Malice at the Palace (The Royal Spyness Series Book 9)
By: Rhys Bowen
She gave me a big smile. “You’re wonderful, Georgie. Thank you. Tell him I need the motor to be here at seven. I believe it’s quite a long way to Liverpool Street Station, isn’t it?”
“Yes. The other side of London. But half an hour should be sufficient.” I smiled and went back out into the night. It was crisp and cold and my footsteps echoed on the path as I made my way around to the main entrance of the palace. I realized I could have taken a shortcut through the courtyard to his back door, but I didn’t think it would be correct to appear at a back door unless it was an emergency. Also I was reluctant to cross that courtyard in the dark. My key admitted me to the main foyer, which was bathed in gloom. There was just one small lamp alight over the stairs and I found myself tiptoeing across the marble floor before I came to what I remembered to be the major’s front door. There was a calling card in the brass card holder and I peered at it to make sure I was in the right place. I was about to knock when my hand was poised, frozen, a few inches from the door.
Major Gerald Beauchamp-Chough.
“Crikey,” I whispered.
HE WAS GERALD. I knew there were plenty of other Geralds in the world, but it all made sense now. The upright major who hoped to be promoted to colonel could never risk letting anyone know that he was a homosexual. It would mean the end of his career. The only problem was that he had not been at the palace all evening. He had arrived back at the same moment as ourselves. Or rather he had said he had just arrived back. But then I remembered. Princess Alice had seen him from her bedroom window when she was going to bed.
I needed to know what time she went to bed. And it occurred to me that she could be in great danger because of that innocent remark. I tiptoed up the marble staircase and turned toward Princess Alice’s apartment. I peered at my watch in the dim light. Nine thirty-five. Not horribly late to call upon someone. I tapped at her door. After a long while it was opened by a maid who had clearly put on her cap hurriedly to answer the door.
“Lady Georgiana,” she said in a breathless voice. “I’m sorry, but Her Highness has retired for the night.”
“Does she always go to bed this early?” I asked.
“Always. Early to bed and early to rise, she likes to say. She gets up at six and goes for a walk in the park.”
“Thank you. I am sorry to have disturbed you,” I said.
“Is there a message?”
“Not now. I’ll deliver it myself tomorrow morning.”
I came away again, not sure now what to do. I had promised to deliver a message to the major for Princess Marina. Could I deliver it now and not give away that I suspected him? Should I go and find a telephone booth and ring Sir Jeremy’s number? My heart was hammering. I was surely safe for now. It was Princess Alice I worried about, going for that early walk on a misty November morning. I shook my head in disbelief. Surely he wouldn’t consider killing a member of the royal family, would he?
He would if he could make it look like an accident, I thought. I’d make sure I was up and on that walk with her. The marble banister felt solid and comforting as I made my way down the stairs. I went as silently as possible. I didn’t want the major to know I had been up to the princess’s suite. As the stair curved around I peered down to the foyer and my heart gave a jolt as I saw a figure standing in the gloom at the bottom of the stairs. It was the major and he was watching me.
I put on my brightest smile. “Hello, Major. I was just coming to see you,” I said. “I promised Princess Marina I’d deliver a message for her. She needs a motorcar early tomorrow morning. Can that be arranged?”
He came up the steps slowly, one by one. “What were you doing upstairs, Lady Georgiana? Not taking a tour of the royal galleries at this time of night, surely?”
I laughed my best gay and carefree laugh. “No, I also promised Princess Marina that I’d deliver a message to Princess Alice for her.”
“But she has already retired for the night. I overheard.”
“Yes. No matter. I’ll come back in the morning.”
Why was he coming up the stairs toward me, step by step, slowly and methodically? He was blocking my escape route, that was what he was doing. His face was calm and composed but I was reminded that he was a trained killer. And he had killed once. After that first time, it is easy.
I was determined to keep bluffing. “Do you need something upstairs, Major? Isn’t it just Princess Alice’s suite and the royal galleries leading from this staircase?”
“I thought we might take a tour of the royal galleries together,” he said. “Since you’re here and I’m here.”
“Lovely thought, but I’ve just been to a party and I’m awfully tired.”