The Marlowe Murders by Laura Giebfried & Stanley R Wells

Author:Laura Giebfried & Stanley R Wells [Giebfried, Laura & Wells, Stanley R]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-04-01T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

“You rang?” I asked Mrs. Tilly blandly as I stepped into the kitchen. She glanced up from the table where she was rolling out dough without responding.

“Yes, I did,” came a voice to my left. Marjorie was standing by the stove. She had a kettle on the burner, though I had never seen her drink tea, and I had certainly never seen her anywhere near the servants' corridors. She crossed her arms as she looked me up and down. “Mrs. Tilly has informed me that you've been slacking on your duties.”

I felt my jaw clench, though I didn't look at the cook. I gave Marjorie my most feigned polite smile.

“I didn't realize that, Mrs. Pickering,” I said. “She didn't inform me of any problems.”

“It's not her job to inform you of anything. You saw the kitchen was a mess this morning and didn't think to clean it up? What exactly did you think you'd been hired to do?”

My smile tightened, becoming strained.

“My mistake, Mrs. Pickering. I'll try to be more … aware.”

“Don't think I haven't had my eye on you,” Marjorie said. “I think we all know that John didn't hire you because Tilda was getting old. Birdie said he paid you quite generously, and yet you clearly have no work ethic. Do you care to explain why?”

“It's my first time being a maid, Mrs. Pickering. I guess I just don't understand all of the rules.”

The kettle began to whistle, but Marjorie didn't so much as glance at it. Her eyes were fixed on me.

“I think you understand quite well what you're doing here,” she said in a low voice. “Better than any of the rest of us, undoubtedly. So let me ask you again: do you care to explain yourself?”

The kettle whistled louder. The screech filled the room as steam poured from the spout.

“I really don't know what you're talking about, Mrs. Pickering,” I said evenly. “I'm afraid this is all just a misunderstanding.”

“Do you like working here, Alexandra? Do you like cleaning rooms and serving food? Being a maid?”

It was clear that she already knew the answer. I saw no reason to pretend anymore.

“Not especially, Mrs. Pickering.”

“Would you be more comfortable retiring from your duties? John already paid you, after all. It's no skin off of my back if he wasted his money.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Mrs. Tilly look up from her work, though I couldn't make out her expression.

“I've already spoken to Mrs. Carlton about it,” I said carefully. “She insisted that I stay on.”

“Birdie's not the one in charge here, however much she likes to think she is. So I'm asking you: do you want to retire from your duties?”

I knew from her tone that she was baiting me, but I didn't react. I knew that she was tricking me and would still have me serving her lunch in half an hour's time, so whatever game she was trying to play, I had no qualms about playing along. I gave her a shrug.

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