by Sonia Parin
“No, nor can I. It’s taken me twice as long to dress because I kept stopping to gaze out of the window. There are so many thoughts whirling in my mind. Why did she end it all? What pushes someone to take such drastic measures?”
Caro gave a pensive nod. “My mother is fond of saying we need to find our joy. Even in the smallest things we do.”
Like taking a walk along the promenade, Evie thought. Lifting her chin, she decided she would return to the pier the next day and make sure she enjoyed her walk. She might even wear her cherry hat again and taunt the seagulls.
Caro picked up a hairpin. “Let me work on your hair. I need to do something.”
Evie brushed a curl away from her eye. “Oh, I thought I did a fine job… but I guess it can always do with an expert hand.”
“I saw Tom walking down to the hotel restaurant. He looks quite dapper in his tuxedo.” Caro sighed and, after a moment of silence, said, “Why would she do something so rash? She could have talked with someone. She could have found help.”
“I suppose we can all learn something from this. If anything ever troubles you, Caro, I want to know you’ll feel comfortable coming to me.”
“Of course, milady. As my mother is fond of saying, a problem shared, is a problem halved.”
Chapter 5
Evie encountered a few guests as she made her way down to the dining room. Everyone appeared to be oblivious of the day’s events or simply determined to put it all behind them. It just seemed strange to hear people laughing. While she didn’t expect the guests to go into a state of mourning, it would not be entirely out of place to maintain a more subdued tone.
By the time she reached the bottom of the stairs, she had seen enough joyful expressions to realize not everyone considered the death of a mere maid worth that much attention. She didn’t want to think it true, but she knew most of the guests who could afford to stay in the hotel would possibly consider the death of no consequence. They might even think of it as an inconvenience spoiling their experience at the hotel.
She found Tom in the lobby. Smiling, she approached him. “I thought you would be waiting for me in the dining room.”
“I’ve just had a word with the concierge so I decided to wait for you here.”
Tom gave her his arm and they made their way through to a room styled in the latest trends with an abundance of gold trimming, hints of aqua and a lot of ebony. A soft piano tune wafted from the bar. The gentlemen were all dressed in tuxedos and the ladies looked resplendent in their evening gowns.
“I asked for a table in the middle. That way, we can keep an eye on everyone and continue with our game.”
“My goodness, Tom. You seem to have thought of everything. And here I was thinking we would try to take our minds off and talk about… Well, I had been hoping you would be able to come up with something.”
Smiling, he drew out a chair for Evie and then settled down to peruse the menu. Quirking an eyebrow, he said, “For once, I will not require a translation. Most of the menu is in English.”
Studying her own menu, Evie asked, “Did the concierge have something new to say?”
“I managed to get him to reveal the identity of the room occupants. Mr. George Prentiss and his… wife.”
“Why did you hesitate?”
“Possibly because the concierge hesitated. When I asked him about it, he looked askance and shrugged. How would you interpret his reaction?”
Evie tapped her menu. “The woman staying with Mr. Prentiss is not his wife?”
“That’s my guess too. I also asked him about the room above that one.”
In case the maid had fallen from a higher floor? But the police had already decided she had been in the room above Evie’s… Did Tom harbor doubts? “That was smart thinking. Who is staying in that room?”
“Aha, well… We are actually familiar with them. Mr. Hector Addington and Mrs. Addington. Remember, we saw them at the tea room earlier today.”
“I take it they were out and about for the entire afternoon.”
“Well, we know Mr. and Mrs. Addington were enjoying afternoon tea.”
“Oh, yes. The happy couple. He’s a banker and she’s… extremely happy.” Evie glanced around the restaurant but she couldn’t see them. Leaning forward, she murmured, “Can you see them?”
He gave a small nod. “They are sitting two tables away from us, behind you.”
“How do they look?”
“Still happy.”
“Are you sure? The lights are muted here.”
“And yet I can see Mrs. Addington smiling brightly. Wait… now she is laughing.”
If someone had jumped to their death from her balcony or anywhere near her room, Evie didn’t think she would be laughing. The thought lingered in her mind as a waiter took their orders and another one brought them complimentary glasses of champagne.
“I must confess,” she said, “I am slightly disgruntled by the police. You would think they’d want to speak with all the hotel guests. We can’t assume the hotel manager was able to provide them with all the information they required to reach their conclusion about May Field’s death.”
Running his finger along the stem of the glass, Tom said, “The hotel manager would have tried to avoid disrupting the guests. I don’t imagine he would be happy about attracting publicity. In fact, with such a new establishment, they would try to keep the news out of the spotlight.”
Evie took a sip of her champagne. “That doesn’t justify being neglectful. I really don’t wish to think the police would treat this incident with less interest just because the victim happened to be a maid.”
“Not everyone shares your sense of equal justice.”
Glancing around her, Evie would have to agree. She knew many people who would not bat an eyelid at the loss and would prefer such a matter be dealt with the greatest expediency.
