Madam Tulip and the Knave of Hearts by David Ahern

Author:David Ahern [Ahern, David]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Mystery, thriller, Suspense, female protagonist, amateur sleuth, crime fiction, Humorous
ISBN: 9780993544835
Publisher: Malin Press
Published: 2016-10-19T16:00:00+00:00

20

They called it the Red Room, but it was blue. Or what little wall space you could see around the paintings was blue.

‘The room was redecorated in 1875,’ said Bryony, as though she had read Derry’s thoughts. ‘Until then it was red. But to us it’s still the Red Room.’

For the first time, Derry grasped how every stone of this old house, every piece of furniture, every picture, mural and carpet had meaning for the family whose ancestors had built the place and had lived out their lives here for generations. In New York, you got nostalgic about any place you lived in for longer than five years and pointed it out to your friend as you passed by in a cab.

Derry thanked her stars she had brought a decent party frock. Her nineteen-fifties velvet number with bare shoulders and a restrained glimpse of cleavage struck just the right note. She was especially pleased she had brought her Victorian green paste necklace, a real sparkler she never tired of being told brought out the colour of her eyes. The jewellery fitted the setting to perfection. Bruce had made an effort too, although men fit and clean-cut had only to put on a decent jacket and they looked a million dollars. He had done, and he did.

After drinks they processed down the full length of a corridor to what Bryony called the small dining room, which turned out to be anything but small. The table, set out with gleaming silverware, linen and sparkling glasses, was so vast only the top half was used. Derry felt for a moment that she had stepped onto the set of a British period drama, the effect heightened by the presence of Octavia seated at the head of the table, gorgeously dressed in embroidered silk, her necklace, bracelet and rings blazing with diamonds.

‘Daddy sends his apologies,’ said Bryony as they took their seats—Bryony opposite Derry, Bruce opposite Marlene, Torquil across from Charlotte. ‘Some business in town. Unavoidable. I’m sorry.’

Bryony’s apology on behalf of her father was casual, almost automatic, as if making excuses for him was a familiar habit, not at all embarrassing. Perhaps it was understood that if earls didn’t want to show up for dinner, they didn’t have to.

‘And Sebastian never dines with us,’ said Charlotte, her voice hinting she was going to make an especially droll observation. ‘He says, as a family retainer it’s better he doesn’t get into the habit of being at the top table. He laughs like he’s joking, but I don’t know. I call that inverted snobbery.’

Did Derry notice Octavia frown at Charlotte’s frankness? Perhaps some rule had been broken of which only Derry was unaware. She suspected many such rules existed and doubted you could learn them in less than a lifetime. The thought prompted her to check that none of the silver cutlery in front of her was unfamiliar. She had been brought up in a well-to-do family, but American well-to-do. Here, under the lazily watchful eyes

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