Case of the dead rich lady

A young Tod (Victorian era butch/boi-girl/stud) knocked on the door of 13 Paternoster Row. Jenny answered the door. "I am Dickie and this is my Madam Mrs Jex social light and keeper to the Jex fortune. We understand this is where we can find the great detective of London. Be a good girl and announce us, we have a case for her." said the Tod

Jenny raised an eye at the "be a good girl" remark thinking it was a bit rude, but being the ever dutiful maid, she welcomed them into the hall and went to the drawing room where Madam Vastra was refining a painting. After knocking and politely standing in the door way she caught Vastra's ear. "Mrs Jex a social light and er-ess to the Jex fortune and her Tod Dickie wish to speak to you, they say they have a case." said Jenny.

"Jex? I wonder if this has to do with Diana Lethaby's murder that was in the paper this morning?" stated Vastra thinking out loud.

"They do run in the same circles from what I understand, mum. Shall I bid them in or send them away?" asked Jenny

Vastra went to a table near her paints and picked up a towel to wipe off her hands. "Fetch some tea Jenny and welcome them to the green house, I will receive them there. I would be curious to know why they are not simply taking the police at their word of 'rape, murder, and theft'." said Vastra as she went to another door which lead to the green house and dawned her veil.

Jenny ushered Dickie and Mrs Jex to the green house and ran to the kitchen to fetch hot water for the tea set she had learned to have set up for just such an occasion. Jenny served tea to Madam Vastra and Mrs Jex who sat across from each other. Dickie stood just behind and to the right of her elder master and Jenny took normal place between Madam Vastra and her guest. "So tell me Mrs Jex, what brings you to Paternoster Row?" asked Vastra

"A good friend of mine was recently murdered. The police were a bunch of bumbling idiots, more interested in the state she was found in than in gathering clues. I have reason to suspect it might have been one of the..."

"Perhaps the maid has other chores to be doing. This is privileged information we do not want our departed friends affairs to be spread about or for the girl to get idea's." interrupted Dickie as Mrs Jex spoke

Vastra glared at him, but sat calmly in her chair. She looked to Jenny with a warm grace in her eyes. Had they not been in a formal situation she would have taken the young maids hand and dropped the Tod with her Silurian tongue. "I can assure you, Jenny is a young woman of great insight and whose character is unmatched, beyond this she makes a delightful lemon custard." said Vastra

"Pardon Dickie, she is most protective of me and is a bit shaken from what we suspect. My dear friend Diana was found in a most disturbing state in bed the apparent victim of a rape and stabbing. But the most striking thing is the newest house Tod is missing and so are many of Diana's diamonds." said Mrs Jex

"You suspect there is more to the situation than meets the eye?" asked Vastra

"My dear friend regularly took in reformatory and work house girls, gave them some guidance and good employment. But even she has her vices, she expects personal care from her maids, which some young women find to be more than they expected." replied Mrs Jex trying to be delicate.

"The little dog murdered her and stole her diamonds, no need to tread around it. Hunt down the mutt and hang her." said Dickie being blunt.

"Dickie mind your place." scolded Mrs Jex, Dickie just looked back at her like a pit bull who had just gotten yelled at for growling at a dangerous stranger.

Jenny eyed the Tod and might have smirked had she not been representing Vastra.

"So you suspect Mrs Lethaby might have been receiving personal care when she was murdered rather than it being a rape?" asked Vastra's

"Yes, Diana took care of her girls, and her Tod's, but she sometimes was more charitable than smart when taking in her employees." replied Mrs Jex

"I will take the case. Please give Jenny a description of the employee in question and I will bring you my findings as they develop." said Vastra's

Dickie handed Jenny a piece of paper. "Description in full, including her name and where Mrs. Lethaby found her." said Dickie

Jenny escorted them to the door and got their coats. As they turned to leave Mrs Jex took Jenny's chin in her hand. "Dreadful mole, but other than that she is a fine looking young woman, isn't she Dickie?" said the elder socialite looking back at her Tod "And Dickie does love lemon custard. If you ever want a change of venue I will double what ever the Detective is paying you and give you extra benefits. Besides Dickie knows how to treat a young woman, you could be a kept maid." said Mrs Jex

"That is very polite of you Miss, but Madam Vastra treats me quite well and I am quite appy here on Paternoster Row." replied Jenny

Dickie gave young woman another glance up and down, then escorted her master out.

