Page 73 of Murder at the Mayfair Hotel

Flossy flouncedonto the sofa in my sitting room, picked up the book I’d been reading and put it down again, screwing up her nose. “You simply must dine with me tonight, Cleo. I’m sobored.”

“I don’t feel like dining out,” I said.

“It’s not out. It’s just downstairs.”

If it required the effort of dressing elegantly, doing my hair, and smiling at the other guests and the waiters, then it was out. “I’d rather stay in my room.”

She flopped back into the corner of the sofa. “I’m so restless tonight. I need a distraction. I think it’s because the ball is tomorrow night and I simply cannot wait.” She sat up again and clapped her hands lightly. “It’s going to be wonderful, Cleo. There’ll be over a hundred glamorous ladies and handsome gentlemen. Father said there’ll betwofamous actresses in attendance, and one opera soprano, but he won’t tell me which ones, the devil. Floyd is thrilled, of course. He hopes one of them is Marie Lloyd.”

“Speaking of Floyd, can’t you dine with him tonight?”

“He’s going out.”

“He dines out a lot.”

“Yes, but this time it’s on Father’s orders. He wants Floyd to make sure his friend the duke’s son is coming.”

“Floyd is friends with the son of a duke?”

“They’re not terribly close, but they do move in the same circles. The duke’s son’s set is very fast. Father doesn’t always like Floyd going out, but he makes an exception for him. Sometimes Floyd tells Father he’s meeting him when he’s actually not.” She put a finger to her lips. “Don’t tell Father.”

“What about your parents? Are they dining out tonight?”

She sighed. “They are, also in a last ditch effort to secure attendees for tomorrow night.”

“I don’t understand. Haven’t people said whether or not they’re coming?”

“The hotel guests have. That’s why they’re still here. It’s the invitees who aren’t staying here who are more difficult to pin down, particularly this year, given the murder. Those people don’t need to stay in hotels as they own townhouses in the city.”

“They must be very wealthy.”

“Extremely. Father needs to court them, so he accepted an invitation to a dinner where he expects many of them to be.”

“Aunt Lilian is also going?”

Flossy’s face fell. “I wish she wouldn’t. She’ll be out late tonight and late again tomorrow night. It might be too much for her.”

“I’m sure your father will take care of her and return home if she feels unwell.”

She picked at the sofa cushion seam with her fingernail.

“Flossy, what’s wrong with her? Is she ill?”

“She has suffered from melancholia for years. Her doctor prescribed a new medicine which lifts her spirits greatly, albeit temporarily.” She waved a hand. “Let’s not worry about Mother. I’ve got an idea. You don’t want to dine in the dining room, but you have to eat, so let’s dine in my room, just the two of us.”

“That would be lovely.”

“We’ll order something expensive. Oh, and let’s have champagne too.”

“I don’t feel like celebrating.”

“We’re not celebrating. We’re indulging.”

* * *

We sentour order down to the kitchen via the speaking tube in Flossy’s room. “Luckily the room delivery orders are only sent to Mr. Hobart at the end of the day and not Father,” she told me as she settled on the sofa again. “Father wouldn’t like me having champagne, but Mr. Hobart will overlook it.” She giggled. “I hope he doesn’t think I’m having the entire bottle myself.”

“He’ll see the rest of the order is for two meals,” I said. “I’m sure Mr. Hobart will realize I dined with you.”