Lady Liesl's Seaside Surprise by Tansy Rayner Roberts

Author:Tansy Rayner Roberts [Roberts, Tansy Rayner]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780648898344
Publisher: Tansy Rayner Roberts

7

Drawing Conclusions

That night, as she let down Liesl’s hair, Amie reported in what she knew of the movements of the villa’s occupants. “Miss Larkin’s been nowhere in a month, Bets the tweeny told me that she barely stirs away from the villa most days, and never without the Countess of Sandwich at her side.”

“She did today,” Liesl remarked. “She came bathing with us, and all the other seaside things. And she walked to Brightside with us before that.”

Amie rolled her eyes at her. “And wasn’t it all at the Countess’ bidding? Them downstairs reckon Miss Larkin thinks her Ladyship walks on water.”

Liesl nodded. “I can’t work out if Indigo’s in love with her, or somehow wants to murder her and take her place.”

“Bit of both, I reckon,” said the maid. “Now, that Mr Robucks, he has all manner of parcels going back and forth to the post office on the North Coast, where we arrived, miss. From his tailor in Town, but it sounds like he sends back clothes for mending and washing as often as he receives new outfits.”

Liesl frowned. “Didn’t you say he had a valet here?”

“Oh yes, but you’ve never seen such a lazy creature as Mr Evans. And Mr Robucks has said apparently that there’s something about the waters here that’s, uh, ‘unkind to silk thread’ so he won’t have his things washed on the island. Have you ever heard anything so silly?”

“It certainly sounds like he could easily have smuggled a necklace to Town.”

“That’s what I thought! Also Evans the footman, he’s got a bit of a loose tongue when he’s been at the supper beer.”

“Has he now,” said Liesl.

“He said that Mr Robucks was due back to Town weeks ago. He’s cancelled all these engagements and appointments. So many letters come, every day. Evans said he’s in danger of losing his reputation as the most fashionable man about Town, being away so long. There have been three art openings of very famous artists, where he was expected to turn up and say really quite rude things about the artwork, and since he didn’t bother to attend, all the invitations are starting to dry up. By the time the next Season starts, he might be Yesterday’s News.”

“How dreadful,” noted Liesl thoughtfully. Was Basil trying to sabotage his own public reputation? Why was he here? Did he really think Emma might leave her husband for him? (Had she already? There was no sign of an actual attachment between them, for all his lovelorn looks in her general direction.)

“And there’s more,” Amie went on. “Mr Merryweather, he has these massive sulks when he picks fights with the others at breakfast, then goes wandering about the countryside, sometimes for days.”

“Long enough to get himself to a portal and back again.”

“Three times over, yes miss.”

Liesl had to ask, though she felt oddly traitorous doing so. “And what about Miss Perdita Cholmondley?”

Amie consulted the notes she had made. “She only left Brightside once in the last few weeks, with the

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