Chapter 8 #2
“It was common knowledge in certain circles. The thing is, Pearl told me he was somewhat mean and selfish. He gave her gifts, of course, but nothing extravagant. He didn’t put her up in her own place, and didn’t care that she lived in a god-awful room in the worst part of the city.
He never visited her there, of course. They went to hotels to be alone. That’s ultimately why Pearl left him.”
“Do you know how Lord Wrexham took the rejection?”
“She didn’t say.”
I almost told him it was Lord Wrexham I’d seen at Pearl’s funeral but decided against it. “What about Lady Wrexham? Do you know what she thought of her husband’s relationship with Pearl?”
He gave me a cynical smile. “She probably accepted it as well as any man’s wife would.”
It was the perfect lead-in to my next question, but my mouth suddenly went dry. I didn’t want to ask it. This man was old enough to be my father; he was a distinguished lord. And I was going to ask him a very personal question.
But it had to be asked. “Do you know if Lady Rumford is in London?”
“My wife?” he blurted out. “Of course she’s not. Why would she be?”
“I don’t know, but I heard a rumor that she was seen at the opera a few nights ago. I’m sorry, but I had to check. The witness must have been mistaken.”
He no longer seemed to be listening. The moment I mentioned when she’d been seen, the crease across his forehead deepened. He stared down at the floor between us.
“That’s all,” I said. “Goodnight, my lord. Enjoy your evening.”
He rallied, his gaze refocusing. “Actually I’m dining with you and your family. I was at a loose end and Sir Ronald was kind enough to invite me.”
I smiled. “Then I’ll see you down there.”
“May I escort you?” He checked his pocket watch. “I’ll collect you at eight.”
“I’d be delighted.”
At precisely eight, Lord Rumford knocked on my door. With a warm smile, he offered me his arm. We waited at the lift together and were soon joined by Flossy, who gave me a suspicious look.
Downstairs in the dining room, we were greeted by Mr. Chapman who bowed at his lordship before indicating the family table.
Uncle Ronald and Floyd were already there, although neither were seated.
They spoke to two other men. Or, rather, my uncle spoke and Floyd looked on. The two men departed upon our arrival.
My uncle gave Lord Rumford an enthusiastic greeting, but once again, I was given the oddest look. Floyd merely smirked and winked at me when no one was looking.
Uncle Ronald gave my aunt’s excuses for not joining us, then the men fell into conversation about my uncle’s plans for the hotel’s expansion.
I listened until Flossy caught my gaze. She mouthed something at me, but I couldn’t work out what.
Caught on the opposite side of the table to one another, we would have to endure the men’s conversation all night.
The sommelier arrived and poured the wine while Richard explained the evening’s menu, for Lord Rumford’s sake. Once they departed, my uncle resumed telling his lordship about the new restaurant he wanted to build.
After a dutiful period of time, his lordship changed the subject. “We must be boring the ladies.”
My uncle blinked at his daughter then me as if he’d just noticed us. He looked disappointed.
“Not at all,” I said. “I enjoy hearing about the hotel’s plans for the future. I can see how a public restaurant, positioned facing the street, will attract a new clientele and not just hotel guests. This room can then be turned into a permanent ballroom.”
“All the best hotels have a restaurant for non-guests,” Flossy pointed out.
“But ours will be different,” Floyd told her.
“How?” Lord Rumford asked.
Floyd glanced at his father.
Uncle Ronald picked up his wine glass and saluted us with it. “Because it will be better.”
I watched Lord Rumford over the course of dinner.
He was polite and listened attentively, even when my uncle talked incessantly about the hotel.
He always gave an opinion when obliged to do so and drew Flossy and me into the conversation when possible.
Indeed, because my uncle tended to ignore his children and me, and address only his guest, it was rather noticeable when Lord Rumford spoke to us.
Despite his politeness, he seemed lackluster.
It was as if he were keeping up his side of the conversation merely because it was expected.
Not knowing him from before Pearl died, I wasn’t sure if he was always like this in polite company or if it was something new and a result of her death.
It must be hard to pretend to be cheerful when he’d just lost someone he cared about.
He made his excuses immediately after the dessert course. He bowed to Flossy and me then went on his way. Uncle Ronald also departed, but only from the table. He drifted around the dining room, greeting guests and stopping to talk to those who dined alone.