“Earlier, I decided to be more appreciative of the small things in life.” Evie gave him a brisk smile. “Yes, such as walks along the pier. I talked about it with Caro and she agrees. Death makes one more grateful and aware of our blessings. So, I should now be able to sit and enjoy a splendid meal. Yet I am struggling.”
“You don’t know that for sure. The first course hasn’t been served yet.”
Evie held her glass of champagne and gestured with it. “This is vintage champagne. Either the manager is trying to impress me or he is doing all he can to pacify the guests.”
The maître d’ approached them, his manner befitting someone eager to please. “I hope everything is to your satisfaction, Lady Woodridge.”
It didn’t surprise Evie to be addressed by her title. The manager would have made sure to acquaint all his staff members with information about particular guests.
“Yes, thank you. Mr. Winchester and I are quite happy.”
The maître d’ nodded. Before he could move onto the next table, Evie gestured for him to draw closer. “I wonder if you might assist us with some information.”
He hesitated but then nodded. “I’ll do what I can, my lady.”
“It’s regarding the unfortunate incident that took place earlier on. We wish to express our condolences to the family.”
“I’m afraid that will not be possible, my lady. Unfortunately, the young woman did not have any family.”
So… The police had made a positive identification. They must have determined the maid had not left the hotel, after all. “None whatsoever?” Evie could barely hide her dismay. “Where did she live before coming to work here?”
The maître d’ hesitated again.
Evie assumed it wouldn’t be appropriate to release such personal details. “We would greatly appreciate any information you could give us.”
Lowering his voice to a whisper, he said, “I believe she lived north of Worthing, in a village nearby called Findon.”
“Is it far from here?”
“A short distance, my lady. I believe it is about four miles.”
Not far at al
l, Evie thought and glanced at Tom. He would be only too happy to drive there. “Thank you. You have been very helpful.”
A waiter brought their entrée dishes. Evie leaned forward to see what Tom had ordered. “That looks appetizing.”
“It’s a shrimp cocktail. And I see you ordered the oyster cocktail.”
In the spirit of appreciating her blessings, Evie told herself to focus on enjoying her meal and to leave everything else until tomorrow.
“Are you going to tell me what that was all about?” Tom asked.
“My interest in your entrée? Whenever I order something I’m afraid of making the wrong choice and finding the other person’s entrée more enticing.”
Tom took his time chewing his food and savoring his champagne. Finally, he said, “I was referring to your curiosity about May Fields’ family.”
“Oh, I thought we might leave all that until tomorrow. These oysters are divine.”
Tom sat back and watched her in silence.
“Fine. I thought we might drive out to Findon.”
“What do you hope to find there?”
“May Fields lived there. I assume there are people who knew her. They’re bound to hear about her… passing.” Evie reached for her glass only to set it down again. “Actually, now that I think about it, we should call in at the police station tomorrow. If she doesn’t have any family, who will take care of making the arrangements for her? It shouldn’t take us too long and then we could drive out to Findon. I’m sure you’ll enjoy that. I promise not to complain if you drive too fast.”
“Four miles. I can barely contain my excitement. I’m sure this is what a pet feels like when they’re allowed out to run around the yard.”
“Are you suggesting I have been keeping you on a tight leash?”
Tom smiled. “I would never dare imply such a thing.”
They both leaned back slightly to allow the waiter to clear the entrée dishes. Evie watched him set her main course in front of her. She hadn’t put much thought into her meal but, thinking it looked delectable, she took a moment to admire her Lobster Salad. It didn’t surprise her to see Tom had opted for a beef dish. Before the waiter could leave, Evie called for his attention. “I wonder if you might recognize one of the guests staying here and if you might point them out to us.”
The waiter nodded. “I’ll do my best, my lady.”
Ah, clearly all the staff had been informed of her identity. “Mr. Prentiss and his wife. Are they dining here this evening?”
The waiter glanced around the restaurant and then gave her a discreet nod toward a table in the corner.
“Thank you.”
“That was…” Tom smiled and shook his head, “quick work.”
“If you glance over to your right, you will see the waiter pointed at the other couple we saw at the tea room this afternoon. The couple who didn’t look entirely happy.” Evie thought they would now have less reason to be happy.
When Tom glanced at Mr. Prentiss and his wife, she said, “Your tact is to be applauded. I barely noticed you looking away.”
“They still look… morose,” he said. “Yes, I think that’s it. Not entirely happy about something.”
“I agree.” As she took a bite of her lobster, Evie wondered how they could find out more about the Prentiss couple. “Do you think your concierge friend could enlighten you about them?”
“At the rate I’m paying him for information, I think he will be only too happy to dig up the family tree for us.”
Chapter 6
“I hope you slept well, Caro.”
“I’m almost embarrassed to say I did, milady. After dinner, Edmonds and I made our way to the pier. They had a live band.” Caro’s eyes brightened. “We strolled along to the end of the pier and watched the stars twinkling in the sky. I found the music rather comforting.”
“I’m glad to hear you made the best of it last night. I really do want you to enjoy yourself, Caro.”
