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in truth, she’s a ratheran obnoxious snob, but even so, I wouldn’t wish any harm to come to her.”
    â€œSo our first task is to find out who was killed?” Mrs. Jeffries glanced at the clock and saw that it was almost five.
    â€œDon’t worry, Mrs. J.” Smythe got to his feet. “Bellwood Place is close by, and we’ve time to get there and see if we can find out anything.”
    Wiggins rose as well. “Murder always draws a bit of a crowd, and if they’ve gone, we’ll just ’ead off to the pubs. They’ll be plenty of talk there.”
    â€œMind you get home at a decent hour,” Betsy said as Smythe bent down to kiss her cheek. Amanda held out her arms as Smythe straightened and came around the table. He picked her up, gave her a quick kiss and hug, and then started to hand her back to Mrs. Goodge, but Betsy was already up and around the table. “Give her to me and I’ll take her upstairs for a quick walk. If she sees you leave, she’ll start to cry. She’s turned into a right little daddy’s girl.”
    â€œYou’re both my girls.” Smythe put Amanda in his wife’s arms and then waited until she disappeared up the stairs before he and Wiggins headed for the back door.
    As soon as they were gone, Mrs. Jeffries looked at Ruth. “Even though we don’t know who the victim might be, what more can you tell us about Helena Rayburn?”
    Ruth glanced toward the stairs. “Shouldn’t we wait for Betsy?”
    â€œI’ll tell her what you tell us,” Phyllis offered. “I usually walk her to the corner when she and the baby are on their own.”
    â€œI don’t know all that much about the woman. She’s onlyan acquaintance I’ve met socially. She’s spent most of her adult life in India.”
    â€œIndia,” Mrs. Goodge exclaimed. “Oh, sorry, that startled me for some reason.” She laughed. “Go on.”
    â€œWell, as I was saying, she spent most of her adult life in India but came back to London some years back when her husband died. He was a colonel in the army. I believe she’s the president of a garden club.” She nodded her head vigorously. “Yes, yes, that’s right. I ran into her once at Kew Gardens when there was an exhibition of orchids. She was so engrossed in the flowers she barely acknowledged my presence, and just last week, Jean Turner, she’s the correspondence secretary of our women’s group and a very keen gardener, mentioned that the Mayfair Orchid and Exotic Plant Society is having their annual competition soon and that Helena Rayburn is the favorite to win. Apparently, she alwayswins.”

CHAPTER 2
    â€œIf the keys were gone, then the doors to the conservatory were both unlocked. Is that what you’re saying?” Witherspoon looked at Helena Rayburn for confirmation.
    â€œNo, that’s what Mrs. Stanway just told you.” She glanced at the two women on the sofa. “But I will concur with her statement. The keys did go missing, but luckily the doors were both unlocked when it happened so I could get in and out.”
    â€œWhich means it was possible that Mr. Filmore went inside the conservatory on his own?”
    â€œIt certainly looks that way. He didn’t come into the house and announce his presence, and the staff know better than to let anyone, even Mr. Filmore, into my conservatory without my permission.”
    â€œHave you any idea why he was here?”
    She shrugged. “None. I wasn’t expecting him.”
    â€œHe didn’t come here to bring you a new plant?” He rose and edged toward the drawing room doors.
    Surprised by his movement, she stared at him but said nothing except to answer his question. “Certainly not. Mr. Filmore wouldn’t have just shown up on my doorstep with something I’d not ordered.”
    â€œBut he did that once before, Helena.” Thea smiled