She went on to describe it just as the others had, a series of mishaps originating with Wicket, going out to the ladies on the outside, and then straightening up without anyone the worse off. Other than, of course, the poisoned Baron.
"Thank you," said Alex, more sincerely now that she was cooperating. "You don't seem to have been in a position to dose him, so I guess you can go."
"I have no reason to rid the world of such an entertaining conversationalist," said Knapweed huffily.
"Thank you for your time," said Julian as she got up and stalked out.
They both decided to take a minute eating more pheasant pie before they called in Alice. They'd had enough tea that it was time for a break, anyway, and to stretch their legs and brains both.
Next up would be Lord Herbert, sort-of cousin to Winston-Smythe, who'd just been having his cup of tea in peace as far as anyone knew.
Chapter 15
Julian sighed as the lights flickered. "Not the steadiest of generators, I guess," he said, looking over to the sconces.
"Not our circus, not our monkeys," said Alex, stuffing the last of their snack in his mouth adamantly.
Julian chuckled. "If they're magic generators, it might be."
Alex made a face at him, mouth too full for a retort.
Julian ate his own remaining portion more neatly, finishing off the pot of tea and putting it back on the bar with their cups. "I think we should switch to water for a while or we'll never sleep."
Alex sagged but nodded. "That's fair. I keep forgetting how late it is, with everything else going on."
"I suppose we should call for our next witness," he said, finishing off his last bite and putting both their plates up on the bar as well. "I'll go find Alice, you continue your sulk."
Alex huffed, but didn't deny that he was sulking.
Julian asked Alice to go find Lord Herbert and then sat, snuggling his grumpy husband while they did yet more interviews.
No one else, including Lord Herbert who'd practically been involved, had paid any attention to the gaggle of girls surrounding Wicket, and thus none of them had much to add other than to comment on the clumsiness of the move. There weren't too many other people in the room at the time, as half the party had still been 'alive' and in the ballroom playing innocent murder games, rather than the more deadly one that had occurred in the drawing room.
By the time they got through the last person, Julian and Alex were both seriously lagging. Alex tried one more time to get ahold of Murielle, but was thwarted again by the storm. Julian led them into the parlour, where the rest of the party was now gathered, all the bright ballroom lights extinguished to save power.
"We're done for now," said Alex, less an announcement and more to Geoff and Lucas, who were hovering by the door. "Everyone should go to sleep, if they can."
"I suspect there won't be a lot of bed-hopping tonight," said Lucas with a wry look. "Though I wouldn't put it past Gallowglass, she seems like she's ready to take McGuinness for a ride."
Alex snorted a small laugh. "Yeah, well, more power to him."
"Not her?" asked Julian, eyes wide and faux-innocent.
"She's got all the power she needs, I suspect," said Geoff. He looked done in, wan and tired, and Julian wondered if he was having some misplaced guilt about not being able to save the late lord.
"Lucas, put your man to bed," said Julian gently. "Let everyone go to their rooms and rest, and we'll all join each other for a very suspicious sort of breakfast, with everyone guarding their drinks like a woman at a sleazy bar."
Alex snorted a much bigger laugh that time, and pulled Julian close. "You are tired, my love. Where did you even learn about that?"
"Murielle told me, of course," said Julian. "She said I should do it, too, because I'm pretty."
"That you are," agreed Chudleigh with a wide grin. "Alex, take your pretty boy to bed."
"As my host wishes," said Alex, taking Julian back out of the parlour, snuggled up and interfering with walking, but in a nice way.
Chudleigh, in the background, began to address the crowd, but Julian tuned him out. He'd had enough of that crowd for a good, long while.
They made it up and into their room before the first of the other nobles filtered in, at least, despite Alex's insistence on keeping him cuddled close. The kittens had moved from basket to bed and were complaining sleepily, despite the evidence that the maids had kept the poor things fed while they were sadly neglected.
