Dear Laura

by Jean Stubbs

  ‘Why was that, I wonder? You were – how old? – thirty-four or five? How long had you been in her service?’

  ‘Five year, sir. But I had to leave sudden, on account of my complaint, and she took agin me in consequence.’

  ‘What was the nature of your complaint, Mrs Hill?’

  The cook said delicately, ‘Female trouble, sir.’

  ‘You cast yourself on Mr Crozier’s mercy?’

  ‘Yes, sir. I saw he was a-advertising and I went along. I was pretty near desperate, sir, and I spoke out honest and begged him to give me a chance. It’s a serious thing, sir, to be given no reference. She could as well have snatched the bread from my mouth and let me starve. And I’d had enough of worriting and sickness without that!’

  ‘Quite, Mrs Hill. But your late master took you on trust?’

  ‘He did, sir. He said as we was all here to help one another and he’d give me six month on trial. We started off together, so’s to speak, and I thought as we should end off together – the more’s the pity.’

  ‘Were your master and mistress happy together, my dear?’

  She hesitated, and then said, ‘No sir, they wasn’t. They was civil enough in public, only – living in the same house – you can’t help noticing what goes on in private.’

  ‘Did he treat her harshly, would you say?’

  ‘Well, sir, he did and he didn’t, in a manner of speaking. Mr Crozier and me knew where we was with one another. He’d say, “I don’t like this or that, Mrs Hill!” Outright. “Very well, sir,” I’d say, “you shan’t be, troubled by it no more.” Or else, if it was somethink as he’d overlooked, I could say, “Excuse me, sir, but have you noticed such-and-such?” And he’d say, “No, Mrs Hill, I had not, but now you mention it we’ll say no more.” Straight out, sir. But the mistress – I’m not a-blaming her for it, it was the way she was brought up – she’d never come right out with anythink. Always coaxing him, or hiding things from him, and that he could never abide. So they never understood each other, in a way, sir.’

  ‘Ah!’ said Lintott. ‘An upright man. How do you account for this mistress of his, then? That wasn’t very Christian behaviour, was it?’

  ‘Well, sir, if you don’t get nothink but coldness at home you look for it outside. But it may not have been him, sir, it may have been Mr Titus. He’s been in many a corner, what with women and money troubles, and Mr Crozier got him out. Besides, I’ve a niece as works for Mr Titus. She goes in every day and cleans his rooms. Though I warned her, and she keeps herself pure. Not that he’d fancy her, anyway. She’s a good girl, but she’s got a strawberry mark all down one side of her face. But what she’s told me about him’d make your hair curl!’

  ‘Do you think he and your mistress were over-warm towards each other?’

  ‘Not to be truthful, sir. Oh, we all gets round the kitchen table of an evening and has a chat and a laugh and that. But, no. I was here at the beginning and they was always jolly together, like a sister with a favourite brother. There’s no more to it than that, and she looks to be admired.’

  *

  ‘I never seen such a pair o’ babies in all my born days!’ said Mrs Hill to her stockpot, but the comment was not unkind.

  This new household, a fortnight old, already rolled sedately under her management. A new and awkward housemaid promised to do well enough, but must be snapped to perfection. Fortunately, May’s quiet prettiness enabled her to act as parlourmaid too. And when Mrs Hill could find no fault in May there was always the new kitchenmaid, whose background and competence left most things to be desired. Then the mistress, eighteen and already sickly with her first, had been grateful for guidance.

  ‘I’ll just take the menu upstairs, May,’ said the Cook, ‘and see if Mrs Crozier approves.’

  ‘They’re a-playing with a jigsaw, Auntie.’

  ‘Auntie?’ Outraged.

  ‘I mean, Mrs Hill, Auntie. I keep forgetting.’

  ‘Well, just you remember in future. Auntie, indeed. What’s this about a jigsaw, then?’

  ‘Mr Titus found one of them big old jigsaws in his boxes in the lumber-room, and he’s spread it all out on the parlour floor and the mistress is a-directing of him with the pieces.’

  ‘I must see this,’ said Mrs Hill, mounting the stairs. ‘They’ll have to clear it away afore the master comes home!’

  *

  Laura was in her old element: cosseted because of her condition, and even presented with a playmate to while along the hours.

