“Good evening, Miss Hanson,” I said as pleasantly as I could. There wasn’t enough room for me to go around her. “I trust the dowager is enjoying the company? I remember how eager she was to have guests at Clarendon.”
“Why are you still here?”
“Why am I in the stairway? Lady Leith has gone down for dinner so I am on my way to my room,” I said, feigning ignorance for what she meant. “Did you hear the strangest thing happened earlier this week. Someone went through my room and actually stole something belonging to Lady Leith.”
She swayed, putting her hand on the wall. “If it belonged to Lady Leith, why was it in your room?” she managed to ask.
“Lady Leith asked for my opinion on the cipher, of course,” I said, spreading my hands out. “And now my lady is concerned about who would have had access to the keys, since I was careful to keep my door locked. Mrs. Horner has promised to make an accounting of all the keys.”
“And why would a maid need to keep her door locked?” Miss Hanson asked, rallying herself. “One might believe you to be hiding something.”
“You may not be aware of this, Miss Hanson, but I was attacked by my previous employer’s brother,” I said, keeping my tone even. I refused to allow my gaze to drop. “A key to my door was a concession Lady Leith was more than happy to allow me when she hired me.”
Miss Hanson stared at me. “Attacked? I’m sure you are exaggerating the matter.”
Why was I not surprised she did not believe me? “Sir Horace was understanding when the matter was explained to him.”
“Sir Horace knows?”
“Yes, he summoned me to the library this morning and Lady Leith joined us as well,” I said. “I believe the matter has been resolved to everyone’s satisfaction. A tempest in a teapot, really. And all over a silly puzzle.”
Everyone was satisfied, that is, except Mr. Harper. He had not appeared content with Lady Leith’s defence of me. I was still expecting him to come out of nowhere with more questions on the matter.
“I see. I suppose I should have known Sir Horace would be firmly under his wife’s thumb,” Miss Hanson said with a sniff. “The dowager had hoped he would measure up to his father’s standards. She will be disappointed such is not the case.”
If only she knew how at odds Sir Horace and Lady Leith were! It was probably just as well she did not. She and her mistress would try to use it for their advantage and then there would be real trouble.
“Enjoy your meal, Miss Hanson,” I said, stepping forward to continue on my way. One way or another, I was getting past her. “I hope you were able to return the key to wherever you found it originally or you will be able to do so soon. When a search is made, it wouldn’t be good for the key to be found in your possession, would it?”
Her cheeks flushed a deep red. “How dare you accuse me?”
“How dare you trespass into my room and touch my things?” I countered. “I respect your loyalty to your mistress, but I warn you: do not think my loyalty to Lady Leith is any less than yours.”
Miss Hanson took a step back and her cheeks took on an even deeper hue. Without another word, she started down the stairs.
Her mischief hadn’t ended in the result she had hoped for. I was still in the house. Lady Leith was still taking action to be the undisputed mistress of the house. Once Celia succeeded, the dowager’s power, and Miss Hanson’s position, would lessen.
Once again, I was tired. More tired than I’d ever been before, even after Bath. And I hadn’t made any progress on learning the truth. Uncle Frederick would be back in London soon, and at that point I wouldn’t be able to continue being Julie Nelson.
Would I have to go through life knowing my family was murdered but never seeing the villain had been brought to justice?
Chapter Fourteen
The party broke up late that evening. I couldn’t hold back a yawn as I helped Celia to undress. We did not have time to discuss anything because her husband entered without warning. “Celia, I really don’t understand what has been happening here. Why did Mr. Stone tell me that you have ordered the Dowager House to be opened and cleaned?”
Again, he took no notice of me being in the room. When I moved to retreat, Lady Leith caught my wrist and kept me from walking away. “Because I requested Mrs. Horner do just that,” she said calmly. “Carry on, Nelson. I wish to be in bed as soon as possible.”
