Chapter 11 - Magnetic attraction

Millie showed me upstairs and into an empty bedroom. It had its own adjoining bathroom and like the rest of the house was expensively furnished. “If you will wait here a moment, miss.”

More than a little embarrassed by my lapse in choice of attire I waited as requested. Minutes later she returned with a dress over her arm. “I think you will find this little frock acceptable.” It looked delightful and I took it from her eagerly, glad to be able to remedy my mistake.

“It is one which my mistress is unlikely to wear again” she sniffed. “Far too young a style for her.” She handed me a pair of slip-on sandals with a “You made need these to accompany it.”

“Oh, that’s great, thanks.”

“Dinner will be on table in twenty-five minutes. Ring, if you require anything further.” Then she was gone. I’d hoped to ask the woman some questions while we were alone, but the opportunity was lost. Ruefully I washed up and checked my make-up before changing into the loaned dress. It was a pretty little thing in the palest shade of primrose. Anxious not to keep my hostess waiting, with a cursory glance in the glass, I hastened down to the drawing room.

It seemed that I was early. A large mirror occupied one wall, so I stood in front of it and had the leisure to scrutinise my image more closely. I could not but approve the maid’s selection of evening wear. The dress’s top was ornamented with intricate crochet work and its little skater skirt flared in a kittenish style which would definitely be too girlish for my client to get away with. Perhaps it was even a trifle young for my own 25 years! Who was to say?

I became aware that I was not alone. Someone stood behind me. She spoke. “If I may say so, miss, that looks perfect on you. I think it’s quite a success!”

Compliments were always welcome to my chic-obsessed mind. “You don’t think I’m too old for this. My teenage years are long gone.” I turned to face Millie.

“That’s something I would never have guessed from looking at you” she smiled. “The style is just right for you!”

“Well, it’s thanks to your choosing. You must take the credit.”

“Miss is very kind.” She gave a little curtsy.

“I’m unsure about this lipstick. Should I change it for a lighter shade?”

“Hmm” she considered. “No, not with your colouring. What you are wearing works very well.”

“You’re quite the fashion expert, I see. How did you become so knowledgeable?”

“My first job was in a beauty salon. It was a long time ago, but you never forget your earliest life-lessons.”

“I understand you used to give guidance on the use of cosmetics when you were at the ranch. That must have been quite demanding” I hazarded.

“I only instructed the clients in the basics. They were never very discerning, so it was child’s play.”

“You mean because they were male. Isn’t it more difficult to achieve a tasteful result when the subject is a man?” I expected the maid to concur with my suggestion, but without hesitation she expressed a contrary view.

“Not really! It is merely a matter of covering more imperfections than otherwise.”

“Did you enjoy life there?”

Millie thought for a while. “To begin with, I was never happier. Mr Arthur and I made the ideal team. That changed towards the end.”

“And yet you have stayed on here? May I ask why?” I expected to be met with silence on such a sensitive matter, but she seemed content to answer. My curiosity in this regard was not to be satisfied, however. As she started to reply, the door of the room opened, and Gloria Simpson made her entrance.

“Sorry for the wait.” She smiled disarmingly. “I hope you will find that it has been worthwhile!”

What could I say? To my mind she looked a million dollars. For a moment, everything else was blotted from my mind. A simple dress in a delicate shade of pink crepe material set off her slender curves. The sheerness of the fabric hinted at what it almost concealed. Without realising what I was doing I stretched out my arms in welcome and she came into them like a bird. The touch of her firm lithe body was as intoxicating as the wave of perfume which engulfed me. The embrace would have been more protracted but for the presence of the maid hovering in the background. It wasn’t only the recollection that we were not alone made me pull away. Guy’s mantra that an investigator should never get involved with a client came to my mind.

Gloria, however, was undeterred by Millie’s attendance. She grabbed my hands and standing back appraised me from head to toe. “You look wonderful” she cried. It seemed she couldn’t get enough of the sight before her eyes. The pause started to become embarrassing, until… “Let’s eat!” she cried. “Your being here has given me an appetite.” She added slyly “I’m dying to see what Millie has prepared for us now that I know what’s for dessert!”

