All That Glitters: A Maggie Power Adventure (Maggie Power #2) *Unedited version*

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

It felt strange to be inside Whitmore's home. As we entered the drawing room, I noticed a portrait upon the wall. It was the Countess. I halted, as her gaze caught my eye. I was once more face to face with my past; a past I had months before thought I could at last begin to forget. But somehow here I was with Whitmore once more. With Charlie, too. And with that monster of a woman looking back at me from the wall.

    "I shall get my man-servant to bring up sandwiches and tea, then we shall speak more of all that you have discovered," said Whitmore.

    I sidled up to Blake, once he took a chair and sat down.

    "There are many things I need to tell you, but I fear now that I shall have to tell Whitmore, too," I whispered. "After my time in that house, I am now convinced that William Templeton-Wells is dead and that Morelle is involved somehow."

    "Don't you worry yourself, Maggie. You're safe now and, despite our differences, I believe I may need Whitmore's help in unravelling this whole business." he replied.

    I was disheartened with Blake's reply. I felt no good could come of Whitmore's hand in the these affairs.

    Soon after we ate and, wrapped in a blanket brought to me by Whitmore's butler, I sipped, and held tight within my frozen fingers, a cup of hot tea.

    Next it was down to business, and I told Whitmore my reasons for being inside the Morelle household. I told him of the letter I had presented, claiming to be from the widow of the man who painted a portrait of Mr Morelle.

    "We thought to use the name of young Elizabeth – Eastman's daughter – she being the same age as Maggie. So, if inquiries were made, then no suspicions would be raised," said Blake. 

    "I have to hand it to you, Blake, it was a rather brilliant idea to send this girl to spy on your suspect." Whitmore said. "Inspired, indeed. I do not know how a mind as dull as yours could have come up with such a conceit."

    Blake turned to him, an insincere smile rising across his face, "It was not the mind of this particular dullard who came up with such a plan. It was all Maggie's doing."

    "She is a rather a canny girl," he said looking towards Charlie. "Maybe that is where I've been going wrong with my assistants. More brains perhaps, and a little less brawn. Anyhow, I want to know all that you have found out about his character, Morelle. For all the digging I've done, nobody had heard his name until a little over eighteen months ago, when he became involved in the Town and Country Joint Stock Bank. Any ideas?" he said addressing me.

    "He has a beautiful wife. No children. He's obviously rich. But his household has only a handful of servants." I began.

    "Yes, yes, I know all of this. But you've been inside the house. Think! Is there anything he said which may implicate him in the theft of the money from the bank."

    "I saw nothing which made me think he had stolen money from a bank," I replied."

    "I doubt he would have had the money out on display!" said Whitmore exasperated. "Think!"

    "But I was looking for clues to the disappearance of Mr Templeton-Wells and death of poor Mr Penny," I said.

    "Templeton-Wells' disappearance and the disappearance of money from his bank is no mere coincidence," replied Whitmore.

    I then told them all of my dreary duties within the house, and of how my beautiful mistress had taken me under her wing and treated unlike the lowliest servant in the house. Rather she took on the role of a kind, clever and wise older sister, I said.