Mrs Lillywhite Investigates Box Set

by Emily Queen

  “Sodding porter,” he muttered before he realized he had an audience. “Oh, hello,” he said, looking up and eying both she and Vera with obvious interest. “You must be new to the floor. I’m sure I would have remembered seeing two stunning beauties such as yourselves wandering about.”

  Under normal circumstances, it might have come across as charming, but something about the man rubbed Rosemary the wrong way. Perhaps it was the sneer that had passed his face before he realized he had an audience; or perhaps it was the way his gaze didn’t quite make it north of her neck. She could tell her friend felt the same way because Vera stiffened beside her.

  “Charmed, I’m sure,” Rosemary replied, and then shifted her eyes to the lift door, praying it would open soon and rescue them.

  The man laughed and looked at Vera conspiratorially. “I get the impression your companion doesn’t care for me, and we’ve only just met. I have been told I’m an acquired taste,” he boomed proudly and reached forward to jab at the lift button even though the light indicating it was on its way was already lit.

  We should have looked for the stairs, Rose thought when their unwanted companion offered an opinion on what not to see and do during their stay.

  Rosemary sighed with relief when he exited on the second floor.

  “What an utter cad,” Vera said, shrugging off the unpleasant encounter.

  By the time the pair arrived back in the lobby, they were good and ready to sample the offerings at the hotel’s much-touted lounge. Mouthwatering scents wafted towards them from the lounge entrance.

  “I’m famished,” Vera said, sniffing the air. “What do you suppose smells so delicious?”

  Rose’s stomach rumbled in response. “I have no idea, but I hope Freddie forgoes his habit of being fashionably late. I’m too hungry to wait.”

  She needn’t have worried, she thought as she spotted Freddie holding court at the bar with Desmond by his side. The two stood from the barstools they’d been leaning against, tossed back the rest of their drinks, and rushed forward.

  “It’s about time the two of you finished primping.” Frederick’s voice slurred slightly, and he swayed a little as he approached the hostess station.

  Rosemary cocked an eyebrow at him. “We’re here now, Freddie,” she said lightly, “and it appears you could use a little something to soak up all those mimosas.” If there was an edge to her voice, Frederick pretended not to notice while he made a vow to consume as many mimosas as his stomach could handle. He was, after all, on holiday. If Rose wanted to spend her time acting responsibly, that was her choice, but he would behave exactly as he pleased.

  “What do you think about the hotel?” Rosemary aimed her question at Desmond, who had said very little thus far. He appeared to have watched the exchange between the two siblings with some humor, but declined to comment.

  He smiled and glanced around, taking in the intricate woodwork that spanned from floor to ceiling and echoed the feel of the top-floor suite. “It’s beautiful here. You might have a hard time getting me back on the ship.” It was a sentiment they all shared.

  Having cleared the contents of his plate in record time, Freddie tapped his foot impatiently while he waited for the others to finish. He was itching to dip his toes in the cerulean water and didn’t hesitate to let the rest of them know it.

  “If I choke to death, you’re going to feel just terrible, brother dear,” Rosemary warned, aiming a kick to his shin.

  “She’s right, you know,” came a high-pitched voice from behind Rosemary’s chair. “Your mother would have a conniption if she heard you were mistreating your sister,” Cecily’s voice carried enough mirth for Frederick to know she was pulling his leg.

  “Don’t tell her about the frog I plan to plant in Rose’s handbag, then,” he replied cheerily.

  Cecily grimaced and laid a hand on Rose’s shoulder. “One would think he’d have learned not to tempt the fates, don’t you agree?”

  “Undoubtedly,” Rose replied, her tone dry. “Yet somehow he never does.”

  “Oh,” Frederick said, his eyes sparkling as he clutched his heart. “you wound me, dear sister.”

  Cecily’s hand rested on Rosemary’s shoulder in a motherly gesture. “I do hope you’ve had a chance to settle in and that you’re finding the staff satisfactory.”

  Vera returned Cecily’s greeting. “Everyone has been lovely so far. That porter of yours is quite a character.”

