Page 15 of The Case of the Curate

“There’s more,” Paxton said. “The girl was pregnant.”

“Oh, dear God.”

“It might come out at the inquest. We can hold it quickly this afternoon. I don’t have to mention the unborn child unless I’m asked.”

“That would be best.” Remington eyed him uneasily. “Your opinion will naturally sway the jury, and the coroner. What is your opinion?”

“That she was murdered. Which is not comfortable for those at the court.”

“No,” Remington agreed heavily. He drew in a breath. “It’s market day. I’ll get my lads on the case asking a few questions there, and among the servants, see if anyone knows who the girl dallied with. We can still tie this up nice and tight. Though immorality and murder don’t speak well of Chadbon’s house. He won’t thank us for this.”

Uneasy silence fell between them, which was interrupted only by a knock on the door.

Paxton’s housekeeper looked in. “The curate’s here to see you, doctor.”

The curate… Now there was a suspicious young fellow, both a stranger and a guest of Chadbon. Who didn’t live in the house…

His gaze met the doctor’s.

“Tell him I’m busy with patients all morning,” Paxton said. “Someone will contact him about the inquest.”

*

Although Kate particularly wanted a brisk walk into the village and a long talk with Rupert, she was held up first by Mrs. Otteridge, then by Sir Colin Nye, and finally by Mr. Otteridge, all of whom had to be charmed and cajoled in their own way to either bring them on to Gilbert’s side or to convince them how necessary Gilbert was to their own goals. And that Nye and Otteridge, who cordially disliked each other, really could work together for the greater good.

All the while she smiled, listened, and spoke, she found herself wondering if any of these efforts would make a blind bit of difference in the end. For all the high ideals she was extolling, should she not be doing something more immediately useful?

Like discovering what happened to the poor, dead maid, Dinah, and how her family could be helped.

She was returning to her room some two hours after breakfast when she came upon Mrs. Thornfield directing maids to various bedchambers.

“Are you well, Mrs. Thornfield?” Kate asked as the maids scattered about their business, for the housekeeper looked unusually fraught.

The woman’s brow cleared at once. “Indeed yes, my lady.” She lowered her voice. “Last night… Well, it has all been something of a shock, you understand, and the servants need reassurance as well as discipline. They are understandably upset by Dinah’s…dis­appear­ance. They suspect she’s dead, but they’re not allowed to talk about it.”

“It must be hard for them. Did Dinah have particular friends among the maids?”

Mrs. Thornfield sighed. “She wasn’t the sort of girl who had female friends. Too flighty by half, if you know what I mean. But they’ll miss her all the same.”

“Did she have a young man?”

“They aren’t allowed to,” Mrs. Thornfield said at once.

“Which doesn’t mean they don’t look,” Kate said, sympathizing with the housekeeper’s difficulty. “Friendships will form. It’s human nature.”

“It is,” sighed Mrs. Thornfield. “Mr. Kemp has had to be quite severe with young Lewis.”

“The footman? He admired Dinah?”

“They all did, of course.”

“But she favored Lewis?”

“Sometimes. The girl was a flirt, my lady. Blew hot and cold, though to be fair to her, that seemed to keep them all in order.” The housekeeper drew in a breath and said with difficulty, “I know Your Ladyship was there and saw…but I know my mistress wouldn’t be happy if you went asking such questions of the servants and upsetting them.”

“No indeed she wouldn’t,” Kate said, endeavoring to sound shocked at the very idea. “My aim is to help, if I can. You will let me know?”

“Of course, my lady.”