A Body in the Ballroom: A 1920s Mystery by Kelly Mason

Author:Kelly Mason [Mason, Kelly]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Little Orchard Press
Published: 2024-11-29T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 13

Ihad left Sebastian in the American Bar at the Savoy whilst I checked my appearance in my room. I was about to leave when the telephone rang.

“Lady Ellen,” I said as I answered.

“I have Captain Ernest Hamilton on the line. Go ahead.”

“Ellen, I’ve returned from my meeting. Did you visit Mayfair?”

“I did, and Sebastian is waiting for me in the American Bar,” I said.

“Oh.” The disappointment in his voice was evident.

“How was your meeting?” I asked in a cheery voice.

“I sail in seven days.”

I was pleased that he was telling me this over the telephone so that I did not have to force a smile. “How long does the journey to Cairo take?” I asked.

“It depends on the weather conditions and the number of ports visited on the way, but I should be at the port of Said within two weeks and then we stay for as long as it takes to arrange onward travel via rail.”

It seemed even worse, being that far from Hamilton, knowing that if I wrote to him, it would take at least two weeks, more likely three or four before he received my letter. So far away, I thought. And would there be an address I could send it to? Considering he was on the move most of the time.

He must have sensed my reaction due to my pause as his voice brightened. “I’m here at the hotel in my room, I’ll meet you in the American Bar.”

As I replaced the telephone mouthpiece into its cradle, the feeling that I needed to tell Hamilton how I felt about him was overwhelming. Thoughts and pictures of me waving him off at Branden Bay railway station came to mind, and were akin to the memories I held of waving Leo off on Ashcombe Village platform for the last time. I realised that it was my failure to tell Leonard that I loved him more than anything in the entire world before he left that had affected me. I gulped; the thought that I had not told him that I would love him for an eternity still crushed me, over six years later. I’d just assumed he would know. But had he known? Why is this becoming worse now? I asked myself. What’s wrong with me? I moved a stray hair from my forehead trying to collect myself, wishing I’d brought Lottie and Prince with me. I realised what a support they both were. As I checked my reflection, I forced a smile and eradicated the sorrowful thoughts, then picked up my handbag and went to the door.

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