Page 34 of A Lesson in Propriety (Merriweather Academy for Young Ladies #1)

Thirty-Four

It was quite telling when the lady Drusilla believed was Umberto’s wife began swelling on the spot before she rounded on her husband, her dark eyes flashing, which resulted in Umberto edging ever so slowly away from her.

“You promised me, Umberto, that you weren’t going to hire any questionable characters anymore, but if this lady has the right of it and you’ve been dealing with a man named Sneaky Pete—well, how much more questionable can you get when a person has the word sneaky attached to their name?”

“I have never met a man who went by the name of Sneaky Pete,” Umberto argued.

It was difficult to refuse the inclination to snort again, but since she’d only just snorted a mere moment before, a second snort would be pushing the boundaries of proper decorum a little too far, even if she was facing some rather extenuating circumstances.

“While I understand your need for self-preservation, as this lady I’m assuming is your wife looks quite ready to inflict some bodily harm on you,” Drusilla began, “I have no qualms explaining the truth of the matter to her so...”

She nodded to the lady in question and took a moment to explain what she knew about Sneaky Pete, ending with, “And then your husband arranged for Sneaky Pete to infiltrate my aunt’s castle because he wanted to present you with your heart’s desire, which was being in possession of a competent staff.”

The lady shot a glance to Umberto, pursed her lips, then returned her attention to Drusilla before she promptly dropped into a curtsy. “I beg your pardon for not introducing myself straight from the start but as you deduced, I am Umberto’s wife, Elena Zambarello. You are, of course, Miss Drusilla Merriweather, who I have heard my husband muttering about of late, his mutters revolving around the notion he believes you’re an unreasonable woman who won’t accept a more-than-generous offer for your castle.” Elena drew herself up. “It’s now more than obvious that your unreasonableness was completely warranted, given that I’m getting the distinct impression something underhanded has been transpiring in regard to you—and something my husband has been a part of.”

She turned to Umberto. “You will now tell me exactly what you’ve been up to, starting with how it came to be that we, out of everyone in Chicago, ended up with Ottilie Merriweather’s staff.”

“There was nothing underhanded about how the Merriweather staff came to work for us,” Umberto protested. “I simply had a conversation with a man who was watching the Merriweather Castle’s front gate one day when Norbert, the usual gatekeeper wasn’t around. Although...” Umberto tilted his head. “Come to think of it, that man’s name might have actually been Peter, but he never mentioned the word sneaky in our conversation.”

Elena’s eyes narrowed. “Why would you have gone to the castle in the first place if Ottilie Merriweather was out of town?”

“I kept checking in to see if she’d returned because I have more clients who want to build houses on North Lake Shore Avenue than available land, and I wanted to make her an offer that would be worth her while.” He held up his hand, forestalling whatever it was Elena seemed about to say. “Before you take to chiding me about that, don’t think I was the only one stopping by the castle. There were a good dozen other developers who wanted her land, although the majority of them have given up their pursuit these days.”

“Ottilie Merriweather is rumored to be one of the wealthiest women in the country because she evidently inherited millions from her parents and grandparents,” Elena shot back. “Unless she’d allowed it to be known she wanted to sell, why would you, or any other developer, think she’d be persuaded by a financial offer to give up her castle simply because her land is highly desirable?”

Umberto waved that aside. “Ottilie Merriweather is rarely in town, and she’s an unmarried woman without children. Seems to me it’s somewhat selfish of her to own so much land when there are at least a hundred families who would gain a better quality of life if she sold to a developer. Just think how those children would benefit from getting out of the city smog and breathing in lakeside air instead.”

“That’s a ridiculous reason to justify what seems to be a concerning case of stalking on your part, as well as stalking from other developers,” Elena snapped. “But to return to what we were actually speaking about, explain to me, if you please, exactly how it came to be that we were the family who ended up with her staff.”

Umberto gave his nose a bit of a scratch. “Would you believe we were unbelievably lucky because I just happened to mention to that Peter fellow that we were looking to bring on additional domestic workers right around the time Ottilie’s entire staff was looking for a new employer?”

Elena folded her arms over her chest. “I probably should have asked this directly after you hired Ottilie’s staff, but why did they want to leave her employ in the first place?”

“Ah...” Umberto glanced to Bentley. “Didn’t you tell me when I interviewed you that everyone was convinced the castle was haunted?”

