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The funeral for Betsy Thurgood on Monday was asolemn affair, and drew more than the usual attention that theobsequies of a young servant would normally warrant, in large partdue to the appearance of William and Robert Baldwin in St. Jamescathedral, along with their friends the Hincks and the Edwards. Theother servants from Spadina were also in attendance. Miller Whittlehad given his hands the day off and they too were out in force tosupport and give what comfort they could to the grief-strickenparents. The absence of Betsy’s brother and sister was noted butnot much remarked upon as they were assumed to have left not onlytheir home but the city itself. That Seamus Baldwin was notpresent, however, did occasion a number of whispered remarks, notall of them kind. His fondness for young servants and children hadalready become the source of some speculation within the betterclass of citizen, and his apparently overweening grief wonderedat.
Dora Cobb, sitting discreetly behind the pewsof the mourners, was wondering at the restraint shown by BurtonThurgood in light of the wild charges he had laid at the Baldwins’doorstep immediately following Betsy’s death. Robert and his fathersat not twenty feet from the Thurgoods, but neither husband norwife signalled the least animosity towards them, in word orgesture. The ceremony was sad and solemn and tearful, and otherwisewholly ordinary. Dora was beginning now to be certain that she hadmade the right decision in telling no-one, not even Cobb, ofThurgood’s accusation against Uncle Seamus. The claim had been theproduct of extreme shock and grief, nothing more.
Next morning the inquest was held in one ofthe meeting rooms of the American Hotel. Only three witnesses werecalled: Thomas Thurgood, Auleen Thurgood and Dora Cobb.
Auleen was first, and despite several pausesin which she fought for control, she told her story in astraightforward manner. Early on Friday evening last, Betsy – homefor a short stay to nurse her ailing mother – had complained ofabdominal cramps. On close questioning by her father, the girladmitted that she may have become pregnant. Auleen said that shesoon realized that the girl was still ignorant of the ways of menwith women. Her father, looking as stern as she had ever seen him,demanded to know if any man had “interfered” with her, which hadcaused his daughter merely to weep and grow silent. It was Auleenwho suggested that they fetch the midwife to speak with her,examine her, and try to determine just what had actually happenedto her. The midwife in their area was Mrs. Elsie Trigger. Mr.Thurgood objected to her on the grounds that she had a growingreputation for drunkenness and incompetence. Tearfully but bravely,Auleen admitted she had prevailed, insisting that it was only to bean examination, not a full-scale childbirth. A neighbour lad wassent to bring Mrs. Trigger to them. An hour later, with Betsyfeeling nauseous but no worse, the woman arrived, in the earlystages of inebriation. She took Betsy into her bedroom and orderedthe parents to stay out. Auleen could hear a prolonged conversationbetween Elsie and her daughter, but could make out none of thewords. After fifteen minutes the conversation stopped. Mr. Thurgoodhad just returned from a brisk walk, to calm his nerves, when Mrs.Trigger emerged with a triumphant smile on her face.
“What, if anything, did she say to you?” thecoroner asked.
Auleen gave out a brief sob, then looked upslowly. “She said, ‘Yer girl had a bun in the oven, but everythin’sokay now.’ She had a bloody knittin’ needle in one hand and afive-pound note in the other. We was stunned. And she was out thedoor off into the dark before we could blink.”
Their concern was Betsy, however, not thedrunken midwife. They rushed in to find her bleeding and in seriouspain. Auleen wanted to send for Dr. Smollett, but her husbandrefused. They compromised by sending another neighbourhood lad forDora Cobb.
Burton Thurgood corroborated his wife’saccount in every important aspect, though he was more forthright inhis opinion of Mrs. Trigger and what she had done to his daughter.Several times he was made speechless by anger and grief. Hedescribed Mrs. Cobb’s arrival and, in general, her valiant attemptto save Betsy’s life. He had to be helped from the witness-box.
Dora’s testimony dealt exclusively with whatshe saw upon her arrival – an aborted foetus, internal bleeding anda raging fever – and her specific efforts to help the strickengirl. The coroner did not ask whether Betsy Thurgood had made anydeath-bed confessions or accusations, and Dora did not venture tomention them on her own. Dr. Withers then gave a summary of hisautopsy findings.
In short order, the jury found that thevictim had died at the hands of an incompetent and drunkenabortionist. A province-wide warrant for her arrest would be issuedin due course.
So, Dora thought, Thurgood had definitelythought better of dragging Seamus Baldwin’s name through the mud.If he had been going to do so, this inquest would have provided himwith both the appropriate opportunity and a most public forum. Andjust as well, too. There was enough unavoidable grief in the world:folks didn’t need to manufacture it on their own.
On Tuesday afternoon Robert and his fatherput Uncle Seamus in a carriage and drove out to Spadina. Althoughthe old gentleman was up and around, he remained melancholic anduncommunicative. He was like a court jester out of his humour, andhence all the more pitiable. That he would be no use in chambersfor some time was obvious, but Robert hoped that a return to thefamiliar surroundings of Spadina, Mrs. Morissey’s cooking, and theconstant care of the servants would conspire to re-ignite hisspirits and, yes, even his pranksterism. Betsy’s absence might bethe more noticeable out there, but she was gone from his lifewherever he might go or be. He was taken straight to his room,where Faye Partridge and young Edie Barr found numerous excuses tovisit in an attempt to cheer him up. Herb Morissey, the gardener,dropped by to boast about the summer-fat trout that were lying inwait for a well-tied fly.
On Wednesday morning Uncle Seamus came downfor breakfast, made brief but courteous conversation with hisbrother and nephew, and expressed a desire to sit in the libraryand read. Robert sought out Edie Barr and asked her to fetch thedomino set and take it into Uncle Seamus.
“He taught you how to play, didn’t he, Edie?”Robert said to her in the hall.
“Yes, sir,” she replied. Edie, her flawless,pale skin still blotched from periodic bouts of weeping, had takenBetsy’s death as hard as any of the servants. The girls had beenclose in age, and had shared a room since Betsy had come on steadynear the end of July. But Edie was putting on a brave face and, ofcourse, she was fond of Uncle Seamus and dreaded seeing him sodepressed. “I now beat him quite regularly,” she said. “But I’lllet him win this mornin’.”
“I’ve never seen you two together for morethan five minutes,” Robert said, “without one or the other caughtin a fit of laughing.”
“I’ll do my best, sir.”
“I have to go back to the city for animportant meeting, but Dr. Baldwin will be in residence for therest of the week. Go to him directly whenever you want help oradvice in caring for my uncle.”
“I will, sir.” And Edie went off to fetch thedominoes.
Robert was just about to ask Chalmers for hishat and coat when the butler emerged from the vestibule with apained expression on his usually imperturbable countenance. “Whatis it, Chalmers?”
“A person at the front door, sir, whoinsists on seeing Dr. Baldwin.”
“Did he give a name?”
“I’m afraid he did, sir. It’s Mr.Thurgood. From the mill. In his work clothes.”
Betsy’s father. Robert had not spoken to himexcept to offer his condolences at the funeral service. Betsy’smonthly salary and a bonus had been hand-delivered by John Burge,the Baldwins’ stableman and driver. The fellow must have come tothank Dr. Baldwin for his kindness.