MARTHA LOOKED TIRED and tense when she arrived.
‘You have some news?’ she asked after she had kissed me.
‘I have,’ I agreed, ushering her into an armchair.
A salvation army band was heading towards the monastery gates. At least they played in tune and might deter the hurdy-gurdy man from setting up close by.
‘You look grim,’ Martha told me uneasily. ‘What has happened?’
I crouched in front of her.
‘It is not good news, I fear.’ I took her hands. ‘Dolores is ill.’
‘Then I must go…’
‘Very ill,’ I broke in. ‘Dr Poynder took her abroad for treatment but it did not work.’
‘Consumption?’ There were many clinics in Germany and Switzerland where it was hoped that the mountain air would help cleanse patients’ lungs. ‘I do not remember her coughing.’ She stiffened. ‘Did she tell you that?’
‘Dr Poynder…’
Martha pulled her hands away.
‘He is lying,’ she insisted.
‘I have seen her,’ I said gently. ‘Dolores is bedridden.’
‘Did you speak to her?’
I nodded.
‘She was very confused. Martha…’ I looked up at her. ‘Your friend has cancer.’
‘No,’ she corrected me. ‘Dolores was healthy when she left.’
‘It was probably in the early stages then. I am sorry.’
Martha stared at me.
‘You cannot believe that. He has seduced you with his suaveness.’
Poynder had not seemed especially urbane when I saw him last, but I could imagine him charming many women.
‘She was being treated by Dr Cronshaw,’ I continued. ‘Did her behaviour not seem odd in any way before she went?’
Martha fiddled with the side of her hair.
‘Perhaps a little distracted and forgetful,’ she conceded, ‘but that was because she did not want to leave me.’
‘She had some trouble with a maid,’ I reminded her.
‘Who has not?’ she demanded reasonably enough.
‘And struck her,’ I continued.
‘Never!’
I did not even consider mentioning the killings of the dog or Mungo Peers. Martha would not have believed me for one moment and, even if she had, what good would the information do her?
I got to my feet.
‘Why have I not been allowed to see her?’ she demanded. ‘I could bring her some comfort.’
‘She is not herself,’ I struggled.
‘Dolly wants to see me – the letter.’
‘Dolores is confused,’ I said gently, but it was useless to hide the truth. ‘I am afraid that the cancer has spread to her brain.’
‘Then I must go to her.’
‘You cannot,’ I said. ‘I am sorry.’
She jumped up.
‘Did he pay you to tell me all this? How much? I shall double it for the truth.’
Throw her out, Ruby urged indignantly, but I knew that Martha was lashing out not at me but against what she had heard.
‘Oh Martha,’ I sighed. ‘I have told you the truth.’
She looked about her, but there was no escape from what was happening.
‘But I love her!’ she cried and fell sobbing into my arms.
‘I know you do,’ I said uselessly, and even Ruby had no cutting remarks to make but hurried to look out of the window so that I could not see her face.
‘It seems that I misjudged Edward,’ Martha admitted when she had brought her tears under control, ignoring the large white handkerchief that Havelock Hefty was proffering.
‘So did I,’ I confessed shamefacedly as the door burst open.
‘Misjudged?’ Agnust repeated. ‘Misjudged?’ she echoed. ‘Misjudged!’ she parroted but, fortunately did not reiterate the word again, for I was running out of verbs to describe her action.
‘Have you been listening to our conversation?’ I demanded angrily and my maid gathered her arms under her bosom with some difficulty for they appeared to be struggling to conduct an orchestra.
‘Course I have,’ she replied defiantly. ‘What are ears for but listening and what are conversations for but listening to? There’s precious little object in havin’ either without either.’
Moot points, Hefty conceded, refolding his handkerchief and tucking it away.
‘It was private,’ I scolded.
‘It was until I hear it,’ Agnust reasoned.
‘It is not a servant’s place to comment upon her mistress’s intercourses,’ I told her crushingly, but my maid was not so easily squashed.
‘And it int a young lady of old breedin’s place to goo scamperin’ about town at all hours misjudgin’ people,’ she retorted haughtily.
Even by Agnust’s standards this was going too far.
Dismiss her without a character, Ruby advised.
A character without a character, I mused before reminding myself that Agnust was not one of my creations and remembering my righteous wrath.
‘And afore you remember your righteous wrath…’ Agnust continued.
This was alarming. Had my maid been given access to my brain? I waited anxiously for her to deny it and thereby prove that she had, but she did not and thereby proved nothing.
‘Get your things,’ Agnust commanded, though I rather thought that should have been my line.
‘What?’ I asked, hoping I did not sound as confused as I was but knowing that I must have by the way that Ruby rolled her eyes.
‘You’re comin’ with me,’ Agnust said, though Inspector Hefty had rather thought that should have been his line.
‘What? Where? Why?’ I stumbled, more confused than it was possible to sound by then and Agnust’s arms broke free.
‘Do you want to know the truth ’bout Mrs Poynder,’ she interrogated me, ‘or do you not want to know the truth ’bout Mrs Poynder?’
‘I do,’ Martha chipped in, her hand shaking as she pushed a Little Queen into the mouth of the snake so clumsily that the paper wrapping split.
‘You goo home,’ Agnust told my guest, something else which I had thought was not a servant’s place to do. ‘Seek not the truth for fear it do seek you,’ she advised sagely before turning a critical eye upon me. ‘And you,’ she pointed a sturdy finger, ‘had best spruce yourself sharp. We have an appointment to keep.’
‘Where are we going?’
‘To sort this matter out once and for all,’ Agnust said and I was still none the wiser.
Oh Lady Violet, Miss Kidd breathed despairingly, despite your worst efforts you acquired some knowledge in all your years under my tutelage. Do not, however, delude yourself that you will ever be any the wiser.