Madam Vastra stepped forward from the far door way she had been waiting in. "She offered to double your salary and for you to be Dickie's playmate?" smiled Vastra

"She wanted me in the same situation that got Diana killed." said Jenny bluntly, now that she did not have to be formal.

"I suspect the same, Mrs Lethaby was probably in the throws of forcing herself on the maid when the maid probably fed up with repeated pressure put her master into situation and then murdered her. Rape, another sickening ape behavior." said Vastra as they went back to her study.

"Ape behavior? Did Silurians not have that? Is that something else your people got beyond?" asked Jenny not amused at her species being belittled.

"It would have been social and career suicide, beyond that from a very young age Silurian children are taught that consent matters when it comes to anything to do with another Silurian. All Silurian's have the right to self-preservation and choice." said Vastra

"Does not apply to other species then? Like apes?" asked Jenny pushing Vastra

Vastra knew she was cornered, "Things were different then, your people will cracking nuts with sticks at best. They were not as intelligent back then. Come Jenny, let us pay the morgue and the Lethalby mansion a visit, fetch the coats and your notebook." replied Vastra.

They took their carriage to the London morgue, where the mortician pulled out the body out of storage.

"Already gave what I found to the police, not much more I can figure, classic case of rape and stabbing." said the mortician pulling back the shroud from Mrs Lethby's face. "Not much else to say, old bird probably add a good time before it ended."

Madam Vastra looked over the woman's face carefully and noticed some bruising on the left cheek then she picked up one of the morticians forceps and removed a chunk of material from the woman's hair line. She examined it carefully. "How do you account for the dust and this shard?" asked Vastra examining the small chunk of white stone-material. "Glazed porcelain."

"Don't know, might have been knocked in there when they moved er. House add enough of it" replied the mortician

Jenny took careful notes as Vastra looked further down the body into the stab wounds

"What were your conclusions about the stab marks?" asked Vastra as she pulled back the shroud further to reveal Mrs Lethalby's chest.

"Dull blade, probably carelessly done." replied the mortician

Vastra further examined the stab marks, "It appears these stab marks have rather jagged edges and angles. Almost more consistent with the marks left by stone tools, rather than metal knives." said Vastra. She left the shroud tastefully over the bodies chest to conceal the rest of the woman's form. No need to affront the dead.

"And what were the state of her genitals?" asked Vastra bluntly

"Some fluids, can't tell if they are is or ers, no blood" replied the mortician

Vastra pulled out her scanning device and scanned over the body. "Ah just as I suspected. Thank you for your assistance I have all the data I need." said Vastra.

"I don't know about your methods sometimes Madam Vastra, but you must be doing something right to solve all those cases." said the mortician recovering the body and escorting Vastra and Jenny out.

The two ladies got back into their carriage and headed for the Lethalby mansion. "So what did you gather from the scanning device?" asked Jenny as they road along.

"The standing hypothesis of a female employee being intimate with Mrs Lethalby has more evidence." said Vastra showing Jenny the results of her scan. "I found the fluids of two women on the body. I would need to scan the suspect to confirm it was her, but there was for sure another woman involved. And by the placement of the fluids it would seem the other woman would have been on top of Mrs. Lethalby at some point during the intimate encounter."

"And what of the weapon?" asked Jenny

"At this point all I can conclude was that it was not metallic and had rather jagged edges." replied Vastra

Soon they came upon the Lethalby mansion and were shown to the room by the butler Corder.

