Deadly Inheritance by Janet Laurence Page A

really want to see Mr Russell again, he looked at me in such a way last night and was very unpleasant to William, but when we arrived, he wasn’t there. And Helen was told Lady Frances was too ill to come downstairs but would she please go and visit with her in her bedroom.’
    Belle pouted. ‘So I was left in the drawing room to look at some boring old books. There wasn’t even a dog to play with. There was a piano but I didn’t like to try it in case it disturbed Lady Frances.’
    ‘That was thoughtful of you.’
    ‘And, anyway, it was locked.’
    ‘Was Helen upstairs very long?’
    Belle sighed heavily. ‘It seemed forever. The house is very small with a very small garden. I should be quite ashamed to live in a place like that, but there were some pretty pictures and I found a box that had lots of little boxes inside it. Just as I was trying to open the smallest – I knew it must open because something inside it rattled – Mr Russell came in.’
    ‘And how was he?’
    ‘Much friendlier than I expected,’ Belle confessed. ‘And he showed me how to slide open one side of the box in a most ingenious way. And what do you think was inside?’
    ‘I cannot imagine,’ Ursula laughed, but she found herself curious.
    ‘A ring! I don’t think it was valuable but it was very pretty; little pearls set in enamel so it looked like a flower. I asked whose it was and Mr Russell said it was his mama’s. I wanted to ask why she did not wear it but Helen came downstairs then and spoke to me quite sharply. She said I should not have been messing about with things that did not belong to me. And Mr Russell said he had been showing me the secret box and it was not my fault. Even though, I suppose, it was,’ Belle added. ‘But it was not fair to leave me alone for so long.’ She thought for a moment then added, ‘Helen and Mr Russell did not seem at all easy with each other. But I think it was because of Lady Frances being ill. Helen said she was shocked at her condition and Mr Russell said he did not think it would be very long now. I asked Helen when we drove away what he meant and she said Lady Frances was nearing the end of her life. That is sad isn’t it?’
    Ursula agreed.
    ‘And she asked Mr Russell if he still meant to do what he’d said, and he said “yes”. What do you think that meant? And why do you think Lady Frances would keep a ring in a secret box? I asked Helen but she said she didn’t know, in quite a nasty way. All she wanted to talk about on the way home was Richard’s brother, Charles, who is a Colonel in the army and has been fighting in the South African war. She said that the war finished last year and he was to arrive today or tomorrow and that I would like him very much. He was very brave, she said, very handsome and very interesting. It was just as though she was a salesman trying to get me to buy a horse!
    ‘And then we get back here and this Charles has arrived and I don’t find him at all attractive.’ Belle gave a disappointed pout and smoothed down her tussore silk jacket over its matching skirt. ‘He’s not nearly as tall as William – or Richard – and all he said to me was that he hoped I was enjoying my stay.’
    Oh, dear Belle, thought Ursula. ‘I expect he had to tell Helen about the tragedy that I discovered.’
    ‘He did. And it sounded something awful. So I had to come and see how you were. Are you really all right? I would hate for you to be badly injured.’
    ‘I had a shock and sprained my ankle, that is all. I will be downstairs again this evening. Look, they have found me some crutches.’ Ursula pointed to them. ‘You had better go and wash your hands before luncheon. Will Mr Warburton be there?’ The ploy worked.
    ‘Yes! He was in the drawing room with Richard and the Colonel when we got back. They all seemed to think finding that dead girl was very serious.’
    ‘I think it is, Belle. There will be a lot of formalities, including with the police.’
    ‘Do