Page 46 of The Curious Story of the Missing Lady
“Good day, Madeline!” he said, dismounting.
“Good day to you, M’Lord,” she said with a curtsey.
He screwed up his face in wonder. “Do you always dust the threshold?”
She looked at the duster and back at him, feeling her face flush. “Oh, well, yes, that is, no—I mean, I don’t usually. It’s just that there was a bit of a breeze this morning, and so I thought to rid the doorway of some of the dust.”
“Huh,” he said, approaching. “Well, I came by because I wanted to speak to your Lord regarding the property.”
“Yes, I shall summon him.”
“Not just yet, Madeline,” he said, boring into her eyes.
“M-M’Lord?”
“There’s been a strange occurrence that you may be able to assist me in figuring out. As for your Lord, I would be glad to postpone business with him for the time being while you help me. Although, I somehow suspect it is your Lady that does the real business of the house if my instincts prove correct.”
She smiled nervously. “Mr Gar—that is, My Lord does prefer to sit back and allow her to deal with the financial aspects of the house.”
“All other aspects too, I surmise?”
“You surmise correctly, M’Lord.”
“Well, I suppose it all works in the service of social harmony then, eh?” He smiled at her, and his eyes twinkled in the late morning sun.
She shrank from the gaze. “Yes, I suppose it does.”
“As for my, uh, problem, I found something in my pocket that I think might belong to you.”
Here he produced the note, and Madeline went hot around her neck.
“Yes, M’Lord.”
“So, it was you who left it.”
“Yes, M’Lord.”
“Was it some kind of jest?”
She felt her face tighten. “Oh, no, M’Lord. Not in the least.”
“But what does it mean?” he pressed.
She found herself faltering for fear of giving too much away. For all she knew, Lady Elizabeth was within earshot of their speaking right this moment.
“M’Lord,” she said, “perhaps I should just say that I hope with all my heart that you are a frequent visitor here.”
“Madeline?” called Lady Elizabeth from behind.
Madeline’s head snapped around to see the Lady emerge from a shadowed spot inside the house.
“I thought I heard someone out here. Greetings, Lord Peter.”
“Greetings.”
“Madeline, what on earth are you doing out here?”
“I was just, uh, dusting the ... threshold, M’Lady.”
