Danger on the Downs by Camilla Blythe

Author:Camilla Blythe
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: 1930s mystery, cozy historical mystery series, dog pet high society upper class starlets, funny historical mystery, golden age mystery books, amateur female sleuths traditional detective, england sussex south downs crime manor
Publisher: Camilla Blythe
Published: 2020-02-08T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CORA CLOSED THE DOOR of the study.

“Were you admiring my late husband’s things?” a voice said behind her.

Tension flared through Cora’s back, and she turned around.

Mrs. Ivanov stood before her.

At least, Cora assumed it was Mrs. Ivanov. She had Mrs. Ivanov’s voice and Mrs. Ivanov’s height, but this woman had also clothed herself in all black. A dark veil obscured her face.

“Good afternoon, Mrs. Ivanov,” she said. “His room was lovely. Quite clean.”

“That is an observation of the housekeeping,” Mrs. Ivanov sniffed.

“I am sorry about your husband’s death,” she said somberly in an effort to distract from her snooping.

Mrs. Ivanov averted her gaze. “I heard you went to Alfriston for cream tea.”

“Yes. We—er—wanted to give you some time alone.”

Mrs. Ivanov exhaled. “I suppose that instinct was not entirely unwarranted. Though I would prefer it to not have guests rummaging through his things.”

“I was hoping I could find a clue,” Cora said. “I feel guilty that—”

“You didn’t perform the task I’d asked you to do?” Mrs. Ivanov said abruptly, and Cora stiffened.

“I wanted you to discover who was going to kill him,” she said. “Now that the deed is done, it hardly matters, does it?”

“But justice—”

“Balderdash,” Mrs. Ivanov said, and Cora blinked. “I don’t care about that. It’s too late.”

“But surely you must desire to see the person punished?”

“I do and that person is currently sitting at the police station.” Mrs. Ivanov sighed. “I did ask you to observe the other guests, not the servants. Perhaps I was overhasty at criticizing you.”

“But perhaps Mr. Mitu is innocent...”

“Then the murderer is one of my friends, perhaps one of my relatives.” She inhaled sharply. “I-I can’t lose more people. I hope you understand that.”

Cora nodded slowly. She couldn’t imagine preferring to not know the murderer’s identity. But how would it be to discover that someone close to one had murdered someone one cared about? It would change everything, and perhaps Mrs. Ivanov simply didn’t desire more change.

Cora ascended the stairs to the next floor.

Archibald greeted her when she came into the room and she bent to pet him. Then she opened up a notebook. Now was a time for organization in her amateur investigation.

DINNER PARTY ATTENDEES:

1.) Me

2.) Mrs. Ivanov

3.) Veronica

4.) Mr. Fawcett

5.) Mr. Rosenfeld

6.) Natalia

7.) Mr. Badger

8.) Mrs. Badger

She tapped her hand on the paper. She crossed out her name and Veronica’s. She’d been with Veronica when Mr. Ivanov had been murdered, not that she thought Veronica would have felt compelled to murder him anyway.

Mr. Fawcett, though... He’d been the most obviously defiant person and he did write crime novels. It was an unusual vocation, and she suspected he might have more than the average person’s knowledge of murder methods. He also lived nearby, and out of anyone, he could have most easily tampered with Mrs. Ivanov’s husband’s vehicle. No doubt he stood to inherit from Mrs. Ivanov after she died, now that her new husband was disposed of. Might he intend to do away with Mrs. Ivanov later? Cora shivered and pulled Archibald closer to her.

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