questions,' she said, steadying her voice by keeping it low.
'I fear so, Miss Ardleigh.' The constable was a slender man with sandy hair, a ruddily thoughtful face, and alert gray eyes. His navy serge uniform was brushed, its buttons polished, his boots shined. 'I am sorry to intrude on your grief, but if the questions are answered now, perhaps there will be no need for further intrusion.' His voice was well
modulated and suggested an education beyond that of the village school.
'Please ask what you must,' Kate said, shivering in spite of the fire. Aunt Sabrina's shawl was hanging over the arm of the chair. She fingered it for a moment, then draped it around her shoulders. 'Do you wish to speak to the servants?'
'Yes, ma'am,' the constable said. 'But I have several questions for you first, if I may.'
Kate saw that the constable's level gaze held a certain regard, but something of the defensive as well. Remembering that her policeman uncle had often felt himself scorned by the upper class, Kate understood the look. But it would not make the man easier to know that she herself came from a policeman's family and sympathized with his situation. So she only said, 'I will answer if I can.'
Acting with deference and authority at once, the constable took a notebook and pencil out of his pocket. He wrote down the names of her aunts, the names and approximate ages of the servants and the length of their service, and her own name. She described her relationship to her aunts and her position at Bishop's Keep, and saw as she did so a slight shift in his posture.
He looked up. 'You are employed here, as well as related?'
'Yes,' Kate said. 'My aunt was engaged in a work that required typing and other clerical duties, which I provided.' She paused, wondering what she should say of the difficulties of the past few days. She was about to mention the situation when Constable Laken spoke again.
'I understood that Miss Ardleigh had no relatives other than her sister? And yourself, of course.'
Kate hesitated. In her delirium, Aunt Sabrina had spoken of a child. But Dr. Randall had vigorously rejected the idea. Aunt Sabrina's words-her last words-echoed in her mind. 'You are the last Ardleigh.'
'I believe that is the case,' she said.
'Who benefits from the deaths?' the constable asked.
Her eyes widened. 'Sir?'
'Who inherits the estate?' His tone was studiedly offhand.
'I do not know,' Kate said. It was not a question she wanted to think about right now. 'I understand that the vicar has a copy of my aunt's will. Perhaps he could provide you with the name of her solicitor.'
Constable Laken pocketed his notebook. ' 'I will speak with him. Might I see the servants now, Miss Ardleigh?'' His eyes were guarded. 'Privately, if you please. That is, without you or the butler present.'
Kate was momentarily taken aback. Did he think she might influence their answers? Did he imagine that she or Mudd might wish the servants to conceal some fact that might have a bearing on her aunts' deaths? But no doubt it was better this way. He would learn of the belowstairs animosity from the servants themselves. She bit her lip, remembering that more than one of them had good reason to want Aunt Jaggers dead.
'Of course,' she said. She rang the bell for Mudd. He opened the door instantly, a silver tray in his hand.
'I was about t' knock, Miss Ardleigh.' He extended the tray, with a card. 'I have asked th' gentl'man to wait i' the drawin' room.'
'Thank you,' Kate said, taking a card. 'Constable Laken wishes to interview the staff.' Feeling diffident about acting the part of mistress even though she knew it was expected of her, she added, 'Would you please take him to the servants' hall and assemble them there?' She glanced at the card and saw with surprise that it was Sir Charles's. 'And please ask Amelia to show the gentleman in.'
'Yes, ma'am,' Mudd said. He gave the constable a disdainful glance and proceeded him through the door.
A moment later Sir Charles came into the room. 'My dear Miss Ardleigh,' he said, with a look of such sympathy that Kate felt nearly undone. 'I am so sorry. What an awful thing. Unimaginable.' He spoke almost awkwardly, as if the words were not adequate to his feelings. His eyes were on hers, warm with concern. 'Are you… well?'
