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And now the Richard, Lady Jane and Lou uneasiness was explained, and I wished it wasn’t.
Dear Lord, somehow Lady Jane knew Lou had an affair with her husband.
God, I felt for them both.
But in this instance, I loved Lou, but I mostly felt for Lady Jane.
“Portia is high-strung,” he explained. “You probably know, she’s been here before. More than once. Jane and she weren’t meshing. I called Louella personally—”
The second time that night, my head spun.
This time with fury.
“Oh my God. You’re a fucking piece of work.”
“No need for foul language,” he bit. “And if you’d let me finish a single sentence, and perhaps listen when I speak rather than making judgments before hearing, I could get my point across.”
I crossed my arms on my chest. “And what point is that, Richard?”
“As I said, she means something to me. I’m concerned. My sons don’t know of our past relationship, obviously. It’s clear you and she are close. Dear friends. Which was why I thought she told you. So I had hoped you’d keep me informed about her condition.”
“How’s this?” I suggested. “I’ll keep Ian informed, and Portia can keep Daniel informed, and you can learn news of Lou from them.”
“I’m not entirely certain why you’ve taken such an adversarial stance with me, Daphne,” he remarked shortly. “I’m hosting you and your sister in my home. I believe you’ve been made comfortable.”
I leaned back and tossed out my arms. “Ah yes, sleeping in a dead woman’s bed and getting her floral bouquets delivered at night.”
“Jane told me about that,” he said, now appearing sincerely regretful. “I believe Jane has shared both of our feelings on that subject with Portia and Daniel.”
“So you had nothing to do with me being in that room? Oh, and while we’re talking about this, Lou being in the Floral Room?”
“Daniel made all the arrangements at Portia’s behest.”
Sadly, I could believe that too.
“Though, when I discovered where you were both assigned, I was dismayed,” he informed me. “But by then, it was too late.”
“It’s the matter of packing a suitcase and moving a room away, Richard,” I pointed out. “Or, if we weren’t really welcome, finding a hotel or inn nearby.”
“Staff prepare those rooms, Daphne, and they have other duties as well. You can’t understand the running of a house like Duncroft. Nothing is as easy as you think.”
That was probably true too.
Though Ian managed to get us moved without much trouble. I was there when he ordered it, and none of the staff seemed overwhelmed with the additional duties.
“I think Ian shared he wasn’t pleased at the arrangements, and you didn’t tell him it was Daniel and Portia’s idea,” I reminded him.
“He was angry. They don’t get along. Jane and I both try to run interference. I knew if he knew it was Daniel, this would cause problems between my sons.”
Shit!
That was a good excuse too.
“And while we’re on the subject of Ian,” he began.
Here we go, I thought.
“I’m pleased you two are getting on so well.”
