Page 82 of A Study in Scarlet Women
“A great many murders have been committed because of what people do in private.”
“But—but I didn’tdoanything, this is just... private.”
Her reluctance seemed deep-seated. Treadles went on to the next item on his list. “The morning you went to give Mr. Sackville his morning cocoa and found him unconscious, why didn’t you open the curtains?”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“So it’s true, you didn’t open the curtains.”
“I mayn’t have.”
“I have been given to understand that it would be highly inappropriate for you to approach him while he lay in bed. And yet you stated this is what you did.”
“I didn’t do anything bad. My first few weeks at Curry House I ran into him at every corner. I thought we were friends. And then I don’t see him for a good long time and I thought—I thought I’d take his hand and jiggle it. A good-morning-surprise-it’s-me. Like you would with a mate, if you went to visit them and they was still asleep.”
“So there was nothing illicit going on between you and Mr. Sackville?”
“No! That’d be—he must be even older than my dad and my dad is old!”
Her incredulity seemed genuine. “Is there anyone in the house who might believe that your rapport with Mr. Sackville isn’t quite so innocent?”
The girl recoiled. “What? Why would they think like that?”
“Because it isn’t normal for the master of the house to develop a friendship with a young maid.”
“But why are you asking—you think it has something to do with Mr. Sackville’s murder?”
“A number of things could have happened if one of the other members of the household believed that something illicit went onbetween you and Mr. Sackville. That person might be enraged on your behalf, convinced that you’d been taken advantage of. That person might be enraged on her own behalf—what if she thoughtshehad a romantic understanding with Mr. Sackville? It could be for monetary reasons, too. The person might believe he is to be the chief beneficiary of Mr. Sackville’s will—and didn’t want him getting close to anyone else. Do you see what I mean?”
“I—I guess so.”
“Then can you tell me who might have had suspicions?”
She twisted her fingers. “Will that person become a suspect?”
“With no obvious motives, and in a household this small, everybody already is a suspect. You wouldn’t be broadening our field of suspects, Miss Birtle, but narrowing it.”
“I suppose that’s all right then,” she said uncertainly. “And it really wouldn’t make him a suspect, I don’t think.”
Ahim. “Was it Tommy Dunn?”
“Tommy?” she laughed. “Tommy wouldn’t care if I fell off the cliffs.”
“I understand he was initially receptive to having another young person at Curry House. What changed?”
“Ask him.” Amusement flashed in Becky’s eyes. And a trace of smugness.
“I have. He refused to answer. Perhaps you could help him out—tell me why and eliminate him from suspicion.”
This was not strictly true. Even if Tommy Dunn’s dislike of Becky had nothing to do with what went on between the latter and Mr. Sackville, he could still be an accomplice, albeit an unlikely one, for Lord or Lady Sheridan.
“Only if you swear never to tell anyone.”
“I can only promise that if it has nothing to do with the case.”
“It has nothing to do with anything. I caught Tommy with Mr. Weeks, the sexton from Barton Cross, when I was out on a walk.” Her expression turned more somber. “You truly mustn’t ever tell anyone, Inspector. I teased Tommy—and told him I had a hard time keeping secrets. I didn’t mean it. But he was so scared. I was put out that he thought I would tell on him. But he must have been mad with fear—he didn’t have anywhere else to go and Mr. Weeks has children to support. He didn’t believe that I’d keep him safe.”
Treadles couldn’t understand such goings-on between men, but he well knew the consequences of exposure. “His secret is safe with me.”
