Page 65 of Murder at the Dinner Party
“Investigating,” I said, keeping an eye on my uncle to see his reaction.
His gaze narrowed. “Alone?”
“With Harry.”
His gaze narrowed further.
“I was so worried!” Flossy whined.
“Why? I go out alone all the time.”
“You were out alone afterdark—”
“It’s not dark.”
She looked pointedly at the window. The curtains were still open and the sky had slipped from twilight to night since I’d come inside. Harmony closed the curtains.
Flossy picked up the gown that Harmony had put down on the sofa and gave it to me. “Next time, just tell me if you’re going to be late, so I don’t worry.”
“I don’t always—” I bit my tongue and forced a smile. “Of course, Flossy. I’m sorry you were worried.” I kissed her cheek and thanked her for helping Harmony choose a dress for me.
The last vestiges of her frostiness thawed. “Thank goodness you’ve got a little bit of time before we leave. Fortunately, I’m ready and you don’t take long. I’ve just got to put on some jewelry.”
She left. Floyd glanced at his father, then followed her, leaving me alone with Uncle Ronald.
He was a man who wore his heart on his sleeve, so I was quite sure he wasn’t angry. His face would have been red by now and he would have scolded me, no matter who was present.
Instead, he touched one of the lacy frills trimming the capped sleeve of my ball gown. “Your aunt worries about you when you go out without a chaperone at all hours.” I suspected he wasn’t referring to just my aunt. “Cleopatra, in future, if you don’t plan on going directly home, don’t tell your cousin that you are going directly home.”
I wasn’t aware that I had told Flossy that, but I couldn’t recall my exact words to her. My mind had been elsewhere at the time.
“As for you being out until all hours with Armitage—”
“It’s notallhours, Uncle. And Harry is a gentleman, you know that.”
“Not in the strictest sense of the word, and that’s the problem. If people see you always in his company, they will talk.”
“Let them.”
“And he’ll get the wrong idea. Is that what you want?”
I sighed. I loathed it when his demands had logic behind them. “Harry knows how I feel about not marrying. As do all of you.” It was time to end the discussion before it became tiresome, so I kissed his cheek. “I will be home before dusk from now on.”
Harmony was the only person who would have seen my crossed fingers behind my back, and she was a loyal friend. She took the dress from me and headed into the bedroom, a subtle move that would signal it was time I dressed and my uncle should leave.
He grunted. I wasn’t sure if that meant he believed me or not. “Did you learn anything?”
“Pardon?”
“You said you were investigating Hobart’s absences, with Armitage’s assistance. Did you learn where he goes during lunch and why he leaves early?”
The reason he was not angry about my tardiness became clear: he thought I was investigating on his behalf. I did not correct his false assumption. I didn’t want to test whether he’d be angry if I admitted I was in the middle of a different investigation. “Mr. Hobart leaves work on time, Uncle. I did learn something about him though, as it happens. I learned that his business is private and has nothing to do with the hotel.” What did one more lie matter after I’d told him so many?
“Hmmm,” was all he said. “You should dress. There’ll be asuitablegentleman there tonight and I have it on good authority from your aunt that you’ll be seated next to him.”
I smiled at him.
Once he was gone, I collapsed onto the sofa with a sigh. “Is it too late to feign illness?”