'Yes, thank you, Sir Charles.' Kate felt the blood coming to her face and an unaccustomed confusion inside her. She looked away quickly, and gestured to the chair on the other side of the fire. 'Please sit down. I am sorry I cannot offer you tea, but the servants are otherwise engaged just now. The constable is with them.'
He sat down on the edge of the chair, still looking at her. 'I didn't know until I came… That is, I did not know of your trouble. I merely called to leave the photographs I took yesterday, as I promised.' He took an envelope out of his pocket and put it on the table beside the chair. ' 'The constable. Does that suggest-?'
'Dr. Randall does not know the cause of the deaths. There will be autopsies and a coroner's inquest. The doctor suggested that the constable be summoned immediately, and I thought it best to take his advice. I am sure his inquiry is simply… routine.'
Kate shivered, pulling the shawl closer. She might speak lightly of the inquiry to Sir Charles, but she was perfectly aware of its significance. The constable was a perceptive man. Even if Mrs. Pratt and Mudd were not forthcoming in their answers, he would certainly sense their bitter enmity toward Aunt Jaggers and their resentment toward Aunt Sabrina. Kate did not think, she could not bring herself to believe, that either the cook or the butler could have gone to such awful lengths for revenge. But the constable might think differently. She shivered again. Perhaps she should have insisted on being present when he spoke with them. It was gradually dawning on her that until the matter of the estate was settled, all authority for the household rested upon her shoulders. She was responsible for the servants' welfare.
Sir Charles cleared his throat. 'I take it, then, that the doctor has ruled out food poisoning?''
Kate returned her attention to the conversation. 'He seemed to doubt it, since neither was taken sick until this morning. Had it been food poisoning, he said, the symptoms would have appeared earlier. In any event, the three of us shared the same table last night-''
Kate stopped abruptly, struck by a thought. They had shared the same table, yes. But they had not eaten the same food. Aunt Jaggers and Aunt Sabrina had consumed the pudding. She had eaten only the soup and fricassee left from luncheon.
Sir Charles leaned forward, watching her face. 'What have you thought of, Miss Ardleigh?'
'My two aunts ate something I did not,' Kate said slowly. 'A pudding.'
'What sort of pudding?'
'A mushroom pudding.'
Sir Charles' eyes were intent. 'What were the symptoms of their illnesses?'
When Kate had told him, he stood up abruptly. 'There is a line of inquiry I must pursue.'
Kate stared at him. Was there something about the mushroom pudding? Was it possible thatShe rose. 'What line of inquiry?'
In answer, Sir Charles half turned toward the door. ' 'I must speak with your cook,' he said.
'She is with Constable Laken.' Kate frowned. 'Please tell me, Sir Charles,' she said with greater distinctness, 'what line of inquiry you aim to pursue.'
But again he did not answer. 'Laken?' he inquired with great interest. 'Do you refer to Edward Laken?'
'I believe that is his name,' Kate acknowledged. But she was not to be put off. Was this man so arrogant that he would refuse outright to answer her question? She put her hand on his arm. 'This inquiry, Sir Charles,' she said for the third time, with urgency. 'What is it you think has happened?'
He stared down at her hand, then up at her face, taken aback. He felt himself flush. 'I fear it would not be appropriate to discuss my suspicions at this time. I-'
Kate pulled her hand back. 'Not appropriate!' she exclaimed. 'My aunts have died of an unknown cause, and you talk of hypotheses! Sir Charles, I find your behavior most appallingly-'
'Forgive me for intruding,' said a voice, thin and trembling. The vicar stood in the open library door, his hair a wild silver halo, his face ashen. 'And for admitting myself. I came as soon as I heard. To… to offer comfort.'
'Of course,' Kate said, feeling a rush of sympathy for the old man. He looked as if he had greater need of comfort than she. 'I am very glad you did. Please come in and sit down by the fire.' Aunt Sabrina had had a special affection for him, and he must be feeling her death very deeply.
Sir Charles bowed to the vicar, then turned to Kate. 'I will not trouble you further, Miss Ardleigh. I can find my
