Murder at Mallowan Hall by Colleen Cambridge

Author:Colleen Cambridge [Cambridge, Colleen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-08-03T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 17

“SOMEONE BASHED HER HEAD IN?” DOBBLE FELT BLINDLY BEHIND him and settled his hand on a side table to steady himself. “Good God.”

For the first time in his memory, Mrs. Bright looked less than luminous, and he was quite certain it wasn’t because she was suddenly short a kitchen maid during a house party. Her face was more pale than usual, and although every strand of that shocking hair was in place, even it seemed subdued.

She’d come to find him in his pantry immediately after calling the constable, and Dobble didn’t even have the heart to be irked that, for a second time, she’d notified him after the authorities.

“I’ll have to take them out there when they arrive,” she told him. “They’ll have questions about how she was found and so on. I’ve already informed Mr. and Mrs. Mallowan that tea will be delayed, and, of course, they understand.”

Dobble couldn’t even summon up vexation that he—the butler! —was the fourth person she had notified about the second murder, mostly because it was simply inconceivable that there had been a second murder . . . in less than twenty-four hours. This sort of thing happened only in detective stories.

“In fact, Mrs. Agatha said we should just serve a cold tray and be done with it. Of course, we’ll have hot tea and coffee, and chocolate, as well, but I am inclined to agree that a cold tray will do. Puffley will be utterly overset when she learns about it all— she was already beating the beef’s pastry dough into a blanket—and it’ll be all I can do to ensure that dinner is ready on time.”

“Of course. I’m confident that if anyone could do so, it would be you, Mrs. Bright,” Dobble said, then realized he’d actually given the blasted woman a compliment. Just smashing. Now it would go to her head, and she’d become even more high and mighty.

“She might huff and rant like a madwoman,” the housekeeper went on, “but she liked Rebecca—oh, everyone did—and the news will be quite a blow to her.”

“Yes, of course.” Dobble was well aware of the cook’s volatile temperament (he’d never met a cook who didn’t have one) as well as her well-buried sympathetic heart.

“I shall have to go into Listleigh tomorrow and see about engaging another kitchen maid. It may seem hasty and unfeeling,” Mrs. Bright said in a subdued voice, “but it must be done. We do have guests, and they must be fed and cared for—particularly since the inspector has insisted no one take their leave from here.” That reminded her: she would have to increase the order from the baker and the vegetable grower since the guests would be staying longer. And from Mr. Tentley, as well. And the laundry would need to be sent out soon, too....

“Of course, one must be practical, even in the face of tragedy,” Dobble agreed.

“I shall have to request Mr. Bradford drive me,” she went on in a grim voice; then she frowned. “Really, Mr.

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