Matter of Course (A Glennon Normal School Historical Mystery Book 10) by R. A. Wallace

Author:R. A. Wallace [Wallace, R. A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-11-01T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

He stared at the morning paper without seeing it. The loud clatter of the chafing dish lid being dropped into place startled him. He frowned at Otis wondering when the man had snuck into the room.

“What was that for?”

Otis filled a coffee cup. “What was what for?”

“You slammed the lid down.”

“I did no such thing.” Otis turned to face Wesley. “Ah.”

Wes scowled at him. “I do not have a hangover.”

Otis hummed agreement but his face made it obvious he was humoring Wes.

Wes lifted his coffee cup and discovered it was empty. He stood to get more as Otis took his seat. Out of curiosity, he lifted the lid of the chafing dish. It fell into place with a clatter when he dropped it.

“No wonder. You could have warned me.” Wes filled his coffee cup from the urn on the sideboard.

“And you thought fried corn mush was bad,” Otis said as he lifted a section of the newspaper.

“Whatever was Cook thinking to serve both fried corn mush and fried oatmeal?” Wes returned to his seat with his coffee.

“I imagine she was using the leftovers from yesterday,” Otis said as he read. “If you cook a large batch of oatmeal, it will keep for several days. You can slice some off and fry it just like the mush. Both can be served with syrup.”

Wes made a noise in his throat.

Otis lowered his newspaper and looked at him. “What?”

“How the deuce would you know that?”

“If you ever had to worry about a battalion of men being fed enough to march another several hundred miles on limited resources…” Otis began.

Wes held up one hand. “I cede to the man with the experience.”

“And that’s another thing.” Otis dropped his newspaper. “The yeoman.”

Wes thought of her late visit the previous evening. “What about her?”

“She overheard one of the men in the home guard patrol refer to me using my correct title recently.”

Wes felt his brows go up. “Indeed. What did she say?”

“Nothing. She pretended as though she didn’t hear.”

“Perhaps she didn’t hear?” Even as he said the words, he doubted them.

Otis made a noise indicating he didn’t agree.

Wes thought of her many telephone calls to the admiral’s wife. “She easily could have asked about you. She’s acquainted with the best spymaster in the business. It would be nothing for him to learn that you hold the rank of a major.”

“True.” Otis reached for his coffee. “Which begs the question.”

“Which question?”

“What does she know about us?” Otis tilted his head as he waited for Wes’s response.

Wes’s eyes grew distant as he thought of his last conversation with the yeoman. She probably knew more about him than anyone else. He chose to change the subject.

“The enemy is burning the towns as they retreat.” Wes nodded toward the paper near Otis’s hand.

“We should have expected as much.” Otis reached for it. “The enemy’s allies are rumored to be considering the peace terms.”

“Rumors,” Wes said. “They could be just that. Like the rumors we’ve heard before to cause us to let our guard down.

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