“That’s rich and rather fitting.”
“The first assize of the quarter for this area is next week.”
Cecilia took in a deep breath then let it out slowly. “All right. Then it is a good thing we are near to determining his murderers.”
“Murderers?”
“Possibly, I believe so. Proving guilt will be the challenge,” she said, gently leading him the way Liddy had taken her that morning.
“What have you learned, Cecilia?” James asked severely.
She stopped near the wild thicket of trees and the tall rushes at the canal edge that Liddy had led her to. “Liddy told me that here is where Mr. Ratcliffe got into an argument with Mr. Montgomery. Mr. Montgomery sent her away, since it was after curfew, and to go into Camden House through his room. He had a door to the outside. Liddy did as he told her, but not before she also heard Mr. Turnbull-Minchin and Dr. Worcham join in the arguing. That scared her and she did go inside. She said she didn’t see anything that subsequently happened.”
“You say Dr. Worcham, Mr. Ratcliffe, and Mr. Turnbull-Minchin were all out here?”
“Yes.”
James studied the area. It had been ten days since Mr. Montgomery died. Little evidence would remain of a fight in the area. It was an area that would likely not be seen as it was at an odd corner to the house. He frowned.
“Show me where Liddy went into the building.”
“This way.” Cecilia led him along the canal as it paralleled the far side of the building. She was careful to encourage her husband to appear nonchalant as they passed the library windows so as not to call attention to themselves. Past the library, Cecilia cut in toward the building and the bank of windows that were for Mr. Montgomery’s room. She looked about then hurried her husband to the door and tapped lightly on the glass. Mrs. Vance opened the door to them.
“Welcome, Sir James, I’m Mrs. Hilda Vance,” Mrs. Vance said as she shut the door behind them.
“Pleasure,” he responded.
“This is Lady Julia Stackpoole,” Cecilia said drawing him further into the room. “And this is Miss Lydia Wingate.” Cecilia smiled at Liddy as she caressed the back of her head. “We call her Liddy. She knew Mr. Montgomery very well. We have learned a great deal from her.”
“Ladies, I am happy to make your acquaintance,” James said bowing to them. “This was Mr. Montgomery’s room?” He looked about the room. “It appears someone was certainly looking for something in here.”
“We’ve been tasked with straightening the room,” Julia said, “but, all we have managed to do so far is pick the books off the floor, put them haphazardly back on the shelves, and start picking up broken glass and porcelain.”
James looked at the floor. “Someone had a tantrum with the fragile objects in here.”
“More like a rage,” Mrs. Vance offered. “Very naughty.” She bent down to pick up a broken porcelain dog.
“Oh, no!” Liddy cried, coming over to Mrs. Vance. “They broke Weston!” She took the dog from Mrs. Vance.
“Weston?” Cecilia asked.
“That was Mr. Montgomery’s dog,” she said, cradling the porcelain pieces in her small hands. Her lips quivered. “Why did they have to fight with Mr. Montgomery? He just did what Dr. Worcham asked him,” she said, tears trailing down her cheeks.
The others in the room looked at each other, then back at Liddy.
“What do you mean, child,” Mrs. Vance said gently.
“I want to look in that room myself!” they heard the loud voice of Mr. Turnbull-Minchin from out in the hall.
“The ladies are straightening it!” Dr. Worcham protested.
“More likely finding things to steal,” argued Mr. Turnbull-Minchin.
Cecilia dragged her husband toward the corner of the bookcase and looked frantically for the mechanism Liddy used to open the hidden hall. Julia reached around her to press the small hidden lever. The bookcase swung open. Cecilia pushed James into the narrow space and joined him inside. Julia closed the bookcase and grabbed a book from the shelf to look like she was returning it to the shelf when the door opened.
Liddy’s eyes dried and she looked ready to laugh. Mrs. Vance grabbed her thin shoulder and gave it a warning squeeze. Liddy looked up at her. Mrs. Vance nodded her head slightly.
“Did you need something, Dr. Worcham?” Julia asked as she slid the book in her hand on to the shelf in front of her.