“Did you and Tom enjoy your meal last night?” Caro asked.
Evie smiled. “We certainly did. I expect he will have some more information for me this morning.”
“Oh? Information about what, milady?”
“As it turns out, we encountered both couples who are occupying the rooms directly above mine.” Evie pointed to the ceiling. “Mr. Prentiss and his wife are occupying that room and Mr. Addington and his wife are in the room above that one.”
Caro brought out a light green dress and held it out for Evie’s inspection.
“I think the blue one will suit better this morning.”
Caro’s eyebrows rose a notch. “Are you planning a special outing?”
“Yes, we are paying the local constabulary a visit. I need to know if someone is making arrangements for May Fields.” Evie glanced at Caro. “She doesn’t have any family.”
“Oh. I see. Yes, that is so sad. Is there something I can do?”
Evie studied her reflection in the mirror. She looked slightly pale that morning. While she had slept well, she had stayed up until late thinking about the reasons May Fields had chosen to end it all, right here at the hotel. Had she been trying to send a message? If she had chosen to kill herself in her apartment or wherever she lived, someone might have eventually found her. What method would she have employed? Evie glanced at the window. The hotel might have been the only place where May Fields could gain access to a floor a good distance above the ground…
“Caro. I know I’m trying to encourage you to enjoy yourself, but do you think you could find some time to speak with the maids at the hotel? I’d like to know more about May Fields. Did she have any friends here? Where did she live? Was she truly unhappy?”
Caro gave a firm nod. “Consider it done.”
“Please don’t let it take up all of your time.”
“I promise.” Caro gave her a small smile. “And… Thank you for caring.”
Evie thought it was the least she could do. “I might not say it often enough… If at all. However, you make a difference in my life.”
Caro laughed. “Oh, I know that already. I’m sure you couldn’t go a day without me. I meant, thank you for caring about the maid.”
“Well, if not me, I’m sure someone else would have looked into it.” Evie didn’t want to say it, but it would be sad to think no one would mourn for May Fields. Evie tipped her head in thought. She planned on making arrangements. Why had she said she was looking into it? Looking into what?
Evie slipped into her dress and shoes. “I’ll need a hat too, please. Preferably one without fruit. The seagulls here are quite ravenous.”
Caro produced a straw bucket hat with a blue band to match the dress and a bunch of pretty daisies nestled on one side.
“Yes, that will do nicely. Thank you.”
Evie found Tom standing beside the roadster outside the hotel.
“The Prentiss couple just strolled by,” he said. “They didn’t look any happier.”
Evie looked down the street and thought she spotted them. While everyone around them walked with a light spring to their step, they appeared to be dragging their feet.
“It makes one wonder what they are doing here. I can’t help feeling there is something in the air, something that would make even the most miserable soul break into a smile.” Evie remembered the story she had made up about the couple. “Maybe he’s not the one who lied about his fortune. What if it’s the other way around. He married her thinking she had inherited a fortune and now he has found out she doesn’t have a penny to her name and neither does he. So they don’t know how they are going to cover all the expenses they are incurring here at the hotel. Until they figure it out, they will continue to stay here.” Evie scooped in a breath and smiled.
“You look rather pleased with yourself.”
“I keep telling you, it’s the sea air. I think I will recommend a trip to the seaside to Henrietta. Perhaps Brighton. Anyhow, did you find out anything from the concierge?”
Holding
the passenger door open, Tom said, “Nothing new. But at least we know the Prentiss couple are staying in the room directly above you. That could be the reason why they are still looking dejected.”
“Do you think the police will confirm whether or not May Fields fell from the Prentiss balcony?”
“There is only one way to find out. What am I saying? Of course they will tell us. You’ll make sure they do.” As he pulled into traffic, he said, “I have made inquiries about the road to Findon. We are likely to drive through some rather pretty country. As it turns out, we would have driven out that way to see the flint mines. They have an annual Findon sheep fair in September. We’re too early for that, unfortunately.”
Evie didn’t hide her surprise. “You would have been interested in that?”
“It must be quite a sight.” He nodded. “There’s a church and you’ll never guess. It’s made of flint.”
“You’re right. I would never have guessed.”
A few minutes later, he brought the motor car to a stop outside the police building.
They walked inside with a sense of purpose. As they approached the front desk, a constable looked up and greeted them.
While the constable’s attention went straight to Tom, Evie spoke first, “We would like to inquire about a recently deceased person. Her name was May Fields.”
The constable looked from Tom to Evie and back to Tom again.
“And what is your interest in the matter?”
“We are guests at the hotel where the young woman died,” Evie said beginning to feel slightly annoyed because instead of looking at her, the constable only made eye contact with Tom.
“My apologies, I should have introduced myself. I am Lady Woodridge and this is Mr. Winchester.”
“We don’t normally give out information to the public.”
“I’m sure you could make an exception,” Evie said. “From what I understand, May Fields didn’t have any family. I wish to know if someone is making arrangements for her.”