Buckingham Palace Gardens by Anne Perry Read Free Book Online Page A

strangled her, or whatever it was. It’s a tragedy, but it’s none of our business. And there is certainly nothing for us to be afraid of. The police will deal with it.”
    Hamilton raised his glass in a salute to Julius, and drank again.
    Liliane relaxed a little and picked up her fork.
    â€œKnifed her,” Cahoon filled in as the butler placed the fish in front of him. “Cut her throat and…and her body. I’m afraid this is going to be unpleasant.”
    â€œHow do you know?” Simnel asked with more curiosity than alarm. He glanced at Minnie, and then back at Cahoon.
    â€œI found her,” Cahoon said simply.
    Elsa was startled. The wineglass slipped in her fingers and she only just caught it before it spilled. “I thought she was in a linen cupboard!”
    â€œWhat on earth were you doing in a linen cupboard so early in the morning?” Julius asked with a very slight smile. “Or at any time, for that matter.”
    â€œThe door was open,” Cahoon told him tartly. “I smelled it.”
    Liliane wrinkled her nose. “If we must have this discussion at all, could we at least put it off until after we have finished dining, Cahoon? I’m sure we are grateful that you seem to be taking charge of things, but your zeal has temporarily overtaken your good taste. I would prefer to have my fish without the details.”
    â€œI’m afraid we are not going to escape all of the unpleasantness,” Cahoon said drily. “The servants are bound to be useless for a while. Some of them may even leave.”
    â€œOne of them needs to,” Julius pointed out.
    Elsa wanted to laugh, but she knew it was out of fear rather than amusement, and wildly inappropriate. She choked it back, pretending to have swallowed badly. No one took the slightest notice of her.
    â€œIt makes you realize how little you know people,” Olga murmured.
    â€œOne doesn’t know servants,” Minnie corrected her. “One knows
about
them.”
    â€œIf they knew about him, they would hardly have employed him.” Julius looked at her coolly.
    â€œI imagine they thought they did.” Cahoon began to eat again. “None of us know as much about people as we imagine we do.” He glanced around the table, his eyes for a moment on each of them.
    â€œWe have all known one another to some degree for years, but I have no idea what dreams are passing through your mind, Julius. Or yours, Hamilton. What do you wish for most at this moment, Simnel?”
    â€œA peaceful luncheon and a productive afternoon,” Simnel replied instantly, but there was a touch of color in his cheeks and he did not meet Cahoon’s eyes, still less did he look at Olga.
    Elsa knew he was thinking of Minnie. Probably they all did. She stole a very quick glance at Olga, and saw the pallor of her skin and the pull on the fabric of her dress as it strained across her hunched shoulders. For a hot, ugly moment she hated Cahoon for his cruelty.
    Minnie was concentrating on her plate, the shadow of her eyelashes dark on her cheek. She seemed to glow with satisfaction.
    â€œSlashed with a knife?” Elsa said aloud. “Whoever takes a carving knife to an assignation in the linen cupboard? It doesn’t make any sense!”
    â€œCutting a whore up with a carving knife doesn’t make any sense wherever you do it, Elsa,” Cahoon said abruptly. “We aren’t looking for a sane man. Surely you realize that?”
    She felt humiliated, but she could think of nothing to say that would rebut his remark. Of course she knew it was not a sane thing to do. It had been an impulsive observation.
    Oddly, it was Hamilton Quase who defended her. “Someone who is sane enough to pass as a Palace servant probably appears sane in most things,” he said with a casual air, as if they were discussing a parlor game. “If he were running up and down the staircases with wild eyes and blood