bright eyes as being on the verge of tears instead of the anger and disappointment I was suppressing. His face lit up. ‘Of course,’ he said. ‘I sometimes forget you are only a woman and do not have the male strength of mind.’ He added quickly. ‘I mean that as a compliment. You are the most capable young woman of my acquaintance, but you are still ill and shocked from the attack that terrible night.’
‘My head does hurt and I am more than usually fatigued,’ I said honestly.
‘I should have told you earlier. I rang up Stapleford and I have reports that Mrs Wilson is doing as well as can be expected. She is not yet fully conscious, but there is a policeman on hand to take her statement as soon as she recovers.’ He paused. ‘I must say I was quite impressed with the efficiency of that.’
‘They may be concerned that her attacker will not wish her to regain consciousness,’ I said.
‘What a horrible thought!’
‘But a very realistic one,’ I said sadly.
Bertram pondered for a moment then exclaimed, ‘But that means that you also could be in danger!’
‘Possibly, though I have made it clear to the police I did not see the attacker clearly.’
‘At least few people know where you are.’
‘Only those at Stapleford Hall,’ I replied.
An uncomfortable silence fell between us. Eventually Bertram said, ‘I must return to see how Miss Wilton fares.’
‘Will you need me?’
‘No, the lady will be taking her dinner, if she can manage anything, in her room, so your escort will not be required tonight.’
‘People might think her companion should attend her?’ I ventured, though the last thing I wanted to do was spend time with someone I felt was both devious and malingering.
‘I don’t think that would be wise,’ said Bertram. ‘She needs rest, but I appreciate the offer. Why don’t you go out and see a little of London for yourself? It’s early yet and while a lady could never walk the streets alone I believe many London servants do.’
I smiled and nodded, though his speech daunted me in more than one way. I had no inclination to spend the rest of the day shut up in my room and I did not think the hotel would look kindly on a mere companion sitting alone in the lounging areas. I was dressed too simply. But the thought of wandering through London alone was too daunting. I stood hesitating when my eye caught the attention of the concierge, who smiled encouragingly. He was a tall, wiry chap dressed in a uniform with enough gold material to suggest his importance and not enough that he could be mistaken for a bellboy, who for some reason were inordinately flash. He was also considerably older than me. I walked up to his desk.
‘Good evening, miss,’ he said in a rumbling voice. ‘How can I be of service?’
‘It seems,’ I said awkwardly, ‘that my services as companion are not required for the rest of the day and my ma-mistress has suggested I take in the London sights. However, I confess I am alarmed at venturing out alone.’
The concierge grinned. ‘Quite how it should be, miss. It’s all very well for those maids to go racketing about unescorted, but for a lady such as yourself it’s quite a different matter. You’re with Miss Wilton, are you not?’
‘Yes, I am,’ I said startled at this man’s perspicacity.
‘A very nice young woman, I’m sure, but new money, I would imagine, and not quite up to how things should be done.’
‘Is there something you could suggest I might do to fill my time?’ I asked growing increasingly embarrassed.
‘There is one of them spiritualists giving a talk in the blue saloon,’ said my new friend. ‘There’s a small charge, but we haven’t sold many tickets, so I’m sure I could sneak you in. Being as how you are a resident.’
‘Oh, I see. I’m not sure.’
‘Let me check my list. It’s a Madam Arcana.’
My heart skipped a beat. Coincidences do happen in life, but I am always wary of them. ‘Yes,’ I heard
‘My head does hurt and I am more than usually fatigued,’ I said honestly.
‘I should have told you earlier. I rang up Stapleford and I have reports that Mrs Wilson is doing as well as can be expected. She is not yet fully conscious, but there is a policeman on hand to take her statement as soon as she recovers.’ He paused. ‘I must say I was quite impressed with the efficiency of that.’
‘They may be concerned that her attacker will not wish her to regain consciousness,’ I said.
‘What a horrible thought!’
‘But a very realistic one,’ I said sadly.
Bertram pondered for a moment then exclaimed, ‘But that means that you also could be in danger!’
‘Possibly, though I have made it clear to the police I did not see the attacker clearly.’
‘At least few people know where you are.’
‘Only those at Stapleford Hall,’ I replied.
An uncomfortable silence fell between us. Eventually Bertram said, ‘I must return to see how Miss Wilton fares.’
‘Will you need me?’
‘No, the lady will be taking her dinner, if she can manage anything, in her room, so your escort will not be required tonight.’
‘People might think her companion should attend her?’ I ventured, though the last thing I wanted to do was spend time with someone I felt was both devious and malingering.
‘I don’t think that would be wise,’ said Bertram. ‘She needs rest, but I appreciate the offer. Why don’t you go out and see a little of London for yourself? It’s early yet and while a lady could never walk the streets alone I believe many London servants do.’
I smiled and nodded, though his speech daunted me in more than one way. I had no inclination to spend the rest of the day shut up in my room and I did not think the hotel would look kindly on a mere companion sitting alone in the lounging areas. I was dressed too simply. But the thought of wandering through London alone was too daunting. I stood hesitating when my eye caught the attention of the concierge, who smiled encouragingly. He was a tall, wiry chap dressed in a uniform with enough gold material to suggest his importance and not enough that he could be mistaken for a bellboy, who for some reason were inordinately flash. He was also considerably older than me. I walked up to his desk.
‘Good evening, miss,’ he said in a rumbling voice. ‘How can I be of service?’
‘It seems,’ I said awkwardly, ‘that my services as companion are not required for the rest of the day and my ma-mistress has suggested I take in the London sights. However, I confess I am alarmed at venturing out alone.’
The concierge grinned. ‘Quite how it should be, miss. It’s all very well for those maids to go racketing about unescorted, but for a lady such as yourself it’s quite a different matter. You’re with Miss Wilton, are you not?’
‘Yes, I am,’ I said startled at this man’s perspicacity.
‘A very nice young woman, I’m sure, but new money, I would imagine, and not quite up to how things should be done.’
‘Is there something you could suggest I might do to fill my time?’ I asked growing increasingly embarrassed.
‘There is one of them spiritualists giving a talk in the blue saloon,’ said my new friend. ‘There’s a small charge, but we haven’t sold many tickets, so I’m sure I could sneak you in. Being as how you are a resident.’
‘Oh, I see. I’m not sure.’
‘Let me check my list. It’s a Madam Arcana.’
My heart skipped a beat. Coincidences do happen in life, but I am always wary of them. ‘Yes,’ I heard
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