Malice at the Palace (The Royal Spyness Series Book 9)

 

 

He was bundled into the motorcar, the door slammed. The motor reversed, then the car screeched away, spraying gravel. I stood watching, feeling sick and scared. However angry I was with Darcy, I knew he wouldn’t have killed Bobo. What if the police thought he did? What if DCI Pelham was determined to pin this crime on somebody, thus removing any possibility of scandal for the royals?

 

There was nothing more I could do but go back to the front door.

 

“Someone trying to break in, was it?” Queenie asked. “Lucky the police arrived then.”

 

I couldn’t find any words to answer her. I trudged up the stairs, drank my milk and went to bed. Needless to say I didn’t sleep very well. I tossed and turned. I got up and stared out of the window, looking down at that archway I could just make out in the darkness. And when I did doze off it was to frightening dreams of Darcy, wearing a dressing gown, with a noose around his neck saying, “You have to save me, Georgie.”

 

In the morning there was a buzz going around the apartment that the police had caught an intruder trying to break in.

 

“Shocking business,” the major said, as he came to check on us at breakfast. “A burglar, I suppose. It’s too bad my regiment doesn’t guard this palace the way they do the king’s residence. We’d have dealt with any nasty little crook in a way he’d never forget.” He gave me a meaningful look and I could tell he was wondering whether the intruder could have anything to do with Bobo’s murder.

 

“I’m afraid I have a fitting for my wedding dress today, Georgiana,” Marina said. “Don’t feel you have to come. I’m sorry you weren’t feeling well last night. Those cocktails were awfully strong, weren’t they?”

 

“It wasn’t that,” I said. “I bumped into an obnoxious young man and had to get away from him.”

 

“Oh dear. A rejected suitor?”

 

“Something like that.” I tried to smile. “But I do have some important errands to run, if you’re sure you don’t need me.”

 

“Of course.” She smiled. “And you don’t need to come either, Traudi. Why don’t you go to a museum or something? There is so much to see in London.”

 

“Perhaps I will.” The countess nodded. “I should like to see the exhibit with the large dinosaur bones. Most educational.”

 

“That’s the natural history museum,” I said. “It’s not too far from here. Perhaps Princess Marina’s motorcar can drop you on the way to her fitting.”

 

Irmtraut looked horrified. “Drop me? Onto the pavement?”

 

“I meant give you a lift.”

 

“A lift? I do not wish to be raised up either.”

 

Oh dear. This was so tiresome when my nerves were already in shreds.

 

“English expressions again,” I said. “I meant her motorcar can take you to the museum and then continue on to the dress fitting. All right?”

 

“Ah,” she said, nodding.

 

“Maybe we can go to a nightclub tonight, do you think?” Marina looked first at me and then at the major, who was hovering in the doorway, having not yet been dismissed from a royal presence. “Or a gambling club? I hear there are good ones in London and it is something I have done so seldom.”

 

“Gambling is a sin,” Irmtraut said.

 

“Nonsense. A little flutter never hurt anyone.”

 

The major gave an embarrassed cough. “I’m afraid those places are outside my territory, Your Royal Highness. I don’t frequent nightclubs. Not on an army officer’s pay. And also the regiment is strict on our behavior code. Doesn’t do to be seen drinking or gambling. So I can’t say which establishment I’d advise.”

 

“I know fashionable people go to Crockford’s to gamble,” I said. “But I think you have to be a member to get in. And my friend who knows about these places suggested Ciro’s or El Morocco as a nightclub. Both have good floor shows.”

 

“Let’s do both!” Marina clapped her hands like a small child. “Or rather all three.”

 

“But again my friend says that ladies don’t usually go to nightclubs without an escort.”

 

“The major can be our escort.” Marina’s eyes sparkled. “What do you say, Major? Your chance to live the glamorous life too, for one evening, and to keep us out of trouble.”

 

“If that’s what you’d like, Your Royal Highness,” he said. “However, it should not be somewhere that could create a negative impression in the newspapers. Somewhere beyond reproach. I’ll do a bit of fishing today.”

 

“Ah. You go back to the pond to do fishing, Major.” Irmtraut nodded with satisfaction. “I hope you get a good catch.”

 

As I left the room I realized I had been laughing. It had been good to break the horrid tension, if only for a moment. And I had a busy day ahead of me with little time to think. That was good too.

 

“He can take care of himself,” I told myself firmly as I laced up my walking shoes. “He will only have to get in touch with Sir Jeremy and someone will set DCI Pelham straight.” But I still worried. You can’t stop loving a person overnight.