The Shadows and the Dust: A Dr Jack Cuthbert Mystery by Allan Gaw

Author:Allan Gaw [Gaw, Allan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: SA Press
Published: 2024-10-02T16:00:00+00:00

EIGHT

London: 25th September 1931

Walter Baker was finishing the last of his buttered toast and draining his teacup at the breakfast table.

‘Off in the car again this morning, love?’

‘Yes, Enid. Back down by Lewisham way.’

‘You’re not enjoying this one, Walter. I can see it in your eyes. Want to talk about it, love?’

‘No, you know me. Work stops at the coat stand in the hall. No need for you to hear about it all. But you can c’mere and see me out the door proper, old girl.’

Sergeant Baker smiled and kissed his wife, and it was only when he was outside sitting in the car that he could afford to let his guard down. She was right — he was certainly not enjoying this one, if indeed he could be said to enjoy any of the murders he had investigated. But with children, there was so much more to think about, and all that could so easily get in the way of the work.

When he arrived at St Gregory’s, he made straight for the main house and his appointment with the mother superior.

‘Back again so soon, sergeant. We are getting a lot of your attention.’

‘There are three children buried in shallow graves in your grounds. I hardly think that is something we should take lightly, reverend mother. Now, if you could answer some of my questions, I can leave you in peace.’

The nun detected a very different tone in the sergeant’s voice from his last visit. What might have changed? She showed him into the reception room where they had last spoken and invited him to take a seat.

‘I won’t if you don’t mind. I need to know a little more about the sisters here, including yourself. Who here has any background in herbalism — the culture of medicinal herbs, or their preparation?’

‘Our Novice Sister Mary Frances, who I believe you have already interviewed, sergeant, looks after our herb garden.’

‘Yes, but in the past. Who has any experience of that sort of thing?’

‘All convents have gardens, and many have herb gardens both for culinary as well as medicinal purposes, so I imagine the other sisters will have had some exposure during their vocation.’

‘And what about you?’

‘I did have a little to do with the herb garden in the Mother House.’

‘How little?’

‘I worked with one of the older sisters during my novitiate and learned how to prepare simple remedies. For minor scratches or bee stings and the like.’

‘Did you work with tansy?’

‘The name is familiar, but I can’t say I have an intimate knowledge of its uses.’

All the time she was speaking, Baker was studying her, and he felt she was not telling the whole truth. She gave just enough of an answer to move the question on but not enough to be complete. He had seen the tactic many times, and he was in no mood for it today.

‘Sounds to me like you had a pretty extensive knowledge of the herbs, reverend mother. We will of course be checking your account with the Mother House.

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