“Perhaps we could take just a short walk,” Esther said at last. “I see no signs of watching policemen.”
“Even if there are,” Ruth said eagerly, “two innocent ladies have every right to take the air before bed.”
With a triumphant thrill, Esther went out into the dark hall and seized her coat and hat.
*
Despite the intensepassion of last night—or perhaps even because of it—Solomon was aware of something troublingConstance deeply. Something she was not yet ready to discuss with him. Whatever it was, it had made her afraid of losing him.
It was hardly the first time such fears had struck either of them. The life they had chosen together was full of risks and dangers they had faced alone and together. But this was an odd case to be quite so fearful about, with little more than dotty old ladies and jealous wives to fear. Probably. He had to wonder if it was something other than the case, and that worried him more.
But since it was a confidence that could not be forced, he tried to be patient, making no demur when she suggested she go to the establishment alone to see if any more “presents” had been left on the doorstep, while he went on to the Silver and Grey office.
Janey and Hat were already there, drinking tea and opening post, but Janey brought him a cup into his office immediately.
“I spoke to the dressmaker’s assistant yesterday afternoon,” the girl said cheerfully. “She’s called Anne Morris, and she’s not stuck up at all.”
Solomon gestured to another chair, and Janey sat down. “Does she like her position?”
“She does. Some of the customers are demanding to the point of rudeness, and God help you if you stick a pin in ’em when their own wriggling caused it.”
Solomon grunted, shuffling the letters already left on his desk. “What about Veronique?”
“Tartar, expects perfection, and if she don’t get it she can melt your ears—language no better than mine, by the sound of it, though fortunately some of it’s in French so Anne don’t understand it all.”
“Isn’t Anne tempted to leave?”
“No,” Janey said. “She’s a good employer in other ways. Wages are good, and she gets breaks for luncheon.”
“How good are these wages?”
“Good enough that she can afford to eat in that very nice tea shop on the corner. Which reminds me, if you want me to go back there today, I’ll need more money.”
Solomon nodded. “Do they have happy customers?”
Janey nodded. “Seem to. She has a gift, this Veronique, so Anne says, and her customers appreciate it. I asked her about Mrs. St. John and her daughter—said I used to be lady’s maid to a friend of theirs.”
Solomon regarded her skeptically. “Did she believe you?”
“Oh yes,” Janey said, toning down her accent deliberately without sounding too obvious. “I can be refined when I want to be. If I stop swearing long enough.”
“You’re a lot better at that, too.”
“Bloody am,” Janey said, grinning. “Anyway, Anne’s dealt with them only under Veronique’s supervision. They’re very valued customers. I didn’t ask any more in case she got suspicious, but I’ll get more details today. Veronique lives above the shop with her husband, but she’s talking about moving to a bigger place.”
“Retiring?” Solomon said quickly.
Janey shrugged as the doorbell rang. “I’ll try to find out.” She stood and moved toward the door before she clearly remembered it was Hat’s job to answer now and turned back. “Where’s herself?”
“At the establishment.”
“All quiet today—I looked out the back before I left the house.”
Hat knocked on the door. “Inspector Harris, sir,” she said nervously. Policemen made most of Constance’s girls nervous.
“Show him in, Hat,” Solomon said.
“Shall I get on with that?” Janey said, edging further toward the door and effacing herself as soon as Harris walked in.
