Silent Night Read Online Free PDF Page B

they yowled their rage, which in turn attracted Crab, Father’s mastiff, and Brisbane’s lurcher, Rook. They set to baying as Brisbane snatched up the sugar bowl and held it out of reach of the cats. Nin, ever an opportunist, launched herself lightly onto the table to lick the butter and admire herself in the reflection of the flatware. Father, who had been working in his study, appeared just then, demanding to know who was being murdered in the breakfast room. It took a group effort to disentangle the cats and remove a shame-faced Crab by the collar, and it was more than a quarter of an hour before the various animals were hauled away and we settled back into something vaguely resembling order.
    Father had just poured himself a cup of tea to take into the study when Mary, the senior parlourmaid, appeared, her face ashen.
    “It’s gone!” she cried, her voice hoarse with emotion. “The emerald ring you left upon your desk, my lord—it has gone!”
    Aquinas was hard upon her heels. “I am afraid it is quite true, my lord. The ring is gone.”
    Father’s face was inscrutable. He stared at them both a long moment, his expression utterly blank. Then he turned slowly to find the rest of us watching him closely. “Perhaps you had better tell us what you mean,” he said, his voice tight.
    Mary clutched at her skirts. “The ring, my lord. I saw it in its little leather box upon the desk where you left it when you came in here to see what the noise was. You will remember I was late today with the dusting because of the junior maid being down with a cold. I was just finishing the study when you rose and left quite hurriedly. I thought I would dust your desk quickly before you returned. I know how you hate to be disturbed,” she added, her eyes wide. She swallowed hard. “The box was open and I saw that the ring was a valuable thing. I did not like to be responsible for it, so I went to fetch Mr. Aquinas to take charge of it and lock it in the safe in the butler’s pantry. But by the time we returned to the study, it was gone. Only the box was left, empty!”
    She burst into lusty sobs, and Aunt Hermia went forward to comfort her. “I am an honest girl, I am, my lady! You know I am. Here, I shall turn out my pockets so you will know I am no thief.”
    Aunt Hermia covered Mary’s hands with her own. “Do not distress yourself, child. We know your worth.”
    Father was staring at Mary as if he had never seen her before. Aquinas came forward, holding out the empty box. “It is just as the girl says, my lord. We entered the study together and the box was on the floor. There is no sign of the ring.”
    Father reached out his hand and took the empty box. He stared into it a long moment, then shook his head. “Calm yourself, Mary. You are mistaken. There was no ring in the box. It was empty all the while.”
    Mary lifted her head from Aunt Hermia’s shoulder. “My lord? But I saw it—”
    “You saw nothing. There was nothing to see. Perhaps you are overtired from the extra work. You ought to have the rest of the morning off.”
    Aunt Hermia’s face was white-lipped. “Do as his lordship says, child. Go and rest in your room. If you feel you can, you may resume your duties this afternoon. Do not give this another thought.”
    The confused girl dried her tears and bobbed a curtsey before fleeing the room. The rest of us exchanged glances but it was Brisbane who stepped forward. “My lord,” he began.
    But Father cut in swiftly, giving Brisbane a piercing look. “Remember.” His gaze swept over the rest of us. “The box was empty all the while,” he insisted. “This is but a tempest in a teapot. Get on with your breakfast. And keep down the noise. This isn’t a bloody circus,” he added, turning on his heel and stalking from the room. Brisbane put out his hand to Aquinas for the empty box and slipped it into his pocket with all the dexterity of a cutpurse. Aunt Hermia noticed nothing of the exchange. She was