Murder on Harley Street (Cleopatra Fox Mysteries #11)

Chapter 1

Just when I thought my cousin Floyd had matured, he did something to remind me he was still a feckless youth who’d rather risk his father’s wrath than do any actual work.

He’d stumbled home at first light on the day he was supposed to begin organizing an important event.

The Mayfair Hotel had been hired as the venue for a presentation by a member of the Pharmaceutical Society.

Usually presentations were held at the society’s offices in Bloomsbury Square, but a last-minute change had become necessary after a burst pipe caused considerable damage.

The presentation was scheduled for Saturday, leaving very little time to prepare.

Tasked with overseeing the organization by his father—my Uncle Ronald—Floyd ought to be spending as much time as possible making sure it was a success, but instead he was sleeping the day away.

I shouldn’t have been surprised. It wasn’t long ago that a wayward Floyd had needed rescuing from a ruthless fellow after getting himself into debt. What surprised me more than Floyd’s lackadaisical attitude to work was that his assistant, Harmony Cotton, would rather he stay in bed.

“He’s more useful when he’s asleep,” she told me outside my uncle’s office on the hotel’s fourth floor.

I’d just left my suite further along the corridor when she’d emerged after a meeting with my uncle and the hotel’s senior staff.

I’d waited for them to disperse before signaling to her that I wanted a word.

“How can he be useful while asleep?” I asked.

“Fewer interruptions allow me to get on with it.” Harmony’s smile may have been a mere wisp of a curve of her lips, but it reassured me that she was indeed satisfied with this arrangement.

As one of the hotel maids, Harmony had proved to be an excellent assistant to Floyd when an important guest’s wedding had been held at the hotel two months ago.

This medical presentation wasn’t quite on the same scale, but it was still imperative that it ran smoothly.

It was Uncle Ronald’s hope that the Mayfair would be the chosen venue for larger conferences if word spread about the success of Mr. Lombardi’s event.

For Harmony, it was a step closer to a new career that would hopefully see her permanently move away from being a maid.

I indicated my uncle’s office door. “Was he upset that Floyd wasn’t there for the meeting?”

“I informed Sir Ronald that Mr. Bainbridge was feeling unwell and that I would update him with everything he needed to know when he felt better.” She leaned a little closer and lowered her voice. “I’m not sure Sir Ronald believed me, but he didn’t seem angry.”

“You’re too good to Floyd.”

Harmony’s dark eyes flashed. “Making him eternally grateful to me.”

“You run the risk of my uncle finding out that you’re covering for Floyd. He could direct some of his anger at you.”

“Or he’ll be grateful that someone capable is assisting his son and heir.”

“I’m not sure I understand.”

“Mr. Bainbridge will inherit all this one day, whether he deserves it or not. I intend to make myself indispensable to him by ensuring the events he’s tasked with managing are a success.

He already realizes how helpful I am, but I plan to make him see how necessary I am, so when the time comes for him to step into Sir Ronald’s shoes, he’ll employ me as his permanent assistant.

In the meantime, Sir Ronald will be grateful that someone capable is making his son look good to stakeholders, so he’ll not be too concerned that I do more than an assistant should while his son sleeps off the effects of a full social calendar. ”

Not only did she look like a businesswoman in her sensible navy-blue skirt and matching waistcoat over a crisp white blouse, with her black hair scraped into a tight arrangement, she was sounding like one, too. “Have you become more devious, or am I simply just noticing it now?”

“I prefer to think of it as clever.” She jutted her chin at the closed door to Floyd’s suite, her smile no longer in evidence. “Should you check to see if he’s all right?”

“It’s too early. He’ll sleep well into the afternoon.”

She tucked the clipboard she’d been holding under her arm and removed the watch Floyd had loaned her from her waistcoat pocket. “It’s a quarter to eleven. The day is half over for some.”

“Perhaps we should rouse him. There are things he needs to do. I have a few minutes before collecting Aunt Lilian for her appointment.”

Harmony pocketed the watch. “Not ‘we’, Cleo. You check on him alone. I’m merely an employee. He wouldn’t want me seeing him in a state of…” She wrinkled her nose in the direction of Floyd’s door. “Whatever state he’s currently in.”

“Floyd wouldn’t care.”

“Besides, I’m busy.”

“As his future permanent assistant, I’m quite sure you’ll have to drag him out of bed from time to time to perform his duties.”