Floyd finished his dessert wine and rose too. I thought he’d follow in his father’s wake and greet guests, but he bade us goodnight then hurried out of the dining room. He eyed Uncle Ronald all the way, but with his back to us and the door, Uncle Ronald didn’t notice.
Flossy moved to sit next to me. She hailed one of the waiters and ordered tea. “Now, Cleo,” she began as he walked off. “We need to talk. Just because the position of his mistress is available, doesn’t mean you should fill it.”
I stared at her. Then I burst out laughing.
She pouted. “What’s so amusing?”
“You thinking I’m interested in Lord Rumford in that way.”
“I’m not the only one thinking it. I saw the look on Father’s face, and Floyd’s. They think it too.”
“That’s absurd. Why would you assume I’d want to be his mistress?”
“You came in on his arm which means you clearly know one another already. You have also declared that you’re not interested in marrying anyone, so the family thinks you want to be a kept woman, like Pearl Westwood.
Not Mother, of course. She still has hopes that you’ll marry.
I assumed Father thought that way too, but now I’m not sure. ”
I followed her gaze to where her father sat at a table with a gentleman. “Do you all talk about me?”
The waiter arrived with a pot of tea and two cups. Flossy poured the tea and milk and added a lump of sugar to a cup before handing it to me. “Shall we go shopping tomorrow, Cleo?”
Goliath, Peter and Frank were calling on the other luxury hotels tomorrow to find out if Lady Rumford was staying at one of them.
Until I could think of a way to discover Lord and Lady Wrexham’s movements on the day of Pearl’s death, I had nothing to do, and I would just be twiddling my thumbs waiting for their return.
I might as well go out. But I didn’t want to go shopping.
“I thought I’d visit the British Museum tomorrow,” I said.
“But you dragged me there last week. Why do you want to go again?”
“Because I haven’t seen everything yet. You don’t have to come.”
She eyed me over the rim of her cup. “You’ll go alone? I’m not sure Mother would approve.”
“Flossy, I’m twenty-three and not an heiress. While I’m appreciative of everything your parents have done for me, I am free to do as I please. Besides, it’s just the museum.”
“But men can go there.”
“Scandalous, isn’t it?”
She gave me a withering glare. “There’s no need to be prickly.” She sighed. “Very well, I’ll come with you. At least the British Museum is better than the Natural History Museum where one can’t turn without bumping into a dead creature.”
The last person I wanted with me in any museum was Flossy.
The last time, she’d been completely disinterested in any of the exhibitions and continuously asked when we were leaving.
I’d rushed through my visit just to be rid of her.
I liked her, but our interests were not aligned.
“You don’t have to come,” I told her again.
She sipped her tea.
“Flossy, I am not going there to meet Lord Rumford or any other man. I give you my word.”
She lowered her cup. “Very well. You can go alone, and I’ll go shopping. But if Mother asks, we both went to the museum.”
It was my turn to narrow my gaze. Perhaps she was going to meet a man. I wasn’t sure if I should be worried or not. Unlike me, Flossy was an heiress. She was also quite unworldly. If a man was after her money, she might not be able to tell.
My walk around the museum not only proved to be educational, it was also cathartic.
It gave me time to think as I wandered around the collections.
By the time I arrived back at the hotel in the mid-afternoon I’d decided to be upfront with the Wrexhams and ask them what they were doing on the day of Pearl’s death, and also the reason why she called on Lord Wrexham.
I would not tell them who I worked for, however.
Indeed, by the time I arrived home, I realized I would have to lie if I were to get any answers.
Lying for good reason was acceptable and this was a very good reason.
Or so I told myself.
Terence from the post desk waved me over when I entered the hotel and handed me a letter. “It’s from Harmony,” he said.
“Should you be reading my messages, Terry?”
“It wasn’t sealed,” he said defensively. “If Harmony didn’t want me reading it, she would have sealed it. She knows I read everything that isn’t sealed.”
I must remember to seal all my letters before giving them to Terence to send.
I unfolded the letter and read. Harmony asked me to meet her at the Aerated Bread Company’s Oxford Circus teashop at three-thirty. I glanced past Terence at the clock.
“You’d best get a move on if you want to make it on time,” he said. I suspected he wanted to know why I was meeting Harmony away from the hotel. If she hadn’t told him then I wouldn’t either. The fewer people who knew about my investigating, the better.