Page 47 of A Curious Ending

‘And the problem is?’ Lara said, looking enviously at Sarah’s dress.

‘Oh no, you and I don’t get to dress like that. We have to use the waitress outfits from the costume department,’ Kate informed her.

‘I am so sorry Lara, I had no idea this is what they had in mind. But I feel I can’t refuse. It’s a really important job for me.’ Sarah looked helplessly at them.

‘How bad is it?’ Lara wanted to know, directing the question at Kate, who she thought would give her a straight answer.

‘Well, there were some outfits that weren’t too bad. A bit seventies farce, you know… “more tea Vicar”. But the young girls who are helping got here first and nabbed those.’

‘And ours?’ Lara asked with a sinking heart.

‘Nineteen twenties, shapeless sacks with very frilly aprons and fecking caps,’ Kate informed her.

The parlour maid laughed in a manner that Lara thought was unbecoming to her station, and had they been alone she would have had no hesitation in telling her so.

Sarah looked at Lara and Kate pleadingly.

In unison they said, ‘We’re not wearing the caps.’

Sarah looked enormously relieved and embraced them in a comprehensive hug. ‘I’ll make it up to you,’ she promised.

When Kate and Lara emerged from the dressing room five minutes later, even Sarah struggled to know what to say. Their dresses were far too big for them and hung in unbecoming folds to six inches above the floor. The fussy aprons had large frills that stuck out at the sides and made them both look about two dress sizes larger.

‘Oh my word,’ the pristine parlour maid said, adjusting her crisp white cap.

Sarah set about placating the two women, promising them endless supplies of food and drink and her undying gratitude. She then briefed them quickly on the evening. The main drinks and canapés were to be served in the bar, and then they were to circulate through the theatre topping up glasses. Guests were expected to wander around seeing the various displays and all be gone by 10.30pm.

Lara then brought them up to date with what she had found out since they last met. She told them about her visit to Gillmore House, confirming that the china tea service would make a full set along with the items that Jason Honeybourne seemed to have – although she could shed no more light on how he had got his hands on these. She explained how Dr Patil had known the family for years, and a bit more about his legacy of paintings, but she did not mention the discovery of the secret room. She implied she had come across some old sleeping pills by chance but omitted any mention of Joe’s proposed legacy. However, she did tell them about the flowers on the grave and the ‘Forgive me’ message and they spent some time speculating on who ‘M’ could be.

‘What’s Dr Patil’s first name?’ Sarah pondered.

‘I think it’s… Vishnu,’ Kate recalled, ‘not sure how I know that.’

‘Oh,’ Lara and Sarah said in joint disappointment.

‘Who else could it be?’ Lara wondered aloud. The others looked blank.

After a hurried discussion – time was getting short – it was agreed Lara would talk to Dr Patil to see if he knew more about Lady Porter’s background and if he could throw any light on who ‘M’ might be. Lara silently added blackmail and the secret room to the impossibly long list of things she had to investigate.

‘Apart from that, I guess we should just keep our eyes and ears open. You said Richard and Pinky are coming?’ Kate looked at Sarah.

‘Yes, all the great and the good will be here,’ she confirmed.

‘I do hope Joe isn’t a theatre aficionado,’ Abby commented, looking meaningfully at Lara’s outfit. For once Lara was in total agreement with her.

By 7.30pm the Dress Circle Bar was buzzing with conversation and laughter. Lara and Kate were kept busy with trays of canapés and drinks, and Lara began to wonder if they would have time to investigate anything that evening. Despite this, she was fascinated by how many people assumed that as a waitress she was stone deaf. She had already discovered an illicit affair between a local councillor and the head teacher of the primary school. Abby was also flitting around the room happily eavesdropping and would occasionally look across and wave airily at her. Lara was just loading another tray with cocktails when she saw Richard Porter push his way into the bar. He looked around uncertainly for a moment and then catching sight of Lara, frowned and appeared to hesitate. Lara continued to circulate with drinks trying to keep half an eye on him as she did so. As if he had made his mind up, Richard suddenly walked purposefully towards her.

‘We won’t be using you for the flowers for my wife’s exhibition,’ he said without preamble. He continued to watch Lara as if he wanted to say more. After her strange behaviour in their house, Lara was not surprised about not getting the job and it crossed her mind that Penny might have mentioned finding Archie unexpectedly stuck in his office during her visit. As if reading her thoughts Richard Porter continued, ‘So, there will be no reason, whatsoever,’ he said with emphasis, ‘for you to be in our house.’ He made a hmphing noise and catching sight of his wife entering the bar, patted the sides of his well-groomed hair and headed over to her. Lara had not said a word. She reflected that the Honourable Richard must have spent some considerable time with the hair dryer and wondered what volumising mousse he used. His bouffant hair certainly added several centimetres to his diminutive height.

‘That man needs to keep away from naked flames,’ Kate muttered, rushing past with a number of drinks perilously balanced on her tray. ‘That much product in his hair and he’d go up like a firework.’

Lara grinned as she studied Richard Porter, who now had his hand in the air waving to his wife. ‘Pinky, I say, Pinky!’

Pinky watched her husband approach without smiling or acknowledging him. Behind her shoulder Lara could see Abby smiling encouragingly at Richard Porter. Within minutes of Richard reaching his wife’s side the three figures had disappeared from view.

It was some moments later that Lara heard the unmistakable sounds of Sebastian and Jessica proclaiming their entrance, calling across the bar to ‘Julian’. Lara flinched and retreated to the safety of the kitchen. She had not seen Julian arrive and had no desire for him to see her wearing this outfit.

As she busied herself restocking her tray, Kate came through the archway to the kitchen area. ‘Are you okay?’ she asked, seeing the look on Lara’s face.