by Sonia Parin
“They must be.” Which meant… She had a target on her back.
He nodded. “Yes, I agree.”
“What about Miss Wainscot? Did he mention her at all?”
Tom shook his head.
That meant the Dowager had been telling tales. It wouldn’t be the first time she’d had fun at Evie’s expense. “Has the Dowager Duchess left?” Evie asked.
“No, she’s staying on for luncheon.”
“Fabulous.” Evie’s tone lacked all enthusiasm, which said a great deal about how she felt. She always enjoyed the Dowager’s teasing. Not so much today. “I’ve been thinking, I’d like to go into the village and see Anna.”
“The girl who works at Marceline’s Salon de Beaute?”
“Yes.” Evie couldn’t help smiling.
“Did I say it wrong?” Tom asked.
“No, as a matter of fact, you were spot on. I just… I never thought I’d hear those words spoken by you.”
He gave a small nod of understanding. “I think I am what you might call a quick study.”
“Yes, I’ve noticed. How did you pick up that particular trait?” she wondered out loud.
“I used necessity as a driving force. In the past, I’ve had to adjust to different circumstances…” He stopped, almost as if he’d realized he’d said too much.
He’d already hinted at having done a similar job, working as a bodyguard. As curious as she felt, Evie decided against pushing him for more information and assumed he would tell her more in his own good time. “Will you drive me into the village?”
His eyebrows rose. “You’re actually asking me?”
Oh, she had.
Evie cleared her throat. “Tom, after luncheon, I’d like you to drive me to the village.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
***
Evie settled into the roadster next to Tom. “I’ve been thinking… I’d like to get a dog.”
Tom glanced at her but didn’t say anything. When they reached the gates to the estate, he stopped to watch for traffic, even though they were unlikely to encounter anyone, at least not until they reached the main road leading into the village.
“A dog?” he asked, his voice carrying a hint of humor.
Evie brightened. “Yes. I’m not sure why I haven’t thought of it before.”
“Have you ever owned a dog?”
“No. My mother is allergic. Now… Well, if she visits, I suppose I could keep Henry in another room.”
“Henry?”
“You don’t care for the name?” Evie asked. “How about Chester?”
“You might want to wait until you actually get a dog before bestowing a name on it.”
“True. I suppose there is much to consider. I will make inquiries. Perhaps someone has a litter.” She suddenly felt excited at the prospect. Clapping her hands, she added, “Oh, this could happen sooner than expected.”
Tom chuckled. “Have you been thinking about it for a while?”
“No, the idea came to me now.” Evie scanned the road and surrounding countryside. “If you must know, I’m trying to avoid feeling overly concerned about being out and about in a roadster, no less.”
He gave a nod of understanding. “Do you normally distract yourself by making big life decisions?”
“I probably do, but I haven’t noticed it until now.” Evie decided to remain silent until they reached the village. Since she had used the idea of getting a dog to distract her from worrying too much about another possible attempt on her life, she now kept her mind engaged on trying to figure out what type of dog breed she would choose. “The more I think about it, the more I realize I will have to give it a great deal of thought.”
They drove right up to Marceline’s Salon de Beaute, along the way attracting the attention of everyone strolling around.
Holding the car door open for her, Tom asked, “Are you still thinking about getting a dog?”
“Indeed, I am.”
“You might want to consider acquiring a guard dog,” he suggested.
“Oh, I was actually thinking of something small I could pamper and carry around with me in a small basket or in my arms.”
“So, rather than have the dog work for you, you wish to become a servant to your little master?”
Evie gave him an impish smile. “Or I could have you carry it.”
Tom’s expression firmed. Evie imagined he wanted to hide the dismay he felt. As they entered the salon, Evie couldn’t help widening her smile. “I can already picture you with a cute little Pug. I hear the Prince of Wales is fond of them. If I ever meet him in person, we’ll have something in common to talk about.”
“Lady Woodridge,” Anna greeted her.
