Then again, she wasn’t getting any younger, and with the twins and all, her prospects weren’t too bright. If Dan didn’t want a ready-made family it was unlikely anyone else would, even if she did meet another bloke.
She might just as well enjoy what she had and stop worrying about whether or not Dan would ever propose. The thought of giving up her dream made her heart ache, but dreams were for young kids, and she wasn’t a kid no more.
“I wonder why that Mrs. Johnson is staying here,” Pansy said, breaking into her thoughts.
For a minute Gertie thought she hadn’t heard right. “Mrs. Johnson? You mean Ian Rossiter’s wife?”
Pansy nodded. “Actually, she’s his widow now, isn’t she. I don’t know if I’d want to stay in the place where my husband was killed.”
“Gloria is staying here?” Gertie shook her head. “I don’t bloody believe it.”
“She’s in room number one. I took her up there myself about an hour ago.”
“Why would she want to stay here?”
“I dunno, but she had a lot of luggage with her. Samuel had to go and fetch it from the High Street.”
“What was it doing in the High Street?”
“Samuel said she and Ian was living in a flat over Ab bitson’s, the butcher’s shop. Just think, if Dan still owned it, he’d be her landlord.”
“Flipping heck.” Having placed the last wineglass on the table, Gertie swung the tray down by her side. “That’s it. I’ve had enough surprises for one day. I’m going back to the kitchen. It’s almost time to start dishing up the supper, anyhow.”
“I’m not finished yet.” Pansy dropped another serviette on the table in front of her. “I have to go and ring the dinner bell in a minute.”
“I’ll ring it for you.” Gertie headed for the door. “You get finished up in here.” She waved away Pansy’s thanks and stepped out into the hallway.
After the bright light of the chandeliers in the dining room, the tiny flickering gas lamps on the walls were dim by comparison, and she blinked to adjust her sight.
Gloria here, in the Pennyfoot, right under her nose. It didn’t seem possible. All she could hope was that they didn’t bump into each other. The less she saw of Ian’s widow, the better.
She had taken just a few steps when she saw a movement outside the library door near the other end of the hallway. Two people stood close together, as if deep in a private conversation.
As she approached one of them broke away and sped off in the direction of the lobby. The woman passed under the gas lamp and Gertie frowned. It was Mabel and she seemed in an awful hurry.
The other figure turned and started toward her. Her nerves jumped when she saw Sid Barrett grinning at her. No wonder Mabel had run off like that. He’d probably been pestering her the way he hassled all the women.
Bracing herself, she approached him with a firm step, ready to brush him aside if he barred her way.
“Hello, me old darling,” he called out, while she was still a few steps away.
“I’m not your bleeding darling.” She glared at him, but he seemed unfazed by her animosity toward him.
“I hear they’ve got a Christmas celebration going on at the George and Dragon tonight. If you’ll go with me I’ll buy you all the gin and tonics you can drink.”
“No, ta very much.”
“Oh, you don’t like gin?” He tilted his head to one side. “How about a nice cherry brandy, then?”
She stared at him, jolted by the suggestion. Cherry brandy would always remind her of Ian. She drank it all the time when they were together. Ian used to tease her about it, saying her nose would turn red if she kept drinking it.
Forcing her thoughts away from the memory, she scowled at Sid. “I’m not going anywhere with you, so just bloody leave me alone.”
Sid simply smiled. “Come on, luv, come and have a drink with me tonight. You need cheering up. It isn’t every day you lose a husband.”
She gritted her teeth. “I already told you, Ian wasn’t my husband.”
“He was your children’s father, though, so he must have meant a lot to you at one time.” He leaned forward, a sly gleam in his eyes. “He must have come visiting a lot.”
Gertie frowned. “I don’t think that’s any of your bleeding business, is it.”
“I’d like to make it my business. A nice looking woman like you shouldn’t have to bring up two little ones alone.”
“Yeah, well, that’s for me to worry about, not you. In any case, I already got a boyfriend, so you needn’t worry about me being alone.” Tossing her head, Gertie marched away from him. She could feel his gaze on her back all the way down the corridor.
She was relieved when she could turn the corner and leave him behind. Cheeky bugger. What was he thinking, trying to pick up someone who’d just lost her husband?
She was getting a funny feeling in her bones about that man. He was probably chasing after all the maids and making himself a nuisance. Hoping to get one of them alone, no doubt. Well, he wasn’t going to get her alone anywhere with him. Not if he offered her a hundred pounds and all the blinking diamonds she could wear.
He wasn’t her type. Not like Dan. Now, if only Dan was as eager for her company as that sleazy Sid Barrett, she could be really happy.
Right now, however, she had better things to think about. She had to get supper on the tables and then get the dishes washed and put away before she could meet Dan and go down the pub. Now that was something she was really going to enjoy.
It had been a long day, and Cecily was looking forward to a quiet evening relaxing with her husband. She was smiling at the thought as she approached the stairs, but the smile soon faded when she saw one of her footmen standing over by the Christmas tree.
Sidney Barrett was talking to Pansy, and judging from her expression, she wasn’t enjoying the conversation. Two bright spots of red glowed in her cheeks, and she gazed at him with fire in her eyes.
There were guests passing through the foyer, and wary of drawing unwanted attention, Cecily waited until she was close behind Sid before addressing him. Just as she reached him she heard him say, “Go on, you know you want to.”
Pansy didn’t answer him, and he put a hand on her shoulder, as Cecily spoke in her sharpest voice. “Is there a problem here?”
Sid swung around, his face wreathed in a smile. “Mrs. Baxter! I didn’t see you there.”
Cecily ignored him, searching the maid’s face. “Pansy? Is everything all right?”
Pansy nodded, sent a quick glance at Sid, then slid past him and scuttled off across the lobby toward the kitchen stairs.
“I’ve been meaning to have a word with you, m’m,” Sid said, taking Cecily’s attention away from the fleeing maid. “I wanted to offer my condolences.”
Instantly on guard, Cecily met his gaze. “I beg your pardon?”
“I heard about the dead bloke.” Sid waved a hand at the wall. “In the duck pond. Must have been a nasty shock, all right. Especially for them two little ones, losing their daddy right at Christmastime.”
It was inevitable that the staff would find out about it, but that didn’t mean she was prepared for this moment. Cecily drew a deep breath. “We are trying to keep the incident from the guests as much as possible. I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t discuss it among yourselves, particularly wherever someone might overhear you.”
“Oh, right you are, m’m. Mum’s the word, as the great bard, William Shakespeare, once said. Must be hard for the new widow. Right on Christmastime and all.”
Cecily frowned. “Enough has been said on the subject,” she said sternly. “The matter is closed.”
Sid winked. “Gotcha, m’m. Not another word.”
Cecily met his grin with a stony expression. “It might also be as well if you refrained from harassing any of my maids. They have to work extremely hard and they do not have the time or the energy to fend off unwanted overtures from you.”