Obediently, I continued to brush Lady Leith’s hair. Watching the couple argue was the last thing I wanted, but I had no valid excuse to leave with Celia’s hair unbrushed. Though I had wanted to encourage my friend to act as the lady of the house, I hadn’t expected this kind of confrontation.
“Why would you make that kind of request?” Sir Horace asked, running his hand through his hair. “I assured Mother she would always have a home with me. To turn her out—”
“The dowager house is no more than a mile away. She’ll still be on the estate, and she will still have a home,” Lady Leith interrupted, her tone calm. “I think it would be best for us all if your mother moved there at the end of the party.”
“Best? For all of us?”
“Your mother and I do not get on, Horace and I believe that will not change. As long as she is in this house, the servants question who is in charge. I will not tolerate the disrespect any further. So, either she goes...or I do.”
The threat was a surprise coming from the normally kind woman. From the way Sir Horace stared at her, he hadn’t expected it either. “Celia, you can’t mean that. I know Mother can be stubborn and unreasonable at times, but she is my mother. There’s much she could teach you about—”
“She may have experience she could pass on to me, but she has been unwilling to do so. I have stopped asking.” Lady Leith watched her husband using the mirror. She hesitated for a moment. “I will not have any child of mine growing up in an environment where I am not respected as I ought to be.”
“Child?” Sir Horace repeated, looking puzzled. He blinked. “Celia...are you saying what I think you are saying?”
Lady Leith’s gaze flicked to me and she gave a nod. I remembered to curtsy before I left the room. Maybe with this good news, Lady Leith and Sir Horace would be reconciled and their arguing would come to an end.
Which would be lovely if I could be sure Sir Horace was not the mysterious ‘H’.
A sigh escaped me as I realized I would have to remain awake late or get up early in the morning to clean the dressing room. Neither option was particularly agreeable, but what could I do?
“Miss Nelson.”
It was only through sheer force of will was I able to keep from jumping. “Mr. Harper,” I responded, feeling my heart race. Had he been waiting for me to come out? Or had he been trying to eavesdrop?
“I am astonished how quickly you gained Lady Leith’s loyalty,” Mr. Harper said as he approached. His expression was unreadable in the dim light. “Few women come to the defence of a servant, as I’m sure you are aware.”
“Isn’t it the other way around, Mr. Harper?” I asked, facing him. I kept my voice down, in case there was anyone else nearby and to not interrupt the couple inside the dressing room. “Lady Leith has gained my loyalty.”
The corner of his mouth twitched as though he were fighting a smile. “Mutual loyalty. How extraordinary.” His eyes narrowed. “Do not believe I have forgotten the cipher. However Lady Leith found it, I still find it odd she would share it with you. What would she expect you to do about it?”
“Decipher it, of course.” That should have been obvious, shouldn’t it?
“Decipher it? You?”
His incredulous tone grated on my nerves and I felt insulted that he thought it so extraordinary. “Why not? Every cipher has a key. One only has to find it. The book from which the cipher was taken was what I was using to find the key.”
“And why would Lady Leith believe you were capable of finding this key? You may be clever, but not that clever.”
Insult after insult! “Beca
use I have done so before.”
Swiftly, Mr. Harper stepped closer and caught my wrist. “You’ve what? You’ve seen a cipher like that before? Where?” he demanded, his voice low. “Tell me!”
His leap from one point to another was astonishing. “A few of Mr. Jonathan Sinclair’s final letters and papers came into my possession to pass on to Miss Sinclair while I was in Bath,” I said, keeping to the truth. “There was a cipher among them.”
Mr. Harper muttered something under his breath that I guessed was impolite. “Where is it? Show me!”
“It is in Miss Sinclair’s hands by now. I could hardly give away something that belonged to her brother, could I?”
His face darkened with anger, which I was delighted to see. Why was it so enjoyable to needle him? “Why would you send her that?” he asked, his grip tightening. “If you deciphered the message, surely you must have realized the danger it could pose to whoever holds it.”