  ‘I have not done a puzzle for years,’ Titus said, concentrating on finding straight-edged pieces. ‘And this is a confounded difficult one, Laura, there is so much sky.’

  ‘Is it a pastoral scene? There is the head of a crook.’

  ‘Pastoral in the extreme, with a moral in the shape of a lurking wolf.’

  ‘I do not care for the wolf, Titus.’

  ‘He shall be kept out, if you so command, madam.’

  ‘But there will be a hole in the jigsaw, then.’

  ‘Better an unfinished picture than that you should be disturbed. I have been given orders only to amuse you, and all fearful things are to be kept from your mind, Laura.’

  The knowledge of the coming child, unmentionable, lay delicately between them.

  She considered his russet head and absorbed face, the elegance of his attitude: a graceful dandy sprawling at her feet, paying compliments.

  ‘You are so unlike Theodore in every way,’ she observed. ‘Did you, perhaps, take after one parent and not the other?’

  ‘I am a changeling,’ said Titus with satisfaction. ‘All our family are, or were, honest and upright and sober. I am none of those things, Laura. My late mother named me Titus Alexander, no doubt expecting me to conquer new worlds. I assure you I shall do no such conquering. The present world is good enough for me.’

  ‘Do you not desire to rise in it, Titus?’

  ‘Not particularly. In fact not at all. But no doubt Theodore will see that I acquit myself in some aspect. I owe that to him at least.’

  ‘I think he is fonder of you than anyone.’

  You seem the only person of whom he is genuinely fond.

  ‘His heart has been captured by another, and I do not blame him for that!’

  I had not thought his taste was so excellent.

  ‘I fear that you must find it very dull to stay at home during your vacation, and entertain me. I beg you will not deprive yourself of gayer company.’

  Do not leave me, for you are all I understand in this strange new life.

  ‘I wish for no more charming lady, and for no other occupation than to fashion her a wooden scene upon her parlour floor.’

  I shall, in any case, be going out this evening to find less spiritual companions.

  ‘When I am better we must have a musical evening, Titus. And as a good sister-in-law I shall endeavour to amuse you with a circle of pretty young ladies who are unattached. I must matchmake, now I am married! I shall be an assiduous matchmaker!’

  I am not jealous.

  ‘I shall reject a thousand beautiful young ladies, since there will be none among them to compare with you, Laura.’

  I have no intention of settling down with one when there are so many.

  ‘You are a tease, Titus. Let me help you with the jigsaw, pray.’

  ‘You are not allowed to stir from your sofa, my dear sister-in-law, and I am doing uncommonly well by myself.’

  ‘Indeed, you are not. That piece does not go there but elsewhere. Besides, I wish to set the flowers in.’

  Titus gave the offending squiggle a smart slap with the palm of one hand, and it shot into Laura’s lap.

  ‘You see?’ she cried, delighted. ‘You are quite hopeless at such an intricate occupation. I demand to be allowed to help. Pray assist me.’

  Carefully he settled her on the floor beside him, and watched the ballet of her fingers. Knowing, without looking, that he was admiring her, she smiled round at him.

 
‘Is it not pleasant that we agree so well? Relatives do not always do so.’

  ‘You do not know me yet, Laura. I get into fearful scrapes, and often annoy Theodore – though he comes to, in the end. You will become a respectable matron in a few years, and order me from the house!’

  She laughed, and cried, ‘I shall never change towards you, Titus!’

  ‘Promise me that, Laura. Here,’ prising a small gold coin from his watch chain, ‘here is your pledge. Heaven knows what will befall you if you break your word! I tremble to think!’

  ‘I shall put it in my jewel box,’ said Laura, enchanted.

  ‘And do not tell Theodore,’ said Titus ruefully. ‘He will think me a perfect fool, and so I am.’

  ‘Then let us be foolish together. That will be our secret.’

  *

  ‘Ours is a big family, and very close,’ said Mrs Hill, smiling. ‘I know what it’s like to be over-fond of somebody, but no harm in it. My nephew, George, is going for a drummer, sir. The day as I see him in the Queen’s uniform’ll be the proudest day of my life.’

  Her face shone. Inspector Lintott considered her, but without the acid speculation he had bestowed upon Miss Nagle.