“Indeed,” Bentley said before he frowned. “Although I’m unable to help but wonder, after learning Sneaky Pete was behind the suit of armor incident, as well as being the man who told me you were hiring, if all the hauntings we experienced were at the hands of Sneaky Pete.”

“I don’t think anyone can blame you for wondering that, as I’m wondering the same exact thing,” Drusilla said, earning a scowl from Umberto in return.

“Except that I didn’t specifically ask Peter to scare anyone out of the castle,” he argued. “The employment conversation simply happened after he told me that Ottilie had not returned and no one had heard from her. He then added that talk was beginning to swirl around that something dreadful might have befallen her.”

“That makes it sound as if, after Sneaky Pete implied to you that my aunt might be dead, you saw that as a prime opportunity to make off with Ottilie’s staff.”

“If Ottilie was dead, her staff was going to have to find new positions anyway, so it’s not as if I did anything except not pass up an opportunity that had unexpectedly landed in my lap.”

Drusilla’s brow furrowed. “But no one knew for sure what had happened to my aunt—and still don’t know—so I’m curious as to whether you might have helped this opportunity along somehow. Perhaps offered some type of incentive to Sneaky Pete to encourage him to send members of the Merriweather staff your way?”

Umberto shot a glance to Elena, who responded with an arched brow before he winced. “I might have told him I’d give him a fee for anyone he sent to my household who ended up accepting a position.”

“To a man named Sneaky Pete, the promise of a fat payout was probably enough motivation for him to stuff himself into an old suit of armor, squeeze his head into a steel helmet, and wander about the great hall, moaning every few feet as he swung a mace around.” Drusilla cocked her head to the side. “Should I assume that tonight’s fiasco was an opportunity you couldn’t pass up either because you knew, if you didn’t make one last-ditch effort to scare me from the castle before I open my academy for young ladies, that you probably wouldn’t get another chance?”

“I did not hire Sneaky Pete to roam around your castle tonight, nor have I ever done that. To reiterate, I simply told him that one time we spoke well over a year ago that I’d appreciate it if he’d let everyone know I was hiring.”

Elena began tapping a toe against the marble floor. “You should have realized the man would resort to unusual tactics, as I have to imagine Ottilie Merriweather’s staff was perfectly content in their positions since a woman who was rarely in residence wouldn’t have exactly been difficult to work for.”

“She was absolutely delightful,” Bentley interjected, blanching a second later as if he’d just realized he’d said that out loud, and in a tone that suggested it wasn’t all that delightful to work for the Zambarello family.

“A telling statement if there ever was one,” Elena said before she considered Umberto for an uncomfortably long moment, then turned to Drusilla. “I know you’re hardly likely to believe me, but I’ve been married to Umberto for what feels like forever at the moment, and I can normally tell when he’s being untruthful. I don’t get the feeling he’s lying about the Sneaky Pete incident tonight. However, before we discuss that further, I would like to revisit something you said—that being an academy. Surely you weren’t suggesting you’re going to open an academy in the castle, were you?”

“You haven’t heard?” Drusilla asked.

“The only thing I’ve heard about an academy of late is that Mrs. McCormick finally got her daughter, Norma Jean, who would give any of my girls a run for their money in the questionable-behavior department, enrolled in a ladies’ academy after spending the past few years being turned down by every finishing school east of the Mississippi.”

“Mrs. McCormick has enrolled Norma Jean in my academy, the Merriweather Academy for Young Ladies.”

Elena’s gaze sharpened on Drusilla. “Are there any specific qualifications girls need to possess in order to gain admittance into your academy?”

“We’re not going to be as stringent with enrollment requirements as many academies are, if that’s what you’re asking, but I won’t be admitting any young ladies for a while, as I’ve recently decided, given the unfortunate circumstances I’m currently facing, that I’ll need to delay the opening of the academy.”

Elena took a step toward Drusilla. “May I assume those unfortunate circumstances revolve around the developers who are determined to acquire your castle?”

“That would be one of the unfortunate circumstances I’m facing.”

“May I also assume, then, that if that particular threat were alleviated, your academy opening might not be as delayed?”

“That would be a fair assumption.”

Elena smiled. “Then allow me to offer you my assistance in the pesky developer matter.” She turned to Umberto. “To begin, you, my dear, will cease any and all attempts to convince Miss Merriweather to sell out to you, just as you’re now going to come completely clean and admit to me, and the truth if you please, whether or not you hired Sneaky Pete to scare Miss Merriweather from the castle tonight.”