“So it is more than a mental exercise?” I asked with false innocence. “I suppose that explains a bit. If such things are dangerous as you say and Mr. Conrad Ingrams initials were on the cipher I found, was he caught up in the same thing as Mr. Sinclair?”
“That is none of your concern.”
“Isn’t it? Mr. Ingram was keen to get it from me. He went to great lengths to do so.”
Mr. Harper stared at me. “Is that what he was holding over you?”
“Whatever he may or may not have been ‘holding over’ me is none of your concern. And, I do have things to see to,” I said, pulling to get free. If anything, his grip tightened even more. “As Lady Leith is in conversation with her husband at the moment, I would be loath to interrupt, however, do not think I won’t do it if you do not let me go, Mr. Harper.”
“You will not always have your duties or a mistress to hide behind,” Mr. Harper said as he let go of me. “I don’t know what you think you are doing, but you are treading a dangerous path, Miss Nelson. You do not know what you are so carelessly meddling with.”
“You could tell me, since you seem to know so much about the mater.” I paused, but he did not have anything to say to my suggestion. “No? Well, then. I see there is nothing more to be said. Good night, Mr. Harper.”
As I walked away, I could not deny that he was right. Dealing with spies and traitors was a dangerous business. Until I knew the man who killed my family, though, and as long as I had a way to continue looking, I knew I would be unable to walk away.
“And a disapproving man isn’t going to stop me,” I said under my breath. Not even if he had been Jonathan’s closest friend. He had no right to influence what I did.
THE VERY MORNING AFTER Lady Leith informed her husband of the news, the maids asked if it were true. Mrs. Horner knew better than to ask outright, but she was fairly beaming with pride every time we crossed paths. How they had heard, I had no idea. Besides Mr. Harper, there hadn’t been anyone else in the hallway, so no one could have overheard the confession.
Perhaps someone had come along after I left? Or had Sir Horace’s valet, Timmons, been the source of the news getting out? Had he made a hint, eager to be the first to share such important information?
In any event, it was known and the change was palpable in the house.
My path crossed Miss Hanson as she carried a tray up to her mistress’ room. Her face was pale and I guessed she had either heard Lady Leith’s good news or that the dowager house was being opened. Both bits of information would mean her time in Clarendon house was limited.
I had the satisfaction of knowing I’d at least helped Lady Leith solidify her place in the house. Of course, she would have been unwilling to tolerate anything on her own, but I liked to think I helped her reach that point sooner rather than later. Her confidence would serve her well in the rest of her life, whatever happened.
“Life has never felt so wonderful,” Lady Leith said as I entered her room. She stretched her arms above her head with a satisfied hum.
“I take it your conversation with Sir Horace was satisfactory,” I said, setting her tray on her lap. Then, I moved to the windows and began to pull the drapes aside. The sun shone in, brightening the room instantly. It was going to be another beautiful day.
“Yes and no.” Lady Leith poured herself a cup of chocolate. “Our conversation kept us up later than usual last night. I think he finally listened to me and agreed he would tell his mother she would be moving to the dowager house. It is not a request.”
Her happiness about that show of support was obvious and it made me smile in response. “Will Sir Horace be telling the dowager about the baby as well?”
“I asked him to keep the news quiet for a few more weeks,” Celia said. A shadow crossed her face for a brief moment. “Although I have gone longer than previous times, I don’t wish for the dowager to know and then I lose this child as I have before. She would never let me live it down.”
Just as she hadn’t allowed her daughter-in-law to forget the other times she had failed to provide an heir. Between the dowager’s attitude and Miss Hanson’s behaviour, I was very much looking forward to the pair being out of the house. Celia would be well rid of the stress they caused.
Not that I would be in the house for much longer to enjoy the benefits of their absence. Firmly, I pushed the thought away. “Well, somehow the rest of the household has already heard the news,” I said to her. “It won’t be long before the dowager learns of it from Miss Hanson.”
