A Very Messy Business In Belgravia

Chapter Two

Amalthea Huntley nibbled half-heartedly on a piece of cold toast and looked forlornly around the empty dining room.  Her limited investigation work had dried up in recent days, and she was now thoroughly bored.  Not for the first time, she wondered whether to break the monotony by paying a visit to her brother-in-law at the country estate.

Edward Huntley had inherited his older brother's title just over a year ago, Henry and Amalthea having no children of their own.  He was, as yet, unmarried, being more than ten years younger than his sibling, but no doubt that would change as soon as he came to town and all the mothers with daughters of a marriageable age got their hands on the handsome bachelor.

By the time she finished eating, she had decided against the trip.  Edward was pleasant enough, but they could not be said to be particularly close, and she doubted there would be much in the way of entertainment at Manderton in any event.

She glanced up as one of the housemaids entered the room.

"Mary, has my aunt had breakfast?" she asked, referring to the only other resident of the townhouse who was not there in service.

"Yes, Your Ladyship," she replied.  "One of the girls took up a tray earlier."

Aunt Jane was her father's older sister, who had moved in with her not long after Henry's passing so that she would not be alone in the large townhouse.  In her youth, she had been similar in temperament to Amalthea herself, choosing to travel the globe extensively and resisting any attempt to marry her off, but her appetite for excitement had dulled in recent years, and she was now content to while away the days up in her rooms reading and sewing.  Even so, despite her more sedate lifestyle, Aunt Jane's mind was still sharp, and Amalthea visited her often to talk through some of her cases.

The door opened again and a footman appeared.

"There's someone here to see you, Your Ladyship.  I've shown her into the drawing room."

James handed over a calling card.  It was Lady Charlotte Grey's.

Amalthea smiled.  She had not seen her friend since that fateful night several weeks ago.  A reunion was long overdue.

Standing up, she smoothed down her gown and made her way quickly into the other room, but the enthusiastic greeting died on her lips when she saw the expression on Charlotte's face.

"Charlotte, what on earth has happened?!" she exclaimed, then quickly turned to the footman. "I think a pot of strong tea is in order, James."

The other woman dabbed at her eyes with a soggy handkerchief.

"It's Aunt Emily," she said, as she was guided gently to a chair.

Like Amalthea, Charlotte also had an elderly aunt, but on her mother's side, who lived with them.  She had been taken ill a few seasons previously, so the family decided it was better for her to stay in London rather than risk the added stress of moving her to the country, and Charlotte's husband had kindly agreed to take her in.

Amalthea waited for her friend to speak.

"She passed away a couple of days ago."  The brief statement was punctuated with a number of miserable sniffs.

"Oh, I'm so sorry.  I know you two were close."

It was true.  Amalthea had known Charlotte for a long time, the Waverley and Banforth families being on good terms, and she recalled that at age eighteen her friend had gone travelling for almost a whole year with her aunt, just the two of them.  They had returned not long before Charlotte's engagement to Lord Peter Grey had been announced.  That was over eight years ago now.