Gabriella stared at the door for a second, then proceeded to scan her surroundings. A pair of comfortable looking armchairs near the fireplace offered a place in which to relax, while a table surrounded by four chairs provided a spot for more practical endeavors. Gabriella dropped her gaze to the table where a garment, some needle and thread, along with a discarded pair of scissors suggested it had most recently been used for some mending.
Finished with her observations, Gabriella turned to face her colleagues. “I wouldn’t have minded some tea but I was reluctant to ask. Didn’t want to impose.”
Anderson grunted. “Have a seat, Miss Hastings, and I’ll build us a fire.”
Gabriella sat but Lewis remained standing, his expression contemplative while he stared toward the closed door. “She’s not very hospitable, is she?”
Gabriella shrugged. “We’ve inconvenienced her. If I were in the middle of cooking, I’d not want to entertain unexpected guests either.”
Lewis sighed and looked toward Anderson. “I hope you meet with success so we can warm ourselves properly.”
“Just give me a second,” Anderson grumbled. And then, “There we are. We’ll feel the heat from the flames soon enough.”
Gabriella stood and crossed to the fireplace, then stuck out her hands. Blessed warmth began curling around her frozen fingers. She sighed as it spread up her arms and began filling the rest of her body.
A hot drink would really have been an added help. She made her decision and turned for the door. “I’m going to ask if tea is an option.”
“Please do,” Lewis said.
“I’d like a cup too,” Anderson added.
“I’ll see what I can do,” Gabriella told them as she left the room. Turning away from the front door, she moved toward the back of the house where she expected to find the kitchen.
Another door to her left stood ajar, providing her with a glimpse of an extra space containing a bed. This was likely where Mrs. Rivers slept, so her tenants would have the upstairs.
Gabriella continued past, toward the door that stood at the end of the hallway. The floorboards, old and worn, creaked beneath her feet. A strange sensation swept through her, settling deep in her conscience.
Something wasn’t quite right. And then it struck her. There were no fragrant smells of cooked meats or vegetables. No sound of someone bustling about with kitchen utensils either. Just absolute silence.
She nudged the door open. It creaked on its hinges and swung to one side. Gabriella swept her gaze around the murky space it revealed. One side contained a hutch, the other a counter beside a small oven. Directly ahead was an open window. The curtain that hung in front of it flapped in the wind.
“Lewis. Anderson.” She shouted their names while approaching the window. It was almost too dark to see what lay beyond it, though she was able to make out what looked like a narrow lane.
“What is it?” Lewis asked, arriving behind her. “What’s happened?”
Gabriella blinked, then turned to face him. “I think we’ve been duped.”
He stared at her, then seemed to realize the kitchen showed no hints of recent activity, that Gabriella was alone, that there was no sign of Mrs. Rivers anywhere.
Without another word, he rushed back into the hallway, nearly colliding with Anderson who was coming the opposite way. Lewis pushed past him and ran to the stairs.
“What’s going on?” Anderson asked.
Gabriella tried to make sense of it. The situation wasn’t complicated, but it did make her feel incredibly stupid. She stared at Anderson, then repeated what she’d told Lewis. “I think we’ve been duped.”
“By Mrs. Rivers?”
“Or whoever that woman truly is,” Gabriella informed him.
He swung away from her and went in pursuit of Lewis, who was already descending the stairs by the time Anderson and Gabriella arrived at the foot of them.
His expression was bleak.
“I believe I’ve located Mr. Kipling,” he said in a rush. “Same modus operandi as with the previous victims.”
“He’s dead?” Anderson asked, eyes wide.
“Very much so.” Lewis spun to face Gabriella. “Since the front door is bolted from the inside, she must have fled through that window. She’ll be on foot so she can’t have gotten too far.”
