking of James. After a pause she added, “Being a militarywife, I understand there are times when it is unavoidable to take the life of another. Even so, in my heart I cannot condone it. And to deliberately end a life needlessly, whether your own or that of someone else, is beyond my comprehension. The very thought of it fills me with rage.”
She thought about the aggressive, sharp-tongued woman she’d encountered on more than one occasion. “No, I don’t believe Lady Eleanor would do such a thing. Though it would certainly present the misfortune in a more favorable light if it were so.”
“There is another possibility, madam.”
“And that is?” She drew on the cigar, enjoying the sharp, acrid smell of the smoke. As a child she had often wondered what enjoyment could possibly be derived from such an odd habit that seemed reserved solely for the men. Now that she had taken up the habit herself, she had to admit the whole effect was undoubtedly soothing.
“It has been my contention, madam, that when one falls from a great height, it could be attributed to three possibilities. One either accidentally falls, or deliberately throws oneself off, or …” He paused, obviously for effect. “Or one is pushed.”
Cecily coughed, choked, then coughed again, until tears ran down her cheeks.
Baxter tutted loudly. “Forgive my impertinence, madam, but smoking is not a habit a well-bred lady should acquire. It is likely to be the death of you.”
“Piffle.” Cecily dropped the cigar into the ashtray and groped in her skirt pocket for her handkerchief. “Are you suggesting …” The words came out in a hoarse croak. She took several deep breaths, while Baxter watched anxiously.
“Can I get you some water, madam?”
She shook her head fiercely, cleared her throat, and tried again. “Are you suggesting that someone murdered Lady Eleanor?”
“No, madam. I merely presented it as a possibility.”
Cecily stared at him. “Now that I think about it, it does seem peculiar. Why would she go up to the roof garden alone, and fully dressed for the ball? It must have been quite difficult tomount those narrow stairs, given the width of her padded skirts.”
“Precisely, madam.”
A chill crept down her back as she thought about it. “Baxter, I’m not certain that a murder at the Pennyfoot would be any better than an accidental fall.”
“No, madam. One cannot be charged with negligence in the case of a murder,
With a look of extreme distaste, he did so.
“This will not look good for us, Baxter,” Cecily said gloomily, watching the smoke curl lazily up to the ceiling. “The hotel will have a smear against its name. You know how people love to gossip.”
“Not the staff, madam.”
“Of course not the staff. I have complete faith in their loyalty. I meant the guests. Once word of this dreadful accident travels around Mayfair, the Pennyfoot’s name will be sullied.”
Baxter opened the door of the sideboard and pulled out a silver ashtray. “Perhaps it was not an accident.”
Cecily looked up sharply. Something in his voice had given her a quivery feeling in her stomach. “What do you mean?” she demanded, dreadfully afraid she already knew.
CHAPTER
7
Baxter crossed the room and laid the ashtray in front of Cecily. “Milady could have jumped.”
“Jumped?”
“Thrown herself off the roof, madam.”
Uneasily she tapped cigar ash into the ashtray. “Well, I know what you meant, but …” She resisted the urge to look at the body. “I don’t really think Lady Eleanor is the kind of person to do that, do you?”
“Who knows which of us could be desperate enough to take our own life?”
“I would certainly hope she did no such thing. I find that unforgivable. Too many good people have lost their lives far too early because of disease or accident. Some people never fully recover from the loss of someone they love.”
Baxter said nothing, but she knew he was aware she was thinking of James. After a pause she added, “Being a militarywife, I understand there are times when it is unavoidable to take the life of another. Even so, in my heart I cannot condone it. And to deliberately end a life needlessly, whether your own or that of someone else, is beyond my comprehension. The very thought of it fills me with rage.”
She thought about the aggressive, sharp-tongued woman she’d encountered on more than one occasion. “No, I don’t believe Lady Eleanor would do such a thing. Though it would certainly present the misfortune in a more favorable light if it were so.”
“There is another possibility, madam.”
“And that is?” She drew on the cigar, enjoying the sharp, acrid smell of the smoke. As a child she had often wondered what enjoyment could possibly be derived from such an odd habit that seemed reserved solely for the men. Now that she had taken up the habit herself, she had to admit the whole effect was undoubtedly soothing.
“It has been my contention, madam, that when one falls from a great height, it could be attributed to three possibilities. One either accidentally falls, or deliberately throws oneself off, or …” He paused, obviously for effect. “Or one is pushed.”
Cecily coughed, choked, then coughed again, until tears ran down her cheeks.
Baxter tutted loudly. “Forgive my impertinence, madam, but smoking is not a habit a well-bred lady should acquire. It is likely to be the death of you.”
“Piffle.” Cecily dropped the cigar into the ashtray and groped in her skirt pocket for her handkerchief. “Are you suggesting …” The words came out in a hoarse croak. She took several deep breaths, while Baxter watched anxiously.
“Can I get you some water, madam?”
She shook her head fiercely, cleared her throat, and tried again. “Are you suggesting that someone murdered Lady Eleanor?”
“No, madam. I merely presented it as a possibility.”
Cecily stared at him. “Now that I think about it, it does seem peculiar. Why would she go up to the roof garden alone, and fully dressed for the ball? It must have been quite difficult tomount those narrow stairs, given the width of her padded skirts.”
“Precisely, madam.”
A chill crept down her back as she thought about it. “Baxter, I’m not certain that a murder at the Pennyfoot would be any better than an accidental fall.”
“No, madam. One cannot be charged with negligence in the case of a murder,
Similar Books
