Who by Nanette L. Avery

Author:Nanette L. Avery
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: BookBaby
Published: 2020-11-06T17:28:18+00:00

Chapter 8

The second night

“I believe you will be among your favorites,” said Salisbury. “A most fitting resting place.” The houseman lay the corpse on top of a plaid blanket. He didn’t know why, but it just seemed in poor taste to leave him on the bare floor. “The Italians are over there,” he said, pointing to the rack on the left. “And the French over here,” this time pointing to the right. “Unless you want a Chablis, they are in the back.” Mr. Stiltskin was beginning to show the physical ravages of his situation, being dead. “You are quite pale now, Sir,” said Salisbury. “I will leave you.” If this had been his first bout with a body, he might not have been quite so callus. However, a houseman’s duties go beyond personal valet or server. He was a man of many trades, and most important, he was an excellent confidant.

***

“Mr. Stiltskin is resting comfortably, Madame.”

“Thank you, Salisbury. Now, if you could get the weather to clear up, we might have a chance of getting to the bottom of this. Did you turn the air up?” she asked.

“Just a trifle, you know that the reds don’t like it much below 55 degrees.” She nodded her head and smiled. “Yes, he’ll be fine there,” she agreed.

“Did he like wine?” the butler asked.

“I imagine Ray was fond of most anything that came in a bottle,” she remarked. “He was, however, more of a spirits man.”

“Indeed,” said Salisbury with regret.

“But we couldn’t keep him here by the liquor cabinet, now could we?”

“No, Madame,” agreed the houseman. “It would have been most improper.” His pause was interrupted by a need to yawn. “Is there anything else I can get for you?”

“One thing, before you retire. Do you think dinner was awkward? I didn’t see anyone going back for seconds. Except for Norman.”

“I don’t think so. Everything was in order, and if I must say so, quite delicious.”

“Hmmm, perhaps it was when I sent you to the cellar for more cognac, there seemed to be a lull in the conversation until you returned.”

“I hadn’t noticed, Madame.”

“No, I don’t suppose you would have. But I’m very sensitive to these things.” She placed her knitting into the bag and then began to speak as if she had retrieved her thoughts. “Just how was Mr. Stiltskin?”

“I believe quite the same as I had left him earlier,” Salisbury replied.

“Good,” she muttered. “Well, why don’t you go on down to bed. I can shut the lights when I go up.”

“As you wish, Madame.”

Tamaya Rosebud watched as Salisbury glided across the floor and opened the hall door leading to his quarters. His feet never touched the ground, or at least that’s what it seemed since she did not hear even the slightest tap of his feet as he walked down the back stairwell. She heaved a great sigh and, with her foot, kicked the knitting basket beneath the ottoman. She was working on a shawl and was almost out of red yarn.

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