"Only the one Lord, sir," said Jessamine. "I think he surprised her with his naked, erm, self."
Alex laughed. "That tracks," he said. "All right, thank you. Do you know where the detective is at, down in Chudleigh's office or study or whatever it is?"
She looked amused at him. "I do, yes, sir."
"Go tell her everything, she's doing the rest of the interviews. Oh, unless you think Tobias needs her?" said Alex, turning to Jacques.
Jacques shook his head. "She hasn't got any poison on her, the bezoar didn't react when Miss Johanna handed it to her."
"Oh, yes, your fancy rock," said Jessamine, handing it back to Jacques.
She curtsied to Miss Applewhite and gave Alex a cheeky wink before heading downstairs.
"Lord, um, Alex?" said Applewhite, looking uncertain now.
"Yes?" he asked, turning to the lady.
"What were you all talking about before, in the doorway?" she asked, hands going to a pocket and finding a fine handkerchief to twist nervously.
Alex tried to look genial but suspected it wasn't his forte. "Oh, we were speculating on skills the killer might need to bring off these murders."
"Oh, sorry. I thought you were talking about magic tricks," she said with a little laugh. "Some of the ladies all learned when we were girls, it was at a house party like this one for the younger set, so we were much more carefully watched. We all put on a magic show together at the end."
"Do you remember who all was in it? Or, wait, let me think," said Alex. "It couldn't have been Lady Knapweed, she's a few years older than you, right?"
"Right," she agreed. "I think Miss Halliwell, Miss Berkelshire, and definitely Miss Periwig were all involved, we're all aboutthe same age, you know. Chuds does try to keep parties among friends, you know."
"I know," said Alex with a soft smile. "We're here as friends to Dr. Geoff, I think, since we don't know the rest of you."
"Oh, we all know," said Applewhite with a little giggle that was only slightly hysterical. "It's so sweet of you to have introduced them!"
"We were happy to do it," said Alex with a little smile. "They were both pining for something the other person could offer, I think."
"Dr. Geoff is such a charmer, too!" said Applewhite, giggling. "He's a shy one, but I sat with him once and he and your Lord Julian kept us all quite entertained."
Alex was amused at this framing of events, since Julian had been of the opinion it was Applewhite herself who had kept things lively at his table. "I'm sure he did. He's a good man, and I hope he and Chudleigh stay together despite the class differences."
"Oh, well, that," said Applewhite, making a gesture like shooing away the very idea. "It's not so strict these days, you know, especially if you're not the heir."
"Chudleigh does his duty for his family," said Alex, nodding. "I suppose not having Lucas make little Chudleighs would be more convenient for inheritance, too."
Applewhite giggled and made the gesture again. "Oh, you!"
"Are you flirting with a married lady?" asked Julian from the doorway.
"Just cheering her up a little," said Alex. "Let's go see Murielle, I've got a tidbit for her."
"I've got my plant samples, so you're all free to go," said Tobias, sounding a little more cheerful now as he squeezed into the room and headed for the tray.
Alex hadn't even done the preservation charm for how little time it had taken, so he waved Tobias on and they all left with a promise to the good lady to send up some safe tea.
"So what's this gossip?" asked Julian, as they headed downstairs once again.
Alex had never dealt with stairs so much in his life before he moved to the country, and he wasn't sure he liked it.
Still, having an entire basement for his workshop was worth the stairs.
"You can hear it with her," said Alex, once they got to the door. He knocked with his usual staccato rap of knuckles, and soon enough Thomas opened the door, revealing Jessamine still talking to Lapointe.
