Free Victorian Maiden by Gary Dolman Page B

certainly may not, Mr Fox. You brought this ‘relation of the family’ here, and so your task is complete. I asked the good doctor here what happened, and with all due respect to him, I expect him to answer me.”
    Douglas’ eyes remained fixed on Roberts’.
    â€œVery well, Inspector, here goes: The relation of the family Mr Fox previously described as the likely killer of my grandfather is my Aunt, Elizabeth Wilson. She used to live here many years ago with my grandfather, who was also her uncle.”
    â€œYour grandfather being Mr Alfred Roberts, the deceased,” Hainsworth interrupted.
    â€œYes, Detective Sergeant. My aunt left the house when she was still just a girl and we decided that it would…”
    â€œâ€˜We decided’? Dr Roberts… whom do you mean by ‘we’?” Douglas demanded.
    â€œI beg your pardon, Inspector Douglas, I meant ‘I’. I decided that it would be for the best if she were to return here to Sessrum House to live out her dotage with me.”
    Douglas regarded him thoughtfully.
    â€œAnd precisely why did ‘you’ decide that would that be for the best, Doctor?”
    â€œIt was because my aunt suffers from senile dementia.”
    Roberts’ voice seemed suddenly stronger, more confident. He was on his home ground.
    â€œShe’s quite elderly and her condition is deteriorating rapidly. I decided as a psychiatric doctor that it would be better if she lived here, under my direct care. I also brought in a nurse to attend to her daily needs.”
    â€œVery noble of you, I’m sure. And this happened only yesterday, as Mr Fox has so kindly told us already. But then tell me, why would you need, let me see, commissioned investigators, of Mr and Mrs Fox’ esteemed reputation, just to fetch your elderly aunt to come and live with you? Surely any common cabriolet driver could have fetched her for a couple of shillings?”
    Roberts hesitated and threw a second pleading glance at Atticus.
    â€œMiss Wilson spent many years at addresses in Starbeck and Knaresborough, Inspector,” Atticus replied for him. “Dr Roberts was not yet born at the time that she left this house, and the family had long since lost all contact. We needed to trace her whereabouts before we could bring her back.”
    Douglas’ gaze shifted between Atticus and Roberts, and then fell on Lucie.
    He said: “I have been a serving policeman for well over five-and-twenty years now, Mrs Fox. During that time, I have not been idle. No ma’am. I have developed many, very useful skills. One of those skills is the uncanny ability to know when someone is not being entirely straightforward with me, and I am getting that distinct impression now, with your husband and with your client.”
    Lucie smiled disarmingly.
    â€œVery well, Inspector: What my husband and our principal have not yet had chance to tell you is that Miss Wilson has been living in workhouses since she left Sessrum House. Those were the addresses in Starbeck and Knaresborough my husband was referring to. She didn’t care at all for her uncle who by all accounts was very unkind to her, and she fled to the poor-law when she was just fifteen years old.”
    â€œAh, at last… Finally we make progress. Thank you, Mrs Fox. That wasn’t too difficult now, was it? Don’t be shy of telling us the family secrets. We’re quite used to them. I always say, don’t I, Hainsworth, that there’s many a dark secret to be found lurking behind the prettily-painted doors of the well-to-do.”
    He leaned back into the chaise longue and rested his hands comfortably behind his head.
    â€œDo go on with your tale, Doctor. It’s becoming quite intriguing.”
    Roberts licked his lips.
    â€œVery well, Inspector: Sister Lovell, the nurse who came with Aunt Elizabeth from… well, from the Union Workhouse at Knaresborough, put her to her bed last night