Julian Kestrel 01 - Cut to the Quick by Kate Ross

Author:Kate Ross [Ross, Kate]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Mystery, Historical
ISBN: 9781934609491
Google: B-QxQwAACAAJ
Amazon: 1934609498
Goodreads: 351385
Publisher: Penguin Crime
Published: 1992-12-31T23:00:00+00:00

19: MRS. WARREN'S EVIDENCE

It was Mrs. Warren's turn to make her statement. She got through the preliminaries well enough. Her name was Deborah Warren, she lived alone in a cottage half a mile west of Alderton, her husband had died some years ago, and she supported herself by growing vegetables and doing fine sewing for weddings and christenings. Her cottage, which she rented from Sir Robert, had a spare room she let to the occasional woman lodger.

"And, oh, sir, I hadn't had a lodger in weeks, and I did need the money so, or I'd never have taken her in! Right from the start I feared she was no better nor she should be, what with her being a foreigner, and travelling all alone like that. Pretty, too, and dressed in them fine clothes—and no ring on her finger! But she looked well able to pay for her room and board, and I just couldn't bring myself to turn her away. And she never did pay!" Mrs. Warren's voice rose to a wail. "It's a punishment on me, that I let a wicked girl under my roof! God forgive me for speaking ill of the dead, but she must have had something wrong about her, or she wouldn't have got herself killed like that!"

"How much did she owe you?" said Sir Robert.

Mrs. Warren, who was dabbing her eyes with her apron, looked up and blinked at him hopefully. "I reckoned it out at two shillings ninepence, sir."

"I shall take responsibility for the debt. Rawlinson, be good enough to pay Mrs. Warren before she leaves."

"Oh, God bless you, sir, thank you!" She blew her nose. "In all fairness to the young lady, I can't rightly say she never meant to pay, for she went out yesterday morning leaving her bag with all her things in it behind her, like she meant to come back, only—only—" Her voice trailed away.

"When did you first meet her?" Sir Robert asked.

"She knocked on my door about half past seven the night afore last. She gave no name, and I didn't ask for one. She didn't seem to want to say much about herself, and I didn't like to ask, because, as I told you, sir, I wasn't easy in my mind about letting her stay, and I didn't want to know no more about her than I had to. I just called her 'miss.' I showed her the room, and she said she'd take it. She didn't make any fuss about the cost." Mrs. Warren furrowed her brow. "I don't know what else to tell you. I asked her if she'd be wanting her meals, and she said yes."

"Did she tell you why she had come to Alderton?" asked Sir Robert.

"No, sir."

"Did you ask her how long she meant to stay?" asked Julian.

"Why, yes, sir, now you mention it, I did, and she said—she said—It's hard to remember rightly! I feel struck all of a heap by what's happened. I never was in trouble with the law before in all my days.

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