Authors: Kate Kingsbury

The Clue is in the Pudding (18 page)

BOOK: The Clue is in the Pudding

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Gertie shrugged. “I dunno. Pansy said it will be sometime this year. Samuel promised they’d be married before Christmas.” She put her head on one side. “How’s your daughter? Is she better?”

“Much better, thank you.” Mrs. Chubb shook her head. “Our little Pansy getting married. I can’t believe it. How we’ll miss her.”

“And Samuel as well.” Gertie sighed. “He’s going into business for himself with Gilbert Tubbs.”

“Who’s Gilbert Tubbs?”

“He’s the new stable boy. He and Samuel are going to open up a garage to repair motorcars.”

“Oh, my.”

“We really, really missed you.” Gertie settled herself more comfortably on the bed. “The old bat that took your place was a miserable cow. She yelled at us all the time and she made Michel mad when she drank his brandy and we were all bloody glad when she left.”

Mrs. Chubb squirmed as guilt washed over her. “It sounds as if you had a miserable time. I’m sorry you had to put up with all that.”

Gertie shrugged. “Oh, it was all right. We all had a good time in spite of Tucker the Terrible. Did you have a nice Christmas?”

“Very nice. My daughter was feeling a bit better by Christmas Day and the children enjoyed all the toys they got. I must say, though, I missed being here for Christmas.” She shook her head. “So much happened while I was away.”

“Well, that’s not all.”

Alarmed again, Mrs. Chubb looked up at her. “What else? Don’t tell me someone else is leaving.”

“Clive might be leaving before too long.”

Gertie’s voice had sounded funny, and Mrs. Chubb gave her a sharp look. “Clive? Where’s he going?”

“He’s thinking of going into business, too. He wants to open a toy shop in Wellercombe.”

“Goodness.” Mrs. Chubb fanned her face. “Here I was thinking how nice it was that nothing changes here and now I go away for two weeks and the whole world changes.” She gave Gertie another scrutiny. “You’re keeping something back.”

To her surprise, Gertie actually looked bashful. She couldn’t ever remember Gertie being shy about anything, unless . . . “Wait a minute, are you and Clive . . . ?”

She didn’t need an answer. She could see it in Gertie’s face.

“It’s nothing serious,” Gertie said hurriedly. “Not yet, anyway. We’re going to take things really slowly. We have the twins to think about and there’s a lot of stuff we have to sort out before we know for sure, but right now”—her grin spread all over her face—“things look bloody good.”

Mrs. Chubb held out her arms and wrapped them around Gertie’s shoulders. “He’s a good man, Gertie,” she said softly. “I hope things work out for you.”

“So do I,” Gertie muttered. “It’s about bleeding time.”

* * *

“I must say,” Baxter said, as he unfolded his newspaper, “it’s good to have Mrs. Chubb back again.”

“Why, darling, I didn’t know you’d missed her so much. I’ll have to tell her. She’ll be most appreciative.” Seated across from him in her favorite armchair, Cecily stretched out her feet to warm them in front of the fire. This was her favorite part of the day, spending the evening with her husband alone in their suite.

Baxter gave her a withering glance. “You have to admit, that Tucker woman was most unpleasant. I’ve never heard so many complaints from the staff.”

“She is rather an unhappy woman.” Cecily watched the yellow flames licking the coals. “I had a long talk with her just before she left. I was reluctant to give her anything more than a lukewarm reference, but after chatting with her, I changed my mind. After all, she was extremely competent and efficient. The kitchen ran like clockwork all through Christmas and New Year’s Eve.”

“Even though half the staff threatened to walk out.”

Cecily smiled. “They didn’t mean it, my love. It was just the pressure of the work.”

“More like the pressure of that woman’s tongue.” Baxter yawned behind his hand. “What made you change your mind about the reference?”

“It was what she told me. Her mother died when she was born and her father couldn’t take care of her. She grew up in an orphanage and her biggest dream was to become an actress. She said she was always pretending she was performing on a stage. Personally I think it was an attempt to escape from the miserable world she lived in.”

“That could well be.” Baxter pursed his lips. “I suppose that sort of life could make one miserable enough to take it out on others.”

“Especially when all her attempts to become an actress met with nothing but rejection.” Cecily shook her head. “It really hurt her badly. To make matters worse, her husband of a few years left her for a younger woman. She sought solace by immersing herself in the theater, going to plays when she could afford to, and associating with actors as much as possible. That’s how she befriended Cuthbert Rickling. She recognized him as a former actor when she saw him in church.”

“I’m surprised Rickling wanted anything to do with her.”

“I was surprised about that at first. Then I started thinking. Rickling must have known Archibald Armitage was going to spend Christmas at the Pennyfoot. It would make things easier for him if he befriended someone working here. Someone who could tell him what room Mr. Armitage would be in, for instance.”

“Ah!” Baxter nodded. “That makes sense.”

“Anyway, I sent Mrs. Tucker off with good references, so she should have no problem getting another job. I’m just glad it’s all over and now we can relax for a while.”

“Make the most of it. The summer will be upon us before long.” He shook the newspaper and opened it.

She laughed. “I always enjoy the start of a new year. Everything seems fresh and full of promise. A chance to start again, so to speak.”

He peered at her over the top of his newspaper. “To start what again?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Everything and anything.”

“Well, just as long as it’s not another murder.”

Cecily looked at him in alarm. “Don’t even mention the word. I have no wish to find another dead body in this hotel.”

“Country club.”

“Whatever.” She smiled at him. “Don’t you find it exciting to contemplate what the New Year might bring?”

“Not at all. I find it somewhat intimidating.”

She had to laugh. “When has anything ever intimidated you?”

He lowered the newspaper to his lap. “Every time I rush to your side, never knowing if I’m going to find you dead or alive.”

Her smile faded. “I’m sorry, darling. I know I give you cause for worry, but I always have the best of intentions.”

“I’ll put that on your gravestone.” He sketched words in the air with his finger. “She died with the best of intentions.”

She got up from her chair and bent over him. “Don’t be so morbid, my love. I have no intention of dying anytime soon. I feel in my bones that this is going to be a wonderful year. After all, we have a wedding to look forward to, and maybe two.”

“Two? Who else besides Pansy is getting married?”

Cecily smiled. “No one yet, but you never know.”

He grunted and raised his newspaper again. “Weddings are for women. Men would much prefer just to go off and get married somewhere quiet without all that fuss and palaver.”

“Piffle! You know you enjoy them as much as I do.” She dropped a kiss on his forehead. “No matter what the year might bring, one thing is certain, there will be another Christmas celebration at the end of it. In spite of everything.”

“Well, I suggest that next Christmas, you forbid any live animals on the stage. I got tired of listening to footmen whining about having to clean up after one more of Phoebe Fortescue’s disasters.”

Cecily sighed. “I rather regret I missed all that.”

“I don’t.” He looked up at her, and she was surprised to see real concern in his eyes. “I hope I never have to go through all that worry and fear again. I really don’t know what I would do without you.”

This time she kissed him on the mouth. “Please don’t worry, my love. It appears I have a guardian angel watching over me. I always seem to get out of those situations.”

His smile warmed her heart. “Then I hope he or she is always there for you. As I am.”

“I know. Happy New Year, darling. Just think, we have a whole year before you have to worry about Christmas again.”

* * *

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