Death of a Footman (Riley Rochester Investigates Book 8) Page 11

  ‘Sorry guv’nor.’ Salter threw back his head and sighed. ‘Children are supposed to respect their parents. Says so in the good book, but my lot obviously didn’t pay proper attention in Sunday school.’

  Riley leaned back in his chair and motioned Salter to the one in front of it. ‘I can give you some good news that might cheer you up, Jack. Amelia is taking Sophia down to Clapham today to see your daughter. I think it safe to say that Maureen has found herself a very willing model, so something has gone right for you.’

  ‘Much obliged to you, sir. Lady Sophia’s input will make all the difference, I’m sure, and Maureen will be delighted.’

  Riley chuckled. ‘Beware what you wish for. Anyway, to other matters. How did you get on with Bishop and his daughter?’

  ‘Bishop had heard rumours about a new club, but he didn’t know Ezra was behind it. He was surprised that anyone would be stupid enough to move in on Lane’s territory. His words, sir. He knows Lane, of course. He occasionally drinks in the Plough, but Bishop reckons he steers well clear of him. Says he doesn’t want to know his business, and I believe him.’

  ‘What of Sally?’

  ‘Ah, now she’s an interesting kid. Head over heels for Ezra, if you ask me, and right upset about his death. So is my Maureen, come to that.’ Salter chuckled. ‘Half the gals in Clapham will be wearing deepest black for the foreseeable. Anyway, Ezra spun Sally a line about being on the brink of getting rich and how she could help him.’

  ‘A job in the club?’

  ‘Right. She didn’t know much about her duties but I can tell you she’d have done absolutely anything the scoundrel asked her to. She insists her father knew nothing about it, but like with Sam, we can’t be sure about that. Anyway, that’s all I got out of her.’

  Salter looked shocked when Riley related the substance of his conversation with Buckingham.

  ‘So Ezra was in cahoots with Lane.’ Salter scratched his ear in a bemused fashion. ‘That makes sense. I couldn’t understand why Ezra would be daft enough to put himself up against the man, especially since he was obviously anything but stupid. It didn’t occur to us that they might be in partnership with Clapham’s sporting king.’

  ‘No, it didn’t, Jack, but if any of the Randall children discovered that their mother was going into partnership with a lowlife like Lane, then we have yet another motive. And if that weren’t enough, with Ezra out of the way, it leaves Buckingham free to console Ida.’

  ‘James, who Ezra displaced in her affections, will have similar aspirations.’

  ‘True. Buckingham reckons he was at a family dinner on the night of the murder. We shall have to check it out, but I imagine it’s the truth. He’s too lazy and not nearly clever enough to dream up such a complex murder, and too idle to carry it out. Besides, if Verity Randall was the lady seen speaking with Ezra, as far as I am aware she and Buckingham are not acquainted. Buckingham might be short of funds, but he’s still selective about the company he keeps. Ida is one thing, but I doubt whether he consorts socially with her son’s wife, the daughter of a humble cooper.’

  ‘God forbid!’

  Riley’s three constables joined them at that point, and Salter updated them on developments.

  ‘Did you go to the Reform Club, Carter?’ Riley asked.

  ‘I did, sir, and you were right about the porter. He has the memory of an elephant and told me quite categorically that Gideon left no later than eight fifteen that evening. He was absolutely certain because he had the porter hail him a cab and then didn’t bother to thank him, much less give him a shilling for his trouble, as is expected apparently.’

  ‘Did he hear where Gideon asked to be taken?’ Riley asked, unsurprised when Carter replied in the negative.

  ‘So where was he for almost three hours before he joined his mistress?’ Salter asked, rubbing his hands together gleefully. ‘No doubt we shall be asking him, sir.’

  ‘We shall indeed, Jack. This morning we’ll be going back to Portman Square to extract answers from Gregg and James. While we are there, Carter, I want you and Soames to speak with Sir Philip’s coachman. Press him regarding the comings and goings of Sir Philip’s horses on the night in question. I imagine he shares a mews at the back of his house with other buildings in the square. If you feel that Sir Philip’s man isn’t being truthful, speak with the other drivers and get what you can from them.’

  ‘Will do, sir.’

