A Twist of Murder by Heather Redmond

Author:Heather Redmond [Redmond, Heather]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kensington Books
Published: 2022-07-27T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

Mr. Sikes had remained for dinner. Charles had been frank, asking questions about what Toby Grimwig’s departure meant for the fate of the school. Mr. Aga and William had both been rather quiet as Mr. Sikes defended a series of his actions in the tones of moral imperviousness.

“We need to question that girl,” Julie insisted as she and Kate went into the parlor after dinner. The men were having spirits and cigars before joining them. Lucy had been sent to eat with the household servants.

“It might be early enough,” Kate admitted. “I don’t think Mr. Aga wanted us to linger long over dinner.”

“It was not a feast,” Julie agreed. “Though the roast was excellent. Given how fiery Charles is, he probably unleashed his opinions on Mr. Sikes as soon as we left. They will be in there for an hour if William has the energy to engage in the discussion. He’s had a bit of a headache, and no surprise.”

“Your poor husband.” Kate went to the parlor windows and pushed a curtain back. While no one would go to bed for hours yet, the sky had completely darkened. “I remember there is a lantern on the table near the door in the school’s front hall. It is only across the street. Nancy’s room is in the attic. I could send Lucy to bring her down to the school parlor.”

“No.” Julie worried her lip. “It’s the scene of the crime, isn’t it? Nancy’s bedroom, I mean. We’ve been thinking all along that Agnes was removed from it forcibly, in some fashion.”

“There won’t be anything to see there now.”

Julie’s skirts rustled, displaying her restlessness. “I’m curious, and I know you are, too. We’re going to turn into murder tourists.”

Kate smiled. “Or lady detectives. Can you imagine?”

They both laughed. Kate thought Lucy might be a welcome addition, in truth, but she respected Julie’s wishes and went to light the lantern, then came back with their cloaks, which were in a closet under the stairs.

In a couple of minutes, they were on their way to the school, making sure not to lock themselves out of the headmaster’s house in the process. They only had to dart across the street after waiting for one carriage to pass.

The trimmed hedges were ghostly blocks as they passed through them, the bobbing lantern in Kate’s hand catching black shadows, looking first like boots, then like the bottoms of cloaks. She shook her head and tried not to give in to fantastical thoughts. Rather, she reveled in the adventure and wondered what sort of trouble Julie Aga was capable of getting her into as the years passed. They reached their first snag at the school’s front door. It was locked.

“Do we ring?” Kate asked.

“I’m not sure anyone would answer, with a housekeeper as incompetent as Mrs. Bedwin,” Julie said. “Let’s go to the servants’ entrance. Maybe someone will still be in the kitchen.”

She was correct, and after they tramped around to the side of the school, the cook did let them in.

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