Room With a Clue (Pennyfoot Hotel Mystery) by Kate Kingsbury Page A
Authors: Kate Kingsbury
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very bleak.
At her age she would find it difficult to obtain another position, especially one that afforded her such a comfortable living. Even if Lady Eleanor had made a will, it didn’t seem likely she would leave her companion more than a token sum.
There were other jobs, of course, but most decent positions required experience, and a companion didn’t have much of that. She would be considered too old to train in a new profession. The poor woman must be devastated.
“I’m sorry to bother you at this time,” Cecily said gently, “but I wonder if I might come in for a minute or two? I have a question I’d like to ask you.”
“Of course.”
Cecily followed her into the room. Miss Morris had changed out of her day dress and now wore a comfortable tea gown. She was a tall woman, and the pale lemon chiffon suited her. She’d removed her corset, and the gown clung to her slender figure,flaring out to swish in gentle folds around a pair of frail ankles. A little short, Cecily noted, but a good quality material. Most likely passed on by Lady Eleanor.
Daphne Morris dabbed delicately at her nose with the handkerchief. “Please take a seat, Mrs. Sinclair. How can I help you?”
Cecily sat on a tufted-back armchair and waited until the younger woman had seated herself on the tapestry ottoman. When the woman looked at her expectantly, she began, “I was wondering, Miss Morris, if you would tell me when you last saw Lady Eleanor?”
Daphne Morris looked troubled, but answered readily enough. “A little before half-past seven. I had taken Chan Ying for his walk, and he’d slipped his lead. I couldn’t find him, and so I returned to the Danburys’ suite as it was nearing time for the ball.”
She looked a trifle distracted for a moment, then with a slight shake of her head continued. “Mr. Danbury left to search for Chan Ying while I dressed Lady Danbury’s hair. Then I left her in her room to wait for her husband while I went back to the gardens to look for the dog.”
Cecily nodded. “You saw no one else in that time?”
The companion’s gaze wavered, then she looked down at her lap, shaking her head.
This was not an enviable position to be in, Cecily thought unhappily, but she had to have some answers. “Miss Morris,” she said quietly. “Shortly after half-past seven this evening, one of the housemaids delivered a message to Lady Eleanor. I was wondering if there is anything you can tell me about that.”
She waited, hoping that Daphne Morris knew about the message and that her loyalty to her dead employer wouldn’t prevent her from sharing that knowledge.
CHAPTER
10
Daphne Morris looked pale as she stared at Cecily. “Message? I’m sorry, I’m afraid I know nothing about a message. Who was it from? What did it say?”
Cecily sighed. “I was hoping you’d be able to tell me.”
Miss Morris stared down at her hands. “Lady Eleanor was not in the habit of sharing her correspondence with me, Mrs. Sinclair. I was, after all, nothing more than her paid companion.”
Cecily nodded. “Yes, but often a lady’s companion knows more about her mistress’s private life than milady’s friends. As I said, I am anxious to find out as much as possible about the events leading up to the accident.”
The companion remained silent, and Cecily added for good measure, “The constable will be here shortly and will want answers to his questions. I’m merely trying to save my guests any unnecessary inconvenience.”
Daphne Morris dropped her gaze back to her lap. “I appreciate your concern, Mrs. Sinclair. You are most thoughtful, I am sure. Unfortunately I can’t help you. As I said, I know know nothing of any message. If Lady Eleanor received one, it must have been after I left to search for the dog.”
Frustrated, Cecily stared at Daphne Morris’s bowed head. She couldn’t help feeling that the woman was deliberately keeping something back. It seemed fairly certain that Lady Eleanor had
At her age she would find it difficult to obtain another position, especially one that afforded her such a comfortable living. Even if Lady Eleanor had made a will, it didn’t seem likely she would leave her companion more than a token sum.
There were other jobs, of course, but most decent positions required experience, and a companion didn’t have much of that. She would be considered too old to train in a new profession. The poor woman must be devastated.
“I’m sorry to bother you at this time,” Cecily said gently, “but I wonder if I might come in for a minute or two? I have a question I’d like to ask you.”
“Of course.”
Cecily followed her into the room. Miss Morris had changed out of her day dress and now wore a comfortable tea gown. She was a tall woman, and the pale lemon chiffon suited her. She’d removed her corset, and the gown clung to her slender figure,flaring out to swish in gentle folds around a pair of frail ankles. A little short, Cecily noted, but a good quality material. Most likely passed on by Lady Eleanor.
Daphne Morris dabbed delicately at her nose with the handkerchief. “Please take a seat, Mrs. Sinclair. How can I help you?”
Cecily sat on a tufted-back armchair and waited until the younger woman had seated herself on the tapestry ottoman. When the woman looked at her expectantly, she began, “I was wondering, Miss Morris, if you would tell me when you last saw Lady Eleanor?”
Daphne Morris looked troubled, but answered readily enough. “A little before half-past seven. I had taken Chan Ying for his walk, and he’d slipped his lead. I couldn’t find him, and so I returned to the Danburys’ suite as it was nearing time for the ball.”
She looked a trifle distracted for a moment, then with a slight shake of her head continued. “Mr. Danbury left to search for Chan Ying while I dressed Lady Danbury’s hair. Then I left her in her room to wait for her husband while I went back to the gardens to look for the dog.”
Cecily nodded. “You saw no one else in that time?”
The companion’s gaze wavered, then she looked down at her lap, shaking her head.
This was not an enviable position to be in, Cecily thought unhappily, but she had to have some answers. “Miss Morris,” she said quietly. “Shortly after half-past seven this evening, one of the housemaids delivered a message to Lady Eleanor. I was wondering if there is anything you can tell me about that.”
She waited, hoping that Daphne Morris knew about the message and that her loyalty to her dead employer wouldn’t prevent her from sharing that knowledge.
CHAPTER
10
Daphne Morris looked pale as she stared at Cecily. “Message? I’m sorry, I’m afraid I know nothing about a message. Who was it from? What did it say?”
Cecily sighed. “I was hoping you’d be able to tell me.”
Miss Morris stared down at her hands. “Lady Eleanor was not in the habit of sharing her correspondence with me, Mrs. Sinclair. I was, after all, nothing more than her paid companion.”
Cecily nodded. “Yes, but often a lady’s companion knows more about her mistress’s private life than milady’s friends. As I said, I am anxious to find out as much as possible about the events leading up to the accident.”
The companion remained silent, and Cecily added for good measure, “The constable will be here shortly and will want answers to his questions. I’m merely trying to save my guests any unnecessary inconvenience.”
Daphne Morris dropped her gaze back to her lap. “I appreciate your concern, Mrs. Sinclair. You are most thoughtful, I am sure. Unfortunately I can’t help you. As I said, I know know nothing of any message. If Lady Eleanor received one, it must have been after I left to search for the dog.”
Frustrated, Cecily stared at Daphne Morris’s bowed head. She couldn’t help feeling that the woman was deliberately keeping something back. It seemed fairly certain that Lady Eleanor had
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