Page 35 of Miss Morton and the Missing Heir (A Miss Morton Mystery #4)

“I have complete confidence in you, dear.” Mrs. Frogerton also rose to her feet. “I’d better go consult my ledgers so I’m prepared to deal with Mr. Ings. He has a very high opinion of himself that I’m not sure is warranted.”

Fifteen minutes later, Caroline had settled Ellie in the carriage and was just about to tell the coachman to go, when Mr. Scutton got in.

He nodded at them both. “Mrs. Frogerton asked me to accompany you.”

Caroline couldn’t think why, but there was little point in arguing about something so trivial. She spent the short journey talking soothingly to Ellie, who had her hands clasped together on her lap and her gaze fixed firmly on her well-patched boots.

“There is no need to be afraid, Ellie,” Caroline said. “Just tell Inspector Ross what you saw, and all will be well.”

“Yes, miss.” Ellie’s gaze flicked to Mr. Scutton. “I’m sorry for your loss, sir.”

“Thank you. Mr. Scutton didn’t even look at her, and she returned her attention to her boots.

Great Scotland Yard was rarely quiet, and today was no exception.

There were police constables constantly coming in and out of the entrance, sometimes with reluctant criminals in tow yelling their innocence or defiance.

During her various visits to Inspector Ross, Caroline had seen more than one scuffle break out and a few escapees, so she kept a tight hold of Ellie’s elbow.

Mr. Scutton forged a path for them to the front desk, where Caroline recognized a familiar face. “Good morning, Sergeant Dawson. Is Inspector Ross available?”

“Morning, your ladyship.” Sergeant Dawson winked. “You up to no good again?”

“I’m merely trying to be a good citizen, sergeant.” Caroline smiled at him.

“I’ll get one of the constables to see if the inspector is in his office.” Sergeant Dawson had to raise his voice to be heard above the melee, but it didn’t seem to bother him. “If you’d kindly step to one side and watch your belongings, miss, there are a lot of undesirables in here this morning.”

His comment was received with predictable jeers, a few minor threats, and a few winks in her direction.

Caroline was fairly certain they were insults, but luckily, she couldn’t understand them.

Mr. Scutton stood in front of her and Ellie, his arms crossed over his chest, his expression threatening enough to ward off any unwelcome advances.

For the first time Caroline realized Mrs. Frogerton might have been right to ask Mr. Scutton to accompany them.

To her relief, it didn’t take long for Inspector Ross to appear and beckon to them.

Caroline turned to Mr. Scutton. “Thank you for accompanying us. We’ll meet you back here as soon as we’re finished.”

He frowned. “I intend to come in with you—”

“There is no need. I’m sure Ellie will feel more comfortable telling Inspector Ross what happened without your presence.”

“But—”

She ignored him and hurried over to Inspector Ross, Ellie at her side.

“Good morning, Inspector.”

“Lady Caroline.” He bowed with a precision fit for a ballroom.

There were some loud whistles and ribald comments, but neither Caroline nor the Inspector took any notice.

He led them through a locked door into the quieter part of the building and then into his office. To Caroline it appeared that he had borrowed several items of furniture from his family home, which gave the room an elegance that was absent in the rest of the building.

“Was that Mr. Scutton with you?” Inspector Ross asked.

“Yes.” Caroline took a seat next to Ellie in front of the inspector’s mahogany desk. “I didn’t think his presence would help matters in this interview.”

Inspector Ross raised an eyebrow but didn’t comment before turning his attention to Ellie.

“I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure, Miss … ?”

“I’m Ellie Noble, sir. I work for Mrs. Frogerton as a housemaid.” Ellie glanced at Caroline. “Miss Morton made me come to see you.”

“Ellie has just returned from visiting her family in Dorset, Inspector,” Caroline explained. “This is why you haven’t met her before. She left Half Moon Street on the same evening Mrs. Brigham was killed and had no idea until today that Mr. Brigham had been arrested for the murder of his wife.”

“Is that correct, Miss Noble?” Inspector Ross turned to Ellie.

“Yes, sir.” She nodded vigorously. “It gave me quite a turn when Miss Morton told me what had happened after I left.”

Inspector Ross took out a sheet of paper and his pen and glanced inquiringly at Ellie. “If you don’t mind, I’ll take notes while you tell me about the last evening you spent at Half Moon Street before your departure for Dorset.”

“Yes, sir.” Ellie took a deep breath. “I took Mrs. Brigham up her dinner because she didn’t want to dine downstairs. I also helped her get dressed in her favorite gown.”

“Even though she wasn’t planning on going down to dinner?” Inspector Ross asked. “Did that strike you as unusual?”