  ‘Peterson, I want you in the kitchen. Engage all the servants in idle chatter to see what they have to say about Ezra’s death. I am sure they will all have their opinions. Encourage them to express them. But most importantly, keep James there. Salter and I will speak with Gregg first and when he returns to the kitchen, you are to send James to us. It’s vital that you don’t let Gregg and James speak to one another. If possible, I would prefer for them not to see one another for long enough even to exchange a significant look after Gregg’s interview is over.’

  ‘Understood, sir,’ Peterson replied.

  ‘Right, gentlemen, if we all know what we are doing, shall we get to it?’

  A short time later, Riley and Salter were admitted to the house by Gregg, who looked incensed by their return.

  ‘Lady Randall is resting and cannot be disturbed,’ he declared.

  ‘Just as well it’s you we came to see then, ain’t it?’ Salter said, pushing his way into the house and making a point of thrusting his hat, again dripping with rainwater, into Gregg’s hand.

  ‘I cannot think why. I have already told you everything I know.’

  Riley removed his headgear as well and left it on a side table before leading the way into the room they had previously used for interviews.

  ‘Come in, Gregg, and close the door,’ Riley said in a tone that saw the butler immediately obey, albeit with obvious reluctance.

  Riley took a seat beside the empty fireplace as Salter leaned a shoulder against the wall and noisily turned to a clean page in his notebook. Gregg remained standing, looking a little less sure of himself.

  ‘How can I be of assistance to you, Chief Inspector?’ he asked.

  ‘What did you and Ezra argue about on the day before his death?’ Riley asked. ‘And why did you not think to mention the disagreement at the start of our enquiry?’

  Gregg straightened a rigidly upright spine, looking highly affronted to have his authority questioned. ‘Ezra was a lazy young man who neglected his duties. It was my place to ensure that he fulfilled the tasks he was paid to carry out so that the rest of the servants weren’t required to do his work as well as their own. Any butler would do the same.’

  ‘And yet Ezra was heard to shout back at you. I’m puzzled,’ Riley said, frowning. ‘Surely his disrespect was grounds for instant dismissal.’

  ‘Ordinarily it would have been, and nothing would have given me greater pleasure,’ Gregg replied sullenly, ‘but the mistress would have objected.’

  ‘And Ezra used her partiality for him to taunt you, did he?’ Salter said belligerently. ‘Threatened your authority by doing more or less as he pleased. That really must have angered you.’

  Gregg elevated his chin. ‘We had our differences, I won’t deny it—’

  ‘Not much point trying, given that you were heard yelling at one another,’ Salter replied, shrugging.

  ‘Her ladyship would have tired of him and he would have been gone soon enough.’

  ‘Well, he’s certainly gone now, ain’t he?’ Salter said. ‘And you’re back in charge below stairs. Your absolute control over the household staff is reasserted. You must be pretty pleased with yourself.’

  ‘I shall not mourn the man’s passing, if that is what you mean to imply, but I most certainly didn’t kill him.’

  ‘You also neglected to tell us that you are related to Sir Philip,’ Riley said offhandedly.

  Gregg’s ramrod straight shoulders slumped momentarily. He puffed out his cheeks, which reddened with indignation. ‘Whatever gave you that idea?’

 
; ‘We’ll ask the questions,’ Salter said, ‘and you’ll answer them truthfully, if you can possibly manage that. It’s how being questioned works.’

  ‘My mother was a housemaid in Sir Philip’s father’s house.’ He cleared his throat. ‘They were in love.’

  ‘But not so desperately that Randall did the right thing by her,’ Riley remarked.

  ‘It wasn’t possible. The differences in their situations forbade it. Times were not as liberated then as they are now.’

  ‘And yet you frown upon Lady Randall’s relationship with Ezra,’ Riley said. ‘You’re a hypocrite, Gregg.’

  ‘The two situations are not the same at all. Lady Randall was simply amusing herself with Ezra and embarrassing Sir Philip in the process.’

  ‘Sir Philip being your half-brother, whose interests you would do just about anything to protect.’

  ‘Certainly I would. Short of committing murder, of course.’

  ‘You are dedicated to the man, but he doesn’t acknowledge you as his kin and you are left in a position of servitude. That must rankle,’ Riley said.

  Gregg elevated his chin. ‘On the contrary, Sir Philip and I are confidants and friends.’

