Rebecca ate a few bites of lukewarm soup and fallen soufflé, her stomach rebelling. Dread filled her until there was little room for food.
Had John ...?No. She could not imagine him striking anyone so violently. This was the lad who’d opposed his father’s suggestion he enlist in the military because he hated the idea of bloodshed. Then again, John had been bitterly angry with the author and possessed a passionate temper.
Why had John come to the hotel ... really? Especially when he rarely went anywhere. She saw him again in her mind’s eye, stealing across Dodge’s field early that morning. Had he done what he came for?
Please, God, let it not be true.
After some additional discussion, Mr. Smith consulted his pocket watch. “The hour grows late.” He turned to the hotel proprietor. “Mr. Mayhew?”
The owner snapped to attention, clearly ready to testify. “Yes, sir!”
“At your ease, Mr. Mayhew.” Smith narrowed his eyes and worked his mouth as though sucking food from his teeth. “As you know, I questioned Mary Hinton, as she was directly involved, but I don’t think it will be necessary to depose all of your sundry staff. However, I charge you with questioning them yourself, and if any of them has something useful to report, inform me tomorrow and we will hear from him or her then.”
“Yes ... sir,” Mayhew repeated with far less enthusiasm. He added, “And might I summon the undertaker?”
“I don’t see why not. I believe we are finished in there, unless any of the jurors wish to see the room or the body once again?”
Around the room, heads shook.
“You are free to do as you like with the room. We will plan to reconvene here at eleven a.m. tomorrow. That should give you sufficient time to question your staff.” Smith turned a page in his leather-bound diary, then looked up. “One more thing, Mr. Mayhew, before you go. Most of the jurors are local men, but I trust you can find a room for me and any other outliers who have traveled some distance to be here?”
“Of course.”
Mr. Smith gave a thin smile. “Sir Frederick will see to the charges.”
Although the inquest had not yet officially adjourned, Frederick closed his notebook and followed Mr. Mayhew from the coffee room, surprised to see Lady Fitzhoward lingering nearby, apparently listening to the inquest from the corridor.
He nodded to acknowledge her and hurried on, catching up with the proprietor outside his nearby office door. He said, “I am surprised Mr. Smith asked you to question the staff yourself.”
The man sighed. “As if I haven’t enough to do with monthly invoices and orders due.”
“I could question them for you, if you like,” Frederick offered. “As magistrate, I have some experience and would like to be useful.”
“Really? That is kind of you. Yes, if you would not mind.”
Lady Fitzhoward walked in their direction. “Excuse me, please.”
They moved to one side to allow her to pass. As she did, she looked up at him. “Careful, Frederick. Don’t ask questions for which you don’t really want to know the answers.”
He flashed a look into her eyes, surprised at her breach of etiquette, as well as the strange warning. But she met his gaze without contrition and walked on.
Mayhew waited until she was out of earshot, then lowered his voice. “I take it you two are acquainted?”
“You would think so, would you not?”
Never one to criticize a guest, Mr. Mayhew said no more about the lady and returned to the former topic. “I accept your generous offer, if you are in earnest. When would you like to start?”
“Tonight, if possible.”
“Well, most of my staff rise early, so I hate to keep them up too late. Perhaps you could start with the night clerk and the barman now and question the others first thing in the morning?”
“Very well. Where would you suggest we meet?”
Mayhew considered. “Perhaps the small office adjacent to mine. I used to employ an assistant manager but no longer.”
“Whatever is most convenient.”
“In that case, if you could question the night clerk and the barman at their posts, that would be most helpful. I will ask Mrs. Somerton to set up a schedule for the others to come to the office tomorrow morning.”
