Free Aunt Dimity's Good Deed by Nancy Atherton

then”—and had hitchhiked from Paris to the Channel, where she’d spent her last centime to board the train that had taken her to London. There she hoped to confront Willis, Sr., and persuade him to do his duty by his daughter.
    “I must make Grandpapa see reason,” she concluded. “Without his help, we will end up on the streets.” Nell’s eyes sought mine. “I’m sorry I lied to you, Miss Shepherd, but I was afraid. I thought you wouldn’t bring me with you if you knew who I really was.”
    “And you work for William Willis?” Gerald asked, turning to me.
    “I’m his executive assistant,” I answered glibly, inspired by Nell’s bravura performance. “Mr. Willis and I come to London regularly, on business. Nicolette showed up at our hotel this morning, minutes after my employer had left for Haslemere. I’d never heard of her, but since it was still the middle of the night back in Boston, I had no way of checking our records. Then papers arrived, requiring Mr. Willis’s immediate attention, and I couldn’t leave her in London on her own, so I ... I did try to telephone first.”
     
    “But you couldn’t get through.” Gerald nodded. “The phone’s still not working properly. I was cut off in the middle of the first call to come through in three days.”
    “I’m sorry to intrude like this,” I said, with complete sincerity. It seemed a shame to pull the wool over such beautiful eyes.
    “Not at all. But I’m afraid I have bad news for you, ma petite,” he continued, laying a hand on Nell’s arm. “Your grandfather was here, but he left two hours ago.” Nell sighed expressively and Gerald gave her arm an encouraging squeeze. “I can tell you where he’s gone, though.”
    “Vraiment?” Nell asked, her face brightening.
    “I hate to say it, but he’s returned to London.”
    “To London?” I exclaimed in dismay.
    “I believe he intends to visit my cousins tomorrow,” Gerald explained. “Here, I’ll give you their address.” He got to his feet and went over to the battered wooden desk.
    “Vous êtes très gentil, Monsieur Willis, très généreux—un véritable ange,” Nell said effusively to Gerald’s back. Turning to look straight at me, she went on: “Grandpapa is sure to return to his hotel in London. I am certain we shall find him there tomorrow.”
    I received her message loud and clear. Calm down, she was saying. If William plans to spend the night in London, he’ll stay at the Flamborough, and Miss Kingsley will keep an eye on him until we get there.
    “I apologize for making such a spectacle,” Nell said, rising from her chair. “I must look terrible. Please, may I use your salle de bain?”
    “Bien sur,” said Gerald. “It’s at the top of the stairs. Mind the handrail,” he added. “It’s wobbly.”
    Nell’s histrionics had, in fact, left her looking lovelier than ever, with high color in her cheeks and tears sparkling on her long lashes, but I didn’t need a neon sign to tell me what was afoot. Cousin Gerald, I thought without a trace of doubt, was about to have his second floor searched. I thought Nell was being overly suspicious—Gerald wouldn’t have told us where to find Willis, Sr., if he’d cached his corpse in an upstairs closet—but I was willing to play along, if only to keep Nell from embarrassing herself, and me.
    “You won’t be going back to London this evening, then?” Gerald crossed from the desk to the sofa, a slip of paper in his hand.
    “I’m not used to driving on English roads, Mr.—Gerald,” I admitted. “I wouldn’t like to risk it in the dark.”
    “I don’t blame you,” he said, with an understanding smile. He handed me the slip of paper and sat beside me, adding casually, “You’re welcome to spend the night here, if you like.”
    “Th-thank you,” I faltered, my face growing peony-pink, “but we’ve already checked into the Georgian.”
    “They’ll take good care of you there,” Gerald said, and although I