‘Can you think of anyone who bore Dawson a grudge?’ Riley asked. ‘Think carefully and remember that this is a murder investigation, so you must tell us anything you know, or even suspect. If you speak out of turn about any member of the family, we will not reveal the fact and your position will not be at risk. I know you didn’t like Dawson, but I am sure you must be as anxious as we are to discover who killed him.’
When Albert hesitated, Salter spoke up. ‘If whoever did this bears a grudge against someone in this household, he could strike again. It was a member of staff who was killed, remember, not anyone above stairs.’
Albert cleared his throat. ‘I heard Dawson and Mr Gregg having a shouting match the day before yesterday. Gregg never shouts ordinarily. He’s too pompous to get all worked up about anything other than Sir Philip’s business. If anyone does anything to inconvenience the master, there’s always hell to pay. Anyway, I reckon he thought no one was anywhere near the butler’s pantry when he and Ezra had their set-to. I shouldn’t have been but I needed something from the store cupboard, which is how I came to hear them.’
‘What were they arguing about?’ Riley asked.
‘Ezra’s friendship with her ladyship. Like I say, Gregg is very protective of the master and told Ezra he was in danger of turning him into a laughing stock.’ Albert paused, but only to draw breath. Reticent at first, he now appeared incapable of stopping. Not that Riley had any intention of interrupting his flow, and instead gave an encouraging nod. ‘He said that if Ezra didn’t behave in a more seemly fashion or desist from embarrassing the master then he, Gregg, would find a way to put a stop to the situation.’
Riley and Salter exchanged a glance. ‘How did Ezra respond?’ Riley asked.
‘He laughed in Gregg’s face. Told him he gave her ladyship something to live for since the master seemed disinterested, disinclined or incapable of doing so himself. Those were his exact words, delivered with chilling clarity. I won’t ever forget them.’
‘How did Gregg respond?’ Salter asked.
‘He didn’t. I looked in through the window and his face was all red and he was furious, opening and shutting his mouth like a landed fish, he was. I tell you true, I thought he was having a seizure or something. No one ever talks to Gregg like that, you see, and continues to be employed here. But Ezra knew he was untouchable and just laughed at him, goading him like.’
‘You resented Ezra because he was lazy,’ Riley said, ‘but what did you think of him as a man? Were you friends?’
‘I got along with him all right, truth to tell. He made me laugh and didn’t take anything too seriously. He reckoned you had to grasp whatever came your way if you wanted to get on in life, and he certainly practiced what he preached.’ Albert chuckled. ‘Besides, he rubbed Gregg up the wrong way, which kept him off our backs. Me and James, the other footman, I mean.’
‘Did Ezra tell you about his plans for the future?’ Riley asked.
‘Nothing specific, but I know there was something in the offing. Something big that I think the mistress was helping him with. He wouldn’t say what, but he did remark once or twice that he wouldn’t be sorry to see the back of old misery guts.’
‘Gregg?’
‘Yeah.’
‘I see. Thank you, Albert,’ Riley said. ‘You’ve been very helpful. Please keep what we have discussed between ourselves and send James in.’
Albert nodded and took himself off.
‘Gregg ain’t been telling us the truth, has he, sir?’ Salter asked, when they were alone again.
‘It seems not, Jack, but can you imagine Gregg taking himself off to Clapham to exact such an extreme form of revenge?’
‘He’s not that old, but he is fiercely protective of Sir Philip’s interests and he could’ve took it upon himself to get shot of the cause of potential embarrassment, especially since Ezra had challenged his authority. You’d probably know best, guv’nor, but no butler I’ve ever met would have put up with it. He couldn’t dismiss Ezra, her ladyship wouldn’t stand for it, and Gregg must have felt frustrated about that.’
Riley smiled. ‘I would agree with you, but for the fact that Ida…well, let’s just say that Ezra won’t have been her first and you can be sure that she won’t grieve for too long before she replaces him.’
‘Perhaps, but I don’t suppose she’d had it away with a member of her own household staff before. It would have created havoc with the order of things below stairs.’
‘You make a fair point,’ Riley conceded, ‘and Gregg’s name stays on our list of suspects. In fact, as things stand he’s our only suspect. If Albert’s telling the truth and didn’t leave the house, he couldn’t have done it. Make a note to follow up on that please, Jack. In the meantime, we need to speak with Ida’s children. They must all have financial expectations, despite what Ida told us. There are also Ezra’s connections in Clapham to be investigated.’
Their discussion was interrupted by a tap at the door, heralding the arrival of the other footman, James. He proved to be an exceptionally well-built young man with a handsome face, piercing blue eyes and a sweep of thick fair hair.
‘Officers,’ he said. ‘How can I be of service?’
Riley introduced them both and asked James how long he had worked for the Randalls.
‘A little over four years,’ he replied, standing to attention, his expression an emotionless mask tinged with resentment.
‘You were senior to Albert and Ezra.’
‘Not really. We all worked together.’
‘How did you and Ezra get along? Were you
