Apart in April, a Historical Mystery Novel - The Calendar Mysteries, #5

In Apart in April, Book 5 of Juliet Kincaid's Calendar Mystery Series, after a deep, personal loss, Minty Wilcox Price runs away from her also grieving husband Daniel. Yet this story of loss, love, and the healing powers of honest work is by no means grim. For unbeknownst to Daniel, his aunt has hired Minty on the sly as a detective to find out what really happened at the estate of the wealthy Lord Richard Nelson the night of April 13th, 1901, while he and his friend were away.
(Or so he says.)In the scene below, Minty, undercover as the spinster secretary/stenographer Miss Minerva Preston, accompanies her new employer as they visit David Hyde, the suspect in the case, in jail. Just then the policeman LeClerc seemed to notice Minty still cooling her heels by the door for the first time because he said, "Who's that female over there? Is she with you, Nelson?""Indeed, she is.
This is Miss Preston. She'll be taking notes when our lawyer interviews Mr. Hyde today.""She can't go inside with you, " LeClerc said."And why not?" Lord Nelson asked sharply."She might have a file up one of those big sleeves of hers, that's why. Or she might be carrying a gun under all of them skirts she's wearing. Females are sneaky that way. So, unless I examine her lower parts, she can't go in there.""That's outrageous, " Lord Nelson said.
"You will do no such thing.""I don't really like it either, sir, " Minty said before she primly pinched her lips together. "But I will do it since it seems necessary." Carrying her handbag that held, among other items, her pick-locks, Price Agency badge, and two-shot Derringer under a false bottom, she scurried across the lobby. She set her bag on the desk next to the basket. "Feel free to inspect my handbag, Officer LeClerc, if you must, to make sure I'm not bringing in contraband of any sort."LeClerc pulled the bag open, peeked in, rucked around inside it and closed it again.
"Looks fine.""And now for the rest of your inspection .