“Yes, sir, but she told me her husband was coming to visit her and that it was a secret because her mother, Mrs. Scutton, would not approve.”

“Ah, so she asked you to keep it a secret, too?”

“Yes.” Ellie tried to shrug. “I didn’t think there was any harm to it, sir. Mrs. Brigham was in love, and I felt sorry that her mum didn’t approve.”

“Quite understandable,” Inspector Ross agreed. “Did you facilitate Mr. Brigham’s entrance to the house?”

“Did I what, sir?” Ellie wrinkled her nose.

“I beg your pardon. Did you help Mr. Brigham gain access to the house for his meeting with his wife?”

“As I told Miss Morton, Cook likes to keep the back door open when she’s preparing a big dinner, so I made sure the door was open when Mr. Brigham was expected.” Ellie paused. “I also told Mrs. Brigham when the kitchen would be busiest so that her husband could go up the back stairs unobserved.”

“Did you pass any messages between Mr. and Mrs. Brigham at any point to arrange this meeting?”

Ellie considered him. “I took one from Mrs. Brigham to the Blue Boar.”

“And when was that exactly?”

“The day before I left for Dorset. I think it was to let Mr. Brigham know what time to come,” Ellie said. “I didn’t read the note. It was sealed.”

“I’m sure you didn’t.” Inspector Ross wrote a few more sentences, and then looked up at Ellie and smiled. “You are being very helpful, Miss Noble. I commend your excellent memory and your attention to detail.”

Having been the object of Inspector Ross’s charming smile on more than one occasion, Caroline wasn’t surprised when Ellie blushed.

“So, on the evening in question, did you see Mr. Brigham arrive?”

“Yes, sir. I was keeping an eye out for him.”

“Did you let him in the back gate?”

“No, sir, Mrs. Brigham told me she’d paid one of the stable boys to do that for her.”

“Did Mr. Brigham come alone?”

“No, there was another gentleman with him. Mrs. Brigham had mentioned her husband came from a big family, and from his looks, I assumed the other man was his brother.”

“You saw them go up the back stairs to Mrs. Brigham’s bedroom.”

“Well, I didn’t follow them up, sir, because I was busy, so I can’t say that for certain, but they were heading in the right direction.”

“Fair enough.” Inspector Ross wrote another few lines. “Did you see them again?”

“Yes, sir, when they were leaving. The kitchen was a lot quieter at that point, and I wanted to make sure they could get out without drawing attention to themselves. I offered to do the washing up in the scullery, which is closest to the back stairs, so that I could hear them coming down and let them out.”

“I’ll wager everyone was delighted to leave all the washing up to you,” Inspector Ross commented with a smile. “How long was it before the Brighams came down again?”

“About an hour, sir?” Ellie paused. “We’d finished serving dinner and everyone was busy clearing up while Cook took a well-earned rest.”

“Did Mr. Brigham and his brother appear anxious to leave the house quickly?” Inspector Ross asked.

“Not particularly,” Ellie said. “They were whispering to each other as they came down the stairs but in a joking manner.”

“Did they see you?”

“Mr. Brigham did. He winked and tossed me a shilling.”

“You’re referring to Mr. Albert Brigham.” Inspector Ross looked up from his writing.

“Yes, sir.”

“And just to clarify, the brothers left together?”

“Yes,” Ellie said.

Inspector Ross sat back, his expression thoughtful. “This might seem like an odd thing to ask, Miss Noble, but did the Brighams appear worried in any way?”

“Not that I noticed.”

“Were they carrying anything you hadn’t seen previously?”

“Not that I could see, sir,” Ellie said. “I had wondered if they’d come to take some of Mrs. Brigham’s belongings, but they didn’t have anything that I could see.”

“Why would you think that?”

“That they’d take her things? Because Mrs. Brigham told me she planned to run away with her husband, regardless of what her mother thought.” Ellie glanced at Caroline. “She asked me if I’d like to come with her as her lady’s maid, but I told her I couldn’t just up and leave Mrs. Frogerton.”

“That was very sensible of you, Miss Noble,” Inspector Ross said. “Mrs. Frogerton is an excellent employer.”

He took a moment to read through his notes and then looked up again. “There is one more thing, and I apologize in advance for my directness. Were either of the Brighams splattered with blood?”

Ellie shuddered. “No, sir. I would’ve noticed that right off and screamed the house down myself.”

“Thank you.” He wrote another line and then turned the page around so that Ellie could see it. “Would you care to read through my notes and tell me if there is anything I’ve misrepresented or that you wish to amend or elaborate on?”

Ellie took her time reading the notes, one finger under each line so that she could follow along, her mouth shaping the words as she went. “I don’t think you missed anything, Inspector.”

“Good. Is there anything you’d like to add?”