Page 16 of Murder at the Debutante Ballby

It was something I’d considered too. Mr. Smith may not have decided to steal the Bunburys’ painting on his own. He could have been encouraged by another, someone who made sure to have a watertight alibi for themselves for the night of the second theft. If so, then that meant they also had an alibi for the murder. And if they had an alibi for the murder, we were back at square one.

Chapter4

“Irecognize some of these names, but only in passing.” Mr. Hobart pointed at the same couple that Peter drew to my attention. “These two have been to our ball. And this lady has taken afternoon tea with your aunt.” He handed the list back to me. “I know nothing about them, however.”

“No gossip?”

“Sadly, no. Your aunt would be the one to ask, but it’s probably not wise to involve her.”

I smiled and thanked him. Asking for my aunt’s help might not be the worst thing to do. She’d helped me before and not told my uncle. On the other hand, I didn’t want to put her in a position where she had to lie to him.

I wouldn’t ask her unless absolutely necessary.

I found Harmony alone in the staff parlor. It was a little late for the maids to be enjoying a cup of tea. They would have finished cleaning rooms hours ago. Some would soon be arranging the hair or tightening corset laces of those guests who hadn’t brought their own lady’s maids. Harmony was usually sought after with her expert hairdressing skills, but Flossy often insisted she attend to her first.

She peered over the top of the newspaper she’d been reading then turned it around to show me. “They arrested someone for the murder. Pity.”

“Why a pity?”

“Because it means you can’t take the case.”

I smiled.

She lowered the newspaper to her lap and tilted her head to the side. “Why do you look like the cat that got the cream?”

“Because D.I. Hobart is worried the wrong man has been arrested. His superiors refuse to entertain the possibility he’s innocent, so he asked Harry and me to investigate.”

Her brow plunged into a frown. “Oh.”

“I thought you’d be happy that I’ve got another investigation to keep me occupied.”

“Why would I be pleased when you won’t get paid because there’s no client? And it means you’re working with Mr. Armitage again. You vowed never to see him.”

“It’s all right. We’re both pretending the kiss never happened.”

“Youkissedhim?”

I bit my lip. I’d forgotten I hadn’t told her. I’d replayed it so many times in my head that sometimes it felt like I must have blurted it out. “It happened after the last investigation. We were walking through the park and I couldn’t stop wondering what it would be like to kiss him. Next thing I knew, I did.”

“Youkissedhim?”

“Yes.”

“Cleo! What got into you?”

“You do remember how handsome he is.” It was a joke, but Harmony was in no mood for laughing.

She narrowed her gaze. “You can’t kiss every man you think is handsome. And you should never have kissed that one. It was a bad idea.”

“I know.”

“No matter what your feelings for him, you have to suppress them. Your family would never accept him, and I know you don’t want to walk away from them now that you’ve found them.”

“Harmony, that’s not why it was a bad idea. If Harry and I wanted to be together, I wouldn’t let my family’s opinion sway me.”

She arched both her brows in a challenge.

“I wouldn’t!”