  ‘Which is why you can be so sure that he’s embarrassed by his wife’s conduct, one supposes,’ Riley said. ‘He told you as much.’

  ‘He has never made such an admission, not even to me, but I know him better than he knows himself and I am sure that he feels humiliated by her loose morals and wild behaviour.’

  ‘Wild behaviour?’ Riley affected a bemused expression. ‘My understanding is that no one outside of this house is aware of her association with Ezra, other than her children, and only Verity Randall seems concerned about it. When matters were reversed and it was the master of the house consorting with a servant, no one seemed outraged.’

  Gregg stood rigidly to attention. ‘My mother’s situation and Lady Randall’s are entirely different.’

  ‘So you keep saying, but you have yet to explain how. Are we to suppose that your mother weren’t free with her favours then, and the master forced himself on her?’ Salter said fiercely.

  ‘Not at all, Sergeant. You’re twisting everything I say.’

  ‘Do you want to know what I think?’ Riley asked.

  ‘I feel sure you intend to tell me, sir.’

  ‘I think that Lady Randall’s dalliances were known about, at least by you, Sir Philip and the immediate family, but they never lasted for long, so you all turned a blind eye. But with Ezra it was different. Not only was the affair taking place beneath Sir Philip’s roof—quite blatantly, I might add—but it was also becoming serious. It had already lasted longer than most, and you got wind of the fact that Lady Randall was putting money, a large amount of money, into a scheme of Ezra’s.’

  ‘Incorrect. I know nothing about investments.’

  ‘Well,’ Riley continued, ignoring the interruption that had been at best half-hearted and certainly lacked conviction, ‘I said the affair was taking place beneath Sir Philip’s roof, but it isn’t actually his, is it? It’s Lady Randall’s. You watched with disapproval, waiting for the affair to run its course and for permission to dismiss Ezra, but it only seemed to get more intense. There was a very real possibility that Lady Randall’s affections were engaged this time, and that she would throw her husband over in favour of a footman. Only imagine the scandal and what it would do to your master’s career.’

  ‘You have a lively imagination, Chief Inspector,’ Gregg said stiffly.

  ‘I am not paid to imagine anything. I deal in facts, but nothing I have just said to you goes against any of the evidence that we have thus far unearthed.’

  ‘Even so, the only crime I am guilty of is total loyalty to my master.’ Gregg folded his hands in front of him and thrust his shoulders back. ‘And I look upon that as a virtue.’

  ‘Where were you on the night Ezra was killed?’ Riley asked.

  ‘Where I always am. Below stairs, either in my pantry or my private quarters. I always wait up to lock the house if the master and mistress are out, as they were that evening. They arrived home at about ten o’clock.’

  ‘What time did James return from his afternoon off?’

  Gregg hesitated for the first time and looked a little alarmed. ‘I cannot recall.’

  Salter shrugged himself off the wall and walked to the table in front of Gregg, slapping the flat of his hand down hard against its polished surface. ‘We don’t believe you,’ he said, leaning into Gregg’s face, ‘and if you can’t refresh your memory here, we can always finish this conversation at Scotland Yard.’

  ‘I didn’t see him come back, so I cannot tell you what I don’t know,’ Gregg replied, struggling to regain his dignity. ‘But he was definitely here. I saw him myself at about eleven o’clock, so he would obviously have come back some time before that.’

  ‘Very well, Gregg,’ Riley said. ‘You may go. For now.’

  ‘Whaddya think, sir?’ Salter asked, as they waited for Peterson to send James to them.

  ‘I am more confused than ever,’ Riley admitted. ‘He doesn’t seem to mind being subservient in his half-brother’s house and is genuinely loyal, that much is obvious. But he also doesn’t approve of Lady Randall and despised the fact that Ezra could do as he pleased, leaving Gregg in the invidious position of having no authority over him. That would drive a man of Gregg’s ilk demented.’

  ‘And he will have all the necessary keys to let himself in and out of the house,’ Salter added. ‘But if he was here to let his master and mistress in at ten, he would have been pushed to get to Clapham and kill Ezra, who was last seen alive at about eleven.’

