Ashworth Hall - Anne Perry [107]
“Why seven?”
“Just answer, Mr. Hennessey.” Tellman’s temper was shorter than he was willing to have known. There was a muscle flicking on his temple and his lips were white. Gracie realized with sudden surprise what a weight of responsibility Tellman had and how worried he must be. He knew exactly how far he and Pitt were from finding a solution, what a failure this whole task had been so far, and how it was getting no better even as the minutes passed. She should be helping him. After all, he was Pitt’s assistant. That was her real duty. She certainly should not be allowing his manner to put her off.
“You want to know who done that to Mr. McGinley, don’t yer?” she said urgently to Finn. “Any of us may ’ave seen summink.” She turned back to Tellman.
“I din’t come down till long after seven. First off, o’ course, I got up and dressed meself, then I made sure the mistress’s dressin’ room fire were lit an’ burnin’ proper. Then I fetched ’ot water for ’er ter wash in. I asked ’er if she wanted a cup o’ tea, but she didn’t. Then I got a cup o’ tea for Mr. Pitt, seein’ ’is valet were neglectful.” She gave him a meaningful look. He glared back at her but refrained from saying anything, although she could see his response in his eyes.
“And …” he prompted.
“An’ I ’elped ’er ter dress an’ do ’er ’air ….”
“How long did that take?” he asked with what she was sure was an edge of sarcasm.
“I don’ sit an’ watch the clock, Mr. Tellman. But since I were doin’ the work fer two,* longer than most.”
“You never helped the superintendent to dress?” he said with final incredulity.
“Course I didn’t! But I fetched water and brushed ’is shoes an’ ’is jacket, seein’ as ’is valet’s a useless article and were nowhere ter be seen. Then I came downstairs ter bring down the laundry an’ I passed Doll, that’s Mrs. Greville’s maid, on the stairs an’ ’ad a word wif ’er—”
“That doesn’t help,” Tellman interrupted.
“An’ about quarter ter nine I go to find Mrs. Pitt ter ask ’er about what she’d like ter wear for dinner, an’ I sees Miss Moynihan come down the front stairs and go ter the mornin’ room, an’ Mrs. McGinley in the conservatory wi’ Mr. Moynihan, standin’ much too close ter the door for the likes o’ wot they were doin’….”
Tellman pulled a face, from which his contempt was obvious.
Finn smiled as if he saw some bitter humor in that love affair.
“Go on,” Tellman said sharply. “Did you see anyone else?”
“Yeh. Mr. Doyle were leavin’ the ’all an’ goin’ ter the side door.”
“To where?”
“Ter the garden, o’ course.”
“What time?”
“I dunno. Ten minutes afore nine, mebbe?”
“You sure it was Mr. Doyle?”
“Don’ look funny at me like that! I know better than to say it were if I wasn’t sure. You jus’ remember I work in Mr. Pitt’s ’ouse, an’ I know as much about some of ’is cases as whatever you do.”
“Rubbish,” he said derisively.
“Oh, yes I do! ’cos I knows wot Mrs. Pitt does, an’ Mrs. Radley … an’ that’s more’n wot you do.”
He glared at her. “You got no business meddlin’ in police cases. Like as not you’ll do more harm than good and get yourself hurt, you stupid little girl!”
Gracie was cut to the core. She could think of no retaliation which was even remotely adequate to the insult, but she would remember it, so when the opportunity arose, she would crush him.
Tellman turned to Finn. “Mr. Hennessey, would you please tell me what you did, and anybody you saw, from seven o’clock onwards, and when you saw them. And don’t forget Mr. McGinley himself. That may help us to know how he learned about the dynamite but no one else did.”
“Yes …” Finn still looked very shaky. He had to make a considerable effort to keep his voice steady. “Like Gracie, the first thing I did was get up and shaved and dressed, then I went to Mr. McGinley’s dressing room to make sure the housemaid had lit the fire, which she had, and it was all cleaned and dusted properly. The servants here are very good.”
He did not see Tellman’s lip curl