Page 90 of The Hollow of Fear
But if you are certain, Chief Inspector, that Lord Ingram killed his wife because she had turned up carrying another man’s child, then is there still any need to question Miss Holmes?Treadles had asked.
He had wanted to stay behind. He might yet uncover something that would be useful to Lord Ingram—or at least give the latter some company.
It will be a change of scenery, at least, wouldn’t you say?had been Fowler’s answer. And the implacability beneath the seeming agreeableness of his tone had told Treadles it would be useless to protest.
“I’m more than a little curious about this Miss Charlotte Holmes,” Alice continued. She smiled a little. Was she feeling as jittery as he? “Will you still be here in the evening to give a juicy account?”
“I was rather under the impression that we would be headed back to Stern Hollow this afternoon. But everything could change between now and then.”
He was afraid that Fowler had left Stern Hollow to make it easier for Lord Ingram to escape. All the evidence against Lord Ingram was circumstantial. Should he take to the witness stand in his own defense, there was a chance that the jury would prefer to believe him rather than the prosecution. But if Lord Ingram ran from the police, it would automatically brand him as guilty in the eye of the public and make the trial’s outcome far less uncertain.
Surely Lord Ingram was too intelligent to fall into that particular trap, no matter how hopeless his situation appeared at the moment?
“And how is your work, by the way?” he asked his wife.
Her fork stopped in midair.
In all the months since she took over from her late brother, he had never once inquired into what she did with Cousins Manufacturing. Had no idea who served as her advisors or who opposed her ideas every step of the way. Had treated this very large part of her life as if it were something that concerned only her and was beneath his notice.
“Are you certain you have the time for it, Inspector?” Her tone was unsure.
She was giving him a chance to say no.
He set down his knife and fork and said, “Yes, I have the time.”
After she’d leftStern Hollow, Lady Avery had put herself up at Claridge’s hotel in London.
The calling card brought in just now announced the wishes of one Mr. Sherlock Holmes to pay his respects. Sherlock Holmes had made his name in a case involving the death of three prominent individuals; it took Lady Avery no time at all to deduce that he must be here to discuss Lady Ingram’s murder.
But when her caller was shown into the sitting room of the suite, she proved to be a beautiful woman of similar age to Lady Avery, perhaps even a few years older.
“I am Mrs. Hudson,” she introduced herself, “here on behalf of Sherlock Holmes. Mr. Holmes has an unfortunate condition that prevents him from departing his sickbed. His friends and family must therefore perform the legwork for him.”
Under any other circumstances, Lady Avery would have immediately inquired as to how exactly Mrs. Hudson was related to Sherlock Holmes, whether she was a friend or a family member. But this morning she was too impatient. “Of course, Mrs. Hudson. I take it you are here on Lord Ingram’s behalf?”
Sherlock Holmes had consulted for the police before, but Chief Inspector Fowler didn’t strike Lady Avery as the sort to tolerate much input from anyone else on his investigation.
“Indeed. I would like you to take a look at this young woman and see if you recognize her.”
She handed over two images which, after a second, Lady Avery realized were portions of postcards.
“This—” She was so astonished she couldn’t speak for a moment. Postcards! And judging by the girl’s languorously flirtatious expression, what had been on the rest of the postcards would have proven too indecent for public consumption. “This girl saw to me at my hotel in Cowes, on the Isle of Wight.”
“She was the one who recognized Lord Ingram from a photograph in the paper that she was using to wrap some mementoes you had purchased, am I correct? And who then went on to tell you about the encounter she had witnessed between Lord Ingram and Miss Charlotte Holmes at the tea shop in Hounslow, where she worked during the summer?”
“Yes. How did you find her? And why is that germane to the case?”
“I am not at liberty to speak further on the matter. Your confirmation is all I need for now.” The woman rose. “Thank you, my lady.”
Lady Avery shot out of her chair. “But you must tell me more!”
Mrs. Hudson turned around and regarded Lady Avery with pity, as if the latter had been had. “I recommend that you remain in town for a few days, ma’am, if you wish to learn more. You will hear from Sherlock Holmes again.”
Sergeant Ellerby rushedinto the magnificent entrance hall at Stern Hollow and immediately asked to see Lord Ingram.
“His Lordship hasn’t come down yet,” said the footman who received him. “And we aren’t to disturb him when he’s in his apartment. But I can ask Mr. Walsh if it’s all right to knock, since it’s for the police.”
Lord Ingram didn’t strike Sergeant Ellerby as the sort to linger in his rooms, nice as those were, until almost ten o’clock in the morning. “He hasn’t taken ill, has he?”
