India Black and the Widow of Windsor by Carr Carol K

Author:Carr, Carol K. [Carr, Carol K.]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Berkley
Published: 2011-08-18T22:00:00+00:00

I went in search of the handsome young man and found him polishing a pair of gentleman’s boots in the gun room.

“Hello, Robbie.”

He glanced up and gave me a shy smile, but his face looked drawn and his movements were agitated.

“Bit of excitement last night,” I said.

“You mean the Queen?”

“Yes. I understand it’s nothing serious, though. Apparently, the doctor thinks it was merely a stomachache.”

Robbie nodded, his attention on the boots in his hands. I wasted a few seconds trying to develop a strategy for cracking this nut, something subtle and indirect that wouldn’t arouse Robbie’s suspicions, but that was a waste of time, as I’m constitutionally incapable of being either subtle or indirect. I’m better at jumping off cliffs before ascertaining there’s anything waiting for me below. So in keeping with my impetuous and direct nature, I plunged in.

“Did you see the Queen when you took her cocoa to her?”

He glanced up, startled, smearing his cuff with a streak of black polish. “How did you know I took up Her Majesty’s cocoa?”

“Cook told me,” I said. “I was reading to the marchioness last night when all hell broke loose, and I was just curious about what happened. Did you see the Queen? Was she awfully pale? Did she vomit?” I supposed Robbie had met his share of gossipy maids before, as he relaxed a bit at my questions, taking me for just another of that simple-minded species.

“I didn’t see her. I knocked on the door and Lady Dalfad answered. She often shares the Queen’s cocoa with her.”

I adopted a disappointed expression. “So you couldn’t see if she was sick?”

“No. I didn’t lay eyes on her.” Robbie returned to the task of buffing boots, noticed the splotch of polish on his cuff and swore under his breath.

“So you were surprised to hear she’d become ill?”

“Yes, but then I’ve served at dinner before, and the amount of food that woman can eat would put an entire platoon to shame.”

“I’ve heard she likes her provisions,” I said. Then I twiddled my thumbs (figuratively) for a minute and wondered what other information I could pry out of Robbie. I had asked my questions and could think of no plausible reason to linger in Robbie’s company, so I moved toward the door.

Robbie paused, brush in hand. “I was surprised to hear about the Queen, especially after the incident with Mr. Vicker.”

I halted in my tracks. “The incident with Vicker?”

“Yes, he was also ill last night.”

“I hadn’t heard.”

“The only reason I know is that I was on my way to Her Majesty’s room when I passed Mr. Vicker in the hall. He was leaning against the wall and looked deuced odd, all white and shaking. I asked him if I could be of service, and he requested that I find Doctor Jenner and send him to Mr. Vicker’s room.”

“And you did that?”

“Yes, I set down the tray on a chest in the hall and went to the doctor’s room. He wasn’t best pleased at being roused at that hour for anyone but the Queen, but he went anyway.

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