English Trifle (29 page)

“I hope he felt horrible.”

Breanna gave a sharp nod. “He did. I made sure of it.” She wiped quickly at her eyes. “It’s all so crazy. Gosh, I can’t wait to get out of here.”

Sadie almost agreed with her—but not quite. Breanna seemed to be missing one very important point. Maybe she just hadn’t had time to consider it, or maybe she was avoiding the possibility, but Sadie couldn’t do either of those things. “Bre,” she said, looking Breanna in the eye. “Did Liam tell you why he moved John Henry?”

“He just panicked,” Breanna said, shrugging. “A few hours after fighting with John Henry, he ends up dead. Liam felt that if he didn’t hide the body then his plan to figure out what was happening with his dad would get totally messed up. I told him he ended up making everything worse and he agrees with me—but it’s too late to go back in time. He’s just not thinking straight right now.”

“I don’t think someone broke into this house and just happened to know where John Henry was—I’m not even all that convinced he has the debts the inspector mentioned. I think the murderer is from Southgate—he has to be.”

Sadie paused for a moment as she concluded one more thing—Liam was an idiot. “Look at this.” She pulled the note she’d found in Grant’s room from her pocket and handed it to Breanna who read it. “I know it’s hard to consider, but what if Liam’s lying to you? What if the real reason he moved the body was because he did in fact kill John Henry in a fit of angry rage and was trying to protect himself?”

Breanna looked up at her mother with wide eyes. “Liam never received this, Mom. If he had, he’d have listened to what John Henry had to say. All he wanted was answers.” She paused. Even though she was angry with Liam, she was still defensive of him. Sadie wasn’t sure she liked it anymore. “Where did you get this?”

It was Sadie’s turn to hedge, but she stopped herself. If she didn’t want Breanna keeping secrets from her, then she needed to stop keeping her own. “Grant’s room.”

“Grant’s room?” Breanna repeated, her eyebrows going up and her eyes going wide. “You went into Grant’s room?”

Sadie nodded, and pointed toward the note. “It was on his dresser.”

Breanna seemed to stand up straighter once she heard that. “Well, that proves Liam didn’t get it. If Liam had received this note he’d have kept it or destroyed it—especially after all of this. And he would have talked to John Henry, not killed him. John Henry must have given it to Grant to give to Liam.”

Sadie furrowed her eyebrows as she tried to puzzle it out. “I think he’d worry Grant would read it—especially since the note implies that John Henry doesn’t want Grant to know he’s talking to Liam—Grant’s in charge of making the tea, remember?”

Breanna bit her lip as she thought about that for a moment. “Unless he didn’t think Grant would open it.”

“John Henry was going to spill the beans—why would he chance it?”

“Maybe he left it somewhere, or gave it to someone else to give to Liam and somehow Grant ended up with it.”

“Charlotte’s been taking care of the earl too,” Sadie said, remembering what Austin had said in the kitchen that morning about Charlotte sitting in when John Henry took a break. “Maybe John Henry gave it to her.” They both paused before Sadie continued. “The earl’s going to the hospital, right?”

Breanna nodded, glancing at the door to the earl’s room. “Liam plans to call the inspector once he gets to the hospital—he doesn’t want anything getting in the way of his dad’s care.”

“Because he moved the body,” Sadie added, making sure Breanna was looking at all the facts. “He committed a crime and he knows it. Are you sure he plans to tell the truth once his dad is safe?” She hadn’t completely given up the possibility that Liam could have committed the murder too—even with Breanna’s assurances, it made the most sense that Liam would move the body because he was guilty of murder.

“He’ll tell them,” Breanna said, as confidently as she could. “All these . . . things Liam’s done aren’t Liam and he feels horrible about all of it. He’s trying to do the right thing by making sure his dad is okay—then he can deal with the rest of it. I know he’ll tell the police everything once his dad is okay—I know he will.”

Sadie wasn’t nearly as convinced in regard to Liam’s good character but decided not to argue. “So, now what?” she asked.

“We’re just waiting for the last of the staff to clear out. Once everyone’s gone, we’ll call an ambulance.”

“And are we still going to London?” Sadie asked.

