02 - Mrs. Jeffries Dusts for Clues by Emily Brightwell Read Free Book Online

kind of a cloud I’m referrin’ to.”
    Mrs. Jeffries could. “Choirboys or young women?”
    Mrs. Goodge pretended to took scandalized. Then her broad face broke into a grin. “Young women. According to what I’ve heard, he used to limit his attentions to servants. But he made a mistake with the last one, and his hands got a bit too free with the daughter of the local magistrate. Naturally the church tried to hush up the scandal. But it ended with the Reverend Everdene out of Yorkshire and supposedly retired.” She broke off and cackled with laughter. “It’s a nice piece of luck his daughter inherited all that money. He didn’t get another parish.”
    “Hmm,” Mrs. Jeffries said thoughtfully. “That may explain why Mary Sparks left the Everdene house so precipitously. If the reverend tried…well, anything, she may have felt justified in leaving her post without notice. If, of course, she was there in the first place.”
    “Humph. The old goat should be locked up. And him with a daughter too. He ought to know better.” Mrs. Goodge pursed her lips. “Disgusting. I feel sorry for the daughter, but at least she’ll be gone soon. She’s engaged to be married.”
    “But that still leaves us in the dark,” Mrs. Jeffries said thoughtfully. “We still don’t know for sure if Mary was ever at the Everdene house.”
    “True. But if she was, we’ve at least got an idea of what made her leave so quickly. The old fool probably tried to start pawin’ at her the minute she got there.”
    “That’s possible. I suppose the next step is to find out if Mary did or did not arrive at the Everdene house at all.” Mrs. Jeffries cocked her head to one side. “Mrs. Goodge,” she said thoughtfully. “If you were a young woman ingenuine fear of being ravished, what would you do?”
    “Do?” The cook snorted. “I’d pack me things and get out of that house. And I’d be quick about it too.”
    “But we know Mary hadn’t much money. If she were frightened and desperate, where would she go?”
    “I’d go to the one person who’d shown me a bit of kindness,” Mrs. Goodge said promptly.
    “Luty Belle Crookshank.” Mrs. Jeffries shook her head. “But Luty Belle was in Venice and the house was locked up.”
    “There’s ways of gettin’ into locked houses. There’s ways of gettin’ into locked gardens too. Remember, it were still early September. Even if Mary couldn’t get into Luty’s house for shelter, she’d probably feel safer sleepin’ in the communal gardens than she would walkin’ the streets. And the Everdene house is in Putney. It’s not close, but it inn’t that far neither.”
    “Do you think she would have walked?” Mrs. Jeffries sipped her tea.
    “No. London streets are dangerous. If she’d had any money at all, she’d have taken a hansom.”
    “I think you’re right. And I think I’d better go have a nice little chat with Garrett McGraw.”
    “The gardening boy?” Mrs. Goodge looked puzzled. “Why?”
    “Because Mary knew that Luty was already gone. The only other friend she had was Garrett. If she crept back to Knightsbridge and hid in those gardens, it was for one reason and one reason only. She thought she could get help from someone.”
    “But we don’t know that she did any of that.”
    “No, but I’ve got to start somewhere.” Mrs. Jeffries rose to her feet. “And in all fairness, I must tell Luty Belle about the body in Magpie Lane.”

CHAPTER 3

    Luty Belle was pacing the drawing room when Mrs. Jeffries arrived. “Mornin’, Hepzibah,” she said. She gestured toward the settee, indicating that her guest was to sit down. “I’ve been expectin’ you.”
    “But you only came to see us yesterday,” Mrs. Jeffries exclaimed as she settled herself comfortably on the plush velvet cushions. “Surely you don’t imagine we’ve found Mary so quickly.”
    “Course not. But I knowed you’d have found somethin’ out by now.” Luty sank wearily into a seat next to the