“Elizabeth, the Bartholameu’s have arrived.” Mrs. Peabody stuck her head in the kitchen door. “Is everything alright?”
“Of course, it is! The party is a smashing success, so far.” Mrs. Dixon gave her friend her most chipper smile. “I shall be right out.” Satisfied, Mrs. Peabody disappeared again and Mrs. Dixon focused back on Neville. “Neville, you will speak to Mr. Aubright in private before he leaves.”
“What excuse shall I give him this time?”
this
Mrs. Dixon bit her lip, unaccustomed to coming up with lies. “Make something up. Tell him the master requests the funds for a project he is working on.”
“I will continue to insist that we call the authorities, Elizabeth. This can’t go on forever.”
Mrs. Dixon swallowed back fear. Perhaps he was right. But her gut told her that this had
