Page 74 of Murder of a Dead Man

Liddy giggled at that.

“Mrs. Vance, are you coming, too? Julia and I discovered something you might be interested in learning about, and after we put Liddy’s book away safely, we’ll go outside—for that is a much better location for such discussions.”

Mrs. Vance perked up. “I believe I shall,” she said. She joined Cecilia and Liddy threading their way through the library toward the great hall and the sun beckoning them outside.

Once outside, Liddy led them to the right around the building. Cecilia had not been that way, habitually walking around to the left. The landscaping was thicker to the right with more trees and large bushes. Liddy walked steadily on.

“You walk like a young lady with a purpose,” teased Cecilia. “Where are you headed, Liddy?”

“To Mr. Montgomery’s place.”

“Mr. Montgomery’s place? What do you mean?”

“You said you wanted to see my treasure box, didn’t you?” she asked.

“Yes.”

“I’ll show you,” she said patiently. “You, too, Mrs. Vance. Mr. Montgomery showed me his special place in case something happened to him. Now I’ll show you in case something happens to me.”

Cecilia drew in a sharp breath between her teeth. That this child should even consider something might happen to her, to say it so calmly, chilled her soul.

There were many people walking the grounds on this side of the property and sitting on oiled canvas cloths under the trees, chatting or sketching. “Liddy, would you stop a moment please?” Cecilia said.

Liddy stopped and looked up at Cecilia, confused. “Why?”

“There are many people about. If you are to show us a special place, perhaps that should be done when there are less people about. You don’t want them to discover the special place do you?”

“I guess not, but I wanted you to see…”

“And we will,” Cecilia promised.

“Then we might as well go in through Mr. Montgomery’s room,” Liddy said.

“What do you mean?”

“That terrace door leads into Mr. Montgomery’s room,” she explained.

“I heard there was a door here, but I thought it locked. You mean it is accessible?” Cecilia asked.

She nodded. “We went in and out that way all the time.”

“Perhaps that is also best left to fewer people about,” Cecilia said, exchanging a surprised look with Mr. Vance.

“And you know, Liddy, after our adventures last night, if we did more adventuring today without Lady Stackpoole, she would be sad,” Mrs. Vance said.

The child sighed, shrugging her expressive shoulders again. “I guess so,” she said resignedly.

“Let’s see if we can find her. She probably went left around the building. There is a bench she likes to sit on over there. Her son is here, you know.”

“Fine,” Liddy said, turning about, tromping sullenly to the other side of the building.

They walked to Julia’s favored seating place but did not see her. They decided to go back inside and see if Lady Stackpoole was there.

In the great hall, Cecilia stopped to ask the majordomo if he had seen Lady Stackpoole.

“She’s in the library, my lady,” that worthy said. “And she said to tell you if I saw you that she would await you there.”

“Well, that was easy enough,” Mrs. Vance said.