Breanna shrugged. “I don’t know what the plan is for getting us to London—we haven’t gotten that far yet.”

“Well, what can I do to help?”

“Uh, I have no idea,” Breanna said.

Sadie scowled and Breanna continued. “I know you hate hearing that,” she said. “But I really don’t know.”

Sadie considered her options. “Well, if Austin isn’t around, maybe I’ll go see if I can help Mrs. Kinsley in the kitchen.”

“Okay,” Breanna said, looking toward the door. “I really need to get in there and talk to Liam.”

Sadie nearly rolled her eyes. Two days ago she’d thought Liam was the perfect fit for her daughter, now he’d become an annoying part of this whole situation. If he’d just told the truth from the beginning and not acted so rashly, Sadie had little doubt that things would not be as complicated as they were. But that was neither here nor there. “I’ll be in the kitchen, then,” she said when Breanna turned toward the earl’s bedroom.

“Okay,” Breanna said again, already distracted from their conversation. “Keep your phone on.”

~ ~ ~

Sadie turned to leave the earl’s sitting room once Breanna was gone, but caught sight of the door on the other side of the room. Remembering that she hadn’t asked about the earl’s lady friend, Sadie decided to take the time to look around that room. Mrs. Kinsley wasn’t waiting for her or anything, and who knew when she’d have another chance?

Using her handy-dandy set of keys, she unlocked yet another bedroom door and then quietly entered the mysterious room. Heavy drapes covered the windows. Sadie flipped on the light switch and startled as every shade of purple she could imagine assaulted her eyes. At first glance it was overwhelming and almost cluttered it was so intense. But once she got past the overpowering nature of it, she realized it was actually very well coordinated—just extremely vivid. She moved further into the room, drawn to the large four-poster bed set against the wall opposite the windows. It was covered with a silk bedspread patterned with alternating shades of lavender stripes. At the head of the bed were literally dozens of pillows all different shapes and sizes, covered in various shades of purple and yet all perfectly matched to one another.

The drapes on the window were a pale purple with a floral print valance that swirled and draped across the top, matching some of the pillows on the bed. At the front of the layered pile of pillows was one stitched with the word “Violet.” It pretty much summed up the entire room—everything was shades of purple and violet. The furniture looked new—in fact the entire room looked like something Sadie would expect to see in a high-end furniture store. Not that the rest of the house wasn’t just as beautiful, but this room was different—modern; specific.

She walked around the room, taking in all the details, imagining the earl picking it out for his sweetheart. What did it mean? Where was this lady friend now? Did Liam know about her? Sadie felt sure he’d have mentioned her if he did, but he was rather good at keeping things to himself, so perhaps not.

She wished she dared talk to him about it—she was very suspicious of the choices Liam had been making—but she didn’t think now was the right time. It was definitely something she wanted to know more about, however. And yet there were so many other things she wanted to know more about, this one didn’t seem to be much of a priority. She pulled the draperies to the side of the window, filling the room with light. A golden cord attached to the wall held the curtains back. Sadie imagined the kind of life the earl was expecting when he put the room together. He must have been planning to marry the woman, right? It made everything that much more sad. He’d been close to a new life, and had it ripped out from under him.

“Mrs. Hoffmiller?”

Sadie spun around in surprise; she’d thought she was alone. Grant stood in the doorway, arms at his side, regarding her with another of his non-expressive expressions.

“What are you doing in here?” he asked, looking a tiny bit alarmed as he closed the door behind him.

“Um, hi,” Sadie said, forcing a smile and ignoring his question. “I, uh, was, uh—” She took a breath and squared her shoulders. There was no reason for her to explain herself to these people any longer. She was certain Grant had played a part in all that had happened with the earl and would not let herself be intimidated by him, or anyone else. “Can I help you?”

“I noticed the door open when I came to take my leave of Master Liam,” Grant explained—back straight, chin lifted. “No one is supposed to have access to this room.”

“Why?” Sadie asked. “I already know the earl had a lady friend and was planning for her to come live here at Southgate—why not allow access to the room?”

Grant paused, but Sadie had the impression that he was thinking fast. “We were concerned it would be upsetting to Master Liam,” Grant finally said. “He hasn’t been informed of the earl’s lady friend has he?”

