Death Among Rubies Read Online Free PDF

wide-eyed at that. “You mean maybe Sir Calleford sent a man to threaten me? I can’t believe that. We met a few times when he came up to London. He was always perfectly polite, if a bit distant.”
    “He never seemed upset at your friendship or that you brought Gwen into the suffragist group?”
    Tommie shook her head. “That was the saddest thing. He didn’t seem to care what she did, as long as she didn’t embarrass the family.” In fact, Gwen was perfectly happy with the clerical work she did for the suffrage group, and never showed any wish to do any speaking or other public work. “I don’t want to speak ill of the dead, but I don’t think he had much interest in his daughter at all.”
    That wasn’t a surprise. Wealthy and prominent men like Sir Calleford rarely involved themselves much with daughters, beyond seeing that they were properly married. And Frances had to admit even if he objected to Tommie’s influence on his daughter, he would’ve brought his daughter home to the Eyrie, not sent an agent to threaten Tommie.
    “You won’t say anything to Gwen, will you?” asked Tommie.
    “Of course not.” She gave her friend a slightly embarrassed look. “Gwen looked so unhappy about her summons home that I was the one who suggested she ask her father if you and I could come for a working visit. He said yes, of course.”
    “That was very forward of you,” said Tommie with a trace of censure. And then she grinned. “But I’m glad you did. I never would’ve done it, and she’s so much happier with us joining her.”
    They talked over suffrage matters, then Tommie asked the waiter for some rolls and jam for Gwen. “It’s all she’ll want. No doubt she’ll have something more substantial when we arrive.”
    In fact, Gwen had woken up and was perfectly happy with what Tommie brought her. Meanwhile, Mallow had managed to get her a cup of tea.
    “Gwen, will there be other guests at the Eyrie this week?” Frances asked.
    “Oh yes,” she said. “We have ever so much room there. Father says only Pennington, our butler, knows how many bedrooms. Father wrote me and said the Auberts were staying. They’re French. He’s an old friend of Father’s, and they’ve visited a lot. And some Americans Father met, a father and daughter. I don’t know many Americans, but he said they were nice. And there’s a big dinner party tonight, with the usual locals. Mrs. Bellinger and Mrs. Sweet, widows who rent cottages. And the doctor and his wife, who always come. And of course Christopher.”
    That was interesting , thought Frances. Sir Calleford was a well-regarded diplomat; her brother knew him well and thought a great deal of his skills. French and Americans staying over—that spoke of international discourse and negotiations. These men were no doubt representatives from Paris and Washington.
    “Oh, and one more guest. I can’t remember his name. It was funny and foreign.” Gwen pursed her lips in concentration.
    “Do you think it was Russian?” asked Frances, trying to be patient. “German, perhaps?”
    “He had an odd-sounding name. Oh, I remember now, he’s Turkish. Father said he’s a friend from London.”
    Turkish. An envoy from the Ottoman Empire? The situation in the East was volatile. Frances wondered what they were walking into. It also explained why Gwen’s aunt had apparently encouraged them to come so late in the evening. Gwen disliked large, formal dinner parties. And it would be disturbing , thought Frances ruefully, to place noted suffragists among such august diplomats . She knew she was making a name for herself as a speaker and writer in London. Sir Calleford might welcome an outspoken progressive woman to his house, but would think twice about seating her at a dinner with international implications.
    It wasn’t much longer until they arrived in Morchester, which had once been a sleepy village, but had become large and prosperous with the coming of the trains half a century