Page 36 of Murder at Hambledon Hall
As I said it, I remembered another piece of evidence I’d found last time. I’d picked it up off the floor where it must have fallen, and placed it in a drawer before leaving, not thinking it was relevant. I opened the drawer and rummaged through the contents until I found it.
“He visited London quite recently.” I showed Harry the return train ticket. “That’s dated three days before he died. He could have stayed at the guesthouse while he was there.” I slipped both the ticket and the card inside my bag. “I’ll visit tomorrow.”
He studied me for a moment and I suspected he was about to ask if he could join me. My case was probably more interesting than any he currently had on his plate, after all. But he did not. He simply suggested it was time to leave. “It’s getting late.”
“There’s plenty of time before the last train,” I assured him.
“That doesn’t leave until four-forty-five.” He checked his watch. “We can make the train before that if we hurry.”
“I’m not finished yet. I have one more stop to make.”
“No, Cleo. We arenotgoing to the house. Sir Ronald won’t want you questioning the family.”
“We’re not going to question the family. We’re going to sneak in.”
“That’s even worse. It’ll be crawling with servants.”
“We’re just going into the fernery. I want to inspect the plants for one of a similar shade to the stain I saw on Lord Kershaw’s finger.”
Harry’s gaze narrowed. “How can we be sure no one will be in there?”
“We can’t. That’s why we have to be quiet.”
He shook his head. “It’s a bad idea.”
“This isn’t like you. You’re not usually this hesitant. Don’t worry. We won’t be breaking and entering. The door from the outside will be unlocked during the day. And if we’re careful, we won’t be seen.”
Still he refused.
I remained silent and arched my brows, defiant.
He finally gave in with a heavy sigh and indicated I should walk ahead of him out of the cottage. “Just when I’m almost back in Sir Ronald’s good books, you’re going to reverse the progress I’ve made.”
“You shouldn’t care so much about what my uncle thinks. I don’t.” I gasped and rounded on him. “You’re not actually considering taking him up on his offer to return to work at the hotel, are you?”
“You’re forgetting he has made no such offer. I’m still skeptical that he will, but that’s beside the point. The point is…” His jaw firmed and he sighed again. “I don’t want things between he and I to be permanently cold. That’s all. I have my reasons.”
I didn’t dare ask what those reasons might be. Some things once said cannot be unsaid, and I suspected he would say something I wasn’t ready to hear.
The fernery could be accessedfrom the garden as well as the house, allowing us to hide behind trees and bushes to check the coast was clear before advancing. We crept up to the door like thieves and opened it just a crack to listen. All was silent, so we entered, closing the door softly behind us.
It felt tropical inside, the air thicker and hotter than in the woods. Harry and I followed the path, inspecting the plants as we went. Despite being sure we were alone, we didn’t speak. Harry tapped me on the shoulder if he thought he’d found a plant of the right color, but after the sixth attempt, he gave up. He only tapped my shoulder again to show me his watch. It was time to leave.
Satisfied I’d inspected most of the plants, I nodded. We exited the fernery into the garden, only to stop dead upon the sound of someone snorting.
We’d been caught.
I steeled myself for the confrontation, and tried to think of an excuse for my presence at the house, uninvited and with a man in tow.
But the snorter merely snorted again. I turned to the noise and released a breath. Renton the butler sat slumped on a wicker chair, his eyes closed, his head tilted back and mouth open. He emitted another noise. This time I realized it was a snore, not a snort.
Harry touched my hand to get my attention. With a finger to his lips, he nodded in the direction of the trees. Together, we crept away from Renton to the safety of the thick trunks, then continued until we’d left the house well behind.
“That was the butler,” I told Harry as we headed back to the station. “According to Harmony, he likes a tipple in the afternoons then nods off. He was the only member of staff whose whereabouts she couldn’t verify at the time of the gunshot. Apparently, he was in his room taking a nap, but I’m not convinced.”
“Why not?”
“He got to the body very quickly for an older man whose bedroom is located on the top floor.”
