Page 69 of The Mad Marchams

Mabel nodded.

“He’s a good man who stood up to everything his father did to force him to conform. Ted’s still standing, which I respect enormously.” He opened the door and ushered her ahead of him. “Before I forget—here’s the key.”

“The key to what?” Freddy, who never missed a thing, called out. “Your heart?”

“She already has that.” Colin walked to the dining table and held out a chair for Mabel. “She’s agreed to help me sort out the countess’s chambers.”

“Is there a lot of stuff in there?” Freddy asked Mabel as Colin turned to acknowledge his grandmother and Ted. “I thought Brigitte would have taken anything valuable back to France with her. Father had a terrible time getting the jewelry that belonged to the estate returned. He had to take the French authorities to court.”

“I don’t know if there is anything of value, but the closets certainly need a clean out. From what I’ve been told, most of them haven’t been touched since—” Mabel hesitated. “The first countess died.”

“Our mother.” Freddy nodded. “Makes sense.”

“That’s not quite true, actually, Mabel,” Felicity said. “Majorie got rid of a lot of mum’s things and when Brigitte came to live here, she needed space for her belongings, too.”

Colin turned to Felicity. “Why didn’t anyone tell me that?”

Felicity shrugged. “I suppose because you were away at school and it didn’t really concern you.”

“But we should all have been informed if Brigitte was trashing our mother’s things,” Colin persisted.

“I didn’t say she’d trashed anything,” Felicity objected. “Just that she wanted as much space as possible.”

“I thought⁠—”

“That all mum’s stuff was still there?” Freddy interrupted him. “Come on, Colin, what difference does it make? It’s probably up in an attic somewhere. You can still go through it. Eric told me that’s where most of it ended up anyway.”

“Eric knew?”

“He was the heir, he knew everything, you know that.” Freddy grinned. “I bet he pinched a few things and sold them off when no one was looking.”

“Of course he did.” Colin’s smile had gone. “It would’ve been nice to have been consulted as to whether there was anything of mum’s that the rest of us might have wanted.”

“Like what?” Freddy asked. “Her hairdryer?”

“That’s not the point,” Colin said. “Why was Father so insistent that I clean out the bloody countess’s suite if there’s nothing I value in there?”

“Probably to make certain that Eric didn’t steal everything,” Freddy said, seemingly oblivious to Colin’s frustration. “And somebody responsible needs to go through it all and that’s you now, mate.”

Colin suddenly stood up. “Excuse me. I have something I have to do.”

He left the room leaving Freddy shaking his head. “Sorry, Ted, I don’t know what’s rattled his tree this morning. He needs to chill out.”

Mabel considered following Colin, but would he prefer to have some space? Family issues were always fraught, and she still didn’t get some of the undercurrents within the Marcham family. Still, she didn’t like seeing Colin upset. Just as she was about to rise, Felicity lightly touched her hand and whispered.

“Don’t worry. Colin doesn’t often get cross but it’s best to leave him to it when he does. He’ll be right as ninepence in a little while.”

“Are you sure?” Mabel whispered back.

“Absolutely.”

Mabel allowed herself to be persuaded, poured herself a glass of water, and considered the offerings on the table. Mrs. Reynolds had provided quiche in various flavors, new potatoes, and salad. There was a slab of yellow butter in its own dish beside the potatoes which were sprinkled with parsley.

“What time do you want me at my party on Saturday?” Freddy asked. “Am I supposed to arrive late and be surprised, or simply be there from the start graciously accepting the good wishes, and more importantly, the presents from my grateful family?”

“What would you prefer?” Mabel helped herself to a piece of salmon quiche and one with asparagus and tomato. “I assume you’d prefer to make an entrance.”

“Only if there are maidens throwing rose petals in front of me and I get to ride on an elephant.”