Evie turned her attention to Anna and studied her expression. She didn’t appear to be concerned about Evie’s arrival. In fact, Anna’s gaze shifted from one display to the next, probably trying to work out which one she would bring to Evie’s attention first.
Without turning, Evie knew the precise moment when Tom came to stand a step behind her.
Anna’s gaze shifted to Tom and stayed on him. Her eyes widened with appreciation and her lips curved just a little further.
“Anna, this is Mr. Tom Winchester.”
Anna gave him a small nod. Eventually, she wrenched her eyes away from him. “How may I help you today, milady?”
“I wish to inquire about the appointment I made.”
Anna’s smile wavered. “Was there a problem with it, milady? I had the impression Miss Wainscot had been quite pleased with the service.”
Strange, Evie thought. Anna hadn’t expressed any surprise. “I hope it didn’t cause an inconvenience for you. After all, I made the appointment for myself and then I took the liberty of offering it to someone else.”
“Oh, that’s perfectly fine, milady. In fact, we were very glad to be able to offer Miss Wainscot the service. I don’t believe she has ever been here before. There is no better advertising than a happy customer referring another one to our salon.”
Either Anna knew how to keep a poker face or she had no idea of Miss Wainscot’s current state of misery.
“So, she was pleased with the service,” Evie mused.
“Oh, yes. In fact, she took away one of our products to maintain her beauty treatment.” Anna looked over her shoulder and then back at Evie. “I shouldn’t really be saying this, but we are trained to encourage our customers to try new products.”
“What sort of product did she purchase?” Evie asked.
Anna smiled brightly. “A facial treatment, milady. It’s a facial cream to maintain the skin looking youthful and vibrant.”
Evie didn’t wish to dispute the unethical promotion of a product that didn’t really serve a purpose as, in her opinion, Miss Wainscot still had vibrant youth in her favor and would hardly need to reap the benefits of an expensive product to maintain her youthful glow.
Anna brought out her appointment book. “She was so pleased, she made another booking for herself in a month’s time.”
“How long does the treatment last for?” Tom asked.
“About an hour, sometimes longer. We never hurry our customers as the treatment is very relaxing. In fact, we encourage them to relax for a while after it is finished.”
Long enough for something toxic to take effect, Evie thought. “I hope you don’t find this odd. May I ask who provided the treatment?”
Anna blushed slightly. Leaning in, she whispered, “The regular girl called in sick so I had to do it myself.”
“Is it a complex procedure?” Tom asked.
“Not at all but it does require expertise. It involves facial massages… techniques developed in Paris. We are fully trained. These products have been scientifically produced to provide exacting results,” Anna explained, her tone sounding like a recitation she had learned by rote.
“What are some of the ingredients used?” Tom asked.
“There are some natural herbs and fragrances such as lavender, pine bark and water lilies
.”
“And do you prepare it yourself?” Tom asked.
Anna gave a swift shake of her head. “Oh, no. The cream comes in a sealed container to maintain its freshness and purity.”
Sensing Tom’s skepticism, Evie said, “Thank you, Anna. You have been most helpful.”
As they strode out, Tom said, “You seemed to be satisfied with her responses and quite convinced of her innocence.”
“Why shouldn’t I be. Miss Wainscot left the premises a happy client.”
“Out of curiosity, have you subjected yourself to these treatments?”
Evie lifted her chin slightly. “As a matter of fact, yes I have.”
The edge of his eyes crinkled slightly. “And do you know what they put on your face?”
Evie tried to keep her voice light. “Of course, I do.”
Tom stopped by the car and crossed his arms. “Tell me what the main ingredient is.”
She didn’t hesitate to say, “Lanolin.”
He tilted his head in thought. “It sounds sufficiently scientific.”
Evie tried not to smile. “It comes from sheep.”
“How so?”
“If I tell you, will you promise not to mock the gullibility of women?”
His eyebrows curved upward. “Will I have reason to mock you?”
