Page 13 of Murder on Harley Street
“Do you have evening plans?”
“Just a dinner in the hotel restaurant. As far as I know, we aren’t dining with any of the guests, but that may have changed. Uncle Ronald makes a habit of inviting people to sit at our table at the last minute.” I wrinkled my nose. “I hope he doesn’t invite Mr. Lombardi.”
“Who is Mr. Lombardi and why don’t you want to sit with him?” He stopped and rounded on me, eyes narrowed to slits. “Your uncle isn’t trying to marry you off to him, is he?”
“No. Mr. Lombardi is not a suitor. He’s the owner of the company that manufactures the tonic Aunt Lilian used.”
His brows rose. “And he’s staying at the hotel?”
“Not just staying there. He has hired the ballroom to make a presentation to dozens of attendees from the pharmaceutical and medical professions. We realized too late that his company makes that tonic, and now it’s all arranged, and Uncle Ronald doesn’t want to cancel. It’s too important to the hotel, he says, but isn’t his wife’s health more important? If she finds out that Mr. Lombardi makes that tonic and her husband knew and still supported the business, how will that make her feel? She’s delicate at the moment. She needs to know he’s prepared to put her well-being above the hotel’s reputation and profit. By letting the presentation go ahead, he’s sending the message that the hotel is more important to him than she is.”
Harry took both my hands in his. “I think you need to spell it out to Sir Ronald. He won’t knowingly upset Lady Bainbridge for the sake of the hotel, but he’s not the most perceptive when it comes to women.”
He was right. Not all men were as empathetic as Harry. His understanding of women probably had a lot to do with being brought up by his birth mother while living in an all-girls school where she taught. He’d had no father figure, and had been surrounded by women in his formative years.
Before we turned onto Piccadilly, he kissed my gloved hand warmly before releasing it. When I reached Frank at the Mayfair Hotel’s door, I turned and gave Harry a little wave. He waved back then joined the many other pedestrians hurrying along the pavement.
In the foyer, I smiled a greeting to Goliath, the extremely tall porter, as he passed me wheeling a trolley laden with luggage. To my surprise, he smiled back. He’d been rather low in spirits lately, ever since his sweetheart decided to end their relationship after she’d been dismissed from her position at the hotel. Although his friends all told him she didn’t care about him enough to fight for their relationship, he’d still felt as though her dismissal was all his fault. I was glad to see him happy again.
“Mr. Hobart has been looking for you for quite a while, Miss Fox,” he said.
“I’ve been assisting Mr. Armitage with a murder investigation.”
I hadn’t noticed Frank come up behind me until he spoke. “Can’t Armitage work alone?”
Goliath winked at Frank. “Where’s the fun in that?”
The lines on Frank’s face settled into their usual curmudgeonly pattern. “He shouldn’t have asked you. If Sir Ronald hears about it?—”
“It won’t matter,” I said.
“Tell us about the murder,” Goliath said, keeping his voice low as two guests passed.
“Not here.” I smiled at another guest I recognized. “And not now. Mr. Hobart is signaling me.”
I joined the hotel manager who’d emerged from the corridor where the senior staff offices were located. It was almost time for him to leave for the day, but he didn’t yet hold the leather satchel he carried with him to and from work.
“How did it go with Harry?” he asked.
“Splendidly.” Realizing how that sounded in light of the reason why I’d met with Harry, I tempered my enthusiasm. “That is to say, it was interesting. We have a great deal to get on with tomorrow.”
“Together?”
“Yes.” I tried to keep my features schooled, but a small smile and a blush managed to escape.
“Marvelous. I am pleased. I’m sure you’ll have it solved within the week, Miss Fox. You two have an excellent partnership. Before you go up, I ought to inform you that your family want to speak to you.”
“All of them?”
“I believe so. They’re waiting for you to return to have a family meeting in your aunt and uncle’s suite. I said I’d send you there directly if I saw you before I left.”
I glanced over my shoulder toward the lift. “It sounds ominous.”
“I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about. They certainly didn’t hear it from me that you were meeting with Harry or that you’re investigating a murder.”
My uncle had forbidden me to associate with Harry, but I’d managed to get him to change his mind and allow me to see Harry when we investigate together, knowing anything more would be too much for my uncle to bear. The time would come when I’d have to inform him about our relationship, but not yet. I needed to soften his attitude to Harry first.
How I would do that was still a mystery.
