Chapter 143:
Any Further
“She ain’t gonna be able to help us,” Mrs. Pepper shook her head. “Poor thing is too overcome.”
“Well, Mum, she knew Mrs. North for a lotta years.” George said softly.
“Sure she did. I don’t fault her for it. We’re all upset. I liked the ol’ woman.” Mrs. Pepper sighed. “But, if Mrs. Gall ain’t gonna help us with the cookin’, that means Jenny and me are gonna have to feed breakfast to the whole house.”
“I can help, too,” Ethel volunteered. “Maybe I don’t know as much as Jenny, but I seen ya cookin’ and I can do choppin’ and such.”
“Good girl, Ethel.” Mrs. Pepper smiled. “Gonna be a lot of dishes, too. Lots of washin’ for ya.”
“I can do both. All them people gotta eat.”
“Why’d the Duke make everyone stay?” Jenny asked innocently. “Why not let them all go to their own homes?”
“Because, girl,” Mrs. Pepper replied patiently. “One of them folk killed our Mrs. North and that Countess Hamish. His Grace couldn’t let them go. The bloke what killed them ladies would leave and not come back. So, he made everyone stay ‘til he could figure out which of ‘em done it.”
“What’s to say he didn’t already leave after he done what he done?” Jenny asked. “Before the Duke locked us all in?”
Mrs. Pepper shrugged. “Even so, maybe someone saw somethin’. It makes sense to keep ‘em all here.”
“I don’t much like the idea of bein’ locked in with a killer.” Ethel shivered.
“Don’t worry, girl. No one wants to kill you.” Mrs. Pepper clucked her tongue.
“Why’d anyone want to kill Mrs. North?” Ethel asked.
“Maybe she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.” Georgie answered. “’Haps she saw someone do somethin’ and said she’d tell or maybe she knew somethin’ she oughtn’t.”
“That’s one thing for sure,” Mrs. Pepper shrugged. “Mrs. North all what went on in this house.”
“Poor thing.” Ethel sighed. “I hate to think of her lyin’ up in her room—dead.”
“Better she rest in peace there than on the floor of the silver vaults.” Mrs. Pepper shook her head. “Such a sad thing.”
“And, the Countess—she’s still up in the blue room.”
“Terrible thing.” Jenny mumbled.
“Where is the Duke anyway?” Ethel asked. “He and the doctor been upstairs for hours now.”
“I heard there were some of his jewels missin’.” Jenny said.
“I tol’ ya that.” George frowned.
“Oh, that’s right.” Jenny nodded. “Maybe they caught the man what done it and they got him upstairs.”
“Ain’t seen Gerard nor Charlie in awhile.” Mrs. Pepper squinted. “Nor Gamilla.”
“Hope nothin’s wrong.” Georgie nodded.
“I ‘spect if there was, His Grace would tell us.” Mrs. Pepper replied. “Now, why don’t we put on the kettle? Mr. Speaight’s gonna be that tired when he comes down. Poor man, takin’ care o’ all them folk without the boys to help ‘im.”
“He’s got Finlay to help.” Jenny looked up.
“No, girl.” Mrs. Pepper shook her head.
“Where’s Finlay, then?” Ethel asked.
“Ain’t no one seen him.” Georgie answered.
“Well, ain’t that just like that one?” Ethel scowled.
“Somethin’ ‘bout ‘im I don’t like.” Georgie muttered.
“Ain’t our place to like ‘im, son.” Mrs. Pepper smiled.
George nodded at his mother.
“Nothin’ to like.” Ethel continued. “You know? Once I saw ‘im goin’ into Miss Barrett’s room.”
“What were you doin’ upstairs, girl?” Mrs. Pepper squawked.
“I’d gone to get the jewels what His Grace let me borrow for tonight. I had permission and all.”
“Sorry.” Mrs. Pepper nodded.
“Why’d Finlay be goin’ into Miss Barrett’s room?” Georgie asked.
“Bringin’ her somethin’ for her illness, I guess.” Jenny chimed in.
“They’re two of a kind, ain’t they?” Georgie asked.
“Here, why don’t no one like Miss Barrett?” Jenny wondered.
“The Duke likes her well ‘nough to let ‘er take care of Master Colin.” Mrs. Pepper replied. “And, that’s good ‘nough for me.”
“I don’t like the looks of her.” Ethel sighed. “She’s got a mean look to her.”
“She ain’t ugly though.” Jenny said.
“No.” Ethel shook her head. “Say, you know what’s strange?”
“I can think of a few things.” Mrs. Pepper winked at her son who chuckled.
“No, no.” Ethel frowned. “When we was upstairs at the ball, I was lookin’ at the paintin’s on the wall of the Great Hall—all them portraits and such.”
“What of it?” George asked.
“Well—all them folks, they’re the Duke’s family, yes?”
“Yes. Most of them on his father’s side—the Molliners.”
“But, there’s the one big paintin’ at the back of the hall—a paintin’ of the Duke when he were younger with his ma and his pa and his sister.” Ethel continued.
“Sure.” Mrs. Pepper nodded. “I saw it. His Grace looks quite the same as he does now—only he’s got roses in his cheeks now.”
“It ain’t the Duke what I was lookin’ at.”
“No?” Jenny asked.
“No, it was his sister.”
“Poor soul, I hear she’s dead.” Mrs. Pepper shook her head.
“But, didn’t ya notice?” Ethel scowled.
“What?” Mrs. Pepper asked.
“Lady Barbara looked an awful lot like Miss Barrett.” Ethel replied.
“Now ya mention it,” Mrs. Pepper narrowed her eyes. “She did.”
“Ain’t that queer?” Ethel asked.
“Well, it’s hard to tell from a paintin’.” Mrs. Pepper shrugged. “Besides, lots of girls look alike.”
“Somethin’ ‘bout the eyes.” Ethel went on. “Just the same. Same mean eyes.”
“Go put the kettle on, girl.” Mrs. Pepper chuckled. “And stop your foolish talk.”
“Yes, Mrs. Pepper.” Ethel nodded sadly. She rose from the table where they were all seated and wandered off to the kitchens.
Ethel was surprised to see that the lamps in the kitchens had all been extinguished. Had she known was awaited her, she’d not have gone any further.
Did you miss Chapters 1-142 of Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square? If so, you can read them here. Come back tomorrow for Chapter 144.
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