Free 02 - Murder at Dareswick Hall by Margaret Addison

do
hope you slept well, Rose,’ said Josephine, pleasantly. ‘Do help yourself to
breakfast. There’s bacon, eggs and devilled kidneys in the chafing dishes on
the sideboard and Sidney will serve you coffee and hot toast.’ She turned her
attention to the footman. ‘I do hope you’re feeling better, Sidney. Crabtree
said that you were laid up in bed yesterday quite ill. I suppose we are rather
short staffed now that poor Robert’s gone. I do hope I can get Father to
reconsider his dismissal. He has a mother and two small brothers to support,
hasn’t he?’
    ‘Yes,
miss,’ said the footman and hurried off to the kitchen as soon as he had served
Rose, eager to break the good news to Robert that the mistress intended to
speak on his behalf. While Sidney understood why Robert had done what he had
done, he had not appreciated being roused from his sick bed to undertake both
his and Robert’s duties which were onerous even when he was feeling on top form,
which he most definitely was not today.
    There
was a companionable silence for a time as each girl indulged in eating her
breakfast.
    ‘I’m
sorry we’re a bit light on the ground,’ Josephine said, turning her attention
back to Rose, ‘Isabella’s insisted on taking breakfast in her room and Father
always breakfasts early. He’s bending poor Cedric’s ear in his study while we
speak. About Hallam, of course. He wants Cedric to keep him occupied. I think
he’s afraid that otherwise he might challenge Hugh to a duel or something
equally idiotic.’
    ‘Your
brother certainly seems very upset by Lord Sneddon’s arrival,’ Rose said
carefully, not wishing to be accused of prying.
    ‘Yes,
it really is most unfortunate. I can’t imagine what Isabella was thinking
bringing him here; she might have known how Hallam would react. I suppose I
ought to explain it all to you, although I’m afraid it’s all rather sordid. You
see, there was a bit of a scandal earlier this year when…’ Josephine broke off
speaking suddenly at the arrival of Sidney with fresh coffee and more slices of
hot toast. ‘I say, do you fancy having a walk in the gardens in say three
quarters of an hour? I’ve got a few chores to do first and then I’ll tell you
all about it.’
    Rose
finished her coffee and left the room quickly, not long after Josephine. No
mention had been made as to whether or not Lord Sneddon had breakfasted and she
did not wish to find herself suddenly alone with him over bacon and eggs. She
walked swiftly out into the hall in time to catch the end of a conversation
Josephine was having with the butler.
    ‘Are
you sure that this is all the post that’s come this morning, Crabtree?’ she was
asking, flicking through some envelopes.
    ‘Quite
sure, madam,’ confirmed the butler. ‘There are just the two letters for you,
miss, and five for the master.’
    ‘Oh,
but I was expecting another one. Why hasn’t it come?’ Josephine sounded clearly
agitated. ‘Crabtree, are you sure this is everything? I’m waiting on a very
important letter. I must get it today. Send the boot boy down to the post
office, will you, and check whether it’s there.’
    ‘This
is all the post, miss.’
    ‘I
don’t care, Crabtree, I want the boy to check. I was expecting the letter
yesterday, it’s obviously been mislaid somewhere at the post office; get the
boy to go over there and get them to check thoroughly.’
    ‘Very
good, madam,’ said the butler in a resigned manner, sure of the outcome but carrying
out his orders nevertheless.
    ‘Oh,
there you are, Rose,’ said Josephine suddenly catching sight of her. ‘I didn’t
know you were there.’ Was it Rose’s imagination or had Josephine blushed
slightly as if she had been caught out in something of a dubious nature? ‘You
must have thought I was making rather a song and dance about that letter. It
was just that I’m expecting a note from a shop about an outfit I’m having made
to wear to a party. The invitation was so