  “Benny? Yes, that’s an apt description.” Cecily’s eyes flicked to the set of glass doors that opened into the lobby. “I hope he didn’t talk your ear off. He tends to be garrulous at times, always asking questions, but he has a sweet nature.” A soft smile suggested Cecily carried a certain fondness for the boy.

  “Hardly,” Rose replied. “You’ve got quite the place here. Mother seems to think you’ve finally found your calling.”

  Cecily laughed again. It seemed like something she did on almost as frequent a basis as sternly lecturing her staff on proper workplace behavior. The woman was a living contradiction.

  “I believe I have. When my uncle decided to spend an absolute fortune building a luxury hotel here, the rest of my family decided he’d lost his faculties.” She shrugged. “I thought it was a splendid idea and insisted he cut me in on the deal, and moreover, that I should move here and run the place myself.”

  “Heavens, mother never said you owned the hotel.”

  “She wouldn’t, as I haven’t told her, or anyone else, really. I’ve had to deal with enough speculation as the manager; think what would happen if people knew I owned the place. As I shall, since my uncle never married, and has already made provisions for his portion to come to me when he is gone.”

  No wonder Cecily took such pains to ensure the guests received only the highest quality treatment.

  “Oh, bother.”

  Cecily cut the conversation short when she spied something out of the corner of her eye. “Excuse me, dear ones, I must go do my job now.” She bustled across the dining room and spoke furtively to one of the buffet attendants, who glared at her back once Cecily had finished admonishing him for whatever infraction he’d committed. It didn’t appear that Miss DeVant was an easy woman to work for, though Rosemary suspected that attention to detail was what had already made a name for the hotel. Business certainly boomed.

  “That one’s a firecracker,” Vera said, watching Cecily bustle across the dining room. “I like her.”

  “You’re in good but small company,” Frederick said as he leaned in conspiratorially. “It seems the staff all detest her. I heard the bartender refer to her as the bloody dragon.”

  “I don’t suppose,” Rosemary said, giving Freddie a level stare, “being a woman in a position of authority is an easy thing here. Do you, dear brother?” Vera mimicked her friend’s expression.

  Freddie might have been more than a linen cupboard full of sheets to the wind, but he’d have to be dead stupid to argue that point with those two women. All the alcohol on the island couldn’t take him down that path.

  Rosemary decided she could sit at the edge of the sea and watch people come and go all day, particularly with her friends’ commentary to amuse her.

  Crystalline waters slid over pale sand like a lover’s touch while the sun heated legs revealed by the skimpiest bathing costume Vera could talk her into buying. Rosemary determined to let all her troubles slip into the water and drift out to sea.

  “This isn’t what we ordered, I’m afraid,” Frederick complained to the waiter, who sighed in irritation. Rosemary couldn’t blame him; the sun was hot and carrying food and drink across the beach probably wasn’t as fun as it might have seemed when he applied for the position.

  With a weary glance at his order book, he replied, “It might be a while, but I’ll be back as soon as I can,” and took off at a clip.

  Rosemary closed her eyes and pulled her hat back over her face while Frederick scowled at the waiter’s retreating back and sipped at his gin anywa
y. “I know Cecily tries her best, but not all of the staff are on their toes. Should he ever come back, do you think it’s worth seeing if the young man could fetch us something to eat? I’m feeling a bit peckish.”

  “You’ve got to be joking,” Rosemary replied without opening her eyes. “We had tea no more than two hours ago. Besides, this heat saps my appetite. It feels lovely, though.”

  “Why don’t we visit the village then? We can get a good look at the locals, you ladies can do some shopping, and us men can eat street fare to our heart’s content,” Frederick suggested excitedly.

  Vera slipped her sunglasses off her nose and peered at Rosemary. “That sounds great to me. What do you think, Rose?”

  “I’m in if everyone else wants to go,” she said, looking at Desmond with a raised eyebrow.

  He smiled and shrugged. “As if I would dare argue with the whims of women. Or Freddie here. I do have to sleep in the same room with him, and I don’t need him resorting to infantile school pranks. However, I happen to agree with the ladies that I couldn’t possibly eat right now.”

