“I do hope you and your wife are enjoying your stay at the Pennyfoot?”
“Most assuredly, madam. This is a charming place to enjoy the celebrations.” His gaze swept the room. “It would seem all of your guests are having a good time. Your efforts are well appreciated, I’m sure.”
“We do our best to please.”
“I trust the unfortunate incident with your footman has not impeded your plans?”
Startled, she glanced up at him. “What? Oh, no, of course not. It was a nasty accident and we are all shocked and dismayed, of course, but our first and foremost duty is to entertain our guests in the manner to which they are accustomed, and nothing is allowed to interfere with that.”
Sir Walter nodded. “I’m glad to hear it. A dreadful thing to happen any time of the year, but losing a loved one at Christmastime must be quite unbearable.”
Uncomfortable with the way the conversation was going, Cecily was thankful when the music ceased and she could return to her table.
She thanked Sir Walter, who kissed her gloved hand, then gave Baxter a slight bow of his head before returning across the room to his wife.
“I trust you enjoyed that,” Baxter said, with just a hint of resentment in his voice.
She couldn’t resist teasing him. “I did, indeed. Such a gentleman, Sir Walter. He looks quite dashing on the dance floor.”
Baxter snorted. “He wouldn’t look quite so immaculate had he not borrowed a bow tie from me this morning. He was lucky I had a spare. Apparently his valet had forgotten to pack one for him. Seems to me he needs to get his household in order.”
Cecily smiled at her husband’s feeble attempt to discredit the charming aristocrat. “Well, the dance was very nice, dear, but I’d much rather dance with you. So much more relaxing. Besides, he doesn’t have your light foot on the turns.”
Baxter’s scowl disappeared, and his mouth twitched in a smile. “Then what are we waiting for? Will you do me the honor of having the next dance with me?”
“Of course.”
“In that case-” He broke off as Gertie appeared at the table, her pale face taut with anxiety.
“Sorry, m’m, but I thought you ought to know at once.”
Her good mood shattered, Cecily felt a pang of misgiving. “What is it, Gertie?”
The housemaid cast a furtive glance over her shoulder at the couples dancing behind her. The orchestra on the stage played a lilting waltz, loud enough to cover her words, and apparently reassured, she leaned forward. “I just found one of Ellie’s shoes, m’m.”
For a moment Cecily stared at her, wondering why that was such momentous news she had to be disturbed. “Ellie’s shoe?”
“Yes, m’m.” Again Gertie looked over her shoulder. “I found it in the coal shed, m’m.”
“In the coal shed?” Cecily exchanged a puzzled look with Baxter. “What on earth was it doing in there?”
“That’s why I came to tell you, m’m. We thought it queer that she’d leave her shoe in the coal shed. I mean, where would she go with only one shoe? What with her gone missing and everything.”
Baxter leaned an elbow on the table and covered his eyes with his hand. “Oh, good Lord.”
Cecily let out her breath. “Thank you, Gertie. I’ll look into it.”
A look of relief crossed her housemaid’s face. “Yes, m’m. Thank you, m’m.” She backed away, narrowly missing being struck in the face by the energetic elbow of Lord Millshire.
Muttering an apology, Gertie rushed across the floor and out the door.
Cecily smiled at the Millshires as they swept past her, then encountered Baxter’s gaze.
His brows practically met over the bridge of his nose. “Just when were you going to tell me that one of our maids is missing?”
Aware that the musicians had ceased playing, she sent him a warning look with a finger pressed to her lips. “I’m sorry, dear. I didn’t want to worry you. You seemed so preoccupied with something I didn’t want to add to your troubles. Besides,
“Most assuredly, madam. This is a charming place to enjoy the celebrations.” His gaze swept the room. “It would seem all of your guests are having a good time. Your efforts are well appreciated, I’m sure.”
“We do our best to please.”
“I trust the unfortunate incident with your footman has not impeded your plans?”
Startled, she glanced up at him. “What? Oh, no, of course not. It was a nasty accident and we are all shocked and dismayed, of course, but our first and foremost duty is to entertain our guests in the manner to which they are accustomed, and nothing is allowed to interfere with that.”
Sir Walter nodded. “I’m glad to hear it. A dreadful thing to happen any time of the year, but losing a loved one at Christmastime must be quite unbearable.”
Uncomfortable with the way the conversation was going, Cecily was thankful when the music ceased and she could return to her table.
She thanked Sir Walter, who kissed her gloved hand, then gave Baxter a slight bow of his head before returning across the room to his wife.
“I trust you enjoyed that,” Baxter said, with just a hint of resentment in his voice.
She couldn’t resist teasing him. “I did, indeed. Such a gentleman, Sir Walter. He looks quite dashing on the dance floor.”
Baxter snorted. “He wouldn’t look quite so immaculate had he not borrowed a bow tie from me this morning. He was lucky I had a spare. Apparently his valet had forgotten to pack one for him. Seems to me he needs to get his household in order.”
Cecily smiled at her husband’s feeble attempt to discredit the charming aristocrat. “Well, the dance was very nice, dear, but I’d much rather dance with you. So much more relaxing. Besides, he doesn’t have your light foot on the turns.”
Baxter’s scowl disappeared, and his mouth twitched in a smile. “Then what are we waiting for? Will you do me the honor of having the next dance with me?”
“Of course.”
“In that case-” He broke off as Gertie appeared at the table, her pale face taut with anxiety.
“Sorry, m’m, but I thought you ought to know at once.”
Her good mood shattered, Cecily felt a pang of misgiving. “What is it, Gertie?”
The housemaid cast a furtive glance over her shoulder at the couples dancing behind her. The orchestra on the stage played a lilting waltz, loud enough to cover her words, and apparently reassured, she leaned forward. “I just found one of Ellie’s shoes, m’m.”
For a moment Cecily stared at her, wondering why that was such momentous news she had to be disturbed. “Ellie’s shoe?”
“Yes, m’m.” Again Gertie looked over her shoulder. “I found it in the coal shed, m’m.”
“In the coal shed?” Cecily exchanged a puzzled look with Baxter. “What on earth was it doing in there?”
“That’s why I came to tell you, m’m. We thought it queer that she’d leave her shoe in the coal shed. I mean, where would she go with only one shoe? What with her gone missing and everything.”
Baxter leaned an elbow on the table and covered his eyes with his hand. “Oh, good Lord.”
Cecily let out her breath. “Thank you, Gertie. I’ll look into it.”
A look of relief crossed her housemaid’s face. “Yes, m’m. Thank you, m’m.” She backed away, narrowly missing being struck in the face by the energetic elbow of Lord Millshire.
Muttering an apology, Gertie rushed across the floor and out the door.
Cecily smiled at the Millshires as they swept past her, then encountered Baxter’s gaze.
His brows practically met over the bridge of his nose. “Just when were you going to tell me that one of our maids is missing?”
Aware that the musicians had ceased playing, she sent him a warning look with a finger pressed to her lips. “I’m sorry, dear. I didn’t want to worry you. You seemed so preoccupied with something I didn’t want to add to your troubles. Besides,
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