Lady Leith scowled. “Why am I not surprised? Well, it will serve her right to hear it from someone other than Horace. Maybe it will make her realize that Horace is not required to report to her every detail of our lives.”
“Are you satisfied he is not the ‘H’ we are searching for?” I asked as I faced her.
“I-I don’t know. I hope he is not,” Celia said, pausing for a moment. “I tried to ask him why he had the cipher, but he said it was nothing for me to worry about. It could mean he had it because he is meant to decipher it to find the person who originally sent it. Or it could be the complete opposite of that.”
In effect, we were right where we had always been with no idea of which way to go. “Well, we do have three other ‘H’s in the house to consider. Perhaps one of them will give themselves away.”
“All of them shall be in my company today. I shall do my utmost to learn what I can from them,” Lady Leith said with determination. “Sir Henry remembers your brother, but I cannot determine whether he was in Bath at the time of Mr. Sinclair’s death or if he heard the news from others.”
“Even if he was not there, it may have been possible for him to have gone to Bath, told no one of his visit, and then left without anyone being the wiser.”
“True,” Lady Leith said regretfully. “What a shame your brother did not have a valet who kept track of who visited him.”
I’d always wondered why my brother hadn’t hired a valet. It would not have been unusual for a young gentleman in his position to have a personal servant. Had Jonathan been unable to find someone he could trust not to give him away?
“I believe he may have found a valet more of a hindrance to his life than a help.”
Lady Leith tilted her head and then nodded. “Of course, but if he’d found the right valet, perhaps he would have been safer than being alone.” She sent a smile in my direction. “I myself have learned the value of a reliable servant.”
How easy it was to look back and wonder ‘What if?’ What if my parents had not rushed to London? What if Jonathan had been more careful? What if I hadn’t gone to the Burnham house looking for help in clearing my family’s name? What if Henry Bladen hadn’t stayed away?
“Even a maid who lied to get in your employ and was not who she claimed to be?” I asked, shaking myself from my despondent thoughts. It was no use to wonder over what could not be changed. “She seems to bring more trouble with her than she is worth.”
“Even then,” Lady Leith said with a laugh. “Now, I suppose I must get up and f
ace my guests. What do you suggest I wear?”
IT WAS EASY THAT DAY to avoid any of the areas where a guest would be. Lady Leith had organized a picnic, so for a large portion of the day, there were only servants in the house. I tried to get back into the study, but Mr. Stone had left the door securely locked.
He’d learned his lesson well. Still, I wondered if the door was locked because Sir Horace demanded it be so. Or was there another reason?
With no cipher to solve and no way to ask my own questions, I was left with nothing to do. A feeling of helplessness hung over me, and I didn’t like it. Being a maid brought a certain amount of independence. Giving that up was going to be difficult.
A letter from London arrived, written by my great-aunt. It seemed Uncle Frederick would be arriving in under a fortnight. Aunt Beth thought it would be prudent for me to return beforehand so as not to arouse my uncle’s suspicions.
As if anything would interest my uncle that was not an ancient manuscript.
Sighing, I drummed my fingers on the table in Mrs. Horner’s room. So little time! What was I to do?
“The piano is behind you,” Mr Harper’s voice filled the small space. “You may get more enjoyment out of producing music than random thuds on wood.”
“Is there a reason you are in this part of the house, Mr. Harper?” I asked, too tired and annoyed to be polite. I really wasn’t even that surprised to find him standing in the doorway. “Guests are not usually found in the housekeeper’s office.”
“I thought we could continue our conversation, Miss Nelson.” He stepped in and closed the door. “What are you doing?”
“At the moment, I am waiting for my tea.” I folded my letter and slipped it in my pocket. “In fact, any minute now a maid is going to bring me a tray through that door. She will have questions and I hope you have an answer for why you are annoying Lady Leith’s maid.”
“Bad news?” Startled by the abrupt question, I frowned at him. He nodded towards me. “The letter you were reading as I came in. You did not look pleased with what it contained. Did it have bad news?”
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