Death and the Dear Doctor by Valerie Fletcher Adolph

Author:Valerie Fletcher Adolph [Adolph, Valerie Fletcher]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-03-03T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Trudy

Marietta must have come in very late, and it was almost noon before she arrived in the kitchen, dressed but with streaky remains of last night’s make-up across her face. Alice looked pointedly at the clock.

‘I had such a good time,’ Marietta gushed. ‘I danced pretty much every dance. There were these three university students from Leeds, ever such good dancers they were, and one of them had a motorbike so he brought me home.’

So much for Kenneth Wilson, I thought. He’s lost his chances with Marietta. I wonder what caused that.

Alice was having a fit about Marietta riding on a motorbike so I served up lunch and was pulled into a discussion with Colonel Starr and Calvin Hunt about the need for Alice to marry again soon. It was obvious to them that a woman was mentally and physically incapable of running an establishment as complex as the Avalon. My opinion that she was doing a very good job was greeted with pity as I too was, in their opinion, incapable of understanding the complexities of business.

It was a long lunch. The older ladies in the room either concentrated on their meal or nodded in agreement with the gentlemen. I knew it was time to leave the table when Calvin said that Mrs Mackie would be best aided by a man such as himself with a wide experience of the world and Colonel Starr disagreed, saying that the strategic mind of a military man would be far better for her.

I asked Alice’s opinion when I saw her later putting the beef roast in the oven and searching her books for a new recipe for beef gravy.

‘Which one would you prefer for your new husband?’ I asked. ‘The worldly Mr Hunt or the strategic Colonel Starr?’

‘It’s a difficult choice. My pathetically unstrategic female brain would need to see their bank accounts first.’

So we had been laughing as we went to tell Mrs Shand that the police were now looking into the matter of the watcher outside her window. She beamed at the news. For once a complaint had been taken seriously. An actual detective had taken on the case. Heads would roll.

Which wasn’t precisely what we had told her but neither of us wanted to spoil her pleasure. She would not have had bragging rights if we had only told her that Ben had been moving the man along.

‘I will let my family know immediately,’ she said. ‘They will be happy to know that my safety is so well taken care of. My brother, Sir Marcus, is most particular about safety and ways to eliminate the criminal element. His wife, Lady Emily, organizes a Christmas Ball for their local police every year.’

Alice, straight-faced, said she would mention that to the detective if she had the opportunity.

‘And I will tell my sister also.’ Mrs Shand was on a roll. ‘My brother-in-law – did I mention he is a businessman in Canada? – an important businessman – certainly liked the Avalon.

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