  “Wimp,” Freddie said and elbowed his friend.

  “Careful, Des. He’ll short-sheet your bed the second you’re distracted,” Rose said as she donned a loose day frock to cover her suit and gathered her things. “Can we stop back up at the hotel? I don’t want to carry this big bag around if we’re going to be walking.” She hefted an overfilled tote onto her shoulder.

  “I second that,” Vera said, struggling with her own load.

  Rosemary snorted. “What am I thinking? Des, be a dear and flag down one of the staff.”

  Before Desmond could saunter off, a man who looked overly warm in his tan suit jacket approached their section of beach. “What seems to be the trouble here, folks?” he asked, causing Rosemary to start. It dawned on her a second later that he was referring to their problem with the waiter and the botched drinks.

  “Oh, nothing too urgent, chap,” Frederick said, his irritation at receiving the wrong order having dissipated in his excitement to explore the village. “We would, however, appreciate it if you’d take our bags back to our rooms.”

  The suited man’s eyes narrowed, and he puffed up his chest. “I’ll send one of the attendants right over, sir. Are you sure your waiter was satisfactory? As the assistant manager, you see, my goal is to bring our service up to par with the finest hotels in London or Paris. We’ve gone to extraordinary lengths to create an oasis of luxury.”

  Rosemary realized the reason for his attitude before Frederick did; the man held a position of authority and didn’t appreciate being asked to perform a menial task such as carting bags to and fro.

  “Thank you for asking,” she said and looked at his name badge. “Walter. We’re quite all right, my brother is simply picky about the ratio of his gin and tonics. We’re having a lovely time.”

  He seemed to relax a bit, and Rosemary noted that without the furrowed brow, he appeared much younger than she’d assumed at first glance. So young, in fact, his status as a senior staff member struck her as unusual. Particularly, considering that he had a hard time keeping his face from telegraphing his emotions when dealing with difficult customers. She made a mental note to have a conversation with Cecily at her earliest convenience and, given his prickly attitude, felt no remorse for ratting out young Walter.

  True to his word, Walter had a young attendant there within moments, and the group prepared to spend the afternoon amongst the locals, their load significantly lighter. They meandered down the beach where, according to the map Rose had studied on the train, a trail would lead to the village.

  Once the throng of bathing suit-clad holiday goers thinned, the atmosphere turned quite peaceful, and when they approached a rocky outcrop that separated one section of beach from the next, not one of the four could resist the urge to explore.

  “Quite the view from up here,” Freddie urged, having climbed to the top of the highest boulder. “Someone’s been having a little bonfire down there.” He pointed to the other side of the rock, took a few steps, and then disappeared behind it.

  After a moment, his head popped back into sight. “If you don’t mind scrambling over the rocks, we can go straight down from here. Or if you go that way, there’s an easier path just there.”

  They opted to take the short climb. “Mind you step left off the last outcropping,” Freddie advised, “or you’ll land right in the middle of a dog’s bathroom.”

  The rest of the group trooped after him, the girls refusing Desmond’s offer of a hand in assistance. “We’re more than capable of climbing over a few boulders, Des,” Vera chided right before she nearly blundered into the very mess that Frederick had warned her about.

  He responded by laughing and holding his hands up in surrender. “So sorry to have insulted your sense of female empowerment.”

  Once she’d managed to reach the other side, Rosemary realized that someone had indeed taken advantage of the private space. A ring of smaller rocks encircled a pile of charred wood, set in front of a boulder with a conveniently smooth edge she imagined would be the perfect spot to sit back and watch the flames dance against the backdrop of the rolling sea.

  “When the tide is out, I bet you can reach this without the climb if you come around the beachside,” Desmond commented. “Perhaps we’ll take a trip back this way some evening.”

  Frederick wholeheartedly agreed. “Perhaps with a couple of women on our arms.”

  “Perhaps,” Desmond said, watching Rosemary, who was still busy taking in the view.

  Meanwhile, Freddie climbed back up on the boulders and picked his way to the highest point. Shading his eyes, he searched for the path to the village. Seeing none, he descended once again.

