Traitors Gate - Anne Perry [116]
“Mr. Richards is busy,” the man went on, leading Pitt through the kitchen and into the butler’s pantry. “And the footmen are in the hall. The maids are all too upset to answer the door.”
Pitt had assumed he was a footman, but apparently he was mistaken.
“Who are you?” he asked.
“Coachman, George Bragg.”
Pitt looked at the arm. “When did you do that?”
“Last night” He smiled bitterly. “It’s only a scald. It’ll mend.”
“Then you did not drive Mrs. Chancellor when she went out?”
“No sir. She took a hansom. Mr. Chancellor went with her to get one. She was going to be some time, and Mr. Chancellor himself was planning to go out later, in the carriage.”
“They keep only one carriage?” Pitt was surprised. Carriages, horses and general harness and livery were marks of social standing. Most people kept as many and of as high a quality as they could, often running into debt to maintain them.
“Oh no sir,” Bragg said hastily. “But Mrs. Chancellor hadn’t been planning to go out, and so we hadn’t got the big carriage harnessed up, and Mr. Chancellor was going to use the brougham himself, later. She was going only less than a mile away. I daresay she’d have walked it in daylight.”
“So it was after dark when she left?”
“Oh yes sir. About half past nine, I would say. And looked like it could come on to rain. But Lily saw her go. She would tell you more exact. That is if she can pull herself together long enough. She was very fond of Mrs. Chancellor, and she’s in a terrible state.”
“If you can find her, please,” Pitt requested.
George left Pitt alone to do as he asked, and was gone nearly a quarter of an hour before he returned with a red-faced, puffy-eyed girl of about eighteen, who was obviously extremely distressed.
“Good morning, Lily,” Pitt said quietly. “Please sit down.”
Lily was so unused to being asked to sit in the presence of superiors, she did not comprehend the order.
“Sit down, Lily.” George pushed her with a gentle hand into the chair.
“George says you saw Mrs. Chancellor leave the house last night, Lily,” Pitt began. “Is that so?”
“Yes sir.” She sniffed.
“Do you know what time that was?”
“About half past nine, sir. I’m not sure exact.”
“Tell me what happened.”
“I were up on the landing, from turning down the beds, an’ I saw the mistress going across the ‘all to the front door.” She gulped. “She were wearin’ her blue cloak which she’s so fond of. I saw her go out the front door. That’s the truth. I swear it is.” She started to cry again, quietly and with surprising dignity.
“And you usually turn the beds down at half past nine?”
“Yes, yes … sir …”
“Thank you. That’s all I need to trouble you for. Oh—except, you saw Mrs. Chancellor. Did you see Mr. Chancellor as well?”
“No, sir. ’e must a’ gone out already.”
“I see. Thank you.”
She stood up with a little assistance from George, and left the room, closing the door behind her.
“Is there anyone else you need to see, sir?” the coachman asked.
“You said Mr. Chancellor went out later?”
“Yes sir.”
“But you didn’t drive him?” Pitt looked at the arm in the sling.
“No, sir. I hurt my arm before he went out, in fact just before. Mr. Chancellor drove himself. He’s quite good with a light vehicle. He could manage the brougham easily, and of course he’d called down before, so it was already harnessed.”
“I see. Thank you. Do you know what time he came back?”
“No sir. But he’s often late. Cabinet meetings and the like can go on half the night, if the government’s got troubles … and when hasn’t it?”
“Indeed. Thank you, I don’t think there is anything else I need to ask here, at least for the moment. Unless you can tell me anything you think may be of use?”
“No sir. It’s the most terrible thing I ever heard. I don’t know what can have happened.” He looked grieved and confused.
Pitt left, his mind full of doubts and ugly speculation. He walked back along Bruton Street deep in thought. Susannah had told her husband that she was going to see Christabel Thorne,