“I haven’t had any contact with Sneaky Pete since he stopped by my office over a year ago to collect those fees I mentioned.”

Drusilla frowned. “I now find myself wondering why Pete didn’t accept a position with you as well when you brought on the rest of my aunt’s staff.”

“He told me another developer had offered him a job, one that got him back on a boat again, which is why he decided to take that position instead of accepting a job with me as a gardener.”

Drusilla turned to Bentley. “Did Pete mention anything to you regarding where he was going to work?”

Bentley shook his head. “I’m afraid not, although it seems rather curious that a developer would just happen to have a boating position available. I wouldn’t think builders in general have much need to have many boats around.”

“Unless you’re Loughlin MacSherry,” Elena said slowly.

Drusilla blinked. “The criminal underboss?”

“Ah, so you’ve heard of him.”

“He’s another developer who’d like to secure my property.”

“Interesting,” Elena murmured.

“How so?”

“Because even though MacSherry promotes himself as a developer and builder, he uses that as a front to conceal how he really makes his money—that being smuggling.”

“Smuggling?” Drusilla repeated.

Elena nodded. “He has an entire fleet of ships that he claims to use to bring in building supplies, but everyone knows that the majority of items MacSherry brings into Chicago aren’t building supplies at all but stolen goods or opium.”

Umberto’s brows drew together. “I was unaware that you knew about MacSherry’s true business endeavors.”

“Just because we’ve decided to leave Chicago’s underworld behind doesn’t mean I’ve abandoned all of the friends I have who still remain in that world,” Elena said. “Frankly, if I’d done that, I wouldn’t have any lady friends at all since it’s not as if Mrs. Palmer is beating down my door, asking me to join her for tea at the Palmer House.”

“I don’t recall you ever having tea with Mrs. MacSherry or any of the MacSherry family,” Umberto pointed out.

“No one has tea with the MacSherrys as that could put your very life in danger, which brings me around to Sneaky Pete again.” Elena worried her lip for a moment. “I’m sure, as there’s a chance he’s been working for MacSherry for over a year, that Pete is well-aware of how ruthless the man is. That means it’s doubtful that Sneaky Pete, when he was caught in the act tonight, would have fessed up to working for MacSherry.” She nodded to Umberto. “Instead, he blamed you, my darling, a ready stooge if there ever was once since you were responsible for Sneaky Pete seemingly coming up with the haunted castle scenario as a way to collect those fees you offered him.”

Drusilla gave her forehead a rub as she tried to keep up with the conversation. “I can certainly understand why Sneaky Pete wouldn’t want to tell us he was working for MacSherry, but why would MacSherry want to acquire my land if his most profitable business doesn’t revolve around building contracts?”

“I’m sure that’s somehow connected to your castle once belonging to another smuggler—Captain Harvey,” Elena said. “Since MacSherry’s a smuggler as well, I’m sure he realized that the captain chose the castle’s location for a specific reason, that being that you can sail a boat close to shore, load and unload questionable cargo, and then store that cargo in a remote castle that’s surrounded by undeveloped land.”

Drusilla’s lips began to curve. “But that’s absolutely brilliant, and now has me questioning what other secrets the castle has yet to reveal.”

“I would hazard a guess and say that Sneaky Pete is probably familiar with a lot of those secrets,” Elena said. “But before you head out to question that man again, know that I was being perfectly sincere when I offered to handle your developer problem for you. I can guarantee that Umberto will no longer be plaguing you with offers, and I would guess it’ll take me no longer than a week to get all the other developers interested in the castle to lose that interest.”

“Even Loughlin MacSherry?”

“I can take care of MacSherry.”

Drusilla tilted her head. “What would you expect in return for your assistance?”

“While I would love to claim I’m only offering my assistance as a way to make amends for Umberto stealing your aunt’s staff,” Elena began, “I’m afraid I’m not that altruistic. I, again, have five daughters who have yet to reach their majority, and I’ve been told they’re somewhat unmanageable.”

“Ah. You’d like my assurances that I’ll agree to admit your daughters into my academy in exchange for your assistance.”

“I believe that would be a fair exchange.”

“Should I ask exactly how you intend to intervene on my behalf with MacSherry?” Drusilla couldn’t resist asking.

Elena smiled. “It would be best if you aren’t privy to any details, especially when that will allow you to claim complete ignorance if anything unexpected were to happen and the authorities feel compelled to pay you a visit.”