"Mrs. Jex phoned as soon as she found out, she ordered the house not to touch the room so all is preserved as Scottland Yard left it." said the butler standing in the entrance as Vastra followed by Jenny entered the room and started surveying it.

"And that is rarely how they found it, but your efforts are appropriated." replied Vastra carefully examining every inch of the room. It was a rather grand room with four post bed, fire place, window with seat, cabinetry for clothes and book as well as a sitting area in front of the fire place with two large chairs and a table still set for tea resting upon a fine rug.

"Jenny, have you seen this china pattern before?" asked Vastra admiring the tea set, ready for tea that will never be poured.

"Yes, it is a Limoges set, missing a saucer though." replied Jenny looking at the set.

"Beg pardon Ma'am, but the murder took place in the bed, what does a tea set have to do with it?" asked Corder still standing at the door.

"Everything or nothing at all. The smallest detail might be the clue that breaks the case." stated Vastra as she moved over to the right side of the bed and scanned. Jenny keeled on the opposite side of the bed looking on the floor beside and underneath the bed.

"Madam, there is half a saucer down eer." said Jenny

"And there are fluids and particles of porcelain on the bed. As well as a bloody smeer on the right side." said Vastra then she looked up from her scanner. "I have all I need, bring the shard and we shall go to Scottland yard to consult with Inspector Gregson."

"Anything more? Don't you need sketches or something?" asked Corder escorting them back to the door.

"Actually Madam Vastra is very efficient in her inspections. When she is done she is done." replied Jenny matter of factly supporting her master.

They soon arrived at Scottland yard and inspector Gregson escorted them to the cell a suspect was being kept in. "A shop keeper caught her trying to sell some of the stolen jewelery. So the officers picked her up earlier." said the officer as he escorted Vastra and Jenny to the cell. "Give a shout if you need anything."

The young woman in question was roughly Jenny's age, but more boy-ish. "Is there anything you wish to confess?" asked Vastra from behind both bars and her veil.

The young woman rushed the bars and lunged so her left arm reached through the bars. Vastra and Jenny stood out of reach and sullen in her attempted intimidation. Then she retreated behind the bars and looked at them. "What? Like how Madam Lethalby forces her female employee's to undress when her guests get drunk, or how she forces us into her bed? Even the performer Nan King will tell you how she treats us. She claims she rescues girls from the work house and gives them good employment, but no, wealthy mongrels like her comb the work house to find ladies like me...and your maid it appears." said the young woman glaring at Jenny. "She makes us her toys and threatens to send us back to the streets if we don't keep secret what she does to us, how she repeatedly forces us into her bed. If she had been a man the police would give half a bloody care, but no she is a wealthy woman." continued the young woman.

"That is no justification for her death." replied Vastra

The young woman turned and started to pace. "Is it? I was the only one to stand up for the workers and call her on it. She screamed and beat me just as I heard she did to Nan. Doesn't like her rubish being tossed in her face." scowled the young woman. Then she looked from the veiled detective to Jenny and back. "Wealthy women who think they can abuse and treat their girls like dogs, just because they employ them, need to take a lesson to what happen to her."

"You do realize the authorities have enough to incarcerate you on attempting to sell stolen property alone?" asked Vastra's

The young girl looked at Jenny. "Don't know how long u been working for that old bird, but watch yourself. They start off all nice and caring, but before long them will turn on you, treat you like property... then you might do what I did if you have the bollix too." Then she turned her back and went to the back of the cell.

"Jenny I have all I need. Come along." replied Vastra's

They went back to the carriage and Vastra looked over the scans she had taken secretly while the young woman had talked. Vastra had an air of regret which Jenny could sense, she knew of the great detectives empathy how ever small it was. "As soon as we get home phone Mrs Jex and have her meet us for tea tomorrow. We need to report to her the status of her case." said Vastra.

"But the Tod never actually confessed, she was just glad it happened." inquired Jenny

"Precisely, beyond the lack of confession she was left handed and while the evidence of my technology would be written off as magic in a Victorian court. My scans show it could not has been her as she does not match the genetic evidence left at the scene." replied Vastra.

