Page 26 of Snowbound with the Scoundrel
“Very well.”Clarissa rose to her feet.“I will continue to investigate.And I know that my contact at the Home Office is sending additional officers to assist in your protection, sir.One of his very best agents is already en route.”
Mr.Baxter brightened visibly.“That is good news!Let us see if this new agent can effect any developments in the investigation.”
Clarissa had half a mind to throw the little porcelain sculpture of a shepherdess adorning the end table at his head.As if she had not proven her mettle that very morning by saving his worthless hide!
Lord Helmsley cleared his throat.“One of the other guests saw the stone fall.Mr.Rupert Dupree happened to be looking out the window at the gardens.He was very concerned and even followed Miss Weatherby onto the roof.”
Clarissa nodded.Gossip about the falling stone would no doubt spread through the house party guests like wildfire.“We will, therefore, need an explanation for the other guests.I think we should maintain the story we discussed on the roof—that the mason was doing some repairs and left a stone stacked precariously close to the edge.”
Lord Helmsley nodded.“Rupert did seem to buy that explanation.”
Mr.Baxter snorted.“Rupert Dupree would buyanyexplanation.Fairies.Unicorns.A tiny earthquake that affected only the roof.”
Clarissa frowned.While Mr.Baxter was not wrong that Rupert wasn’t what you would call an intellectual, she disliked hearing him mocked in this manner.Even Clarissa, who had good reason to hate him, had to admit that Rupert Dupree had a number of fine qualities.
Meanwhile, for all that Oliver Baxter was an ardent supporter of some of Clarissa’s most cherished political causes, she found him condescending and short-tempered, especially toward his wife.She couldn’t believe she was thinking this, but she quite preferred Rupert.
But it wouldn’t do to insult the person she was charged with protecting.“We have our plan.”Clarissa curtseyed to Lady Helmsley.“If you will excuse me, there is much to be done.”
As she made her way downstairs, Clarissa found herself hoping that the outstanding agent Sir Henry had dispatched would arrive soon.She was no longer wondering if she was in over her head; she knew she was, without question.
Chapter12
Clarissa did her best to plaster a smile on her face as she entered the breakfast room.Her stomach might be churning with anxiety about the fact that the murderer had followed Oliver Baxter from London.But as far as the world needed to know, her only concern was finding a soft-boiled egg and a strong cup of tea.
She stepped up to the overflowing sideboard, where Rosalind Baxter’s cousin, Miss Phyllis Cuthbert, was filling a plate.Clarissa couldn’t help but notice her slate-grey dress.It was loose-fitting with an unfashionably high neckline, buttoning all the way up the hollow of her throat, and Miss Cuthbert had tucked a fichu around her neck for good measure.
Clarissa felt a pang of envy.It wasn’t brown, but grey was the next best thing.If only she could have somehow contrived to borrow gowns from Miss Cuthbert until her trunks arrived!Instead, she was stuck wearing a fashionable white muslin morning dress topped with a jade-green spencer, these being the least conspicuous items Lady Emily had left for her.
Miss Cuthbert gave Clarissa a little smile.“I hope you will forgive me for being overly bold, but could we sit together at breakfast?I have been looking forward to meeting the famous Clarissa Weatherby.”
Clarissa gave a startled laugh.“I don’t know that famous is the word that applies.”
“Oh, but it is!You are the most famous wallflower in all of Britain.”
The words were said enthusiastically, but Miss Cuthbert’s face immediately fell.“Oh, dear—that didn’t come out right.I did not mean for it to sound like an insult!”
“Please,” Clarissa said, helping herself to a slice of toast, “do not distress yourself.I wear that title as a badge of honor.All my sisters do, in fact.We call ourselves the Weatherby Wallflowers with pride.”
Miss Cuthbert smiled.“I knew you would understand!You see, I am a wallflower, too.And as soon as I heard you were also a guest of Lord and Lady Helmsley, I knew at once that we were going to be great friends.”
Clarissa thought that a bit forward, but she was careful not to let her discomfiture show on her face.These past few years, she had grown accustomed to going through life with her guard up.But everyone at Lord and Lady Helmsley’s house party had been tremendously kind to her thus far—save perhaps for the man she was there to protect.
She needed to learn to lower her defenses a trifle rather than assume that every person she met had ulterior motives.
An ironic statement, considering she was on the hunt for a would-be murderer!
But Clarissa forced herself to smile blandly at her self-proclaimed friend.“How lovely.Shall we sit?”
As they settled into a pair of chairs at the far end of the table, Miss Cuthbert said, “We are going to be two peas in a pod, Miss Weatherby.I just know we are!Because you know how it feels to be a wallflower, to have the world look right past you.”
Clarissa studied Miss Cuthbert’s beaming face.In spite of her dowdy gown and the severe bun she had pulled her dark hair into, she was remarkably pretty, with balanced features, a beautiful complexion, and fine blue eyes.
“What is it?”Miss Cuthbert asked, causing Clarissa to realize she had been staring.
“I’m sorry, I’m just having trouble imagining anyone looking past you.You are a remarkably beautiful woman.”
Miss Cuthbert shrugged.“The same could be said about you.But, as I’m sure you know, if a woman is not in possession of a good fortune, looks alone are not sufficient to secure her an admirer.”She laughed darkly.“At least, not one who wishes for a respectable alliance.”