Evie gave it some thought. After hearing so much about the rise in success of the beauty industry, she had become intrigued. By 1915, Helena Rubinstein had set up her beauty salon in New York and when Evie had returned to America in 1918, she had made a point of meeting her. During the course of the conversation, she had delved into the process involved in making some of the products, absorbing as much information as she could in order to make a sound decision. At the time, she had been keen to invest in something other than the usual railways, shipping and stocks.
“Wool grease.”
Tom held her gaze for a long moment before saying, “You put wool grease on your face.”
“Of course not.” She could not have sounded more shocked. “The raw ingredient is processed and blended with other essential and highly beneficial ingredients.”
To his credit, Tom managed to keep a straight face.
Sighing, Evie looked around her. They now needed to speak with Miss Wainscot, but that could prove problematic.
The Dowager Duchess might have made up part of her story, embellishing it for the sake of entertainment, but Evie thought there might be some truth to it. In which case, she would be the last person Lady Wainscot wished to see.
“Well, we have managed to cross someone off our list, the one we have yet to put together,” Evie said. “I only hope the guilty party doesn’t beat us to it by taking action again before we’ve had the opportunity to identify them. That would be highly ungracious.”
Tom barely contained his laughter. “Are you now trying to lighten the mood by being amusing?”
She wanted to say it always worked for the Dowager. Why shouldn’t it work for her too? Sliding into the passenger seat, Evie stared straight ahead. “To quote the Dowager, the day manners become superfluous is the day society loses all meaning.”
Tom took his place behind the wheel. Appearing to hesitate, he turned to Evie. “Did the Dowager Duchess really say that?”
“If she hasn’t already said it, I’m sure given the opportunity, she will.”
“In other words… You just made that up.”
“Drive on, please.”
Chapter Seventeen
Eligible bachelors sacrificed for the greater good
Hainsley Hall, Lady Wainscot’s residence.
Hainsley Hall sat in a well-cared for park within only a few minutes of the village. Before setting out on their expedition, Evie had asked Bicky for directions, although she had silently prayed she could avoid a confrontation with Lady Wainscot.
“Are we likely to encounter a problem?” Tom asked as he drove through the gated entrance.
“Whatever do you mean?”
“I have come to understand the landed gentry don’t really appreciate unexpected visitors landing on their doorstep.”
“Nonsense. Everyone is welcoming.”
“Really? Last night Charles and Matthew talked at length about Miss Wainscot’s unexpected visit and the trouble you and Lady Charlotte went to in order to encourage Miss Wainscot’s exit.”
Evie waved her hand. “There are exceptions and that happened to be one of them. We knew Miss Wainscot had been sent to snoop around.”
“And now you’re going to return the favor.”
Evie waited for Tom to come around her side and open the door before saying, “I am here to call on Lady Wainscot and inquire after her health as well as her daughter’s. I’m sure she’ll understand my concerns.”
“You’re not worried she’ll accuse you of trying to permanently disfigure her daughter?”
Hard to say what Lady Wainscot would do, Evie thought. “I’m sure she’ll be reasonable and understand I had nothing to do with her daughter’s misfortune.” Only if she employed the right tactic, Evie thought. The situation would call for extreme caution and delicacy.
Evie emerged from the car and stood toe to toe with him. “Could you please be a little more supportive and positive. We might be able to help her.”
“Really? How so?”
Evie gave an impatient shrug. “Miss Wainscot left the Salon in perfect health. Either she stumbled into a poisonous shrub or someone tampered with the beauty therapy product. A few discreet questions might help us get to the bottom of this.” And then, Evie thought, they could be free to focus on other matters such as her own wellbeing as well as Bicky’s.
The butler announced them as, “The Countess of Woodridge and Mr. Winchester.”
They entered the drawing room and found several people turning toward them, their eyes brimming with curiosity. Not one of them appeared to express any personal opinions. With any luck, Evie thought, they would only need to tackle one obstacle. She only hoped it didn’t prove to be insurmountable.