The next day Jenny and Vastra traveled to Mrs. Jex mansion and were escorted to sitting room by a young, shy maid. The maid poured tea for Vastra using her right hand to grip the tea pot and serve, as Jenny stood behind Vastra in her ever present role as trusted servant.

Mrs Jex and Dickie entered the room and Mrs Jex sat across from Vastra as Dickie stood behind her giving Jenny and eye of intimidation, just for good show. The maid nervously poured tea. "Lovely, but skittish girl, isn't she?" remarked Mrs Jex of the maid. "The ladies of Diana's circle pitched in to give her girls employment. That little one startles easily and has a cut hand, but she pushes through. Besides she was one of Diana's favorites." continued Mrs Jex

"I am sure she is a great playmate for Dickie." replied Vastra and the young maid blushed and gasped as Dickie grinned like a dog with a bone.

"So what is it you have found out that the bumbling idiots and Scottland Yard could not?" inquired Mrs Jex

"The woman they have in their custody was not the murder. From my investigation she would have been small, right handed and would have used a shard of porcelain plate to do the actual stabbing that resulted in Mrs. Lethalby's death. The young Tod in custody was an out spoken thief, not a murder." stated Vastra as she finished her tea. The young maid winced as the hard porcelain handle of the tea pot pressed again into her cut hand. "Dear child how did you cut your hand anyway?" asked Vastra's

The maid stepped back and started to cry. "I did it... I did it defending myself from Mrs Lethalby! She had come after me again. Swearing I would be back in the work house if I did not go to bed with her again, so I made her real happy then I got on her, hit her with the saucer and stabbed her with the broken plate! I know what I did was wrong, but it was like I was not in control! It just happened." confessed the maid.

"Dickie, ring the authorities at once!" scowled Mrs Jex

Jenny was about to step forward, when Vastra signaled her not too. "Mrs. Jex I bid you to mind that this young woman only acted, because she had been treated cruelly." said Vastra

"Cruelly my bloody old bum! This little rat will be hung for her crimes! And after all Diana did for you! Saving you from the work house, taking you in! Detective you will be paid in full, but this little scum sucker, I have half a nerve to kill you myself." scowled Mrs Jex as she rose from her chair.

Vastra stepped between the maid and the elder aristocrat. "We must let the authorities take it from here. You have the evidence and confession, she will surely be put to justice for this. I will keep watch of her until the authorities arrive and you can speak with them once she is in custody." stated Vastra. The elder aristocrat calmed down seeing Vastra's wisdom.

A short time later the police arrived and confined the maid into their carriage and talked to Mrs Jex who was still livid. Vastra stated she would send them her report in the morning, which the officers trusted she would do.

Vastra spent the rest of the day in her study typing up her report as Jenny went back to her normal maid work. That night Vastra sat in bed reading by lamp light as Jenny stood at a full length mirror brushing her hair, both were in night gowns in what had become their routine on calmer nights.

Vastra put her book down "It is hard for me to comprehend how an employer could possibly believe they have any rite to mate with their employee." said Vastra staring into space and recounting the case they had solved earlier that day.

"Well that is the world, those who have take from those who have not and while Parliament and some people are trying to change that, it's not there yet." said Jenny from the mirror

Vastra got out from under the covers and started to walk over to Jenny. She had enjoyed working yet another case and found the young maid's insights key to solving the case. "In Sulurian culture an employer like Madam Lethlby would have been punished and socially ridiculed. Touching someone like that was not tolerated." said Vastra as she gently put her arms around Jenny from behind.

"I know some people working to make such laws... could we... I mean, you give them a donation? To help make better contact with the government?" asked Jenny.

Vastra spun her beloved companion around and Jenny's hands went to Vastra's chest. "I believe that is a superb idea." replied Vastra

Then they cuddled up and fell asleep in each others arms.