In the Still of the Night

cloves.
    “This all looks and smells heavenly!“ Lily exclaimed. Overcome somewhat, Lily gave her a quick hug. “You’re a wonder, Mrs. Prinney.”
    Mrs. Prinney’s face, already red from the heat of the kitchen, got redder. “And so are you, dear.”
    Lily went next to find out where all her guests were and suggest entertainment if they appeared to be needing it. Bud Carpenter, as well as Rachel and Raymond, were in the library, listening to a musical radio program. Raymond was looking over the bookcases, and Rachel had found a magazine that she was flipping through without much interest. Bud was standing at the French doors, looking outside.
    “Bud, where is Mr. West?“ Lily asked.
    “In his room. Working,“ Bud said.
    Raymond turned and simply glared at Lily, then went back to studying the titles behind the glass doors of the bookcase.
    Lily said, “Raymond, I’m sorry to say that we’ve never found the key to open the doors and read the books.“
    “It doesn’t matter,“ Raymond said gruffly, his back to her.
    “Same to you,“ Lily muttered under her breath as she left. She felt a fool for letting him kiss her. And then be so rude. She’d been right to begin with when she’d been wary of him resenting her, and apparently he now knew that she’d turned over to Chief Walker the note Lorna had written to him. What had he expected her to do with it? Destroy it for him? Just because she let him kiss her?
    She went next to the servants’ sitting room in the basement. As she expected, Mad Henry and Robert were down there. Robert was holding a loop of wire and looking very bored while Henry attached it to something on the wall.
    “What are you two doing?“ she asked.
    “God only knows,“ Robert said. “I’m just the holder and fetcher.”
    Music suddenly filled the room. “There! It’s working again,“ Henry exclaimed.
    “Is that coming from the library?“ Lily asked. She moved closer to a box with a speaker on top. She could barely hear voices underneath the music.
    “She didn’t have to show that stupid note to the cop,“ Raymond was saying.
    Rachel spoke so softly that Lily couldn’t understand the words.
    “But, Rachel, it’s nobody’s business how I knew Lorna. It was years ago and not something I want to talk about.”
    There was more incomprehensible mumbling from Rachel.
    Lily felt herself blushing. “Turn it off, Henry. That’s eavesdropping and it’s not nice.“ The ‘she’ that Raymond was talking about was obviously herself and she was embarrassed.
    Henry flipped a switch next to the speaker and the music and voices abruptly stopped.
    Robert had dropped the bundle of wires he was holding and had a strange expression on his face. “What is it?“ Lily asked.
    “Nothing. Just a glimmer of an idea. I’ll tell you later.“
    “Good. I’m too tired to understand anything right now. I’m going to go take a very short nap, if fate will allow it. Don’t forget to be in the entry hall to greet the local guests at quarter of seven. Drinks as they arrive, and dinner at seven-thirty. And both of you will be present for drinks and dinner. Understand?”
    Lily took hold of Henry’s elbow the firm way she remembered her mother doing when she and Robert were children and not paying attention. “Are you listening to me?“
    “What? Oh, yes. Yes. I’ll be there,“ Henry said.
    As Lily once again passed through the entry hall on her way to the stairs, she saw Phoebe standing by the phone. She had a pad of paper and was furiously writing something. “Yes, I got that. Go on. Yes. I know how to spell it. Continue,“ she was saying.
    Lily, out of sheer curiosity, waited until the phone call was over.
    “Whew!“ Phoebe said, hanging up. “What a tartar that woman is.“
    “Who was it?“
    “Professor Hoornart’s secretary. I told her I didn’t know where he was—I’d just come in the door, but I’d look for him if she’d wait. She wouldn’t wait and carried on about paying good money for a long distance call. So she made me take down this whole letter she wanted to read to him.“
    “He’ll be glad she finally got it,“ Lily said. “He’s been fretting about it all day.“
    “Do you know where he is?“ Phoebe asked. “No, but I’ll find him. Give me the pad.”
    “Where’s Henry? How’s he doing?“ Phoebe asked.
    “He was interviewed earlier by Chief Walker and told him he’d heard a few things on his call system.“
    “Like what?“
    “Somebody