01 - Murder at Ashgrove House by Margaret Addison Page B

she was both shocked and surprised in equal measure, she was sure of one
thing. The look she had caught on her mother’s face, brief and fleeting though
it had been, had been one of fear.
     
    ‘Well, Miss Crimms, do we know what the situation is with regards to our
guest’s dress?’ enquired Stafford accosting the lady’s maid once the dishes and
the remains of food had been cleared away from the dining room, and the
presence there of the butler and the footman was no longer required. ‘Has
Spencer had time to unpack the luggage and go through Miss Simpson’s wardrobe?’
    ‘Indeed she has, Mr Stafford, and I made sure that I was on hand to look
through Miss Simpson’s clothes with her myself. Martha, as I’m sure you’re
already aware, Mr Stafford, is going to have to act as lady’s maid to both Lady
Lavinia and Miss Simpson on top of her usual duties as upper housemaid; I
myself am going to have my hands full, I can tell you, standing in for Lady
Belvedere’s lady’s maid. Why the countess couldn’t bring her own lady’s maid
with her, I can’t imagine.’
    ‘I’m sure you’ll manage very well, Miss Crimms, although I know Lady
Belvedere can be very exacting. It’s probably just as well that none of the
guests have brought their servants with them, as there may have been a shortage
of accommodation and certainly it would have been very cramped in the servants’
hall, to say nothing of all the additional cooking the kitchen and scullery
maids would have been required to do on top of helping Mrs Palmer prepare the
dishes for the household. It’s unlikely Lord Sedgwick will bring his valet with
him, or Lord Sneddon, if he accompanies him; Albert will have to double up as valet
to both the young lords and Briggs will have to valet for Lord Belvedere as
well as for Sir William.’     
    ‘It does seem an awful lot of additional work, Mr Stafford, if only we’d
been given a bit more notice, we could have brought in some help from the
village.’
    ‘I am sure her ladyship feels the same,’ replied Stafford, ‘she was given
very little warning herself.’
    ‘Oh, and I almost forgot Mrs Torrington, I suppose I’ll have to act as
lady’s maid to her too, although perhaps Martha and I will be able to do her
between us, because if I remember rightly, she’s very undemanding.’
    ‘We were talking about Miss Simpson’s wardrobe, Miss Crimms,’ reminded
the butler, feeling that the conversation had been allowed to digress somewhat.
    ‘Oh, indeed,’ replied Miss Crimms, enthusiastically. ‘Well I’m pleased to
say that it won’t be necessary to raid her ladyship’s wardrobe or bring a hot
iron into play, Mr Stafford. Miss Simpson’s wardrobe seems quite appropriate,
very proper; in fact one might even go so far as to say it’s a little boring
for one so young. Why, I could see her ladyship wearing Miss Simpson’s evening
gown, black silk velvet, it is, a little old and a trifle worn in a couple of
places, I’ll admit, but it’s quality dressmaking all the same.’
    ‘I’m glad to hear it. Well, that’s one less thing to worry about, Miss
Crimms. Right, I think we’d better get back to our duties, we have more than
enough to be getting on with.’
     
    Lavinia left her mother on the first floor landing and made her way down
the grand wooden staircase. Lady Belvedere had claimed to be tired after her
journey and wanted to have a rest before Cedric joined them, although her
daughter thought it more likely that she had wanted to be alone so she could
think.
    Lavinia pondered over the look that she had seen on her mother’s face. It
had crossed her face only fleetingly, but Lavinia was sure that she had not
been mistaken, that for one brief moment Lady Belvedere had revealed she was
afraid. And if her mother was frightened, then so was she. Much as she disliked
her mother and was constantly anxious about causing her displeasure due to the
inevitable unpleasant consequences of such an