Free Death Sits Down to Dinner by Tessa Arlen Page B

sure that once Mrs. Jackson was settled in Miss Kingsley’s house and had met Miss Gaskell, her instinctive curiosity would be piqued and then they would see what she made of things.
    When they arrived at Chester Square, Clementine noticed that the door was opened for them by the Clumsy Footman instead of the butler.
    “Mr. Jenkins is with Detective Inspector Hillary, in the library, m’lady. But Miss Kingsley is waiting for you in the drawing room.” The man said and on cue, the drawing-room door opened and Hermione walked into the hall. The presence of Scotland Yard’s Detective Inspector Hillary and his sergeant in her house clearly didn’t suit her; she was at her most austere and quite stiff with indignation. Starch aside, she was nonetheless courteous in her welcome to Mrs. Jackson.
    “I am so grateful Lady Montfort can spare you from your duties at Iyntwood, Mrs. Jackson. Your reputation has preceded you and we are indeed fortunate to have your help. I am sure our charity evening will only benefit from your guidance. I will not introduce you to Miss Gaskell today, as it is important she has her rest. The butler will take you to her little office where you will be able to work undisturbed with the help of Miss Gaskell’s records of previous events for the charity. And if you need to use the telephone, you will find it in the library. That is of course if we are lucky enough to be able to use that room today.” She glanced toward the closed door of the library, her mouth tucked down in the corners in distaste.
    She’s as sour as lemon barley water, thought Clementine, confident that her housekeeper was more than a match for the old lady’s iron rule over her household and her determination that not one word of what had occurred in her dining room would be uttered at Chester Square.
    At that moment Inspector Hillary came out of the library, followed by a remarkably flustered Jenkins. The old man looked as shamefaced as if he had confessed to at least a dozen heinous acts, and was careful not to catch his mistress’s eye. Evidently in both their minds he was guilty of disloyalty simply by being in the same room as the policeman.
    “Finally, Jenkins. I was wondering where you might be.” Hermione did not acknowledge Detective Inspector Hillary, her gaze was fixed somewhere over the policeman’s head as she addressed her butler. “Now, this is Mrs. Jackson.” Without turning her head, she gave an imperious wave toward the area in the hall occupied by Iyntwood’s housekeeper. “She is here to organize the charity evening. I have told her to use the library telephone rather than the one in the butler’s pantry, so she won’t get in your way. She will be returning to Montfort House at seven o’clock this evening, so please make arrangements with Cook for her midday dinner and her tea. Perhaps you would show her down to the between-stairs office, if you have quite finished here.” And turning to Clementine: “I will send Mrs. Jackson back in my motorcar, and Macleod will collect her tomorrow morning at nine o’clock sharp.”
    Hermione, having made all the arrangements she deemed necessary, was about to make her farewells when Hillary spoke.
    “How fortunate you should arrive at this moment, Lady Montfort. I was wondering if—” But what he was wondering was interrupted by Hermione, as if he simply weren’t there.
    “My dear Clementine, I must say goodbye. Now my library has been made available to me, I can get on with my morning, what is left of it.” Ignoring the policeman, she walked past him into the room he had vacated.
    Clementine turned to Inspector Hillary and smiled to make up for Hermione’s snub, but he appeared not in the least perturbed by the elderly woman’s dismissive behavior. “I was hoping that I might call in on you, Lady Montfort, it would be helpful to resume our conversation about last night. Would it be convenient to follow you home, and might Lord Montfort also be