I blushed to the roots of my hair at the suggestive implication contained in her words. Fortunately, the activity of being seated at table covered my confusion and I soon recovered my poise.

The supper which was served up to us consisted of several courses, each light and delicious, with a crisp, delicate wine as an accompaniment. I was hungry and did full justice to the food. When I started to give my client a resume of recent developments in the case, she held up her hand and forbade the discussion of any business until the meal was over. She nodded significantly in the direction of the maid who was bustling about us to indicate that the subject matter was confidential, so we chatted gaily on general things. It was as if we were old friends. It wasn’t until Millie had cleared away and left us with coffee and sweet things to nibble that we got down to business.

“Tell me everything you have uncovered” began my hostess. She grabbed my hand excitedly. “I can see that you have made some real progress just by looking into your eyes.”

“You could say that” I temporised. I hadn’t decided how much to reveal. I wanted to believe in her innocence but a doubt over her involvement in the killing lingered. “The man tailing you was a private investigator, name of Raymond Price. Does that mean anything to you?”

“Not a thing.”

“Who he was working for we don’t yet understand.”

“You say ‘was’. Has he stopped, then?”

“You won’t see anything more of him, for certain. He’s dead. He’s been found shot.”

Gloria put her hand over her mouth in shock, real or feigned I was unsure.

I continued. “We still need to find out why he was following you about, or someone else might take his place. We need to be certain of your safety. Do you own a gun?”

“A gun! Heavens, why would I have a gun? Am I in so much danger?”

“You’ve never had a gun?” I persisted.

“Oh, Arthur did buy me one when we first moved here. He felt the city wasn’t as safe as the ranch. It used to be kept in my desk drawer. I haven’t seen it recently, but I imagine Millie will know where it is.”

The statement was made so frankly that I felt I ought to believe in its truth. I steered away from the subject. “I love your house. It must have cost plenty. How many rooms does it have?”

Gloria laughed. “I remember that the realtor described it as a 12-room mansion, but I can never work out which rooms he was counting. It’s big enough for little ole’ me!”

I joined her in her gaiety. We were probably both getting a little tipsy.

“What happened to your previous property, the ranch?”

“We sold up, to pay for this place. A consortium or some such from back East bought the land for don’t ask me how much. Arthur handled all that side of things. I believe they built an equestrian centre down in the valley. It’s great riding country.”

“I can imagine.”

“I’m so glad you are handling this matter for me, Jennifer. Millie will deal with this.” She indicated the table. “Let’s go and sit.”

She took my hand and led me back into the drawing room. With a girlish giggle she pushed me down onto a couch and stood over me. As I gazed up at her I could observe something almost possessive in her manner.

It was an intimate moment. As the light caught her figure it seemed to bathe her in an unearthly glow so that to me she looked something like an angel. Through the gauzy material of her dress, I could perceive the outline of some exotic underpinnings. My awareness of what might be hidden beneath aroused me and an insane longing to take her in my arms and unwrap her beauty swept over me. My resolve to remain uninvolved weakened further as she took a step closer and our eyes locked. She clearly felt something similar. I was lost!

What would have happened next is easy to imagine, but we were interrupted. A voice as of doom broke in upon us. “Will madam want anything further?”

The spell was shattered.

The maid continued in matter-of-fact tones. “Everything is cleared away and ready for the morning.” She swept across the room and placed a brown paper shopping bag beside me. “Your things, miss, are all in here for when you want them and” turning to her mistress, “if that is all, I’m for my bed.”

“Thank you, Millie. That will do.”

“I ought to go” I exclaimed. “If I may, I’ll keep this dress on and return it when next I see you.”

“Won’t you stay a little longer?”

“I mustn’t” I replied resolutely. “Early start tomorrow.”

I rose to take leave. We embraced and she kissed me on the lips.

“Keep the dress” Gloria smiled. “I can see it was made for you. The memory of you looking like this will have to grace my slumbers tonight… in lieu of the reality. Sweet dreams!” she concluded wistfully.