A Dangerous Pursuit (Regency Spies & Secrets Book 1), Laura Beers [romantic books to read TXT] 📗

that commendable, but it is much too soon. You haven’t even had time to start grieving yet.”

“I will.”

“Why does it matter so much to you how Edith is buried?” Mrs. Foster asked curiously.

Madalene pressed her lips together. “It just does,” she replied. “It matters greatly to me.”

Mrs. Foster sighed. “Then it matters greatly to me, as well.”

“Thank you,” Madalene said as she approached the door to the orphanage and knocked.

It was a long moment before the door was opened, and Mrs. Kipper’s eyes grew wide at the sight of them.

“Good heavens,” Mrs. Kipper declared, opening the door wide. “I apologize for taking so long to answer the door, but I hadn’t realized you would be visiting us today.”

“No harm done,” Madalene remarked as she stepped into the entry hall. “How are you faring?”

“Not well,” Mrs. Kipper admitted.

Madalene gave her a sad smile. “I assumed as much,” she replied. “How are the girls handling the news about Edith?”

Tears came to Mrs. Kipper’s eyes as she admitted, “There have been many tears since we heard the news this morning from Mr. Walker.”

“I can only imagine,” Madalene said.

“But Miss Gaillard has been wonderful with the girls,” Mrs. Kipper shared. “She truly has been a godsend during these terrible times.”

“I am happy to hear that.”

Mrs. Kipper stepped closer and lowered her voice. “We informed the girls that Miss Hardy had drowned, because we didn’t want to tell the girls what truly happened.”

Madalene nodded approvingly. “I think that is wise.”

Swiping at the tears in her eyes, Mrs. Kipper said, “I had no idea that Miss Hardy had the capacity to hurt herself. It is such a vulgar thing to do to oneself.”

“I am of the mindset that she didn’t kill herself,” Madalene expressed.

“But the coroner said—”

Madalene spoke over her. “The coroner could be wrong, especially since the constable originally reported her as being abducted.”

Mrs. Kipper gave her a look filled with pity. “I see,” she murmured. “Well, I certainly hope that you are right about that.”

“We were hoping to take a look in her room and see if we can find anything that might help us prove what happened to her,” Madalene shared.

Mrs. Kipper tipped her head. “Of course,” she replied. “If you will follow me, Miss Hardy’s room was on the second level.”

They followed the housekeeper up the stairs as Mrs. Foster asked, “Has Miss Hardy’s room been touched since the constable was here?”

“It has not,” Mrs. Kipper replied.

“That is good,” Mrs. Foster acknowledged.

Speaking over her shoulder, Mrs. Kipper said, “I’m not sure what you will find considering the constable already did a thorough search of her room, but I wish you luck.”

As they came to a stop in front of a door, Mrs. Kipper pulled a key out from the pocket of her apron and unlocked it. She pushed the door open and stood to the side to grant them entry.

“Look at this mess!” Mrs. Foster exclaimed as they stepped into Edith’s room.

Madalene’s eyes scanned the room. Clothes had been thrown haphazardly on the floor, the dressing table chair was tipped onto its side, and the drawers on the wardrobe were left open.

“I still contend that something terrible happened here,” Madalene murmured as she started picking up the gowns and draping them over her arm.

“How do you know that Miss Hardy did not live this way?” Mrs. Foster asked.

Madalene placed the gowns on the bed and said, “I lived with her at boarding school, and her area was always neat and orderly.”

“People change,” Mrs. Foster contended.

“Not that much.”

Mrs. Kipper spoke up from the doorway. “I must agree with Miss Dowding. Miss Hardy’s room was always tidy.”

Walking over to the chair, Madalene picked it up and placed it next to the dressing table. Then, she placed her reticule on the table. “I just refuse to believe that Edith left here of her own accord. It is just ludicrous to think that she purposefully left her room in such shambles.”

While Mrs. Foster and Mrs. Kipper cleaned up Edith’s room, Madalene searched the dressing table, looking for anything out of the ordinary. But she found nothing.

Her eyes scanned the room, hoping she could find a place that Edith may have been hiding something. But, again, she couldn’t find anything.

What about under the mattress, she thought. That would be a perfect place to hide something that you wouldn’t want anyone to see.

Walking swiftly, she approached Edith’s bed and lifted up the mattress. Only to find nothing. Madalene let out a sigh as she dropped the mattress back down onto the frame. There was nothing in this room that would vindicate Edith.

Mrs. Foster walked up to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Perhaps I should go down and prepare some tea for us.”

Madalene gave her a weak smile. “Thank you,” she murmured. “I would like that.”

“Then I shall see to it,” Mrs. Foster said before she departed from the room.

Walking over to the window, Madalene looked out onto the courtyard. A small brick outbuilding was along the far wall and a wagon with a covered load was positioned next to it.

“When did the orphanage acquire a wagon?” Madalene asked.

Mrs. Kipper came to stand next to her. “It belongs to Miss Gaillard. It arrived the day after Miss Hardy disappeared,” she informed her. “Mr. Walker gave her permission to store the wagon in the courtyard.”

“I see,” Madalene replied. “Do you know what is in the back of the wagon?”

“Furniture and whatnot,” Mrs. Kipper replied. “Her cousin passed away recently, and she inherited some pieces.”

“Miss Gaillard hadn’t mentioned that to me.”

“I am sure it just slipped her mind.”

As the housekeeper was speaking, Miss Gaillard stepped out from the outbuilding and closed the door behind her.

“Why was Miss Gaillard in the outbuilding?” Madalene asked as she watched the French teacher walk across the courtyard.

“Miss Gaillard expressed an interest in transforming the outbuilding into a living space for herself, and Mr. Walker granted her permission,” Mrs. Kipper explained. “Poor Miss Gaillard spends hours nearly every day in that outbuilding. I