Robert had seemed delighted by the two collie puppies and had nominated Joseph Cobbins, who had taken a great liking to the dogs, as their primary keeper. Between the two of them, Lucy was fairly certain the collies would soon settle in. She hadn’t received a Christmas kitten. Robert had tactfully suggested she go to the inn and pick out a favorite for herself.
Mr. Clapper had been locked in the room next door to Josephine’s so that James could guard him, as well. Andrew had said he was willing to take both of them up to London and consult with the Hillcott family as to their desire for prosecution. Lucy knew that Robert would be relieved not to have to deal with Josephine and might even be inclined to ask for clemency for her.
Robert reached up his hand to grasp hers. “It has certainly been an eventful Christmastide, has it not, my dear?”
“Indeed.” She smiled down at him. “I cannot say that I have enjoyed every aspect of it. How did you guess that Mr. Clapper was blackmailing Miss Broomfield? That was very clever of you, sir.”
He smiled. “I can’t take all the credit. I finished reading Miss Broomfield’s diary the other night, and she made some mention of being blackmailed. It didn’t take much to put two and two together.”
“I wonder if Josephine was the one who hid the box containing the diary and the other personal items up the chimney. It certainly would’ve helped her gain an advantage over Miss Broomfield.”
“Seeing as Miss Broomfield was the person who asked to have the chimney cleared, she either suspected something was up there, wanted to get it back, or had no idea.” He sighed. “I have no idea which is the right answer on that one, but it was a very useful coincidence for us.”
“I wonder if the packet I found in the top cupboard contained the letters that were sent out later or if Josephine wrote them?” Lucy wondered aloud. “It would certainly explain why they were taken from me after I fell.”
“There are many things, I suspect, we will never fully understand about this matter,” Robert mused.
“I went up to see Josephine earlier,” Lucy said. “She admitted cutting Margaret Greenwell’s saddle girth. Apparently, Margaret had worked out that Josephine was writing the letters, and was threatening to tell her mother. That’s how Margaret knew about Miss Broomfield. Josephine was very subdued but showed no guilt or remorse over what she had done. I find that difficult to understand.”
“There are people in this world who can kill without emotion. I’ve met plenty of them in the military. But this is the first time I’ve seen the signs in someone so young,” Robert said.
“I know that Josephine must have had a hard life, but she was never abandoned or left to starve. She had a home, the opportunity to advance herself under our patronage, and, until recently, a mother who loved her.” Lucy shook her head. “If she had told you the truth from the start, I know you would’ve done your utmost to help her.”
“But she didn’t really want that, either, did she?” Robert pointed out. “She enjoyed dispensing her own particular brand of justice, just as did Miss Broomfield.”
Lucy shivered as she pictured Josephine’s blank gaze and complete indifference to the havoc she had caused around her.
“I will pray for them,” she said.
“That is very generous of you.” Robert drew her down to sit on his knee in a very inappropriate manner. “Because I am finding it quite hard to forgive either of them at the moment.”
“I will be glad when this year is over.”
His grip on her hand tightened, and he leaned in to kiss her mouth. “Perhaps we should look forward to the New Year, agree to put this one behind us, and start afresh,” Robert said firmly.
“For once, my very dear Robert,” Lucy said, “I am in absolute and complete agreement with you.”
Death Comes to the School Page 26
