“And took a beating for his troubles,” said Burke.
“I wouldn’t know anything about that,” she replied.
Burke nodded. He took his notebook from his pocket and flicked through the pages, although he had no need of its contents to guide his thoughts. Sometimes he found that the very act of checking the written word was enough to disconcert an individual under police scrutiny. He was pleased to see Elsie Warden crane her neck slightly, as though in an effort to discern what might be contained within.
“I’m told you took ill the night Mal Trevors was killed,” he said.
Elsie Warden flinched. It was a small reaction, but enough for Burke. He waited for an answer, and watched as Elsie appeared to analyze the possible answers she might give. Burke felt a shift in her, and was aware of the charm slowly seeping out of her, disappearing between the cracks on the floor to be replaced by what he could only regard as a form of restrained ferocity.
“That’s true,” she said.
“Before or after you heard about Mal Trevors?”
“Before.”
“May I ask what ailed you?”
“You may ask,” she said, “if you want to embarrass yourself.”
“I’ll take that chance,” said Burke.
“I had my visitor,” she said. “The monthly guest. Are you happy now?”
Burke gave no sign of happiness or unhappiness. Underbury was giving him much-needed practice in hiding any embarrassment he might feel.
“And Mrs. Allinson assisted you?”
“She did. She took me home later, and tended to me.”
“It must have been most severe, to require her ministrations.”
He was aware of a sharp intake of breath from Stokes, and even Waters felt compelled to intervene.
“Now, sir, don’t you think we’ve gone far enough?” he said.
Burke stood.
“For the moment,” he said.
Suddenly, he staggered, overcome, it seemed, by a moment of weakness. He stumbled and brushed against Elsie Warden, then found purchase on the mantel.
“Are you all right, sir?” Stokes had come to his aid.
Burke waved him away.
“I’m fine,” he said. “Just a little light-headedness.”
Elsie Warden now had her back to him.
“I’m sorry, miss,” he said. “I hope I didn’t injure you.”
Elsie shook her head and turned to face him. Burke thought she was a little paler than before, and her hands were folded across her chest.
“No,” she said. “You didn’t.”
He took a breath, thanked the women, then left. Mrs. Warden saw them to the door.
“You’re a rude man,” she said to Burke. “My husband will hear of this.”
“I don’t doubt it,” he replied. “I should tend to your daughter, if I were you. She looks ill.”
He said nothing to Stokes or the disapproving Waters as they returned to the village. Instead, he thought of Elsie Warden, and the look of pain that had crossed her face as he brushed against her body.
And of the new speckles of blood upon her blouse that were almost, but not quite, hidden by her folded arms.
Mal Trevors was buried in the churchyard the following day. Many turned out for his funeral, despite his reputed failings as a human being, for in a village such as Underbury a funeral served a greater social purpose than that represented by the mere interment of a body. It was an opportunity to exchange information, to gather, and to speculate. As Burke looked around the graveside he could see faces familiar to him from his brief time in the village. The Wardens were there, the family making its dislike of Burke clear only through hostile glances in his direction rather than outright force. So too were the Allinsons and the Paxtons. As the ceremony concluded, Burke saw Emily Allinson leave her husband, who made his way over to join Burke and Stokes. Mrs. Allinson walked by the wall of the cemetery, staring out over the fields toward the spot where Mal Trevors had died. She exchanged a few words with Elsie Warden as she passed her by, and they both looked for a moment in Burke’s direction and laughed before going their separate ways. Mrs. Paxton seemed to be keeping her distance from both of them, but Emily Allinson cornered her and laid a hand on her arm, a gesture simultaneously intimate and somehow threatening, for it effectively held Mrs. Paxton in place while the tall, elegant Mrs. Allinson leaned down to talk to her.
“What do you think that’s about, sir?” asked Stokes.
“A little friendly greeting, perhaps?”
“Doesn’t look too friendly to me.”
“No, it doesn’t, does it? Perhaps we need to have another talk with Mrs. Paxton.”
By now, Allinson was almost upon them.
“Any progress on your investigation?” he said.
“Slow and steady,” said Burke, who felt a sudden stab of guilt as he recalled the appearance of the doctor’s wife in his dream.
“I hear you stirred up the Wardens.”
“They’ve spoken about our visit?”
“The mother has spoken of little else. She seems to think you’re somewhat improper in your manner. She’s suggesting that someone ought to teach you a lesson.”
“Any candidates for the role?”
“No shortage, apparently. The Warden family is large, extended, and very male. I’d watch my back, if I were you, Inspector.”
“I have Sergeant Stokes here to watch my back,” said Burke. “It leaves me free to watch other people.”
Allinson grinned. “Good. I’m rather hoping that you won’t have any reason to call on my services in a personal capacity.”
“You know,” said Burke, “I’m rather hoping that too. Tell me, does your wife know a little of medicine?”
“Many doctors’ wives do. Mrs. Allinson is trained as a midwife, and her skills now extend considerably beyond that. She can’t practice medicine, of course, but she knows what to do in the event of a crisis.”
“The women of Underbury are fortunate to have her, then,” said Burke. “Very fortunate indeed.”
The rest of the day added little to the sum of knowledge accumulated by the two policemen. With the help of Constable Waters, they completed their questioning of all those who had been present at the inn on the night of Mal Trevors’s death, and began talking to many of those who were not present. While few had a good word to say about the dead man, there was nothing to link them to the events of that night, and by the time evening came Burke’s natural silence had deteriorated into sullenness. He bid Waters a curt good-night, paused for a time to exchange some words with his sergeant, and then ascended to his bedroom, where he remained seated on his bed for the rest of the evening, rising only to receive his supper at the door.
In time, he must have fallen asleep, for the room was darker than he remembered when he opened his eyes, and the inn was quiet. He was not even aware of why he had awoken until he heard voices speaking softly beneath his window. Burke left his bed and walked to the glass, concealing himself in the shadows as best he could. Two women stood in the yard below, and in the dim light filtering from the inn he could make out the faces of Emily Allinson and Mrs. Paxton. The women appeared to be arguing, for he could see Mrs. Allinson’s finger stabbing the air before the smaller, darker Mrs. Paxton. Burke could not make out their words, but then Mrs. Allinson abruptly walked away. Some seconds later, Mrs. Paxton followed, but by then Burke was already on his way downstairs. He left the inn, moved through the yard, and soon found himself following the two women along the road that led out of the village. They were heading toward the Paxton house, but as soon as Mrs. Paxton caught up with Mrs. Allinson they left the road and made their way across the fields. They seemed to be heading for the place in which Mal Trevors died, until Burke saw them reach a small gate in the fence, open it, and move toward the wall of the churchyard. The inspector kept low as best he could, aided by the clouds that obscured the moon. He was almost at the gate when the women stopped and turned to face him.
“Welcome, Inspector,” said Mrs. Allinson. She did not look surprised to see him. In fact, Burke thought she looked rather pleased, and he knew then that he had stepped firmly into the trap they had set for him. Mrs. Paxton said nothing, but kept her head down, unwilling even to look in his direction.