He wandered slowly round the room. Really, the man had no manners at all. Still, what could you expect of the police? He probably could not help it.
“Your butler reported last night that she had gone out walking with a man called Jack Brody, a clerk of some sort. What time did you require her to come home?”
“Half past ten, I think. I’m not sure. No, maybe ten o’clock. Maddock could tell you.”
“With your permission, I shall ask him.” It sounded more like a statement than a request. “How long was she in your employ?”
It all sounded so final, so much in the past.
“Four years, about. She was only nineteen.” She heard her voice drop suddenly, and a sharp memory of Emily came back to her, Emily as a baby, Emily learning to walk. It was ridiculous. Emily had nothing in common with Lily, except that they were both nineteen.
The wretched policeman was staring at her.
“You must have known her fairly well?”
“I suppose so.” She realized just how little she did know. Lily was a face around the house, something she was used to. She did not know anything about the girl behind the face at all, what she cared about, or was afraid of.
“Had she ever stayed out before?”
“What?” She had temporarily forgotten him.
He repeated the question.
“No. Never. Mister-?” She had forgotten his name, too.
“Pitt, Inspector Pitt,” he filled in for her.
“Inspector Pitt, was she-was she strangled, like the others?”
“Garroted, Miss Ellison, with a strong wire. Yes, exactly like the others.”
“And-and was she also-mutilated?”
“Yes. I’m sorry.”
“Oh.” She felt weakness overwhelm her, and horror, and pity.
He was watching her. Apparently he saw nothing but her silence.
“With your permission, I’ll go and speak to the other servants. They probably knew her better than you did.” There was something in his tone of voice that implied she did not care. It made her angry-and guilty.
“We don’t pry into our servants’ lives, Mr. Pitt! But in case you think we are not concerned, it was I who sent Maddock for the police last night.” She coloured with anger as soon as she had said it. Why on earth was she trying to justify herself to this man? “Unfortunately you were not able to find her then!” she added sharply.
He accepted the rebuke silently, and a moment later he was gone.
Charlotte stood staring at the easel. The painting which had seemed delicate and evocative a quarter of an hour ago was now only so many gray-brown smudges on paper. Her mind was full of blurred images, dark streets, footsteps, fighting for breath, and above all fear, and the dreadful, intimate attack.
She was still staring at the easel when her mother came in. Emily’s voice floated from the hall.
“I’m sure it will look perfectly dreadful if she leaves it as loose as that. I shall appear to be quite fat! It’s so unfashionable.”
Caroline had stopped, staring at Charlotte.
“Charlotte, my dear, what is it?”
Charlotte found her eyes filling with tears. In an agony of relief she ran into her mother’s arms and almost crushed her, holding her so tightly.
“Lily. Mama, she’s been strangled, like the others. They found her in Cater Street. There’s a terrible policeman here now, this moment! He’s talking to Maddock and the servants.”
Caroline touched her hair gently. It was an infinitely soothing gesture.
“Oh dear,” she said softly. “I was so afraid of that. I never really imagined Lily had run off; I suppose I just wanted to think so because it was so much preferable to this. Your Papa will be so angry at having the police here. Does Sarah know?”
“No. She’s upstairs.”
Caroline pushed her away gently.
“Then we had better collect ourselves and prepare to face a good deal of unpleasantness. I shall have to write to Lily’s parents. It is only right that they should hear from a member of the family, someone that knew Lily. And we were responsible for her. Now go upstairs and wash your face. And you had better tell Sarah. Where did you say this policeman was?”
Inspector Pitt returned in the evening, when Edward and Dominic were home, and insisted on speaking to them all again. He was very persistent and authoritative.
“I’ve never heard of such nonsense!” Edward said furiously when Maddock came to announce him. “The fellow’s impertinence is beyond words. I shall have to speak to his superior. I will not have women involved in this sordid affair. I shall speak to him alone. Caroline, girls, please withdraw until I send Maddock for you.”
They all stood up obediently, but before they could reach the door, it opened and the untidy figure of Pitt came striding in.
“Good evening, ma’am,” he bowed to Caroline. “Evening,” he said and took in everyone else, his eyes lingering a moment longer on Charlotte, to her annoyance. Sarah turned to look at her with disgust, as if she were somehow responsible for this creature coming into the drawing room.
“The ladies are just leaving,” Edward said stiffly. “Will you be so good as to stand aside and let them pass.”
“How unfortunate,” Pitt smiled cheerfully. “I had hoped to speak to them in your presence, for moral support, as it were. But if you prefer I speak to them alone, then of course-”
“I prefer that you do not speak to them at all! They can know nothing of this affair whatsoever, and I will not have them distressed.”
“Well, of course we shall be very grateful for anything that you know, sir-”
“I know nothing either! I don’t interest myself in the romantic affairs of servant girls!” Edward snapped. “But I can tell you all that the family knows of Lily. I can tell you about her service record, her references, where her family lives, and so on. I imagine you will want to know that?”
“Yes, although I don’t suppose it’s in the least relevant. However, I do require to speak to your wife and daughters. Women are very observant, you know; and women observe other women. You would be surprised how much might miss your eye, or mine, but not theirs.”
“My wife and daughters have more to interest them than the romances of Lily Mitchell.” Edward’s face was growing redder and his hands were clenched.
Sarah moved a little closer to him.
“Really, Mr. . ” She dismissed his name. “I assure you, I know nothing whatsoever. You would be better employed questioning Mrs. Dunphy, or Dora. If Lily confided in anyone, it would be one of them. Find this wretched man she was walking out with.”
“Oh, Mrs. Corde, we already have done. He says he left Lily at the end of the street, within sight of this house, at ten minutes before ten. He had to be back at his lodgings himself at ten o’clock, or be locked out.”
“You’ve only got his word for that,” Dominic spoke for the first time. He was leaning back in one of the chairs, looking a little flushed, but the most composed of them all. Charlotte’s heart lurched as she turned to him. He looked so calm; Papa was ridiculous beside him.
“He was in his lodging-house by ten o’clock,” Pitt replied, looking down at Dominic with a faint pucker between his eyes.
“Well, he could have killed her before ten o’clock, couldn’t he?” Dominic persisted.
“Certainly. But why should he?”
“I don’t know,” Dominic crossed his legs. “That’s up to you to find out. Why should anyone?”
“That’s right,” Sarah moved closer to Dominic, visibly allying herself with his theory. “You should be there, not here.”
“At least he had the discretion not to come in daylight,” Emily whispered to Charlotte. “Poor Sarah’s frying!”
“Don’t be spiteful,” Charlotte whispered back, although silently she agreed, and she knew Emily knew it.
“You believe it was him, do you, Mrs. Corde?” Pitt raised his eyebrows.
“Of course! Who else would it be?”
“Who indeed?”
“I think it’s perfectly obvious,” Edward found his tongue again. “They had some sort of lovers’ quarrel, and he lost his temper and strangled her. We’ll make all the arrangements for the funeral, of course. But I don’t think you need to bother us again. Maddock can tell you anything else you need to know of a practical nature.”