Mulled Murder (Pennyfoot Holiday Mysteries) by Kate Kingsbury Page B

boots, too.” She’d taken a fancy to those boots, but she wasn’t about to admit it. She’d learned long ago that it was pointless to waste her energy pining after what she couldn’t afford. Be thankful for what you have, was her motto. Right now she had everything she needed. Her twins were well and happy, and now that she and Clive had established a more meaningful relationship, they were drawing closer every day.
    “Someone out there is missing a daughter, I reckon.”
    At the sound of Mrs. Chubb’s voice, Gertie dragged her mind back to the conversation. “I wonder where she came from. Her family must be looking all over for her.”
    “Well, I’m sure Madam will be able to find out where she came from. If anyone can, that is.”
    “I feel sorry for her.” Gertie lifted the platter out of the water and stood it on the draining board. “Not knowing where you come from or what happened to you must be worse than having bad memories of your life.”
    “I’m sure it is.” Mrs. Chubb picked up a knife, placed a saucer upside down on the slab of pastry in front of her, and began cutting around it. “She acts as if she doesn’t know if she’s coming or going, like she’s in Wonderland or something.”
    Gertie laughed. “We should call her Alice.”
    “That’s a good idea. It’s better than calling her Miss Memory all the time.”
    The door opened just then and Pansy walked in, her face creased in a frown.
    Gertie glanced at her. “What’s the bleeding matter with you, then?”
    Pansy shrugged. “Nothing, really. It’s just that it’s a bit crowded in our room now that Miss Memory’s in there.”
    “We’re calling her Alice,” Gertie said, drying her hands on a tea towel. “And you won’t be here after this week, so you only have to put up with it a few more days.”
    “Alice?” Pansy looked at Mrs. Chubb.
    “Because I said she looked like she was in Wonderland.”
    Pansy nodded. “Oh yeah. She does look a bit like Alice.”
    Gertie laughed. “How do you know what Alice in Wonderland looks like?”
    Pansy looked put out. “I read the book, didn’t I. There was a picture of her in it. She had curly blond hair and big blue eyes like Miss Memory.”
    “Well, that’s enough about the girl,” Mrs. Chubb said, glancing at the clock. “Pansy, go out to the stables and tell Charlie that I’ll be needing a carriage this afternoon. I want to finish my Christmas shopping. You’ve got time before you have to be in the dining room. That’s if you don’t stand around jabbering all morning.”
    “I don’t jabber.” Pansy headed for the door. “Not with Charlie Muggins, anyway. Now, if my Samuel was still here, I might be jabbering all morning.” She was grinning as she went out the door.
    It swung to behind her, then opened again as Lilly barged into the kitchen. Her cheeks were flushed and her cap had slid to the back of her head. “I can’t find the ladles for the soup tureens. I’ve looked everywhere.”
    “Everywhere except here.” Gertie opened a drawer and pulled out a handful of silver ladles. “Pansy must have forgotten to put them on the tray.”
    “Her head is full of the wedding, that’s why,” Mrs. Chubb muttered. “I don’t know why she’s in such a state. She’s getting everything done for her. All she has to do is get dressed and walk down the aisle.”
    “It isn’t every day a woman gets married.” Gertie started drying the platter with the tea towel. “Of course her mind is on other things.”
    “Which reminds me,” Lilly said. “Pansy said she had to get Mr. Evans’s room ready for a new guest this morning. She wanted me to take some coal up there for the fireplace. Should I do it now or wait until after the midday meal?”
    Mrs. Chubb stared at her in surprise. “Mr. Evans is gone? No one said anything to me. When did he leave? I thought he was here until Christmas.”
    Gertie stopped drying the platter. “That’s strange. He told me himself he was