“Lady Woodridge,” Lady Wainscot clipped out. Dressed in severe black, she sat on a high-backed chair holding court over her guests whose attention swept toward her with such swiftness, Evie knew they didn’t wish to miss any part of the exchange.
Time to bring out the rabbit from its hat, Evie thought. “Lady Wainscot. I have come to convey the Duke’s well wishes for your daughter’s speedy recovery. We were shocked to hear she had been taken ill.”
Evie didn’t know any of the half dozen or so people gathered in the drawing room so she couldn’t vouch for their discretion. She didn’t even dare to assume they would remain loyal to Lady Wainscot and keep everything they heard to themselves. In fact, she suspected they would use everything they heard to their advantage, stoking the fires for their own amusement and helping to spread the news about the encounter as a way of strengthening the animosity created by her ladyship’s remarks.
She had no doubt Lady Wainscot had been the instigator of much of the gossip that had been making the rounds of the county. Under normal circumstances, Evie would have continued to keep her distance. The fact she had deemed it necessary to set foot inside Lady Wainscot’s house spoke of desperation.
“The Duke knows of my daughter’s illness?” Lady Wainscot asked. She appeared to have momentarily put aside her misgivings, her eyes brightening with interest. “And he has expressed his concern?”
“Yes, indeed.” Evie smiled. “In fact, he is not the only one who expressed his concerns.” Evie didn’t normally employ underhanded tactics, but the current state of affairs called for them. “Viscount Maison took the news badly. I’m not sure if you know this, but he is the Earl of Braithwaite’s heir.”
Lady Wainscot gave a vigorous nod.
“Also, Mr. Mark Harper wanted to extend his best wishes for a speedy recovery.”
A murmur swept across the drawing room.
“Mr. Harper, heir to his cousin, the Earl of Chatterlain?” Lady Wainsc
ot asked.
Evie gave her a timid smile. “Yes, indeed. You know of him?” Evie would bet anything Lady Wainscot had memorized all the large estates of the area as well as the ones bordering Yorkshire and even beyond. She would also bet Lady Wainscot knew everyone’s title and who stood in the line of succession, ready to take their place. In fact, she had no doubt Lady Wainscot kept an up to date copy of Burke’s Landed Gentry on her bedside table or perhaps under her pillow, as well as the essential Debrett’s…
Before Lady Wainscot could recover from the surprise of two such suitable candidates inquiring after her daughter, Evie said, “I understand Miss Wainscot took ill soon after her beauty treatment.”
Lady Wainscot’s eyebrows drew downward. “Soon after, yes.”
It relieved her to realize the Dowager Duchess had been exaggerating. Lady Wainscot could not possible hold Evie responsible. Otherwise, she would have shown her the door. Either that or Lady Wainscot had managed to work off some of her unjustified anger toward Evie.
“And how is she now?”
Lady Wainscot dabbed the corner of her eye with her lace handkerchief. “In recovery but she may never be the same again. With all due respect, Lady Woodridge, you cannot know the pain I feel…” Lady Wainscot pressed her hand to her chest, “Seeing my eldest child denied the opportunity to shine during her season.”
Her season? At twenty-five, Evie estimated this would be Miss Wainscot’s fifth attempt to attract a suitable husband.
“I wonder… Would it be possible to speak with Miss Wainscot? As I said, the gentlemen were greatly concerned about her wellbeing.” Evie smiled. “It might cheer her up to hear me say so.” After casting the lure, Evie felt a twinge of guilt. Needs must, she thought.
Lady Wainscot took a second to think about it. Evie suspected she used the time to contain her bubbling excitement.
Two gentlemen concerned about her daughter’s welfare. What could be better?
With a nod from her, the butler moved and gestured to the door. “If you would please follow me, My Lady.”
Tom strode out with her but remained by the staircase.
Hainsley Hall appeared to have been built as a homage to larger estates. It had all the comforts of a large country manor, albeit on a more modest scale. The Wainscot ancestors all peered down at Evie as she made her way up the stairs. They reached the landing and then strode past a couple of suits of armor standing guard over the family’s private rooms.