Bibby shook her head.
“Her room’s at the front of the house,” Constance said.
Napier actually wrote that down too. He seemed much more competent when he was recording details than when he was distracted by his own prejudices. “Very well, that will be all just now. Send in the gardener.”
“Well done,” Constance murmured. “Back to work!”
Bibby fled and Jeremy walked in, scowling, his cap in his hand.
For Constance, this was a slightly trickier interview. She could hardly pat Jeremy’s hand for comfort without causing speculation, and yet he was liable to need it more than Bibby. He did not do well indoors, discovering the bodies had given him a fright, and he was likely to lose his temper if he perceived any threat to Constance.
He sat in the chair next to her only when she told him to, but when asked by the policemen, he recited his name and occupation clearly enough. “I look after the outside of the house and the garden. And the horses when I’m needed.”
He told the same story as Bibby about discovering the bodies, having only noticed them when he turned toward the house in response to Bibby’s call.
When asked where he had been during the night, he said, “Stables. I sleep there.”
“In the mews,” Constance explained. “Jeremy and a couple of the grooms have quarters above the stables.”
“All in the one room?” Napier pounced. “Did any of you go out?”
“No, they’re up early with the horses, and I’ve got the area to clean and the paths to sweep afore anyone’s up,” Jeremy replied.
“What time is that, then?”
He shrugged. “When it’s light.”
“And were all the grooms there when you got up?”
Jeremy thought about it. “Yes.”
“Did you hear any unusual commotion during the night, happen to see anyone going into the back garden from the mews?”
Jeremy shook his head. “Sleeping.”
Napier changed tack. “How did you get from the mews to the garden without seeing the bodies?”
Jeremy twitched, which was not a good sign. “Went round the roadway.”
“Why?” Napier demanded.
“Always do. I like it. Wakes me up. No one around. I start at the front steps, then clean the area and sweep the path round to the back. When I’ve swept all the paths, it’s breakfast.”
“I see,” Napier said, staring at him.
Jeremy relaxed.
“How long have you worked here?”
He frowned. “Dunno. Two summers before this.”
“Where did you work before?” Napier asked.
Jeremy’s twitch was more agitated this time.
“I don’t think that’s relevant, is it, constable?” Constance intervened. “Thanks, Jeremy, you can go back to the garden now.”
Jeremy sprang up. So did Napier, his angry mouth already open to object. If Jeremy noticed, he didn’t let it stop him, and when Napier bolted after him, Solomon stood in his way. And yet she didn’t think she’d ever told Solomon Jeremy’s story. He had just gathered what to do from watching her—or perhaps Jeremy himself.
