so two years ago and six months ago. Find out if the seams have been let out on her bodices. If I could look at them, I should soon tell you!”
Pitt smiled broadly.
“Is that not detection?” she demanded hotly. “And discover if she has visited the country.” She frowned. “Although since the bodies were buried in Callander Square, that is not likely.” Her face brightened again. “Discover if she has been ill, feeling squeamish or faint. Then if she has a good or bad appetite. If she has overeaten and put on weight, you are answered! Especially if she has had fancies for certain foods she does not normally care for. Look to the clothes yourself, and don’t ask the lady’s maid about the appetite and the fainting, or she will know well enough what you are thinking. Ask the kitchen maid about the food, and a parlormaid or someone about her health.”
He was still smiling.
She looked at him, then began to doubt herself. The advice had seemed excellent to her as she gave it.
“Is that not the right way?” she blinked.
“Most professional,” he agreed. “It makes me wonder how we have managed to solve crimes at all without women on the force.”
“I think you are laughing at me!”
“Most certainly. But I still think the advice is excellent, and I shall take it.”
“Oh good,” she relaxed and gave him a dazzling smile. “I should like to think I was helping.”
He burst out in spontaneous laughter.
The following morning Charlotte did as she had been bidden, and called upon Emily. She warned her very solemnly about the vengeance she might bring upon herself, and even upon George, if she stirred up gossip, however unwittingly, about Euphemia Carlton.
Emily heard her out with a calm, obedient expression, and duly swore to abandon the matter, and do no more than pursue her normal social round. Charlotte thanked her, and left with an unreasonable feeling that she had somehow failed. For one thing, it had been far too easy. She had seen no fear in Emily’s eyes to account for such sudden capitulation, but she could hardly ask for more than one promise to the same effect. She went home and gave the parlor a furious spring cleaning, although it was the first week in November, and beginning to rain.
Pitt returned to Callander Square, and at quarter past ten knocked on the Carltons’ door and asked if he might speak to the servants again. He was shown into the housekeeper’s sitting room, and the parlormaid was sent for.
“Come in.” Pitt sat down in one of the great chairs, so as not to tower over the girl. “Sit down. I hope this business has not distressed you too much.”
She looked at him with some awe.
“No, thank you, sir.” Then she thought better of it. “Well, I mean, yes, it is dreadful, isn’t it? I’m sure I don’t know who it can be!”
“And your mistress? I imagine it may have upset her also?”
“Not more than what pity you’d expect,” she replied. “Very well, she is. I never seen her look so well.”
“Not upset her appetite? Does, with some people, you know; ladies of a delicate disposition.”
“Lady Carlton ain’t delicate, sir, fit as an ’orse, she is, if you’ll pardon the h’expression. None of your fainting and vapors for her—at least—”
He raised his eyebrows in interested sympathy.
“Well, she did come over a bit queer a couple of times, but I reckon that’s her condition, if you take me. O Lor’,” she put her fingers to her mouth and stared at him with round eyes. “You got that out o’ me!”
“No, no,” he said gently. “Besides, I am concerned with the past, not the future.” He hid his annoyance. Now it would not be possible to get any further information from the girl without her immediately knowing what he was seeking. Better speak to the others straight away, before she spread the alarm, even inadvertently.
He went upstairs to see the lady’s maid, past the objections of the bristling housekeeper, because he wished to
Pitt smiled broadly.
“Is that not detection?” she demanded hotly. “And discover if she has visited the country.” She frowned. “Although since the bodies were buried in Callander Square, that is not likely.” Her face brightened again. “Discover if she has been ill, feeling squeamish or faint. Then if she has a good or bad appetite. If she has overeaten and put on weight, you are answered! Especially if she has had fancies for certain foods she does not normally care for. Look to the clothes yourself, and don’t ask the lady’s maid about the appetite and the fainting, or she will know well enough what you are thinking. Ask the kitchen maid about the food, and a parlormaid or someone about her health.”
He was still smiling.
She looked at him, then began to doubt herself. The advice had seemed excellent to her as she gave it.
“Is that not the right way?” she blinked.
“Most professional,” he agreed. “It makes me wonder how we have managed to solve crimes at all without women on the force.”
“I think you are laughing at me!”
“Most certainly. But I still think the advice is excellent, and I shall take it.”
“Oh good,” she relaxed and gave him a dazzling smile. “I should like to think I was helping.”
He burst out in spontaneous laughter.
The following morning Charlotte did as she had been bidden, and called upon Emily. She warned her very solemnly about the vengeance she might bring upon herself, and even upon George, if she stirred up gossip, however unwittingly, about Euphemia Carlton.
Emily heard her out with a calm, obedient expression, and duly swore to abandon the matter, and do no more than pursue her normal social round. Charlotte thanked her, and left with an unreasonable feeling that she had somehow failed. For one thing, it had been far too easy. She had seen no fear in Emily’s eyes to account for such sudden capitulation, but she could hardly ask for more than one promise to the same effect. She went home and gave the parlor a furious spring cleaning, although it was the first week in November, and beginning to rain.
Pitt returned to Callander Square, and at quarter past ten knocked on the Carltons’ door and asked if he might speak to the servants again. He was shown into the housekeeper’s sitting room, and the parlormaid was sent for.
“Come in.” Pitt sat down in one of the great chairs, so as not to tower over the girl. “Sit down. I hope this business has not distressed you too much.”
She looked at him with some awe.
“No, thank you, sir.” Then she thought better of it. “Well, I mean, yes, it is dreadful, isn’t it? I’m sure I don’t know who it can be!”
“And your mistress? I imagine it may have upset her also?”
“Not more than what pity you’d expect,” she replied. “Very well, she is. I never seen her look so well.”
“Not upset her appetite? Does, with some people, you know; ladies of a delicate disposition.”
“Lady Carlton ain’t delicate, sir, fit as an ’orse, she is, if you’ll pardon the h’expression. None of your fainting and vapors for her—at least—”
He raised his eyebrows in interested sympathy.
“Well, she did come over a bit queer a couple of times, but I reckon that’s her condition, if you take me. O Lor’,” she put her fingers to her mouth and stared at him with round eyes. “You got that out o’ me!”
“No, no,” he said gently. “Besides, I am concerned with the past, not the future.” He hid his annoyance. Now it would not be possible to get any further information from the girl without her immediately knowing what he was seeking. Better speak to the others straight away, before she spread the alarm, even inadvertently.
He went upstairs to see the lady’s maid, past the objections of the bristling housekeeper, because he wished to
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