Part 38 (1/2)
”Eudora.” Melissande gave the woman's plump hand a little shake. ”Trust, remember?”
”I'm sorry,” whispered Eudora Telford. ”Please, do go on.”
”Miss Markham and I have been investigating a case of theft in the office,” Melissande continued. ”By any chance did Permelia mention that to you?”
Eudora Telford shook her head, looking hurt. ”No. No, she didn't. And Permelia tells me everything.”
”Ha,” Reg muttered. ”That's what she thinks.”
”Never mind,” said Melissande. ”I expect she was trying to protect the company. But you see, Eudora, the thing is, while we were looking into that trifling matter we stumbled across something far more serious. Something with dire implications for Ottosland. Something I think you've become tangled in. Because you're such a very good friend, Eudora, and Permelia Wycliffe trusts you.”
”Oh,” said Eudora Telford faintly.
”And now I must make a confession, Eudora,” said Melissande. ”Once you've heard it I only hope you can forgive me.”
Gerald exchanged an alarmed look with Monk. What? She wasn't going to tell the silly woman about snooping through her purse, was she? About finding the gemstones? Because that would be a big mistake. Silly old biddies like Eudora Telford tended to have rigid views about certain things, like privacy and propriety and- ”Settle down, settle down,” Reg muttered. ”Give madam some credit. She's not going to scuttle this, I've taught her far too well.”
Eudora Telford's eyes were enormous. ”Me forgive you, Your Highness?”
Melissande nodded. ”Yes. Because you see, Eudora, last night... I lied to you.”
”Lied, Your Highness?” said Eudora Telford, in a very small voice. Tears brimmed in her faded eyes. ”D'you mean-d'you mean His Majesty doesn't want me to come to Court and cook for him?” The tears spilled down her cheeks. ”Oh. Oh, my.”
Transfixed, Melissande stared at the woman. Gerald could almost see the thoughts whirligigging behind her eyes. ”Ah-”
”Of course he does, Eudora!” said Bibbie. ”That's not what Her Highness meant. Tell Eudora what you meant, Melissande.”
Melissande stirred. ”Yes. Of course. Ah-what I meant, Eudora, is that the invitation could've waited. The reason we followed you to South Ott is because we feared you were in danger.”
”In danger?” said Eudora Telford, dabbing her cheeks dry with her hanky. ”Me?”
”Oh yes,” said Bibbie fervently. ”Terrible danger. Awful danger. Dreadful danger. The kind of danger that-”
”Thank you, Emmerabiblia,” said Melissande, glaring. ”I think the lily is sufficiently gilded.” She looked again at Eudora Telford. ”I'm sorry, Eudora. Please be brave, because there's more. We believe Permelia is in peril too.”
”Permelia?” gasped Eudora, her hanky dropping unheeded to the carpet. ”Oh no! Are you sure?”
”Yes,” said Melissande. ”Which is why it's imperative that you tell me what you were doing in South Ott, Eudora. Because there's a good chance you hold the key not only to saving Ottosland from a terrible tragedy... but more importantly, saving Permelia as well.”
”Blimey,” Reg muttered. ”Madam's getting really good at this.”
Watching Melissande's excruciatingly manipulative performance, Gerald could only agree. Heartfelt sincerity was practically oozing from her pores. She was wasted being plain Miss Cadwallader: Rupert should get her onto New Ottosland's diplomatic merry-go-round without delay. He glanced at Monk, who was staring at Melissande with such a fatuous look on his face...
Blimey. Smitten doesn't even begin to cover it.
”Eudora,” said Melissande, her green eyes terrifyingly intent behind her gla.s.ses. ”I know it feels like you'd be betraying a confidence. I know what it's like to care so much for someone that you'd do practically anything to keep them safe... even when that little voice in your head is trying to tell you that might not be what's best for them. Listen to that little voice, Eudora. You and I both know it always speaks the truth.”
Silly Eudora Telford blinked, her plump face softly undecided. And then it settled into firmer lines. Something approaching determination pressed her plump lips together. Melissande, seeing the change, released the woman's hand and sat back.
