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"Co open the slatted doors and escorting her into the Gilded Lily "Jennie! Come meet our forensic artist!"

Jane tried to take in the roo a flowered cotton dress ca bar behind some tables to the left The Gilded Lily, she quickly saas the real deal She felt as if she’d stepped back in time Of course, her first case with her Krewe--the second of three units--had been in her own hometown of San Antonio and had actually centered on an old saloon But the Gilded Lily was a theater and a saloon or bar, and like nothing she’d ever seen before The front tables were ready for poker players, with period furniture that was painstakingly rehabbed To the right of the entry, an open pathway led to the theater Rich red velvet drapes, separating the bar area froolden cords The theater chairs weren’t what she would’ve expected The original owners had aimed for an East Coast ae, beyond the audience chairs, was broad and deep, allowing for large casts and coecoach on stage right and, over on stage left, reaching froe rear, were railroad tracks

"Hello, welcome!"

The woman who’d been behind the bar careeted Jane She thrust out her a hand and there was steel in her grip "I’e er But they call e mother--with affection, I hope I take care of our actorsand just about everything else!" she said

"Oh, come now! I do my share of the work," Henri protested

Jennie sht, we have three bartenders, four servers and a barback And we have housekeepers who coo, well, it’s Henri and ht the theater historythe woman," Henri said

"Thank you That makes sense And it’s beautiful and unique"

"Lily is unique! And the Gilded Lily is the jewel in her crown," Henri said proudly

"Well, coe McCor

The nae McCorht?"

"All our rooms are now named for famous actors or actresses who cae, yes--she was one of the finest She was in Antigone and Macbeth and starred in a few other plays out here She was involved in a wonderful and lascivious scandal, too--absolutely a divine wo behavior of the Gilded Lily’s old star "I’ll get your bag"

"Oh, I’rabbed it already

"Tut, tut," he said "You ent, Ms Everett, but here in Lilya gent is a gent!"

"Well, thank you, then," Jane said

Jennie showed the way up the curving staircase The landing led to a balcony in a horseshoe shape Jane looked down at the bar over a carved wooden railing, then followed Jennie to the room at the far end of the horseshoe This room probably afforded the e McCor the door with a flourish

It was a char room The bed was covered with a quilt--flowers on white--and the drapes were a filmy white with a crimson underlay

"Those doors are for your outdoor balcony It overlooks the side street but also gives you a view of the h obstructed, I adh here" Henri entered with her bag, throwing open a door at the rear of the spacious roo roo was really undone The first bathroo the 1910s We’ve just updated And, you’ll note, this one retains a dressing table and these old wooden ar aredy carved on each side and on the doors "They were a gift to Sage when she was here," Henri said reverently "A patron of the arts was so delighted that he had these made for her!"

Jane peeked beyond The bathroom was recently updated and had a tiled shower and whirlpool bath The color sche

"This is really lovely Thank you," Jane said again

"It’s our best suite!" Henri gestured expansively around him

"How co "And what about your stars? I don’t want to put anyone out"