Love & Murder: An Eliza Winter Mystery

Starting Point

Colin requested tea in the library and led Eliza to the secluded room, away from the other ears of the household. She had worried her being left alone with a man would reach the wrong ears, but then thought it might help her appeal. Let the matchmakers wonder why Lord Bradshaw escorted Eliza Winter to a private room.

He offered her a seat on one of the twin Bordeaux velvet chairs and a short matching lamp sat between them, the beading along the shade cast sparkly shadows along the wall behind them. Even though it was mid-day, the curtains had been drawn so the only light in the room was from the few lamps, making the large room feel cozy.

Tea was set up on the cherry oak desk and as Eliza is handed her teacup Colin asks, "So, you say someone is missing?" He drops into the seat next to her and flicks his ankle on top of the other, leaning back into the chair. Eliza sets her tea onto the table with the lamp and replies, "Yes, my friend has been missing since Sunday or possibly Monday morning."

"And what makes you think she's missing?" Colin asks and Eliza shakes her head, "I hate this question."

"Oh? It seems like a pretty standard question in a missing persons case."

Eliza frowns, "I know. It's just when I told Deputy Commissioner Greensbury-"

"You went to the Deputy Commissioner over a missing person? Is she a royal?" Colin asks in shock.

"No, I didn't go to him. I just ran into him at Scotland Yard-"

"You already went to Scotland Yard? Blimey, you must really believe your friend is missing," Colin says while sitting forward to give Eliza his full attention.

"Of course I believe she is missing! Did you think everything I said outside I said in jest?" Eliza asks after Colin's smirk transformed into a frown.

He shakes his head, "My apologies. It's only, women have gotten creative with how they have approached me here in London. I falsely thought this may have only been a social call in disguise."

Eliza frowns, "I do not make social calls to men. Only to my acquaintances and at the moment, my closest is missing."

"I'm sorry. Yes, back to your friend. What did the Deputy Commissioner say?" Colin asks. Eliza decides to keep Greensbury's joke to herself.

"He told me to go find a detective, to not bother the police and to not believe she's missing because her parents haven't filed any reports," Eliza answers.

"Her parents don't believe she's missing and you have yet to tell me why you believe she is," Colin says plainly. He taps his fingers together while locking eyes with Eliza. Hers dart between his while she considers her next move. Does she trust Colin?

"She missed our weekly luncheon on Monday. She's never missed a date at the tea shop. And she hasn't written to tell me why she missed it and no one has seen her. Her own mother came to me saying no one on their staff has seen her either," Eliza says.

"Alright, so you say she hasn't written you. Do you know if she's written anyone else?" Colin asks.

Eliza shrugs, "She hasn't written her parents."

"Other friends?"

"I'm not sure. I don't know what other persons she would write to," Eliza says, wondering for the first time who else Penelope would have correspondence with. Penelope never mentioned any other friends but it's clear she had secrets.

"Do you know where she was last seen?" Colin asks and Eliza knows her case is weak. Nothing she's saying is convincing. It doesn't seem her gut is enough to go on.

"I don't. I don't know who last saw her either," Eliza says with a sigh. Colin looks to the floor and leans back into the chair. She needs for him to believe her. If Colin can't help, Eliza would have to ask to borrow Sherlock Holmes and she'd rather not go there. "Look, I know I'm not giving you much to go on. This sounds like a friend that's on holiday or isn't religious with her schedule or correspondence. But I've never gone this long without hearing from her. Her mother is worried, but is more concerned with tarnishing her reputation than reporting Penel-" She stops. She didn't mean to say her name. She's stayed mum and prided herself on keeping Penelope's name out of anything and she blew it. Colin looks to her and she realizes he doesn't know who Penelope is. He arrived after she had gone missing. Bridgette and Adelaide wouldn't have said anything about her to him, so even if he had heard the name, he couldn't put it to a face.

"Is something wrong?" Colin asks after Eliza sits silently, mortified at her slip.

"At this time, I'd rather keep my friend's identity a secret. I would hate to harm her reputation or cause others to worry unnecessarily," Eliza says cautiously. She watches something flicker across his face, a similar look to the one Greensbury gave her before he told her it's not enough.

"Lady Eliza, I'm sorry to say this, but you won't give me a name. You can't tell me why you think she's missing other than missed correspondence, you say her parents aren't to the point of reporting it. You aren't giving me anything to work with," Colin says and Eliza's shoulders drop.

"I don't have much to work with that's why I came to you!" Eliza says in despair. "I just need an idea of how to get more to work with. Where can I start?" Colin sighs and pushes himself off the chair. He strides over to the whiskey cart and pours himself a shot of bourbon. He sips on it while thinking and Eliza watches as he leans against the desk. She realizes his tallness comes from his legs. In dark slacks, they look endless when stretched out in front of him. She stays quiet as he swirls the amber liquid around in his glass and his eyes finally flit to her, "Does your friend have anything...distinctive about her? Would people remember anything about her if they saw her?"

Eliza shrugs, "She's very pretty. She has bright blonde hair, the color of honey and these great big blue eyes. She also has a very loud distinctive giggle." Eliza wanted to say she's quite rambunctious and any man that meets her doesn't usually forget her forwardness.

"Do you or her family have a photo of her? You could start at train stations. If she's on holiday, someone may remember her boarding a train," Colin suggests.

"I can do that!" Eliza says eagerly, finally gaining a glimmer of hope.

"You say her mother already questioned the staff, is there anyone inside the household that may know where she went the last time she left? Someone that might tell you if not her mother?" Colin asks. Eliza thinks of Lucy and she knows Lucy knows more than her mother knows about Eliza's life. If Eliza was sneaking off or preparing to run away, Lucy would pick up on it immediately.

"Her lady's maid, Anya would know. I'd have to figure out a way to speak with her alone," Eliza says, wondering if there's a specific day that Anya leaves the house to do errands.

"Well, there's your starting point. I'd check any place she could have been seen leaving and ask about who she could have been leaving with," Colin suggests and then downs the rest of his bourbon. He drops the glass onto the table with a clink and Eliza pushes herself out of the chair, eager to get started. She smiles and says, "Thank you for not treating me as if I were being silly. I know everyone thinks I'm grasping at straws here, but my gut is telling me something's not right." Colin pushes himself off of the desk, now closer to Eliza than they have ever been before and she feels the heat rise to her cheeks. She doesn't know if he spotted it, so she flicks her head away to hide it. She crosses over to the door, but before she crosses the threshold Colin says, "Lady Eliza, will you let me know what comes of your search? I'm curious as to what you'll find."

Eliza turns to look over her shoulder and replies, "I don't know what will be worse. Finding out she is missing or finding nothing at all."