Snobbery With Violence Part 19

"How do you know such things?"

"A chorus girl down the East End has to know such things. Sometime we got some of the mashers from up west, trying their luck, particularly with the young ones like me."

"Why was that? I mean, why the young ones?"

"They'd be hoping to find a virgin, like."

"I don't understand."

"Well, they say that if a man with one of them diseases sleeps with a virgin, he'll be cured. It happened to one of the girls, Ellie."

"And what happened?"

"I don't know what happened to him, the rat, but Ellie got syphilis."

"Is there no cure?"

"I think you're supposed to take mercury, but Ellie couldn't afford doctor's bills."

"How awful. You didn't ever ... I mean, you haven't..."

Daisy gave a cheeky grin. "Not yet. I've got fourteen brothers and sisters, but like the song says, we was poor but we was honest."

"Don't you miss your family?"

"Not much. Da drinks something awful and is always out of work. I seem to have worked at one thing or another since I was out of the cradle. Never mind me. What about India?"

"I'll think of something," said Rose desperately.

Kerridge was taking a break from interviews by walking with Harry in the grounds. Somehow he felt comfortable in the company of the captain, subconsciously sensing a misfit like himself.

"What makes you think the servants are not involved?" asked Harry.

"Because I think Lord Hedley knows something he's not telling us. I think he's guilty about something. His voice is becoming hoa.r.s.e and he doesn't look well. When I first met him, he looked like our king on a good day.

"You see, the way I look at it is this. You people, you society people, lead very empty lives. Everything is given over to pleasure, and you slave at it. You don't like the up-and-coming rich from the middle cla.s.ses, so you invent silly things to keep them at bay. I was served a nice bit of fish last night. 'Where's the fish knife?' I asked. That butler Curzon looks down his nose at me and says, 'We do not allow fish knives here.' So I'm supposed to eat my fish with a fork in one hand and a bit of bread in the other.

"The one deadly sin is 'Thou Shalt Not Get Found Out.' They are releasing the full post-mortem report to me. It should be arriving by messenger tomorrow."

"I admit Hedley does not look well," said Harry. "But he does not look particularly guilty either."

"Who does? Once a murderer's photograph is published, everyone says, 'Oh, look at those killer eyes,' forgetting that before that, they considered him a decent chap."

"Is there any chance of you letting me know what's in that report?"

"I'll think about it. What about you and Lady Rose?"

"What about her?"

"Very attractive girl," said Kerridge with a sly look.

"I admit she is attractive," said Harry, "but she is the most unfeminine girl I have ever come across."

"I wouldn't say that. You're dragging that bad leg of yours a bit. Let's go back."

Harry's idea that Rose was unfeminine was to receive what he considered shocking confirmation. Two hours before the dinner gong, he received a note asking him to meet her in the library.

As he made his way there, he felt amused. Perhaps Rose had formed a tendre for him. He would let her down gently.

He found Rose in the library accompanied by Becket and Daisy. He put the little pang of disappointment down to indigestion.

"How can I help you?" he asked.

"I asked Daisy and Becket to attend because it is a delicate subject. I need information."

"Go ahead."

Rose had armoured herself in full fas.h.i.+on. She was wearing a thin pale-green silk afternoon dress, with a tr.i.m.m.i.n.g of dark green velvet. The boned bodice was trimmed with fine lace over green velvet. It had full sleeves and fitting inner sleeves. The wide belt round her small waist was decorated with tiny velvet bows.

Little green velvet shoes peeped out from below her gown as she drew forward a chair to sit down.

"Pray be seated, Captain," she said. Daisy stood behind Rose's chair and Becket behind Harry's.

"I think we should all sit down," said Rose. "There is no need for ceremony."

Becket helped Daisy into a chair and then sat down himself.

"I was wondering about s.e.xual diseases," said Rose.

Harry stared at her, wondering whether he had heard her properly. "Did you say s.e.xual diseases?"

"Yes."

"Why?" asked Harry nervously.

"It is just an idea," said Rose. "You see, Daisy tells me that gentlemen have been known to have intimate relations with virgins in the hope of being cured of, say, syphilis."

"Where is this leading?"

"Mary hinted that she had someone interested in her, that she had been spoken for. Now it would never have crossed my mind before that any unmarried young lady would fall from grace. But if a man had one of these terrible diseases, he might be very persuasive, promise her anything. Then, if she found out the truth, she might want to take her own life."

