Murder Has No Class by Rebecca Kent

Author:Rebecca Kent
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Penguin USA, Inc.

Chapter 11

Meredith led the way around the corner to where Reggie had left the carriage. Spirit tossed his head impatiently as she approached, but she could see no sign of Reggie. “He must be in the stables,” she said as Felicity and Essie joined her. “That will give me an excuse to talk to the stable boy. Both of you wait here for me. I shan’t be long.”

“Why can’t we come along?”

Essie pouted, and Felicity nudged her with her elbow. “Do you really want to go in that nasty, smelly place, with your skirts sweeping through God knows what hidden in the filthy straw?”

Essie’s frown disappeared. “Well, now that you mention it, I think I’ll wait in here.” With a nod at Meredith she lifted her skirts and stepped up into the carriage.

“I didn’t think so.” Looking smug, Felicity added, “Try not to be too long. I’m starving to death.”

“I’ll be as fast as I can.” Holding up the hem of her own skirt, Meredith hurried toward the stable.

Just as she got there, Reggie appeared in the entrance, looking flustered. “Sorry, m’m. Didn’t realize you were done talking, did I. I’ll be right along.”

“That’s all right, Reggie.” Meredith smiled. “I just want a quick word with the stable boy. Is he in there?”

Reggie turned his head and glanced behind him. “What, Jimmy? No, he’s not . . .”

His voice trailed off as a tall, lanky lad strolled out into the sunshine. “Someone asking for me?”

Reggie looked even more flustered. The reason was obvious, since Jimmy held a pack of playing cards in one hand, and some pound notes in the other. “Oh, you are there, then.” Reggie looked back at Meredith with a sickly grin. “Didn’t see him there in the glare of the sun.”

Meredith decided the question of Reggie’s gambling could be postponed. “Wait for me in the carriage,” she ordered.

With a last look at Jimmy, Reggie bolted across the yard.

“My name is Mrs. Llewellyn,” Meredith began, and Jimmy nodded.

“Yes, I know. Reggie told me all about you.”

“Oh?” Though sorely tempted, Meredith decided that it might be wiser not to ask. “Well, I was wondering if you could tell me about the night Lord Stalham was shot.”

Jimmy looked over his shoulder, then frowned at her. “Why should I, if you don’t mind me asking?”

Again Meredith wondered just what Reggie had told the young man. She’d had to rely on her maintenance man’s discretion more than once, and Reggie had been sworn to secrecy about her activities concerning certain nefarious events. Just how far she could trust him remained to be seen.

“Let us just say I have a vested interest in what happened that night.”

Jimmy’s brow wrinkled even further. “Vested?”

Meredith sighed. She hated the falsehood she had perpetrated, but it seemed she had no choice. She could only hope the end justified the means. “I’m thinking of purchasing this property, and I’d rather there weren’t any secrets about this place.”

Jimmy’s brow cleared. “Oh, well, it ain’t no secret, m’m. It were all in the newspaper so I don’t see no harm in speaking up about it now.

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