Naughty In Nice (A Royal Spyness Mystery)

leave.”
    “I see.” He was frowning, trying to read the full meaning of my words.
    “We all just arrived home,” I said, “and we happened to spot the body in the swimming pool.”
    “It’s too bad, isn’t it?” Johnson made a face. “I thought I’d landed myself a plum job for once and I’d be in clover. Now I’m back to square one.” He sighed. “Oh, well. I suppose I’d better go down and face the music. I hope one of the policemen speaks some English. I don’t suppose one of you would like to come down and translate for me?”
    “Certainly not,” Vera said. “Such impudence, talking to your betters like that.”
    Johnson flushed. “I’m sorry, ma’am. I didn’t mean what I said. I meant one of your servants, of course. I’m just so flustered at the news. I won’t trouble you any longer.”
    He hurried out. Mummy closed the door behind him. “What an extraordinary young man.”
    “He was obviously very upset,” I said. “And frightened of dealing with foreign policemen. I can’t say I blame him. He’ll have to try to explain his own movements, won’t he?”
    “Luckily for him he’s arrived back in the car to find the entrance blocked,” Mummy said. “That pretty much guarantees that he was not pushing his master into a swimming pool.”
    “Why would he want to, anyway?” I said. “He’s upset that he’s lost such a good position. If he had been the one to hit his master over the head, he’d have absconded with some of Sir Toby’s art treasures.” As I said this I felt a horrid flush rising on my face, because stealing a treasure was exactly what I had planned to do. Thank heavens I hadn’t been caught in the house with the snuffbox in my hand and Sir Toby lying dead in the pool. That would have looked bad for me, wouldn’t it?
    Suddenly Coco ran to the front door and wrenched it open again. “Young man, wait,” she called. Johnson was already at our gate. He turned and looked back hopefully.
    “We have decided to be gracious and come and help you in your need,” she said.
    “Have you gone mad?” Vera hissed. “We don’t want to get involved with the French police. You know what they are like.”
    “But, chérie , we can’t miss out on the chance to witness a real crime scene. Everyone will invite us to dinner to hear the gory details. Come on. Where is your sense of adventure?”
    She started off down the drive toward the young man. Mummy’s face also had an expectant smile on it. “I’ve been dying to see around his place,” she said. “Come on, Vera. Georgie.”
    Vera gave me a resigned look and followed along. So did I. Two conflicting thoughts were going through my head. One was that there might be a remote chance that I could put the queen’s snuffbox into my pocket when nobody was looking. It would probably be my only opportunity. On the other hand my more sensible side, the side that took after my austere great-grandmother, was whispering that it might not go down very well with the police if I were caught pocketing an item from a murder scene—especially since it might come up that I had been out with Sir Toby on his yacht that morning. Still, curiosity won out over my qualms and I followed the others down Sir Toby’s long, sweeping drive.

 
    Chapter 21
     
    At the villa of Sir Toby Groper (deceased)
January 26, 1933
     
    One of the gendarmes was speaking into a telephone as we entered.
    “Yes, sir, I would say that foul play cannot be ruled out. Yes, I suggest that we do notify the detectives in Nice to come to inspect the scene. I have not moved the body or touched anything.” He hung up and turned to stare at us.
    “What are you doing here, ladies?” he asked. “You have something to tell us about this tragic incident?”
    “This young man is the servant of Sir Toby Groper,” Coco said. “He has just arrived home in his master’s automobile and found the driveway blocked by your police vehicle. He came to our house and was most distressed by the news about his master. I am sure you will wish to ask him questions, and since he speaks no French, we have volunteered to help him.”
    “Four lady interpreters?” the gendarme raised an eyebrow. “A very fortunate young man.”
    “I accompanied Madame Chanel because it was not right that she had to endure an unpleasant situation alone,” Vera said. “And naturally these other ladies did not wish to remain home alone, knowing there might still be a murderer at large in the