P. N. Elrod by Dracula in London

Author:Dracula in London
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

* * * * *

The invoice took little time to prepare. Miss Carr had but to transfer to it the name

and price of the gowns ordered, note the name of the buyers and their impressive-sounding

address. Carfax Abbey, Sussex. The owner would be pleased with everything from this

night's work.

She returned to the salon in time to see the mannequin staggering back to lean against

the wall, pale as a ghost, with a few drops of blood on her neck. She was wrapped in a

dressing gown, and the silk ball gown was on hooks against the wall. No doubt one of the

countesses had wanted to try it on, but the blood was a puzzle. Perhaps Miss Stimson had

been injured by the pins holding the incomplete stays together, which had to come off over

the head. Miss Carr checked the gown for spots. The girl seemed to have had the presence

of mind not to bleed on the dress. Miss Stimson stood looking at her employer with the

dazed expression of a sheep.

"Are you all right?" Miss Carr asked.

"Yes, madam," the girl said, rather stupidly. She blinked at the lamp, her pupils shrunk

to pinpoint size. Miss Carr saw how pallid she was, red rings around her eyes very much in

relief to the parchment color of her skin, and put it off to the lateness of the hour. No

wonder she had scratched her neck. "It's a trifle bright in here, madam."

"Perhaps," Miss Carr said. "You have done well, Miss Stimson. I will tell Mrs.

Feldon-Jacobs so. You may retire and take tomorrow off. But I expect to see you here

bright and early Thursday morning."

"Yes, madam." The girl tripped clumsily out of the room. Miss Carr was tired too, but

she didn't dare to give in to the sensation. Thankfully, the visitors read over the invoice

with little interest. The eldest countess signed her name at the bottom beside the sum

total, a colossal number that made Miss Carr want to dance, if only she wasn't so tired.

"Our bankers are Coutts & Co. The count has a substantial letter of credit with them.

This should take a substantial bite out of it." As if it was part of an old joke, the senior

countess showed her teeth, and the other two laughed. "We thank you very much for your

hospitality, Miss Carr, but we must now be going."

Miss Carr dropped her half-bow, half-curtsy gratefully. It was after one in the

morning. She'd be lucky if her bespoke cab would still be outside.

"Very well, Countesses. May I say, on behalf of the House of Feldon, that it has been a

great pleasure to serve you? Is there anything else at all with which I may assist you?"

"No, thank you," said the youngest, rising from her grand chair and licking her lips. Miss

Carr noticed again how very, very red they were. Was that a drop of rouge on her chin?

"We have got everything that we came for."

Long-Term Investment

Chelsea Quinn Yarbro

The coffins bothered him, no doubt about it. Ever since the foreign gentleman had

hired him to supervise his warehouse, the coffins

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