Death in a Stately Home (Murder on Location Book 3) by Sara Rosett

Author:Sara Rosett [Rosett, Sara]
Language: eng
Format: azw
Publisher: Sara Rosett
Published: 2015-11-09T00:00:00+00:00

* * *

I returned to the house, letting the cool air in the hallway wash over me. Despite the breeze, it had been warm outside in the sun, and I felt sticky and hot from my walk. I’d entered the house through one of the entrances on the ground floor, the floor with the kitchens and storage rooms. In short, the rooms where all the work was done. I knew about the entrance because Beatrice had brought me this way the first time I’d visited Parkview. As I pushed open the door to the kitchen, sounds of conversation, laughter, and a smattering of applause rang out. When I stepped inside, the room went silent.

Several maids and footmen were seated at a long wooden table, which was filled with plates and glasses from their lunch. Some of the footmen had removed their powdered wigs and hooked them on the back of their chairs. Waverly stood at the end of the table with his arms held out straight on each side, his head tilted back toward the ceiling. The end of a long stick was balanced on his forehead. A plate spun merrily on top of the stick.

Still holding his position, he slued his gaze my way. Once he saw me, he reached up and removed the stick from his forehead. The plate kept rotating as he straightened then he gave the stick a little toss, and the plate arched over his head. He caught it with his left hand. “How can we help you, Ms. Sharp?” he said, deadpan.

“Impressive.” The staff, who had been watching me tensely, seemed to relax a bit.

“Thank you, Miss Sharp.” He placed the plate and stick on the table. “A little party trick. Shall I show you the way to the main floor?”

“I’m actually looking for Holly. Do you know where she is?”

“I believe she’s left the estate for a few hours on an errand. Can I help you?”

“I need to speak to her…it’s for the Jane Austen documentary series that I’m here researching,” I added. It would be perfectly logical to talk to the publicity person about the documentary. “It’s a bit urgent. She hasn’t gone home for the day?” I asked, just to make sure she was coming back.

“I don’t believe so,” Waverly said.

“If she did leave, she lives in Upper Benning with her gran,” one of the maids offered as she pushed back her chair and began to gather plates. “I take the same bus.” She glanced at the clock. “There won’t be another until five-thirty this evening, then after that, there’s one more at ten.”

“Since Holly is gone, I better speak to Beatrice. I mean Lady Stone.”

Thomas stood. “She’s with the DCI.”

“Will you let her know I need to speak to her as soon as she is free?”

“Yes, miss.” Thomas shoved his wig on his head and moved away from the table.

“But you can finish your lunch first,” I said.

“We’re done,” Thomas said. “We were just having a bit of fun. Mr. Waverly was showing us some of the things he learned when he was in the circus.

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