Five minutes before I was due to meet the others in the foyer, there was a brisk knock on my door. I openedit to see my uncle, looking troubled. Harmony excused herself and slipped out.
“I’ll just collect my cloak,” I said to Uncle Ronald.
“I’m not here to escort you down.” He entered my suite, closing the door. “I’m here to have a word about something very disturbing.”
I suspected I knew what this was about, but gave him an innocent smile anyway. I would have to brazen my way through the scolding that was coming.
“You know we’re very happy to have you here with us, Cleo.”
“But?”
“But I’ve received a complaint about you from Lord Wrexham.”
“I see.”
“You’ve been bothering him and Lady Wrexham, it seems.”
“I’ve been making inquiries as part of my investigation into the death of Lord Rumford’s mistress.”
“What do the Wrexhams have to do with it?”
“That’s what I’m trying to find out.”
He tugged on his cuffs as he waited for more. I merely waited too. “You must end that line of inquiry,” he eventually said. “Wrexham is a powerful fellow. I don’t like upsetting him.”
“Of course. I have no evidence against him anyway, so if he did do it, he’s going to get away with it.”
He winced. “Let’s assume he didn’t do it. Now, to the other matter.”
“There’s another matter? Who else has complained about me?” In truth, there could be a number of people, from Mr. Culpepper to the Larsens, although I doubted they would approach my uncle.
“Mrs. Short says you’ve been associating with the maids.”
I blinked at him, not quite sure how seriously to take him. He appeared quite serious, however. “Harmony is my personal maid. She does my hair and cleans my room. That’s all. I don’t keep her from her duties.”
“Mrs. Short says you’re becoming too friendly with the girl.”
“Is that a problem?”
“I know things were different for you in Cambridge, and this is all new. But here, family do not become friends with the hotel staff. It’s not wise.” He gave me a sympathetic smile. “I see that notion upsets you.”
“It confuses me. Why is it unwise?”
He took my hand in both of his and patted it. “You’re a kind-hearted girl, so it’s not surprising that it never occurred to you, but it’s my duty to warn you about people who befriend you simply so they can gain something.”
I snatched my hand away, bristling at his condescending tone and his sweeping assumption. “That isn’t fair. Harmony hasn’t asked any favors from me.”
“She will. I don’t blame her, of course. Her situation is such that, if presented with the opportunity to befriend her employer’s niece, she’d be mad not to take it.”
He reached out to pat my shoulder, but I shrugged him off.
His lips flattened. “I know you miss your friends in Cambridge. That’s only natural for an amiable, intelligent girl such as yourself. You’re like your mother, in that regard. She enjoyed having her friends around her. But there’s no need to go searching for friends among the staff. You have Flossy, naturally, and all of her acquaintances too. Tonight will do you good. I hear Caldicott’s sons are very upstanding young men and are at an age to move to the next phase of their lives.”
My entire body deflated with a silent groan. He could only mean they were on the hunt for wives. And Flossy and I were being offered up like lambs to the slaughter.
Perhaps I was being overly dramatic, but after enduring such a trying conversation with my uncle, I was not inclined to be optimistic.
“As a thank you to your aunt and me, I would appreciate it if you put on your most charming manner tonight. This dinner is important.”