“Not by me,” Sadie assured him. “The timing doesn’t seem right.”

Grant looked relieved at that. “Precisely.”

“Who is she?” Sadie asked, hungry for more answers.

“I’m sure I don’t know,” Grant said rigidly. “The earl took great pains to keep her identity a secret.”

Sadie wasn’t sure she believed him. She already knew he was involved with a conspiracy against the earl, why would he also try to protect the earl’s privacy? And yet there was also something in his demeanor that seemed different. Was he more open? Was it simply because he was about to leave on a two-day paid holiday?

“I came to inform Master Liam that the rest of the staff has left, and I’m prepared to depart as well unless he needs anything else.”

“I can inform him of that,” Sadie said. “If that would help. I know he’s quite busy with his father.”

“Has the earl taken a bad turn?” Grant asked.

Sadie was trying to feel him out, glean information, determine how much she was willing to tell him in hopes of getting his cooperation. Apparently working for nobility for so long had made him a difficult person to read.

One thing was certain, however, by the time the staff returned, she and Breanna would be back in Colorado. It only took an instant for Sadie to decide to take yet one more risk.

She reached in her pocket. “I found this in your room,” she said, holding out the note John Henry had intended for Liam.

~ ~ ~

Grant’s eyes went wide and his mouth opened slightly as he stared at the note in her hand. He made to take it from her, but she pulled it back. “Liam never saw this,” Sadie said. “But you did.”

Grant stared at the note for several seconds, his eyes looking frantic before he took a deep breath that seemed to calm him, though his expression remained troubled. Sadie questioned her wisdom in confronting him like this, but despite the fact that no one knew where she was, Breanna and Liam were only a room away. Her jogging whistle was still in her pocket and she did a quick review of her Tae Kwon Do. She’d be fine if he tried anything, but she didn’t think he would. Austin and Dr. Melcalfe were involved, and certainly Grant had played a part, but he didn’t seem to be the person with the most to gain by the earl’s failing health, and the conspiracy couldn’t have been his idea. He was only the butler.

“Mrs. Hoffmiller,” he said, looking at her with fearful eyes. “You have to believe I came about that note only by chance.”

“Then you had better explain what chance that was,” Sadie said. “Liam is getting his father out of here and then he’s coming back for everyone who’s been involved in this. You have one chance, right now, to set yourself apart from everyone else. The question is whether or not you’ll take it, or if you really think the Melcalfes won’t throw you under the bus the first chance they get.”

Grant looked away and was silent for several seconds before raising his eyes to meet hers. “Mrs. Hoffmilller,” he said, a slight pleading in his voice. “You don’t understand what it is you are asking me to do.”

Sadie didn’t answer immediately. He was probably right, she didn’t understand how hard this was for him. But that was because Sadie knew the difference between right and wrong, while this household seemed to operate within a skewed version of ethics. “I am asking you to do the right thing,” she responded, “finally.”

Grant looked at the note for several seconds and when he looked up at her once more she had the impression that he’d made some kind of decision. “But what is the right thing?” he asked. “I have been asking myself that question for a very long time and have been unable to find the answer.”

“It’s simple, Grant. The right thing to do is tell the truth.”

“And turn my back on my wife?” he asked.

Sadie hedged for a moment on whether or not she should tell him that she knew about Essie. In the end, she chose to let him tell her. “Your wife?” she repeated, technically not lying, like she would have been if she’d said something like “I didn’t know you were married” or “What are you talking about?”

Grant regarded her speculatively for a moment. “You have not heard about my wife?” he asked, sounding surprised. Sadie shook her head and noticed that Grant visibly relaxed. So much so that he no longer looked like a butler. The stiffness was gone. Instead he just looked like a careworn old man—though he wasn’t much older than Sadie was.

“My Essie has not been well, Mrs. Hoffmiller,” Grant said, a softness to his voice. “I was promised that so long as I played my role, she would be cared for.”

“So they bought your assistance,” Sadie summed up. “But Liam knows what Austin and Dr. Melcalfe have been doing to the earl. He knows that you and Austin, and likely the rest of the staff, were in on it.” She held up the note. “And this was in your room. You said you came upon it by chance—what chance was that?”