  ‘You’re ruining my case for me, my dear,’ he said in a jocular manner. ‘I can’t see who should do away with your master, or for what! You make it all sound so fair and reasonable. Come now, admit that these pleasant evenings over the kitchen table spoiled your judgement! You think a great deal of your late master, and don’t want to say that he made a fool of himself with a trollop – and took his life out of remorse, perhaps?’

  Her face changed.

  ‘Mr Crozier never died by his own hand, sir. What do you want me to say?’

  ‘I want you to be as honest with me as you were with your master. You must think someone murdered him. So who, and why, and how?’

  ‘Mr Titus, sir. My niece told me he nearly had the bailiffs in. They’re holding off now, seeing as he can get at the firm’s money. Mr Titus was training for a doctor when I first started here, but they sent him down in his second year. I don’t know why, but I can guess, sir. So he’d know all about poisoning.’

  She had worked it out: rolling her light pastry, mixing her rich cakes, stirring her savoury sauces, ruminating.

  ‘He was the one that took the port decanter upstairs, and give Mr Crozier a glass or two. He put them pills in the port wine.’

  ‘Oh, we’re back to that gritty decanter, are we?’ said Lintott, amused, good-natured. ‘And you call yourself a judge of character, my dear. I’m surprised at you! Have you ever met a poisoner? No, I thought not. I have. They work in the dark, as you might say. Cool sort of folk. Secretive, calculating, clever, and capable of lying you blue in the face. Is that your Mr Titus?’

  ‘Yes,’ she cried passionately, ‘that’s his very image, sir!’

  *

  ‘May?’ Mrs Hill called, and then to herself, ‘Drat that girl! She’s never where she’s wanted. May!’ walking through to the scullery.

  The girl was doubled over, arms clasped round her belly, in the cold twilight of the store-room. As the cook approached uncertainly, face concerned, May whimpered, ‘I’m very sorry, Auntie, I can’t help it!’

  Apologizing for the life that was seeping out on the stone floor.

  ‘Oh, my God Almighty,’ whispered Mrs Hill. ‘Almighty God, May, why ever didn’t you tell me, girl? Let me get you up the backstairs to your bed.’

  ‘It came on sudden. She said as it would. I’m sorry for the mess.’

  ‘Oh, May, you’ve never been to one of them women? How did you find her out?’

  ‘Mr Titus told me. He paid. He said as I wasn’t to tell, so don’t you, will you?’

  Confronting the august majesty of Theodore, accusing the charm of Titus. And being told what? That May lied? That the word of a gentleman should be sufficient? That she and her niece might leave the house for good?

  ‘I can’t say nothink, May, you know that. Here, let me get you upstairs. Where’s Miss Nagle? She’ll know what to do for the best. Did he force you?’

  ‘Oh no,’ May whispered, heavy in her arms. ‘I fancied him, you see. He was always such a gentleman.’

  ‘You didn’t throw yourself at him, I hope?’ But without the vigour of her usual questioning.

  The heavy head moving from side to side in moaning dissent.

  ‘Oh, Miss Nagle!’ cried Mrs Hill, as the nanny appeared scandalized in the doorway. ‘It’s poor May, and I know as she’s been a bad girl but she needs help.’

  In the end they had to fetch Dr Padgett, who could do no more than ease her out of this world and into the next, with a prayer that God would forgive this sinner. May kept faith: refusing to inform on anyone, sparing the Croziers the embarrassment of exposure and a police inquiry.

  Sternly dignified, Mrs Hill sought a private interview with Titus. He denied everything, as she had expected he would. His head was held a little more arrogantly than usual, his hazel eyes looked slightly beyond her, his manner was easy but wary. When he had dismissed the subject he dismissed her, too.

  ‘I’ll never forgive him, sir, never,’ said the cook. ‘You never saw anythink like poor May’s condition in all your born days. Makes me sick to think on it, even yet.’

  Lintott said drily, ‘I’ve seen it all, Mrs Hill. I walk St Giles.’

  ‘Anythink as Mr Titus wants, sir, he gets. By fair means or foul. And he talks hisself out of everythink. You see, sir, he gets folk on his side. Like Mrs Crozier. She could be shielding him for all we know. And the master would never hear a word against him. Pay out and cover up, that’s how it was, sir. For fifteen year.’

