Page 18 of Murder at Hambledon Hall
He picked up the telephone receiver and asked the operator to put him through to his father’s number. After a brief conversation with the former Scotland Yard detective inspector, Harry hung up.
“My parents have invited you to dinner.”
I narrowed my gaze. “Tonight? Oh, I…uh…I’m not sure…”
“Stop panicking, Cleo. You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”
“Idowant to.”
I liked his father and, after a rocky start, his mother had been much nicer on my last visit. It was her change of tune that worried me. When she resented me for getting Harry dismissed from his position at the hotel, it was another reason why Harry and I couldn’t be together. But with that barrier removed, the only remaining reason for us not to act on our feelings was my conviction that I’d never marry. Yet my resolve was being whittled away little by little as I came to understand what Harry meant to me, and how much I missed him when we were apart.
He was right about everything—I came to his office because I wanted to see him; I’d missed him in the week since last seeing him; and I was panicking about all of it.
“Good,” he said. “Fortunately, the invitation wasn’t for tonight. It was for any night of your choosing.” He tossed me a triumphant look.
I cleared my throat. “I’ll be in touch about a date. Thank you for your assistance.”
“Any time.” He opened the door for me. “How will you proceed?”
“I’ll find out more about my suspects. I only knew them for three days, but my family have known them for years. I’ll ask for their opinions, without rousing their suspicions, of course. This is definitely not the sort of case Uncle Ronald would approve of me taking.”
“I’ve been thinking about that.” He hesitated, only continuing after I prompted him. His next words came out in a rush, as if he wanted to get them out before he changed his mind. “Perhaps you should let him know you’re investigating murders. It’s not fair that you have to hide the excellent work you do.”
I thought about it for a moment before dismissing it. “He’s too unpredictable. He might throw me out. I have no doubt that he loves me and would regret his decision once he calmed down, but he’d be too proud to retract it. Of all people, you know that.”
Harry’s gaze turned smoky. “You wouldn’t be alone, Cleo. I’d take care of you.”
It no longer seemed like such a terrible notion to be taken care of by Harry if my relationship with my family broke down. Indeed, the idea of moving into Harry’s flat thrilled me.
With that realization came another—I didn’t want my relationship with my family to break down. The Bainbridges were important to me. I didn’t want to lose a single family member, including my stubborn, overbearing uncle.
“Thank you, Harry, but I enjoy living in a luxury hotel.”
He grunted. I wasn’t sure if he took my words as the joke they were intended to be, or if he felt offended.
“Speaking of my uncle, do you think he’d overrule any of the senior staff if they did something he disagreed with?”
“He wouldn’t hesitate.”
It was the same opinion I held, but it was good to get Harry’s thoughts.
“I assume Uncle Alfred hasn’t done anything controversial,” he said, referring to Mr. Hobart, his father’s brother. “Controversy is not his style. And Chapman has been employed long enough to know not to implement changes without Sir Ronald’s approval first. So that leaves Mrs. Poole or Mrs. Short. I don’t know either woman, since both were employed after I left, but based on your past assessments, my guess is the housekeeper waded into waters she shouldn’t have.”
“Now you’re just showing off. You are correct, Detective Armitage. She dismissed one of the maids after the girl was seen in the men’s quarters at the residence hall.”
“That rule has been in place as long as I can recall. It’s not new. All staff are aware of it and have been taking the necessary precautions for as long as I can remember.”
I arched my brows. “Necessary precautions?”
“They’re always careful not to be caught. It’s only when they’re caught that action has to be taken. I’m afraid the maid wasn’t careful enough.”
“I presumeyouknew how to avoid being caught sneaking into or out of a room?”
He crossed his arms. “I never had a relationship with a maid. It wouldn’t be appropriate. Even when I started at the bottom, I was aware that my uncle was the manager.”
“I never said you were visiting a maid’s room in the residence hall. I was referring to the merry widows staying at the hotel.”
His lips curved with his mischievous smile.
