Page 40 of Murder at the Debutante Ballby

“He told me Lady Quorne’s maid has a fondness for drinking at the Fox and Hound when her mistress is out of an evening.” He pointed down a narrow street opposite. “Apparently Lady Quorne is out tonight.”

“Let me guess. We’re going to buy the maid a few drinks to loosen her tongue. No, wait—youare going to buy her drinks.” I stopped myself from saying that he’d have better luck than me at charming answers out of a middle-aged woman. I didn’t want him to get cross with me again.

“I was going to suggest we both question her. You can be the duchess’s current maid, helping to find a replacement before you leave service altogether and take a position as a shop assistant. Are you free tonight?”

“Oh. Uh, yes. So why are you escorting me back to the hotel?”

“Because Lady Quorne won’t be going out for hours, and you need to change into something plainer.” He eyed my dusty skirt. “And cleaner.”

He had a point. I would put on one of the old dresses that I’d brought to London from Cambridge. They were the sort of thing a sensible lady’s maid would wear.

“The butler told me in passing that most of the staff had been there a while,” he said. “But the only one who’d worked for the Quornes longer than the lady’s maid was the coachman. We should speak to him too. He might know where his master met his wife.”

Although few masters confided in their coachmen, they tended to know all sorts of interesting things about their employers simply because they drove them everywhere. It was entirely possible he knew where Lord Quorne had met his future wife.

“If it’s all right with you,” he went on, “I’ll speak to the coachman on my own after we finish with the lady’s maid.”

“He may be out most of the night, driving his employers back and forth. I have a better idea. One where we don’t have to wait for him.”

“I don’t understand how we can avoid it.”

“Wedon’t have to wait for him. Someone else can.”

We agreedon a time for Harry to meet me outside the hotel, then I waved him off. Before entering, I told Frank I wanted to speak to him and the others in the staff parlor, if he was available.

He asked the other doorman to take charge then followed me inside. We sent Goliath to find Victor and Harmony and I informed Peter I wanted to see him too. It was mid-afternoon, when a slight lull gave the staff time to enjoy a few minutes in the parlor with a cup of tea before they either stopped for the day or became busy again. Most new guests had checked in, and ladies had not yet arrived for afternoon tea. We wouldn’t have long to ourselves, however.

Harmony was already in the parlor, reading a book. She set it aside and made tea while we waited for Goliath and Victor. I wasn’t sure if Victor’s shift would allow him to join us, but he did, dressed in chef’s whites with his knife belt slung around his waist like a cowboy’s gun holster. He nodded a greeting to all of us, including Harmony. His fingers brushed hers as she handed him the cup and saucer.

She glanced at me and, seeing that I’d noticed, snatched her hand back.

Victor smiled to himself as he sipped his tea.

“I need help tonight,” I began. “Lord and Lady Quorne’s coachman may have some information about his mistress’s past, but I’m tied up elsewhere and can’t question him.”

“Where are you going?” Harmony asked. “I’m not scheduled to do your hair.”

“Harry Armitage and I are going to question another suspect at a pub.”

She gave me a disapproving look. I wasn’t sure if it was because of Harry or the pub.

Peter cleared his throat. “If I can be so bold as to say something, Miss Fox?”

“Go ahead.”

“You shouldn’t be seen at a pub with a man, even if it’s just Mr. Armitage. It’s not right.”

I sighed. “You too, Peter?”

He put up his hands in surrender. “I apologize if I overstepped.”

“So you should,” Frank snapped. “Who are you to say what Miss Fox can and can’t do? She doesn’t have to answer to you.”

Peter’s nostrils flared. “You disagree with me?”

Frank lifted his teacup to his lips. “That’s not the point. The point is, you’re management now. You shouldn’t even be in here. You should be having tea with Mr. Hobart in his office.”

“I’m still one of you. Nothing’s changed.”