Charles Todd - A matter of Justice

"Penrith is known to many people in Cambury. He came here from time to time, when he and Quarles were partners. Would they have considered him a stranger?"

"I expect they wouldn't."

"Yet the evidence is clear. He was in Scotland."

Padgett capped his pen and threw it down on the desk. "Brunswick's a coldblooded chap. That fits the fact that the body was moved and trussed up in that rig. It's not everyone's cup of tea, touching someone they've just killed."

Rutledge said, "Tell me again why you acted so quickly to summon the Yard while Quarles was still up there in the harness? Before you'd even had time to consider the evidence."

Inspector Padgett smiled. "I wanted to walk away with clean hands. The man put me in the wrong with the Chief Constable twice over. Third time's unlucky. No one can say I didn't follow the rules to the letter. Even his widow. I got my own back there. I'm satisfied."

It was late. The day had worn on to the point that clouds had rolled in and the sunset was lost behind them.

Rutledge walked in the churchyard for a time, unable to bear his room-when he had come back to it, it had felt close, claustrophobic, as if storm clouds were moving in. He had left at once and, without conscious thought, found himself in the grassy paths that wandered among the headstones.

Hamish, reflecting his own mood, was giving Rutledge the rough edge of his tongue. Reminding him that barely a year before he'd been a broken man in the clinic to which his sister, Frances, had removed him. Rutledge couldn't recall much of that change. The new surroundings had confused him, and Dr. Fleming, looking for a handhold on his new patient's sanity, was probing into things best left buried deep and covered over with layer upon layer of excuses.

He hadn't expected to survive. He hadn't cared much either way, except when he saw his sister's troubled face, the strain and exhaustion almost mirroring his own as she sat with him hour after hour, day after day, seldom sleeping, sometimes taking his hand, or when he couldn't bear to be touched, talking softly to him about the distant past. About anything but the war. Or Jean, who had walked away and never looked back.

Now he was pacing a Somerset churchyard, debating his own wisdom.

To Rutledge's surprise, Padgett hadn't taken Brunswick into custody. Still, he was preparing to present their findings in the case to the Chief Constable in the morning and ask for an inquest to be held. And afterward Rutledge would be free to leave for London.

Rutledge cut across what Hamish was saying, the soft Scots voice, heavy with accusation and condemnation, finally falling silent.

"Who wrecked the bakery? I'd feel better about the case if that had been cleared up."

There was no answer from Hamish.

"There has to be a reason for it. A hand behind it. But whose?"

Silence.

"No one's shed a tear for the man-"

But that was wrong. One person had. The maid, Betty, who cleaned Quarles's rooms and kept the gatehouse tidy. Who had been left a bequest of money when all she wanted from her employer was the promise of a roof over her head when he died.

Rutledge had almost forgot her. She was a pale figure on the fringe of the group of servants, a tired woman folding the sheets, feeling her years, wondering what was to become of her.

Rutledge turned back to The Unicorn's yard and retrieved his motorcar. As he did, a few drops of rain splashed the windscreen, leaving dusty blotches.

By the time he reached Hallowfields, it was coming down in earnest, and a rumble of thunder sounded in the distance. He dashed through the rain to the door and knocked loudly. The footman who answered seemed not to know what to do about the policeman on the steps, and Rutledge said, "I'm here to see one of the maids. Take me to the servants' hall, if you please."

The man stepped back and let him enter. Rutledge walked briskly toward the door leading to the servants' stairs and found the staff gathered in Mrs. Downing's sitting room, listening to the Sunday evening reading from the Bible. Heads turned as he stood in the doorway.

Mrs. Downing said, "We're at prayers."

"I'll wait in the passage."

He shut the door and walked a dozen steps away, listening to the soft murmur of voices. After five minutes or so, Mrs. Downing came out of her sitting room, her face severe.

"What is it this time?"

"I'd like to speak to Betty. The woman who took care of Mr. Quarles's-"

"Yes. I know who she is. Give me a minute."

She went back into her parlor and dismissed the staff, keeping Betty with her. When they had gone about their duties, she herself left the room and held the door open for Rutledge to enter.

Betty was waiting, apprehension in her face.

Rutledge asked her to sit down, then told her they had very likely found her employer's murderer. It would be only a matter of days before it was official.

Her hands clenched in her lap, she said, "Who is it?"

"I'm not at liberty to tell you that. But it isn't Hugh Jones, the baker."

He could read her emotions as they flitted across her face. Surprise. Bewilderment. Shame.

"They were talking in the servants' hall," she said. "The man who brings the milk told the scullery maid that he'd confessed."

"Mr. Jones gave the police a statement. It wasn't a confession. He won't be arrested."

"Why are you telling me this? And not the others?"

"Because I think you know. Did you go to the bakery in the middle of the night? Was it you who destroyed everything you could lay hands to?"

Tears filled her eyes but didn't fall. "He's been good to me. M-Mr. Quarles. No one else cared, but I did. I wanted to punish whoever had killed him. I wanted to make him as wretched as I was."

"You succeeded in making Mr. Jones wretched. He didn't deserve it."

"But they talk, the servants. I hear them. His daughter had come home, and he was distraught. Everyone said he was the only one who could have put Mr. Quarles up in that wicker cage. They said he'd done it to show that Mr. Quarles was no angel, that he'd tormented the Jones family until they couldn't stand it any longer."

"Yes, I know. The police nearly made that same mistake. But it wasn't true. You owe him an apology, and restitution."

"How can I pay for what I've done? I only have my wages." She was gripping her hands together until the knuckles were white. And then she looked at Rutledge. "He said terrible things about Mr. Quarles when he sent his daughter away. What does he owe for that?"

"You aren't Mr. Quarles's defender. He has a wife and a son to protect his good name."

"His wife hated him as much as the rest did. But the boy, Marcus, is a good child. He would have made his father proud. It's hard to think of him fatherless. If they hang this man you've decided killed Mr. Quarles, I'd like to be there."

"Why do you think his wife turned against him? It was a happy marriage for some time, or so I was led to believe."

"And so it was. I was never told what it is she holds against him. But she said once, when she didn't know I was there, if she knew a way, she'd wash the very blood out of Master Marcus's veins if it would do any good. Mr. Archer called that a cruel thing to say, but she answered him sharply. 'You can't imagine what cruelty is, Charles. I can't sleep at night for remembering what was done.' "

"You've known Mr. Quarles for some years. What was his wife talking about?"

"He was a hard man, but not half the things said about him are true. I think she wanted an excuse to live with Mr. Archer, to make it right in her own eyes. I think she believed he'd feel better about living under her roof if he thought she was married to a monster." She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "He was good to me. That's all I know. No one else ever was."