Murder in Belgravia
Page 28
Meanwhile, Victoria turned her attention to drafting proposed amendments to the safety legislation for workers in factories, in the vain hope that she might use Lady Maud’s influence to put the amendments discreetly in front of certain Members of Parliament.
Everyone tried to busy themselves, anxiously awaiting the next case that would galvanize them into action, which was why, three weeks after the fateful night that Lord Murcheson was stabbed, Billy Rigsby had volunteered to accompany the maid, Mary, to collect the regular hamper of food sent down to Waterloo Station from Lady Maud’s country house. He didn’t usually do this job but he was so restless and just wanted to get out of the house. Mary, of course, was delighted and she chattered aimlessly about this and that. Billy was barely listening but he was wise enough in the ways of women to occasionally smile and nod and interject with “get away!,” as though he was hanging on every word.
As Billy presented the note to the railway porter and took delivery of the basket, he idly looked at a line of fresh army recruits lining up for the next train bound for the South Coast. He felt a small stab of pity.
Poor buggers, he thought, they don’t know what they’re facing.
“Oh look, Billy!” exclaimed Mary. “Soldiers!”
Billy rolled his eyes upward. “You don’t say, Mary,” he said with a touch of sarcasm in his voice. “Anyone would think there was a war on!”
He picked up the hamper and allowed Mary to take his other arm.
As long as she doesn’t get any ideas, he thought to himself. I like my women with a bit more between the ears than this one.
Suddenly he stopped dead and stared straight ahead at the line of young soldiers.
“What we stopping for, Billy?” asked Mary.
“I’ve seen someone I know,” said Billy, quietly.
“A friend?” asked Mary.
“Not really,” Billy replied in a distracted voice, staring straight at the face of Michael, who was returning the stare with a look of alarm in his eyes.
Suddenly, Billy put down the hamper, stood up straight, stamped his feet to attention, and saluted. The youth flushed with relief and he nodded an acknowledgement.
“Whatever did you do that for, Billy?” asked the vacuous Mary.
“Honoring a man who’s probably going to be dead in a month’s time,” he replied curtly, which he instantly regretted, as Mary looked as though she was about to cry. “Come on, girl!” he said in a cheerful voice. “How about I buy you a nice cup of tea and a cake? Eh?” Mary’s face brightened and she nodded. Billy looked back at the line of soldiers but they had suddenly moved forward onto the platform and he couldn’t see Michael anymore.
“Right, young Mary,” Billy stepped forward smartly, “Let’s get that cup of tea and you can tell me all about Mrs Beddowes’ bunions, or whatever is the topic of the day.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lynn Brittney has been a writer for almost thirty years and has written several adult and children›s non-fiction books and many plays for adults and children that have been performed all over the world. Her first young adult novel was shortlisted for the Waterstones Book Prize, the Brandford Boase Award and the Doncaster Book Prize. Her second young adult novel was included in the UK Government’s Recommended Reading List for Boys and was described by the Daily Telegraph as containing … “furious swordplay, tremendous chases, atmospheric journeys and wince-inducing reminders that this was an age before anaesthetics.” This is her first Mayfair 100 mystery and adult novel.
This is a work of fiction. All of the names, characters, organizations, places and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to real or actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2018 by Lynn Brittney
All rights reserved.
Published in the United States by Crooked Lane Books, an imprint of The Quick Brown Fox & Company LLC.
Crooked Lane Books and its logo are trademarks of The Quick Brown Fox & Company LLC.
Library of Congress Catalog-in-Publication data available upon request.
ISBN (hardcover): 978-1-68331-893-4
ISBN (ePub): 978-1-68331-894-1
ISBN (ePDF): 978-1-68331-895-8
Cover design by Melanie Sun
Book design by Jennifer Canzone
Printed in the United States.
www.crookedlanebooks.com
Crooked Lane Books
34 West 27th St., 10th Floor
New York, NY 10001
First North American edition: March 2019
Originally published in Great Britain by Mirror Books, March 2018
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