  ‘You’re a handsome figure of a woman, Mrs Hill,’ said Lintott, partly from kindness. ‘You never married?’

  She came out of an old sorrow, smoothed her apron, and replied, ‘I had my way to make, sir, and I was the eldest. They needed my wages. By the time the children was all set up in life it was on the late side for me.’

  ‘A pity,’ said Lintott. ‘You would have made somebody a good wife and been a good mother.’

  14

  ‘If he knew her value right, he’d rather lose his greatness and his fortune piece by piece and beg his way in rags from door to door, I say to some and all, he would! … than bring the sorrow on her tender heart that I have seen it suffer in this house!’

  Dombey and Son – Charles Dickens

  ‘Now Kate,’ said Lintott, indulging in a little fanciful jocularity. ‘Good Kate, pretty Kate, and never – I’ll bet on it! – Kate the Shrew. That’s Shakespeare, that is. My elder daughter learned me that. Sit down, my dear. I’m very interested in you, Kate. Just copy that out, will you, my love? Nasty, ain’t it?’

  Her forehead crinkled in distaste as she obeyed.

  ‘You’ve had more schooling than the others, Kate. In fact,’ he surveyed her with respectful admiration, ‘you’re quite the lady, Kate.’

  ‘I hope something like, sir,’ but she spoke softly, mollified.

  ‘You watch your mistress as well as watching over her, eh? Model yourself on her? A very handsome woman, Mrs Crozier, but paler than I like a lady to be. This business will have upset her a great deal.’

  ‘Not only that, sir,’ Kate confided, losing her wariness in face of his paternal manner and the kindness with which he spoke of Laura. ‘She was badly done by, sir.’

  ‘A hard man, your late master. Hard but just, I understand.’

  ‘He had his good qualities,’ Kate admitted. ‘I had no complaint over the way he treated me.’

  ‘What wages did he pay you, Kate?’

  ‘Twenty-five pounds a year, sir, and my keep. Very fair. And, of course, Mrs Crozier gives me her clothes, so I don’t waste my money on finery like Harriet does.’

  ‘Is Harriet fond of the feathers, then, my dear?’

  Kate giggled before she could stop herself, and Lintott grinned at her.

  ‘Harriet don’t – doesn’t – k
now any better, sir. You should see her on her day off! But everyone likes her.’

  ‘Just so. A good-natured wench. How old might you be, Kate? You don’t look above twenty.’

  ‘I’m twenty-six, sir,’ and to his raised eyebrows she replied proudly, ‘and I’ve had many a chance of marriage, but I don’t want to settle down just yet.’

  ‘Flying higher than sparrows, eh, my love? Well, to my knowledge, ladies’ maids usually marry butlers. Now I’ll wager there’s some gentleman’s gentleman walks you on the Common of a Sunday afternoon, isn’t there?’

  Kate looked down, and coloured.

  ‘Your mistress won’t care to lose you, Kate. You’re very close to her, ain’t you? How close, Kate?’

  His tone hardened and her flush deepened, but she met his eyes resolutely.

  ‘You’ll excuse me, sir, meaning no disrespect, but I’ve done nothing to be ashamed of. I’ll answer your questions truthful as you please, but I won’t be bullied, sir. If you’ll excuse me saying so.’

  His smile returned in all its benevolence.

  ‘Bully you, Kate? I never bully anybody.’ A dimple showed in her cheek. ‘Who do I bully, now, Kate?’ he asked genially.

  ‘Oh, you know well enough what I mean, sir. They was – were – all frightened to death of you in the kitchen. And you meant them to be.’

  Lintott pointed a finger at her smile.

  ‘I said you were a sharp one, Kate. Come now, my dear, I know I can’t frighten you. You know what they’re all saying about your mistress, don’t you? Well, we don’t believe it and we want to help her, don’t we? Put them all to shame and let her rest easy in her mind again. Eh, my dear?’

  ‘I never saw her behave with Mr Titus except as a lady should. It was all him, sir. He’s too fond of my mistress but that isn’t her fault. She has a deal of admiration from the gentlemen in the proper way. But him, sir. I’ve seen a many like him. Girls of my sort can get in trouble with a gentleman of his sort. He knows better than to pinch my cheek, sir, or chuck me under the chin!’