Read The Ellsworth Case (A Markham Sisters Cozy Mystery Novella Book 5) for Free Online Page B

muttered
just as the silence became awkward.   “Do come in, both of you.”
    She stepped back and William ushered Karen
into the sitting room.
    “Oh, but this is so lovely,” Karen
gushed.   “I love all the
antiques.   What a gorgeous little
room.   The Christmas decorations are
beautiful.”
    “Thank you,” Janet said.   “But maybe we should go into the kitchen
for tea and biscuits.”
    “Is it an old-fashioned kitchen with an old
wood-fired stove?” Karen asked eagerly.
    Janet shook her head as she led the couple
through the house.   “It’s a thoroughly
modern kitchen with all the latest appliances,” she told the woman.   “The previous owner, Margaret Appleton,
had it completely redone when she decided to run the house as a bed and
breakfast.”
    Karen looked disappointed as she looked
around the modern and bright kitchen.   “It’s been very well done and it even seems to suit the house, but I’m
still disappointed,” she said after looking around the room.
    “It’s very practical for our purposes,”
Janet told her.   She quickly
switched the kettle on and piled biscuits onto a plate.   “Do sit down,” she told the pair.  
    They chatted about nothing much over
tea.   William told them about his
first flat in London, which he’d shared with another young man.   It had been tiny, expensive and unheated.   Karen shared a few stories about a minuscule
flat she’d shared with three other girls when she’d first left home.   Janet listened politely, but didn’t have
any of her own horror stories to add.   She’d always lived with her sister quite companionably, and while their
previous homes had never been as large as Doveby House, she’d always had her own room and enough space to enjoy time on her own
whenever she’d wanted it.
    “Now, let’s see that tantalus ,”
William said after he’d wiped his fingers carefully.
    “I’ll just help you tidy up,” Karen offered.
    “Oh, no, just leave everything where it is,”
Janet replied.   “I’ll simply put
everything in the dishwasher once you’ve gone.”
    Back in the sitting room, Janet pointed out
the tantalus .   “I’m sure it isn’t hugely valuable,” she said.   “But it’s lovely and we were curious.”
    William looked the piece over without
touching it before carefully twisting and removing one of the decanter
stoppers.   With that out of the way,
he was able to remove the decanter as well.   He repeated the process with the second
bottle.   Inside that one was the key
to the small cabinet.  
    “I love the little drawers in the centre ,” he said as he carefully turned the key.   Janet leaned in so that she could see
what was in the drawers.   On
William’s other side, Karen did the same.   Janet drew a breath and then held up a hand.
    “You know, I think we should wait for Joan
before we open the drawers,” she said, pushing shut the drawer that William had
been slowly pulling open.
    “Oh, but I’m dying to see what’s inside,”
Karen said.
    “Me, too,” Janet agreed.   “But it doesn’t seem right to do it
without Joan here.”
    William didn’t say anything; he simply
turned the key, locking the cabinet again.   Then he carefully turned the whole tantalus over in his hands.
    “It’s very heavy and extremely well made,”
he said after a moment.   “I’m going
to have to do some research into its value.   I’ve never seen one quite like it
before.”
    “Do you think it’s terribly valuable?” Karen
asked.
    Janet frowned.   Its value was none of the woman’s
business.   Before she could speak,
William answered.
    “It could be, but it could also not be.   That’s why I have to do some research,”
he said with an enigmatic smile.
    Karen sighed and then looked around the
room.   “But what do you have there?”
she asked, crossing to the long table that stood along one wall.  
    The table was covered with beautiful knitted
items.   A small, framed sign listed
prices