“Until that time comes, I’ll let his favorite cousin deal with him.” Her gaze drilled into me. “Unless that cousin plans to move out of the hotel soon.”

“I told you I have no such plans, Harmony.”

“Plans change.”

“Not in two weeks they don’t. Well, not in this instance anyway. Harry and I are content the way things are.”

Her lips flattened into a firm line, letting me know that she thought I was deluded if I expected Harry to be content to keep our relationship a secret from my family for much longer.

Ever since I’d given in to my feelings for him, Harry Armitage and I had decided it was best to wait to make an announcement.

As a former employee of the hotel, my family considered him beneath me.

Introducing him as the man I wanted a future with would require delicate diplomacy and careful timing.

Harmony was convinced that I alone had made the decision to wait, despite me telling her numerous times that Harry wanted it, too.

“As you and Victor are also content with your relationship,” I added with more glee in my tone than was polite.

Harmony’s face softened at the mention of her beau, one of the hotel’s cooks. “Point taken.” She shifted the clipboard to her other hand. “Good luck with Lady Bainbridge’s appointment. I hope this new doctor proves better than the last one.”

“As do I.” I glanced at Floyd’s door again. “Perhaps your Pharmaceutical Society presenter can advise Floyd on a cure for over-imbibing.”

“The best cure for that is to drink less in the first place, but I think the Bella Vita Company do manufacture a restorative tonic.”

“Bella Vita!” I grabbed her wrist and lowered the clipboard to read the document. Across the top in neat, bold lettering, Harmony had written Bella Vita Company Presentation.

She frowned at me. “It means The Good Life Company in Italian. It’s Mr. Lombardi’s company.”

I blinked at her. “I think that’s the manufacturer of Aunt Lilian’s tonic.”

She gasped. “The one…?”

I nodded. “The one she no longer uses.” Neither of us mentioned the word addiction out loud, but I’m sure she was thinking it.

My aunt had become addicted to the cocaine in the tonic prescribed by one of London’s eminent physicians.

At first, it gave her a vitality she felt she lacked.

She took it before social engagements or when she felt low, but after regular use it became clear to all those who knew her that she was becoming more and more dependent on it to lift her mood.

Not only that, it changed her character.

She went from a kind-hearted, gentle soul to someone who was easily irritated and sometimes even angry, interspersed with moments of deep melancholy, the very thing the tonic was supposed to cure.

Those changes were accompanied by excruciating headaches, restlessness and fatigue.

After months of suffering, Aunt Lilian finally realized she needed to stop. She’d thrown out her bottle of tonic, so I couldn’t now check the label to find out who manufactured it.

“We can’t allow Mr. Lombardi to have his presentation here,” I said.

“His tonic is doing more harm than good. He’s no better than a quack who peddles so-called remedies on the street corner.

I can’t believe Boots and other chemists still sell it, let alone eminent doctors recommend it to their patients.

Given Aunt Lilian’s situation, it would be hypocritical of us to host Mr. Lombardi’s event, not to mention unethical. ”

Harmony chewed her lower lip.

“I know the presentation is important to the hotel,” I went on, “but I’m sure Uncle Ronald will cancel the contract once he realizes.” We both looked at his office door.

“Are you sure the Bella Vita Company is the manufacturer of that tonic?” Harmony asked. “The factory is in Italy.”

“I’m quite sure, but you’re right. I need to be absolutely positive.

Uncle Ronald will want proof before he cancels the contract.

I’ll purchase a bottle while I’m out. I remember the name and what it looked like, as will my uncle.

” I clasped Harmony’s arm and squeezed. “I’m sorry.

I know how much hosting this event means to you. ”

She gave me a reassuring smile. “It’s kind of you to think of me, Cleo, but there’s no need to worry.

I’ll have other opportunities to assist Mr. Bainbridge and, like you, I don’t want to play any part in helping Mr. Lombardi advertise his medicines to the medical and pharmaceutical professions if he is the producer of that tonic.

You’re aware he’s already staying at the hotel, aren’t you? ”

I wasn’t. It was good to know, however, so I could avoid him.

We parted ways, Harmony heading to the lift while I went to collect my aunt for her appointment. I decided not to check on Floyd. If he was still asleep when I returned, I’d look in on him then.

I was about to knock on the door of my aunt’s suite when Flossy emerged from her room.

“Hello, Cleo.”