Cecily met the housekeeper’s gaze. “Did she tell you she threatened him with a carving knife?”
“What!” Mrs. Chubb shot up on the chair. “No, I don’t believe it. Gertie wouldn’t do that.”
“I’m afraid she did. She told me so herself.”
Mrs. Chubb shook her head. “Oh, my, what trouble has that girl got herself into this time.”
“So you didn’t tell the constable about the argument?”
The housekeeper’s face flushed a deep red. “Me? I wouldn’t tell that pompous fool what I had for breakfast.” She paused, a look of defiance in her eyes. “What’s more, even if Gertie had told me she killed Ian Rossiter, I would never have uttered a word of it to anyone. Not even to you, m’m, begging your pardon.”
Cecily smiled. “I would expect nothing less from you, Altheda.”
“Yes, m’m.” The housekeeper leaned forward. “Not that she did, of course. Gertie wouldn’t do anything that dreadful. She just doesn’t have it in her.”
“I certainly hope not.”
Mrs. Chubb leaned back, a thoughtful look on her face. “I wonder if she told Dan about the knife last night.”
“Dan was here last night?”
The housekeeper nodded. “He got here just as Gertie was starting to tell me about Ian. Must have been around seven or so. She ended up telling us both what happened.”
Cecily frowned, wondering why Gertie hadn’t mentioned seeing Dan. “I imagine he wasn’t happy to hear the news.”
“No, m’m, he certainly was not. In fact, he got really angry. Said as how Ian needed to be taught a lesson. He-” She broke off with a gasp of horror.
For a long moment the two women stared at each other, then Cecily shook her head. “No, I can’t believe Dan would do something like that.” She’d tried to sound convincing, but the truth was, she didn’t know what to think.
Dan Perkins seemed to be a nice enough man, but none of them really knew much about him, save for the fact that he had money and owned more than one butcher’s shop in London, and that he seemed to care a great deal about Gertie.
It didn’t help to see Mrs. Chubb’s worried frown. “I do hope he didn’t go and do something silly. Gertie would never get over it if she knew he’d…” Her voice trailed off, as if she couldn’t bear to put her thoughts into words.
“I’m quite sure we are letting our imaginations run away with us,” Cecily said firmly. The last thing she wanted was for the housekeeper to start spreading rumors that were entirely unfounded. “After all, you saw Dan leave, didn’t you? How did he seem then?”
To her dismay, Mrs. Chubb shook her head. “No, I never did see him leave. I left the two of them alone together in the kitchen while I went to check on Mabel.” She shook her head. “I tell you, that girl was never cut out to be a housemaid. You should see the mess she made of the serviettes. Little Lillian could have done a better job than that.”
The last thing Cecily needed just then was to get into a conversation about Mabel’s inadequacies. “You said you left Gertie and Dan alone in the kitchen?”
“Oh, right. Anyway, I went back about half past seven to send Gertie down to the wine cellar, and Dan had already left by then.”
“Did Gertie seem upset?”
Mrs. Chubb took a moment to think about it. “No, I don’t think she was. I think she rather liked it when Dan got upset over her and Ian. She was in a much better state of mind when she left to get the wine.”
Cecily relaxed her shoulders. “Well, then, I think we needn’t worry about Dan. If he’d gone storming out after Ian I’m sure Gertie would have been noticeably worried.”
Mrs. Chubb nodded. “I reckon you’re right, m’m.”
“Good, then that’s settled.” Cecily rose to her feet. “I won’t keep you any longer, Altheda. I know you are busy. And I’d rather you kept our little talk to yourself, at least for the time being.”
“Oh, of course, m’m. Not a word.” Mrs. Chubb got up and hurried over to the door. Reaching it, she paused and looked back over her shoulder. “She’s going to be all right, m’m, isn’t she? Gertie, I mean. She’s not going to be arrested?”
“I will certainly do everything I can to prevent it.”
Mrs. Chubb nodded, though she looked far from convinced. “So will I, m’m. Just let me know what I can do.”
“I’ll keep that in mind, Altheda. Thank you.”
“It’s turning out to be a rotten week all round.” Mrs. Chubb pulled the door open. “I lost my ring down the sink yesterday. My mother gave that ring to me. I’ve had it since I was a little girl.”
“Oh, Altheda, I’m so sorry. Perhaps Clive can get it back for you.”
The housekeeper’s face lit up with hope. “You think so? I didn’t think to ask him.”
“Well, I think he can take the drainpipe apart or something. I don’t know if he will find your ring, but it’s certainly worth a try. Why don’t you ask him.”
“I will, m’m. Thanks ever so!”
Cecily watched the door close behind her housekeeper and let out her breath on a sigh. Gertie, Clive, and Dan. All of them had a reason to be angry enough at Ian to strike out at him. Yet she couldn’t bring herself to think that any one of them might have been responsible for his death.
Then there was that nasty little man, Archie Parker. How did he know so much about Ian’s personal life? Could he have known the dead man? If so, was it more than a coincidence that he was staying at the Pennyfoot at the same time Ian was in Badgers End?
One thing seemed certain. Whether or not the blow to Ian’s head was meant to kill or just to punish, a man had died, and someone would have to pay for it. Cecily could only hope and pray that an innocent person would not have to suffer the consequences.
CHAPTER 11
Later that morning Dr. Kevin Prestwick rang Cecily with the distressing news that the autopsy had shown no water in Ian’s lungs. “It would appear,” Kevin said, “that the blow to the head was the cause of death. I’m afraid Northcott was right. It appears that Ian Rossiter was murdered.”
“Oh, dear.” Cecily tightened her grip on the receiver. “I’m afraid Gertie is in a lot of trouble unless we can find out who did this.”
“And you’re quite convinced your housemaid isn’t responsible?”
Cecily wished she could answer that, but at this point, she wasn’t sure of anything. “All I can say is that I find it hard to believe Gertie could do such a thing.”
“Who knows what we are capable of when acting out of anger and fear.”
“Well, I certainly think that Sam Northcott needs a lot more evidence before he can accuse Gertie of murder. She wasn’t the only one angry with Ian.”
“Seems to me you have a large pot of trouble coming to the boil.”
“I’m afraid you’re right. I’ll just have to do my best to find out what really happened that night.”
“You will be careful?”
She smiled at the concern in his voice. “I’m always careful, Kevin. Just ask my husband.” She thanked him, then replaced the receiver on its hook.
Leaning her elbows on the desk, she rested her chin on her folded hands. Something Northcott had said had come back to her.
She shook her head. None of it made sense. Her best move was to try and find out who told Sam Northcott about Gertie threatening Ian with a knife.
