The Mermaid in the Basement by Gilbert Morris Page B

discretion from her maid, as well as skill in hairdressing and wardrobe. She was expected to go blind when Kate brought a man home with her. The actress had warned her thoroughly that she would be dismissed if she ever spoke of anything that happened in the rooms where Kate lived in the south of London.
    Helen fixed a good breakfast, then for a time she sat there reading yesterday’s paper. She had always loved the cobwebby hours just before dawn. As soon as the morning began to break, she began to think of what clothing her mistress would wear. Rising from the table, she went to the door of her mistress’s bedroom, slipped off her shoes, and silently opened the door. There had been times when there had been a man in the bedroom with Kate, but in the dimness of the room, she suddenly realised that the bed was empty. The covers were turned down and the bed had not been slept in.
    She must not have come home last night. Helen shrugged, for this was not an unusual occurrence. She started across the room. A dim light from the gaslight in the street gave the room a pale opalescence. Something was different in the room, and Helen stopped. She looked past the bed and saw what appeared to be a bundle of dark clothes, blankets, or sheets piled together. She walked by the foot of the bed, and when she reached the pile, she realised that they were not clothes at all.
    Helen’s body seemed to freeze, for by the dim light she saw that Katherine Fairfield was staring up at her with sightless eyes. A terrible dark stain marred her graceful throat, and her bosom was saturated with blood.
    Helen could not move for a moment, but then a bubbling scream rose to her throat. She backed away, holding her hands out as if someone were attacking her, then turned and fled from the silent room where the dead woman lay staring at the ceiling.

FIVE
    M um, can I ride Patches this morning?”
    Serafina was buttoning the jumper that she had just put on David. Shaking her head, she said, “Not today, Son. Don’t you remember we’re going to Buckingham Palace to watch the changing of the guard?”
    “Will that be fun?”
    “Oh yes, it will be very impressive.”
    “Will the queen be there?”
    “I doubt it, David. She has many things to do.”
    “I’d like to meet the queen.”
    “Well, so would a great many other people, but she just can’t get around to greet all of her subjects. I’m sure she’d like to, though.”
    “Does she have any little boys?”
    “As a matter of fact, she does. She and the prince consort have a nice family.”
    “I’d like to go play with the queen’s children.”
    “Well, I would like for you to, but it’s very difficult to get in to see them. The prince and the queen are very concerned parents. They’re very strict with their children.”
    “Don’t they love them like you love me?”
    “Oh, I’m sure they do.” Serafina smiled. She suddenly felt a wave of warmth rising up in her. She reached out and pulled David in, giving him a hug and a resounding kiss on the cheek. “There, that’s how much I love you. Now let’s go down and have breakfast.”
    “Can we have the fish I caught yesterday for breakfast?”
    Serafina laughed. “No, I’m afraid not, but I’m sure that Nessa has prepared a fine breakfast for us.”
    The two went downstairs into the smaller of the two dining rooms. The rest of the family were all there except for Clive, Serafina noticed. She felt a qualm, for she knew he had been going to the theatre frequently. She had gone early in the morning and found Clive fully dressed and sprawled across his bed. She had smelled the raw alcohol on his breath but had left him alone.
    “Well, you two are late.” Aldora Lynn Newton, at the age of seventeen, was a most attractive young lady. She was no more than medium height, slender but with a blossoming figure and a fine carriage. She had a wealth of auburn hair, warm brown eyes, and beautifully shaped lips. “And how are you this morning,