”Do excuse me for a moment, Your Highness,” said Eudora Telford with a kind of crumpled dignity. ”I think I have something in my room that might a.s.sist you.”
”Good work, Melissande,” said Gerald softly, as soon as Eudora Telford had left the parlour. ”You've got her, I think.”
”And I think I need a bath,” said Melissande, just as softly, with a s.h.i.+ver of distaste. ”Honestly. That poor, silly, gullible woman! I'm as bad as Permelia Wycliffe, taking advantage of her like that.”
”Oh, give it a rest, ducky,” said Reg. ”You're only doing what needs to be done.”
”She's right, Mel,” said Monk. ”You don't have a choice. And you're being as kind as you can. So don't-”
”Shut up everyone,” hissed Bibbie, who'd leapt up to keep watch at the half-closed parlour door. ”She's coming back.”
A moment later Eudora Telford returned, a small black pouch in one hand and a piece of folded paper in the other. Resuming her seat, she clutched them in her lap.
”Permelia called me,” she said, her voice unsteady. ”She begged me to help her. She said I was the only person in the world whom she could trust.”
”And of course you said yes,” said Melissande, her voice gently encouraging. ”You said you'd love to help.”
Eudora Telford nodded. ”I always help Permelia. We've been friends since childhood. That's what friends.h.i.+p is, isn't it? Relying on each other. Knowing there'll always be someone there to help you.”
”Ha,” Reg muttered. ”She calls it friends.h.i.+p. I call it being a dogsbody at the beck and call of a domestic tyrant.”
Gerald agreed, but twitched his shoulder again. The last thing they needed was for Eudora Telford to hear Reg's sarcastic running commentary.
”That's certainly how I always think of friends.h.i.+p, yes,” said Melissande. ”So, Eudora, when Permelia called you... what exactly did she say?”
Eudora cleared her throat. ”She-she told me Ambrose had done something very foolish, and that if anyone found out about it he'd get into terrible trouble. She wouldn't tell me what it was that he'd done, and naturally I didn't ask. I just promised to do whatever I could to help him.” She blushed. ”There was a time once, many years ago now, when Ambrose and I-but alas. It was not to be. Ambrose had a higher calling.”
”The family company,” said Melissande, nodding. ”Of course. How n.o.ble of you, Eudora, to give Ambrose his freedom like that. Few women would be so self-sacrificing.”
Fresh tears glimmered in Eudora Telford's eyes. ”I loved him,” she whispered. ”What else could I do?”
Melissande cleared her throat. ”Nothing, of course,” she said, her voice husky. ”All right. So Permelia called you. What happened next?”
”I went to see her,” said Eudora. ”She gave me this pouch and these instructions and swore me to secrecy. Oh dear...”
”And then you went all the way to South Ott,” Melissande said quickly, before Eudora Telford changed her mind. ”To meet with someone on Permelia's behalf. Is that right?”
Eudora Telford nodded. ”Yes, Your Highness.”
”South Ott's not a very nice part of town, Eudora,” said Bibbie. ”Even I was a bit nervous going there, and I'm a witch.”
Eudora Telford nodded. ”Yes, it was rather frightening,” she said unhappily. ”But Permelia was so worried she'd be recognised, which would cause more trouble for Ambrose, and-and-she asked me. Friends do things for friends. How could I say no?”
Gerald found himself glancing at Reg, and then Monk, who raised an eyebrow in wry resignation. Eudora Telford was right. Friends did do things for friends. How could they criticise the silly woman after the risks they'd taken?
”Yes, well,” sighed Melissande. ”It mightn't have been terribly sensible of you to go off like that alone, Eudora, but I'm not going to fault you for your loyalty.” Reaching out, she touched her fingertips to the woman's knee. ”Have you any idea what's in that pouch?”
Eudora Telford shook her head vehemently. ”Oh, no. No. Permelia told me I mustn't open it.”
”I understand. But I think I should open it, Eudora. I think I need to see what's inside. And I need to know what she wrote in that note, too.” Melissande held out her hand. ”May I?”