“Have those McGrother women decided to go back to their home yet?”
“They’ve just gone, sir. When I told them they could visit again tomorrow they were happy enough to pack up their belongings and leave,” the young constable replied to his superior.
“Tell me again what was said about the bowls. You must write up your report immediately, while it is still fresh in your head.”
“Well, sir, it was the woman who mentioned the bowls. She seemed to be under the impression that they were returned, but her husband quickly interrupted her and behaved in a very furtive manner at the mention of them. When Mrs. McGrother was visiting the old uncle she stopped him from speaking about a certain ‘incident’ he was involved in. He told her he had no recollection of taking the piece of cutlery and believed his nephew had nothing to do with it,” the young constable felt very important relaying the information to his superior.
“Yes, well, you had better set to and get that report done. I must meet up with Lord Devereux and relay this latest piece of evidence to him. Surely they must have realized their pilfering would catch up with them? They look intelligent enough. It’s possible the old man is innocent but delusional and that young nephew of his is taking advantage of his confusion,” the head constable brushed some dust from his hat as he left the room.
When Mary and Maggie arrived home there was a reception committee awaiting them. The neighbouring women had taken it upon themselves to find out as much information as they could about the goings on at Freemont House.
“It’s no wonder your men have been put in jail, someone’s been pilfering the silverware,” one of the women said. “Young Alice O’Connor told her mother that the butler had the place pulled apart looking for two silver bowls missing from a set. Apparently there’s supposed to be a dozen and they could only find ten.”
“Alice says that the Master ordered a count of all the cutlery and it was discovered that there’s several pieces missing from that too. They have so much silverware it wasn’t noticed until now,” another woman added. “They are planning a ball and having everything cleaned and polished for the occasion.”
“So they are blaming James and Pat,” said Maggie. “I hope none of ye are thinking the same thing.”
The women shook their heads and commiserated over such an unfortunate mistake. They agreed that Pat McGrother, even on one of his most confusing days, would never resort to such a thing. Mary thanked the women for their support and announced that she would be paying a visit to the O’Connors as soon as Alice returned home from her work at the big house.
Having assured the children that their father and Pat would be back with the family soon, Maggie sent them outside to play, then turned to her sister-in-law.
“Mary, I know by that look on your face you are planning something. Be careful that you don’t make the situation worse than it already is.”
“I smell a rat and I’m going to find out who took that silverware,” replied Mary. “You know that everyone will blame Pat, on account of his mind being feeble at times. Even though the neighbours might tell us they believe he is innocent, between themselves they have him as guilty. Sure Pat himself told me that he is going to make it right. Even he thinks he might have been thieving while taking one of his turns. That old goat is going to take the blame and try to get James released.” Mary placed a hand on Maggie’s shoulder, “People won’t talk to the police, you know that Maggie. If there’s something needs telling, I’ve a much better chance of discovering it than any constable.”
Later that day, there was an awkward silence in the O’Connor house as Mary sipped her tea and tried to make small talk with Alice’s parents. Michael O’Connor was one of the local fishermen and two of his sons worked alongside him on his boat. The boys excused themselves, giving their parents and Mary some privacy.
“I would be much obliged to you Alice, if you could tell me what you’ve heard about the missing silverware,” Mary spoke softly to the girl.
Alice looked at her father, who nodded his head then stood up and announced he was leaving the women to talk among themselves. He patted Mary on the shoulder as he walked by, wishing her luck in getting her men released from prison and assuring her that nobody believed James was guilty of any crime.
“But you think Pat might be, do you Mr. O’Connor?” asked Mary.
“If Pat McGrother took something that did not belong to him, then I believe he did it while not in his senses. If that is the case, he will need to remember where the missing items are, or you will never be able to clear his name. I would wager the head constable is convinced that your husband has sold off that silver. If Pat took it he might be able to lead the police to where he has it hidden.” Michael O’Connor put his cap on his head as he opened the door. “We will keep you all in our prayers, Mrs. McGrother.”
