Murder on Christmas Eve (A Dodo Dorchester Mystery Book 6) by Ann Sutton

Author:Ann Sutton [Sutton, Ann]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-12-15T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

Dodo walked across to the kitchen in search of Lizzie whom she found consoling the staff. The news about Warren had traveled fast.

The usually bustling workspace was now devoid of activity. All culinary labors had ground to a halt. The surly cook who had been so stiff and annoyed at Dodo’s request for bread and cheese such a short time ago, was now a shadow of her former austere self. Her straight, unyielding spine was curved into a hump, like a tree trunk battered over by a storm. Her gray head hung low over the empty table, her chapped hands clasping and unclasping.

“I feel right guilty about all this,” she muttered. “Two deaths all because I have that stupid stuff in the pantry. If I could go back in time and remove it…” The cook’s bony face collapsed, and she blew her nose like a foghorn into a large man’s handkerchief.

“There, there,” said Lizzie, patting the sharp shoulder of the cook. Two scullery maids, who were also at the table, looked like sad puppies, watching their tea get cold. The woeful atmosphere made Dodo shudder.

“Can I have a word?” said Dodo who was standing behind her maid.

Lizzie looked up with wide eyes. “I didn’t see you there, m’lady. Of course.” She pushed back from the table, the haunted eyes of the scullery maids following her.

“It’s just dreadful!” Lizzie declared when they were alone. “They can’t handle two deaths in less than twenty-four hours. I’m not sure I can! Warren was not the most pleasant of people, but I wouldn’t wish this on her. Perhaps that is why she was so distant?”

“Perhaps.” She nodded. “I’m having my own troubles. Rupert’s mother blamed me for bringing a curse on the house after the first murder.” Dodo crossed her arms. “You should have seen the filthy look she gave me when she found out about Warren’s death.”

“Fear makes people do odd things,” said Lizzie.

“According to Rupert she’s prone to mood swings and bouts of depression. If I could just clear these murders up quickly, it would go a long way to redeeming me, I think.”

Lizzie’s head snapped up. “Murders? We heard it was a suicide.”

“Of the two options I prefer it to be suicide, but we can’t be sure and there’s no note. In my opinion it’s more likely that the wrong person died.”

“Good heavens!” exclaimed Lizzie. “You mean Lady Marlborough?”

A cool draft wrapped itself around Dodo’s shoulders and she pulled her cardigan close.

“Would you say Warren’s behavior rose to the level of being depressed or suicidal?”

Lizzie tutted. “Like I said, she was not what you might call a ray of sunshine. Always complaining about the cold—”

“Well, I am with her on that,” declared Dodo.

“She was what my mum would call a right moaning Minnie, but now that she’s dead it could have been because she was unhappy. I’m not sure she gave off the impression of being suicidal though.” A pang of guilt flittered across Lizzie’s face. “I gave her a wide berth if you must know.

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