Murder at Missleberry Manor

Part 2

"Miss Allanson."

Halfway towards the dining room on her way to breakfast Cecilia turned to see one of the footmen hovering by the door that led downstairs.

"Begging your pardon Miss but I was wondering if I could have a word?" he said nervously.

"Oh. Yes of course."

After a quick glance to make sure no one was around he hurried through the hall and through a side door out of the house, but he didn't stop there. He strode off onto the lawn so quickly that Cecilia was hard pressed to keep up with him.

They were now on the far side of the house, out of sight of the dining room windows but also out of range of the sun. The grass here, which had been left to grow a bit longer than the finely manicured lawns to the front of the house, was still glistening with dew and Cecilia's shoes and stockings were little protection to the wet cold which now engulfed her feet.

She stopped walking. "Look Jack, it is Jack isn't it?"

He nodded.

"What's going on?"

"Sorry miss, I wanted to speak to you in private and I figured out here was best."

Waiting impatiently for him to say whatever was so important Cecilia wrapped her arms around herself to ward off the morning chill. But although he opened his mouth once, then twice, as if to speak he then changed his mind both times and closed it abruptly. Just as Cecilia was ready to turn around and go back inside he blurted out what was on his mind.

"I was hoping you'd speak up for my Bess, miss. She didn't kill that maid I know she didn't. She couldn't hurt a fly let alone do what they're saying happened to that maid, she just couldn't. And I know that she was found in the lady's room but that doesn't mean anything. Perhaps she heard what happened and went to investigate and was just found at the wrong place at the wrong time. But whatever it was she certainly didn't do it."

Cecilia's heart fell. Whatever she had imagined Jack had wanted it wasn't this. She had no idea whether the maid was guilty, although being told twice within the space of ten minutes that she couldn't possibly be did make her wonder, but what could she even do about it. And yet seeing him look so desperately lost she surely couldn't say no.

"Bess is your sweetheart?"

"Aye miss," Jack replied, wringing his hands together unconsciously.

She sighed. "I'm not really sure what you're hoping I can do. I'm just a guest here. Have you spoken to any of the Woodworths? They'd be much better placed to vouch for Bess's character than I would."

"I've not miss. I'd have spoken to Miss Lizzie but o'course she's not well and I wouldn't want to bother her. I thought with you being her friend and Mr Frederick's sweetheart that you'd-"

Cecilia sputtered in surprise. "Mr Frederick's what?!"

"Apologies miss," Jack continued quickly. "We all thought, downstairs that is, that is was just a matter o'time before it was made official."

Mouth agape she could do nothing but stare at Jack. Her and Freddie? What a ridiculous idea! She'd first met Lizzie's elder brother almost five years ago and although at the time she'd rather carried a torch for him that was a phase that was long gone. Well perhaps not exactly long gone but what did it matter. Freddie treated her with the same brotherly mixture of annoyance and affection that he showed Lizzie? Whatever Cecilia's own, confused feelings for him were, his feelings for her were quite clear.

"We're not-" she began. "That is, he and I aren't-"

Jack was now watching her with a concerned expression. Cursing the blush she could feel rising in her cheeks Cecilia snapped her mouth closed, took a deep breath and then said, "There's nothing going on between Frederick and myself. I'm here as Miss Lizzie's friend and absolutely nothing else."

"Well I'm glad we got that sorted out," said an amused voice from behind Cecilia.

Bracing herself Cecilia turned to find Freddie standing just feet away. Her blush deepened but in as unaffected a voice as she could manage she said, "And of course you would be here right now."