Mary thanked the man before turning to his daughter, “Alice, I don’t want you to tell me anything that might get you into trouble with your employers but if you’ve heard something you think might help my husband and his uncle, I would be very grateful if you would share it with me.”
The young girl shifted uncomfortably on the hard bench she was seated upon. Her mother raised an eyebrow at her, a signal that she was waiting for her to speak.
“Come on now, girl, tell Mary exactly what you told us last night. I think it only fair that she should know what’s being said up at the big house about her husband and his uncle.”
“But Mammy, you have always told me not to repeat any gossip I hear when I’m at work. I don’t want to lose my job over it.”
“Please, Alice, I swear to you on Annie McGrother’s grave that I won’t tell a soul where I got my information from,” Mary pleaded.
“I suppose anyone working at the big house could tell you this, Mrs. McGrother, so maybe there’s no harm in it – as long as you forget it was me you heard it from,” Alice waited until Mary nodded before continuing. “Cook, Mrs. Lennon that is, had been looking for the dog’s bowls everywhere and when the commotion started over the missing silverware there was a lot of jesting over the wooden bowls. We were all convinced the dog had run off with them and someone suggested following the animal to his secret hiding place and getting a reward for finding the missing silverware,” Alice stopped when she saw Mary wince.
“I’m sorry, Alice, I’m not blaming you. It was the ridiculing of Annie’s bowls that got to me. They were made by her uncle as a wedding present for her mother. You were not to know that, please go on.”
“When the constables came to question us we were taken into the Master’s study, one by one, and asked what we knew about the silverware. I told them the truth; that I knew nothing. I was very nervous. The only one who spoke was the head constable, while the other one took notes. The Master himself, never said a word and just sat at his desk listening and staring. If it was me who had taken the ware I would have surely confessed under the strain of it.”
“So the silverware went missing before the wooden bowls, is that what you’re saying, Alice?”
“Nobody rightly knows when it disappeared as it hadn’t been used for a long time. The silver bowls were part of a set and it wasn’t till they were about to be cleaned that anyone bothered to count them. Then all of the cutlery was gathered and some of that was missing too. The ructions it caused, remember Mammy? How you sent young Patrick to fetch me on account it was so late and no sign of me arriving home?”
“I was beside myself with the worry, Mary. I thought young Alice had met with an accident.”
Mary smiled at the girl’s mother and patted the back of her hand.
“Was it then that Mrs. Lennon mentioned the wooden bowls, Alice?”
“No, Mrs. McGrother. That was when the stable boy told her about seeing your husband’s uncle with them. He said he didn’t want to get the old man in trouble but now that something of value had gone missing he felt he should report it. We were all very nervous, you know how people are quick to point the finger and it’s myself and the scullery maid who usually polish the silver. I was sure they would blame us and I’m sorry to say, I was much relieved that the attention was being put elsewhere.”
“So Mrs. Lennon brought the stable boy to the Master to repeat his story, did she?” asked Mary.
“No, she went to Mr. Dixon, the butler, and told him. It was he that brought Peter up to the Master. I was there and saw it for myself, I thought he was going to have a fainting spell, he looked so pale and shook that much. Mr. Dixon had to steady him by holding onto his arm. We didn’t see Peter until next morning, as we were all dismissed and allowed to go home while he was still in the study being questioned.”
“Where does Peter live, Alice? I promise I won’t breathe a word of this to anyone. I just want to talk to him, to ask him myself about the wooden bowls,” asked Mary.
Alice looked to her mother for approval before revealing the boy’s address. It was with a very heavy heart that Mary made her way back to the McGrother household. From what she had been told, the evidence was stacked so high against her husband’s uncle that even she was beginning to doubt his innocence. The one thing Mary knew for sure, was that James himself had no part in any thieving that had been going on at the big house.