Chapter 4 #3
Her blue eyes brightened as she spun in the chair to face me fully. “Of course, Cleo. I’d be delighted to help.” She got up to answer a knock on the suite’s door. “Place it on the bedside table. I’ll begin after dinner.”
I did as she asked then entered the sitting room as she let Floyd in. His hands were full as he carried a tray of tea things. He placed the tray on one of the tables and signaled for Flossy to pour. There were three teacups.
“How did you know I’d be in here?” I asked.
“Hobart told me.”
“I only just came from seeing him.” I thanked Flossy as she handed me a teacup and saucer. “You were quick to fetch the refreshments.”
“I intercepted one of the footmen in the corridor who was delivering it to another suite.”
“Floyd!” Flossy had been about to hand him a teacup but suddenly drew it back out of his reach.
“Don’t worry,” he told her. “It will only take him a few minutes more to get another tray organized. The kitchen always has tea ready at any moment.” Floyd arched his brow and she finally handed over the cup. “Got anything stronger to add to it?”
“No! Is there a point to your visit or are you simply here to annoy us?”
“Ha! My visit is the most interesting one you’ve had all day. Admit it, Floss.”
“It’s not, as it happens.” Flossy indicated me. “Cleo has asked me to help her with an investigation. I’m tasked with uncovering the naughty details of the life of a famous actress.”
“An actress? Naughty details? That sounds like my department. Why didn’t you come to me, Cleo?”
“The actress is Ida Gainsborough,” I said.
I didn’t need to say anything further. Floyd wrinkled his nose. “She’s too old for me. Didn’t someone write a book about her?”
“Someone did. Flossy has a copy and is going to read it and pass on anything of interest.”
“Ah. Reading. Definitely not my area of expertise. Nor Flossy’s, I suspect, but she does have more time on her hands than me. I’m much too busy preparing for the special dinner.”
Flossy rolled her eyes. “Harmony is doing all the work, as usual. You are merely the one who’ll take the credit when it’s a success. Who is it for, anyway?”
He tapped the side of his nose. “It’s a secret.”
She snorted. “Do you even know?”
“Don’t be stupid. Of course I do.”
“I’d wager you don’t.”
Before the conversation descended into bickering, I steered it back to the investigation. “I’m glad you’re here, Floyd. I have a question for you. The name Archibald Mathers has come up in my investigation. Apparently he used to stay here, but doesn’t anymore. Do you know where he can be found?”
“His family has an estate in Wiltshire. He’s probably there these days.”
“And when he’s in London?”
Floyd shrugged. “I haven’t seen him in about a year. We used to rub shoulders at events our mothers forced us to attend, but he doesn’t go anymore. Perhaps he got married.”
“I would have heard,” Flossy said. When Floyd regarded her with an odd look, she added, “Women hear these things. I’d remember any marriage news about Mr. Mathers. I liked him. He was kind to me.”
“He was all right, I suppose, although I don’t think he particularly liked me.”
“Why not?” I asked.
“I don’t know. I’m very likeable.”
“Ha!” Flossy cried. “He probably didn’t like you because you were a bounder. You still are, but you were worse then. Mr. Mathers was a quieter sort.”
“You mean he was dull. His conversation centered around books he’d read, or bits and pieces from the newspapers. He’d bang on about social reform, which was odd, coming from the son of a viscount. Not sure what they’ll make of him when he eventually inherits his seat in the House of Lords.”
“Do you think you can ask around at your club and find out where he stays when he’s in London now?” I asked.
“I could, but I’d like something from you in return, Cleo.”
“Honestly, Floyd, can you do something out of the goodness of your heart for once? This is important.”
More important to the reputation of the hotel than I was prepared to admit, at that moment. If the police arrested Goliath, his link to the Mayfair would bring negative press. My uncle and cousin would care about that.
Floyd grumbled into his teacup. “I simply wanted to remind you to pay some attention to Mr. Janson, the guest I told you about this morning. It won’t be a hardship.
I haven’t spoken to him at length myself, but he seems charming.
He’s also very handsome, if you like the tall, dark-haired, athletic type, which I have on good authority that you do.
” Floyd glared at me over the rim of his teacup.
I glared straight back. Tall and dark-haired…the description of Mr. Janson fit the man I’d seen with two pretty women on his arm in the foyer.
“He must be wealthy, too, if he’s staying here,” Flossy added. “He sounds perfect. Why is no one suggesting I meet him?”
Floyd swallowed a mouthful of tea too quickly and started to cough. He took a moment to recover then barreled on as if Flossy hadn’t spoken. “Well, Cleo? Do we have an agreement?”
“I’ll get around to it at some point,” I said tightly. “This investigation is very trying. It requires all my time and effort.”
“Why?”
I considered my answer carefully before responding. “I was about to speak to your father. I think you should join me.”
He swallowed the rest of his tea then set down the cup. “Come on then.”
Flossy finished her tea, too, but didn’t ask to come with us. “You should have told me how important it is, Cleo. I’ll begin the biography about Miss Gainsborough immediately.”
As Floyd and I walked along the corridor to his father’s office, I asked him why he wasn’t encouraging his sister to meet the tall, dark-haired guest. “Why just me?”
“You’ll understand when you meet him,” he said. “Trust me, Cleo. You’ll like him.”
I knew he was steering me toward this guest in the hope that would steer me away from Harry, someone my family considered unsuitable.
Floyd had guessed that Harry and I had feelings for one another, and must be worried where those feelings would lead.
The fact he thought I could transfer those feelings onto another told me that Floyd had never met anyone who’d captured his heart the way Harry had captured mine.
Otherwise he’d know Harry wasn’t an object I could replace with a replica.
I wouldn’t say any of that to my cousin or uncle until the time felt right. For now, it was enough that he wasn’t pushing me too hard in the direction of the guest. There were far more important things to concentrate on. Like clearing Goliath’s name.
I had a feeling that was something we could all agree must take priority.