"I fear your new-found knowledge of the nastier aspects of the world is making you jump to mad conclusions," said Harry.

"Not quite. Margaret Bryce-Cuddlestone spent a night with Lord Hedley. Today she sent for the doctor. She was most upset."

"But why s.e.xual disease? She might just be frightened that she is pregnant."

"Perhaps. But don't you see? If Lord Hedley slept with Margaret, it follows he may have slept with Mary Gore-Desmond. Perhaps she threatened to tell his wife and his wife has the money."

Harry sat silently in thought. "You don't like the idea," said Daisy pertly, "because you didn't think of it."

"Mind your manners," snapped Harry.

"Daisy was only trying to help," said Becket angrily and Harry looked at his manservant in surprise.

"So what do you suggest we do?" he asked. "Confront Miss Bryce-Cuddlestone? She will deny it. She has too much to lose. And Hedley will most certainly deny it."

"Perhaps you should tell Kerridge of our suspicions. He might get the doctor to talk."

"Shhh!" said Daisy suddenly. "I think I heard something."

She ran lightly across the room and threw open the door. She could hear footsteps hurrying off in the distance at the back of the hall. Daisy ran in pursuit and found her way blocked by Curzon. "Is anything the matter?" he asked.

"Get out of my way!" shouted Daisy.

Curzon took her arm in a strong grip. "It is time you and I had a word, Miss Levine. You do not shout at a superior servant in that manner. You-"

"Daisy!" called Rose, hurrying across the hall. "Is anything the matter?"

"I'll speak to you later," hissed Curzon.

"It's all right, my lady," said Daisy. They walked back to the library. "Someone was listening," said Daisy. "I heard these footsteps running away and went after whoever it was, but that great idiot Curzon blocked my way."

Harry looked at Rose. "Is there a constable outside your room at night?"

"Yes. Well, there was last night."

Harry turned to Daisy. "Make sure he's on duty tonight."

Rose was mounting the staircase with Daisy when Curzon came hurriedly up after her.

"Lady Hedley wishes a word with you, Lady Rose. Follow me. Alone," he added with a glare at Daisy.

Feeling nervous, Rose walked after him, wondering if Lady Hedley had been the one listening at the library door, and then dismissed the idea as ridiculous.

Curzon threw open the door and announced her and then left them together. Lady Hedley was seated before the fireplace in her sitting-room, working at a piece of tapestry.

"Sit down," she ordered. "No, not there. Opposite. Where I can see you."

Rose did as she was bid. There was a long silence while Lady Hedley's needle flashed in and out of the piece of tapestry mounted on a frame.

Then she began. "We have not really had an opportunity to talk."

"I am most grateful to you for your hospitality," said Rose.

The needle paused. "No you're not," said the countess. "How could you be? What do you think of this castle?"

"Very fine."

"Why?"

"Well, very romantic, like casdes in stories of knights and ladies."

"Piffle. I a.s.sumed you had some intelligence."

"You do not expect me to say what I really think," said Rose, becoming angry.

"It would be pleasant if you would try to do so."

Rose took a deep breath. Why should she care what Lady Hedley thought?

"All right. It is silly, a folly, and set as it is against the poverty of the local village, a disgrace."

"Still banging on about that village, hey? It may please you to know that Hedley has set about repairs."

"Yes, it does please me."

"He's only doing it because the gutter press have criticized the living conditions."

There was another long silence. Rose felt herself becoming almost hypnotized by the flas.h.i.+ng needle.

"What did you think of Mary Gore-Desmond?"

"Nothing at all. I barely knew her."

"I saw too much of her. Did you know I brought her out?"

"No, my lady. At the last season?"

"Yes, for part of it. Her mother fell ill towards the end but was still hoping her plain daughter should make a match with someone, anyone. So we took her on. Nasty little thing."

"My lady, she's dead!"

"That doesn't soften any memories I may have of her. But the real reason I asked you here was to find if you had recovered from your shock."

"I hope so, my lady but to tell the truth, I am afraid the experience will haunt me for some time."

"I used to play up there when I was a child when we were brought here on visits. The place was fairly new then. As children, we thought it romantic."

"I was not playing. Someone asked to meet me on the roof and then pushed me over."

The marchioness laughed. "We used to invent stories like that. It does take me back."

The dressing gong sounded.

"Run along," said Lady Hedley. "And behave yourself."

Rose repeated the conversation to Daisy. "She sounds mad," said Daisy.