good idea for her to check into his background first.
“I’ll need some time to think about it. Would that be all right?”
“Opportunities like this don’t last. Can you let me know by the end of today?”
That certainly was high pressure. I was right to wait.
Ashton stood and reached into his pocket. He withdrew a business card, wrote something on it and handed it to me. Then he was gone.
There was a contact number with a very light imprint in the background, a snake striking at a coin. I didn’t recognize the logo. What did it mean? And who carried around business cards with no name or title on them? If Ashton knew about a legit job, he should have been able to tell me at least some of the details. I looked at the contact number again. It seemed familiar somehow.
***
The next day, Ashton didn’t return to work, or the day after that. I asked around to see if anyone knew what had happened to him.
“Mr. Beckett placed an ad for a new groundskeeper and plans to begin interviews in two days if he doesn’t return,” the butler informed me.
“Was Ashton fired?”
“No, his father is sick. Why are you so interested?”
“No reason.”
Had I made a mistake? Maybe Ashton had only been pressing me to make a decision because he knew he would have to leave for a while. Hopefully, he would return.
The butler said, “The Becketts are expecting guests for dinner. Prepare the formal dining room for six. Use the best china and silverware.”
I began by spreading out a pretty white silk tablecloth. Then I looked for the silver candlesticks but was unable to find them. Instead, I grabbed a pair of crystal candlesticks. I took them into the kitchen and washed them in warm sudsy water. I held them up and smiled as they sparkled in the sunlight. I returned to the dining room, inserted some pale green candles into the holders and placed them in the center of the table.
Next, I took a crystal vase and pair of garden sheers out back and prepared a pretty tulip centerpiece. As I passed through the kitchen on my way to the formal dining room, I saw that Lewis was already preparing the salad. I removed the china dishes from the display case in the far corner of the room and set out the dinner plates first, with salad plates placed neatly on top and coffee cups on saucers placed in the upper right. I carried the dessert plates to the kitchen so Lewis could prepare them for later. He joined me in the dining room and dished up the salad while I pulled open the top drawer of the buffet table and removed some pale green silk napkins that matched the candles perfectly. I folded them in a pretty design and placed one next to each plate.
I returned to the buffet table and pulled open the bottom drawer. The best silverware was missing. I pulled open the side cabinets. The silverware was nowhere to be found.
“Lewis, have you seen the silverware?”
“No, but you best get a move on.” He returned to the kitchen.
I stood and looked around the room carefully. Was anything else missing? I noticed an empty pedestal in a corner. What had been there? It was a small statue, the head of a man. It was gone too. Also there was an empty nail on the wall where a small painting had once hung.
I checked the time. Lewis was right, the guests would arrive shortly, but I had enough time to inform Mrs. Beckett. I walked up to the master bedroom and knocked lightly on the door.
“Enter!” boomed Mr. Beckett’s voice.
Oh no! I pushed the door ajar and saw Mrs. Beckett finishing the knot on Mr. Beckett’s tie. They both looked at me.
“Is the dining room ready, dear?” asked Mrs. Beckett.
“That’s what I came to talk with you about.”
“My dear,” said Mr. Beckett. “Our guests will be here any minute. If there’s a problem, you’d best remedy it quickly.”
“Yes, sir.” I fled downstairs and retrieved the second best silverware from the kitchen. Then I finished preparing the dining table and returned to the kitchen to await further instructions.
Nothing out of the ordinary happened during the meal. However, later that night, after their guests were gone, Mr. Beckett requested my presence in his study. I felt sick.
“You wanted to talk with me and my wife earlier. I think I know what about. What do you have to say for