  “Seems a deuced amount of walking, as there’s nothing in the distance that looks remotely village-like. What say we return to the hotel and put off the excursion until the morrow?”

  “Would it be too much trouble, Frederick Woolridge, if just once, you could make up your mind?” Vera’s acerbic question and Freddie’s absent response exemplified the hallmarks of their relationship, though neither would have appreciated the observation.

  “You really should have worn a hat, Freddie,” Rosemary admonished her brother upon their return, peering at his forehead, which had pinked up under the sun. “Walking around isn’t the same as sitting under a sun brolly. That’s going to hurt later.”

  They’d just reached the lobby of the hotel, and none amongst them could claim they weren’t exhausted after an exciting but tiring day that seemed as though it might never end.

  “Yes, Mother,” Frederick replied sarcastically and poked Rosemary in the ribs. She swatted his hand away and practically pushed him out of the lift when it reached his and Desmond’s floor. “Don’t be late for dinner,” he called over his shoulder.

  Chapter 4

  Rosemary awoke the next morning to the sound of knocking on the suite door, and for a moment couldn’t figure out where she was. She grinned at the sight of the sunlight peeking through the drapes and hopped out of bed to open the door for the hotel maid. It seemed a touch out of the norm for the girl to be stopping by so early in the day especially considering the sign on the door clearly stated, “do not disturb,” but Rosemary let her in anyhow and roused a grumbling Vera from sleep.

  “I can come back if you’re still sleeping, Miss,” the maid said when she took in Rose’s disheveled appearance.

  “No, no. Come on in,” Rose replied, slightly annoyed but trying hard to keep the irritation out of her voice. “We need nothing at the moment, but you can make up the beds if you’d like.”

  “All right,” the maid replied. “I’m Charlotte. Holler if you need anything else.” She approached the bed and then, instead of simply making it up as Rose had instructed, stripped the blankets and sheets and tossed them into a pile on the floor.

  Anna had come out of her part of the suite and watched Charlotte with wide, incredulous eyes. When the girl moved
on to her room before remaking Rosemary’s bed, Anna’s expression turned sour. Like a hawk, she watched while the maid did her duties, but didn’t say anything. If her mistress was unhappy with the service, Rose would make the necessary complaints herself. That didn’t mean, however, that Anna intended to keep quiet entirely.

  “I can’t believe her,” she exclaimed once Charlotte had retreated with her loaded cart and was safely out of earshot. “And I really can’t believe that Miss DeVant allows for that kind of service. When I was a chambermaid at the London Grand, we were held to a much higher standard. In fact, it was drilled into our heads that we were to be neither seen nor heard. She should have left when she realized you weren’t ready and come back when we were all gone. That’s the proper way.”

  It was more than Anna usually had to say, and it surprised Rosemary to hear the timid girl speak so candidly. Vera laughed, though her voice sounded thicker than usual. “They can’t all be like you, Anna dear,” she said with affection. “Though I have to say, I agree with you. I could have slept another hour, at least.”

  “She must be new, that’s the only explanation. New, and improperly trained,” Anna continued, her brow still furrowed in irritation. She believed that whether one enjoyed their job or not, one ought at least to do it properly. Not that she had any complaints about her own employment; Rosemary took great care of her, and she realized exactly how lucky she was. It made her want to go above and beyond, which in turn earned Rosemary’s favor. A symbiotic relationship, not that Anna would have put it in those words, that pleased them both. Charlotte, on the other hand, didn’t appear to possess the same sort of drive to please. For what reason, Anna couldn’t guess, but she was intrigued and vowed to watch the girl carefully.

  “Do you have any plans for today, Anna?” Rose asked, changing the subject. With less to do for her mistress, the girl could enjoy a half-holiday, at least. Anna assured her she’d arranged to meet up with some people she’d met down on the beach the evening before and tottered off to ready herself, forgetting about Charlotte as other, more pleasant thoughts invaded her mind. “Unless, of course, you need me,” she said, almost as an afterthought.