sir.’
‘The girl could have dropped it into canal on another occasion?’ suggested Crabb.
‘Yes. That could have been the case. Miss Petterson should be able to tell us whether Miss Chilton had this handkerchief in her possession on the day she disappeared,’ said Ravenscroft.
‘Begging your parden sir, we have made quite an extensive search in either direction along the railway, river and canal, but do you want us to widen the search area?’ asked the constable.
‘No, I think you and the men have done your best. I’m sure that if the girl ran away from the churchyard and met with a serious accident down here, we would have found her remains by now. It seems more and more likely that she was taken against her will. Stand down the men, constable.’
‘Right sir.’
‘Well Tom, I think it is time we returned once more to Hill Court. Sir Charles may have returned there by now, and we also need to have further words with the governess concerning her visit to the church,’ said Ravenscroft moving away from the canal.
‘I think someone over there is trying to attract our attention sir,’ said Crabb. ‘Over here boy!’
A postboy ran towards them along the bank of the canal. ‘Telegram for Ravenscroft! Telegram for Ravenscroft!’ he called out.
‘I am Ravenscroft. Thank you,’ replied the detective taking the envelope and giving the youth a coin. ‘Looks as though we have a reply from Lord and Lady Roberts of Warminster to our enquiry regarding the governess. Well I’m blessed! This certainly throws a different complexion on the case.’
‘What sir?’ asked Crabb.
‘It seems, Tom, that our Miss Petterson died five years ago!’
CHAPTER FOUR
Ledbury
‘P lease ma’am, there’s a young lady who would like a word with you.’
‘Thank you Susan. Did you tell her that Mr Ravenscroft is away at present,’ replied Lucy without looking up from her needlework.
‘Yes ma’am but she says she must see someone, and I thought you might wish to help her.’
‘I think it would be better if she called when Mr Ravenscroft is at home.’
‘I’ve told her that, but she is most insistent that she sees you. She seems quite distressed, ma’am.’
‘Then I think you had better show her in, Susan,’ said Lucy placing her sewing down on the small table at the side of her chair.
‘Miss Corbett,’ announced the maid returning a few moments later.
‘Miss Corbett, I’m afraid my husband is not at home at present,’ said Lucy rising from her seat and looking across at the forlorn figure who had just entered her living-room.
‘I’m sorry to have disturbed you ma’am, but I had to see someone,’ said the young woman suddenly bursting into tears.
‘My dear Miss Corbett, please do not distress yourself,’ said Lucy coming forward and placing an arm on the new arrival’s shoulder. ‘Do take a seat on the sofa. Susan, will you bring a glass of water for the young lady. Whatever is the matter?’
‘I’m sorry ma’am. It’s my baby, my poor Lily!’ sobbed the woman accepting the seat and drawing her shawl closer round her head.
‘Your baby?’
‘She has gone! She is not there. They have taken her away!’
‘Someone has taken your baby?’ asked Lucy sitting down beside the visitor.
‘They said she would be looked after. They promised me that she would have the best of everything,’ continued the woman, tears falling down her face.
‘There now, pray do not distress yourself, Miss Corbett. Here, drink this water,’ said Lucy handing her the glass of liquid, that the maid had just brought into the room.
‘Thank you ma’am. You are most kind.’
‘And when you have drunk that, you shall tell me all about it,’ said Lucy reassuringly.
‘Thank you.’
‘Now Miss Corbett, I cannot keep calling you Miss Corbett. What is your first name?’ asked Lucy after a few moments had elapsed.
‘Alice.’
‘And where do you live Alice?’
‘I work at Brewster’s Farm out at Wellington
‘The girl could have dropped it into canal on another occasion?’ suggested Crabb.
‘Yes. That could have been the case. Miss Petterson should be able to tell us whether Miss Chilton had this handkerchief in her possession on the day she disappeared,’ said Ravenscroft.
‘Begging your parden sir, we have made quite an extensive search in either direction along the railway, river and canal, but do you want us to widen the search area?’ asked the constable.
‘No, I think you and the men have done your best. I’m sure that if the girl ran away from the churchyard and met with a serious accident down here, we would have found her remains by now. It seems more and more likely that she was taken against her will. Stand down the men, constable.’
‘Right sir.’
‘Well Tom, I think it is time we returned once more to Hill Court. Sir Charles may have returned there by now, and we also need to have further words with the governess concerning her visit to the church,’ said Ravenscroft moving away from the canal.
‘I think someone over there is trying to attract our attention sir,’ said Crabb. ‘Over here boy!’
A postboy ran towards them along the bank of the canal. ‘Telegram for Ravenscroft! Telegram for Ravenscroft!’ he called out.
‘I am Ravenscroft. Thank you,’ replied the detective taking the envelope and giving the youth a coin. ‘Looks as though we have a reply from Lord and Lady Roberts of Warminster to our enquiry regarding the governess. Well I’m blessed! This certainly throws a different complexion on the case.’
‘What sir?’ asked Crabb.
‘It seems, Tom, that our Miss Petterson died five years ago!’
CHAPTER FOUR
Ledbury
‘P lease ma’am, there’s a young lady who would like a word with you.’
‘Thank you Susan. Did you tell her that Mr Ravenscroft is away at present,’ replied Lucy without looking up from her needlework.
‘Yes ma’am but she says she must see someone, and I thought you might wish to help her.’
‘I think it would be better if she called when Mr Ravenscroft is at home.’
‘I’ve told her that, but she is most insistent that she sees you. She seems quite distressed, ma’am.’
‘Then I think you had better show her in, Susan,’ said Lucy placing her sewing down on the small table at the side of her chair.
‘Miss Corbett,’ announced the maid returning a few moments later.
‘Miss Corbett, I’m afraid my husband is not at home at present,’ said Lucy rising from her seat and looking across at the forlorn figure who had just entered her living-room.
‘I’m sorry to have disturbed you ma’am, but I had to see someone,’ said the young woman suddenly bursting into tears.
‘My dear Miss Corbett, please do not distress yourself,’ said Lucy coming forward and placing an arm on the new arrival’s shoulder. ‘Do take a seat on the sofa. Susan, will you bring a glass of water for the young lady. Whatever is the matter?’
‘I’m sorry ma’am. It’s my baby, my poor Lily!’ sobbed the woman accepting the seat and drawing her shawl closer round her head.
‘Your baby?’
‘She has gone! She is not there. They have taken her away!’
‘Someone has taken your baby?’ asked Lucy sitting down beside the visitor.
‘They said she would be looked after. They promised me that she would have the best of everything,’ continued the woman, tears falling down her face.
‘There now, pray do not distress yourself, Miss Corbett. Here, drink this water,’ said Lucy handing her the glass of liquid, that the maid had just brought into the room.
‘Thank you ma’am. You are most kind.’
‘And when you have drunk that, you shall tell me all about it,’ said Lucy reassuringly.
‘Thank you.’
‘Now Miss Corbett, I cannot keep calling you Miss Corbett. What is your first name?’ asked Lucy after a few moments had elapsed.
‘Alice.’
‘And where do you live Alice?’
‘I work at Brewster’s Farm out at Wellington
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