“Yes, m’m.” Sadie’s face disappeared and the door closed with a quiet snap.
Daphne folded her arms across her chest and started rocking back and forth, while Rodney paced across the soft carpet to the bookshelves and back again.
“You don’t mind if I stay?” Elizabeth murmured, as she took a seat across from Daphne.
Daphne shook her head, while Rodney muttered, “Of course not, your ladyship. We have nothing to hide.”
Elizabeth attempted to make light conversation, but her efforts were largely ignored, and she was quite relieved when the door opened and Tess, wearing a yellow silk robe tied with a black silk sash, wandered into the room.
“You got me out of bed,” she said, as her parents turned to face her. “Couldn’t it wait until tomorrow?”
“We have something to tell you,” Rodney began, but Daphne sprang to her feet.
“Let me tell her,” she said, the words more a command than a request.
Rodney turned away with an impatient flick of his head. “Very well. But be quick about it. That police chap will be here any second.”
Tess sent a startled look his way. “Police?”
“Tess…” Daphne approached her daughter and seized both her hands. “You must be brave, darling. It’s about Brian.”
Tess’s face froze. “Brian? What about him?”
“I’m afraid-” Daphne’s voice broke and she dipped her head.
Rodney grunted in exasperation, then said bluntly, “He’s dead.”
Daphne’s cry of protest was drowned out by Tess’s shocked howl. “No! I don’t believe you. He can’t be dead. I just saw him this afternoon. How can he be dead?”
“Someone stabbed him with a knife.” Rodney strode over to the young girl, who had begun to sob, and pushed his wife aside. Grasping Tess’s shoulders, he said more quietly, “I know this must be a shock to you, child, but you must pull yourself together. The constable wants to have a word with you, and you need your wits about you.”
“I don’t want to talk to anyone,” Tess sobbed. “I just want to go home.”
“I’m sure-” Elizabeth began, but once more she was interrupted by a tap on the door.
This time it was Violet who stood in the doorway. “I’m sorry, madam, but the constable insisted on coming right up.”
Elizabeth nodded at her housekeeper. “It’s all right, Violet. You may show the constable in.”
“Yes, madam.” Violet opened the door to allow the portly figure of George to pass through, then closed it behind him.
“Good evening, your ladyship,” George said, removing his helmet and tucking it under his arm.
Elizabeth got her feet and made the introductions. None of the Winterhalters were particularly gracious. Dahpne seemed bewildered, frightened, and out of her depth. Rodney’s face was carved in stone, while Tess continued to hiccup softly as sobs escaped her lips.
“Now, then, young lady,” George said, after licking the end of his pencil, “when was the last time you saw the deceased?”
Tears rolled down Tess’s face as she struggled to answer him. “This afternoon.”
“I understand,” George said pompously, “that you were arguing with the deceased shortly before his death.”
Tess cried louder and hunted in her pocket for a handkerchief. Daphne pulled one from her sleeve and handed it to her. “Here you are, darling. Just tell the policeman what he wants to know.”
“I told him I never wanted to see him again!” Tess howled. “I didn’t mean it!”
George scribbled on his notepad. “I see. And what prompted you to say that to him, might I ask?”
Tess appeared to make a valiant effort to control her weeping. “I found out he… he was with another woman at the Tudor Arms. She was in his room.” The last word rose on a wail of anguish.
“Always knew the miserable cad was no good,” Rodney muttered.
“Why didn’t you tell us, darling?” Daphne cried, obviously distressed.
“I didn’t want anyone else to know what a fool I’d been,” Tess managed, between sobs.
George went on scribbling some more. “So what happened when you told him you didn’t want to see him no more?”
“He was angry. I… ran away.”
“And he was alive when you left him?”
“I… I just wanted to get away from him.”
“Of course you did, dear,” Daphne said. She threw a protective arm about her daughter’s shoulders. “You can see the child has had a terrible shock,” she said, glaring at George. “Can’t this wait until tomorrow?”
“Just a couple more questions, madam, if you don’t mind.” George turned to Rodney. “When did you last see the deceased alive?”
“At the reception. I told him to leave. He was hanging around my daughter and making a blasted nuisance of himself.”
“I take it you had no liking for the deceased.”
Rodney uttered a bark of contempt. “I had no time for the rotter, no. He was harassing my daughter.”
“And you wanted to stop him doing that,” George said, busily writing.
Rodney’s face grew redder. “Yes, I did. That doesn’t mean I killed him.”
“No, sir, but it does mean you had a reason to want him out of the way, so to speak.” George lifted his head. “As did the young lady, apparently.” He snapped his notebook shut with an air of authority. “I must ask you all to stay in Sitting Marsh until the inspector can have a word with you. I’m putting you under house arrest on suspicion of being involved in a murder.”
CHAPTER 4
For a moment everyone was shocked into silence, then Tess wailed a protest, echoed by an exclamation from Daphne.
“George-” Elizabeth began, but the constable lifted his hand.
“Begging your pardon, your ladyship, but I must ask you to refrain from interfering in police business.”
Rodney uttered a snort of disgust. “Don’t be ridiculous, man. I have to get back to town. I have important business to take care of and I simply can’t sit around waiting for your infernal inspector to turn up. We are leaving first thing in the morning.”
George’s eyebrows drew together in a ferocious scowl. “May I remind you, sir, that you are addressing a member of the constabulary. I can and will take you into custody if you attempt to leave these premises.”
Rodney rolled his eyes, but to Elizabeth’s relief muttered, “Oh, very well. I suppose the hospital can manage without me for a few more hours. That’s if it’s convenient for her ladyship for us to stay.”
“Of course,” Elizabeth murmured.
“I thought you would see things my way,” George said, unsuccessfully hiding a smirk. “I’ll see myself out, your ladyship.” He moved to the door, pausing to wish everyone a good night before closing it behind him.
The silence in the room, broken only by a few sniffs from Tess, grew uncomfortable.
“I wouldn’t worry too much about George,” Elizabeth said, getting to her feet. “He tends to jump to conclusions, I’m afraid. I’m sure once the inspector gets here we can clear all this up quickly and you can be on your way. Though I’m afraid it will be more than a few hours. I’d say at least a day or two.”
Rodney lifted his hands in a gesture of defeat. “Not much we can do about it now, I suppose.”
Daphne sank onto her chair, her face creased in worry. “I’m afraid, Rodney. Things do look rather bad for you and Tess.”
“Nonsense,” Rodney said gruffly. “You heard what Lady Elizabeth said. The darn chap is jumping to conclusions.”
Daphne stared up at her husband. “Well, who else would want to kill Brian? No one but us knew him.”
“There was at least one other person,” Elizabeth said slowly.
All three Winterhalter’s stared at her. “Who?” Rodney demanded.
“The lady Mr. Sutcliffe took to his room.” She looked apologetically at Tess, who burst into tears again at this statement.
“Tell us who she was, darling,” Daphne said urgently. “It’s important that we talk to her. Perhaps she can shed some light on this.”