  ‘Difficult but not impossible. Ezra was seen leaving that tavern at eleven, but he may not have died immediately. We don’t know if he had an assignation after that. Maynard reckons that if he was poisoned, the effects would have been slight, he could still have functioned, and he can’t be precise about the actual time of death. If could have occurred an hour or more after he left the tavern.’

  ‘But he was killed at the side of the tavern so he can’t have gone far.’

  ‘No, Jack, but he might have arranged to meet someone.’

  ‘Lane, possibly.’ Salter shrugged. ‘But why not meet in the tavern?’

  ‘Depends if their discussions were of a sensitive nature. There again, Ezra might have arranged to meet a female. All I’m saying is that Gregg could have followed him there. He was outraged to have his authority so publicly contested, and if there’s one thing that Gregg holds dear, apart from his loyalty to Sir Philip, it’s his position of absolute power below stairs.’

  ‘So he knew Ezra had gone to Clapham, and perhaps he lured him there himself by sending that message telling him his mother was ill. He knew him well enough to suspect he would visit his local tavern and took his chances.’ Salter sniffed. ‘Seems tenuous but it’s possible, I suppose.’

  ‘Take my word for it, Jack. A man like Gregg will go to any lengths to protect what’s important to him.’

  A tap at the door brought the conversation to an end. Salter opened it and admitted James, exchanging a look with Peterson, who hovered behind the footman and nodded to indicate that he had kept him separate from Gregg.

  ‘Come in, James,’ Riley said. ‘We have a few more questions for you.’

  ‘Anything I can do to help, sir.’

  ‘In that case, why did you lie about your whereabouts on the night of the murder?’

  ‘Ah.’ James lowered his gaze, shuffled his feet and examined the rug beneath them.

  ‘Well son? The chief inspector’s waiting.’

  ‘Look, if Mr Gregg finds this out, I’ll be unemployed. He doesn’t like me much as it is. Well, in fairness, he doesn’t like anyone. Between you and me, he thinks he’s better than the rest of us servants. And he knows that I was once a favourite of Lady Randall’s and it infuriated him. He still holds it against me and would use the slightest excuse to dismiss me if he thought he
could get away with it.’

  ‘You would go to Lady Randall and ask her to intercede to protect your livelihood?’ Riley suggested.

  ‘I know better than to tell old Gregg as much, but yes, that’s exactly what I’d do, and I know she would take my side. I don’t think she has much time for Gregg either. She’s never said as much, but I know he’s very loyal to Sir Philip and that the master would make a fuss if she suggested replacing him.’ He managed a brief smile. ‘Anyway, Gregg knows that Lady Randall would support me if it came to a battle of wills.’

  ‘All very interesting, son, but you still haven’t told us what you got up to between leaving your young lady and getting back here quite a long time later.’

  ‘I didn’t go anywhere in particular. I took a walk in the park then went to a tavern and drank more than was good for me. I was a bit out of it by the time I got back, and Gregg don’t hold with drunkenness, which is why my position would be in jeopardy.’

  ‘Did anyone see you?’ Riley asked.

  ‘Probably dozens of people, but I didn’t see anyone I knew, and I didn’t speak to anyone for that matter, which is why I didn’t tell you the truth. Even I can see that it looks suspicious.’

  Riley sent him a probing look, trying to decide if he was being deceitful. ‘Why did you delay coming home?’

  ‘I had a lot to think about. Molly, my young lady, has expectations. We’ve been walking out for several months and she’s hinted that she wants us to marry, otherwise she’ll look elsewhere. She wants security, you see, but…well, I’m not so sure that I do.’

  ‘Why?’ Riley asked, not unkindly.

  ‘I’m not ready to make that sort of commitment. If it hadn’t been for…well, for Lady Randall…’

  ‘You got accustomed to harbouring expectations, then she grew tired of you,’ Riley surmised. ‘And Molly just doesn’t measure up in comparison.’

  ‘Lady Randall is such a lovely person. Outgoing, clever, funny. She’s taught me so much. Then Ezra came along and spoiled it all. I know that makes me sound guilty,’ he said, kicking at the edge of the rug, ‘but I’m being honest with you now. Ezra wasn’t discreet about his affair with the mistress and rubbed my nose in it all the time, telling me that she was besotted with him, would never pass him over like she had me, and would give him whatever he asked for.’ He sighed. ‘She most likely would have as well.’