A/N: I wonder why you like Geoffrey, General Fear??? You, you, uncultured American! (I know most Americans aren't too uncultured.) Well, here we are again, but now I have skull and crossbone socks, so I'm very very happy. And purple fluffy handcuffs but I don't think we'll go into that. . .
Chapter Three: House Arrest
After explaining to me some of the finer details of the murder of the maid, Natty, dinner is served. Maisy, the maid who had taken Lady d'Narley's coat, appears in the room we are presently seated in, and announces dinner.
After dinner, I sit with the Lord in the Blue Room, accompanied by a substantial fire in the hearth, warming the whole room on this rather cold October morning.
"So, Mr. Crane," he begins conversation but I politely stop him.
"Please, call me Ichabod," I insist.
"Indeed, Ichabod, what does a man of your gift do, to investigate such crimes?" he asks, offering me a cigar. I politely decline the offer.
"Well, your Lordship, firstly I will need to talk with everyone in the house. Can I assume that no one, without including myself, has either left or arrived at the house, in the days in question?"
"No, with the exception of yourself no one has left or entered here," he agrees.
"Then firstly, I will need to talk to everyone, more than once. Not to imply untrustworthiness upon your staff, but we must remember than persons have been murdered here, by somebody at the house, therefore there will be at least one person telling untruths to us. Could you give me the name of the housekeeper, or someone who will know all the staff here?" Lord d'Narley rests back in his chair and puts his cigar to his mouth.
"Mrs. Catria, or Richard the butler will know everybody. They deal with the hiring of servants, so I'm afraid I will not be much use to you on that subject," Lord d'Narley says.
"I understand. May I ask your whereabouts on the day, my Lord?" The Lord rises from his chair a little and looks startled at my request. "Merely to ascertain a picture of where everybody was in the house at the time. And I would like to ask who you had seen, on the day, and where they could have been at the time of discovery, as I am sure no one knows the house better than yourself."
"I was not here, I was in New York on business. I arrived back the night afterwards, after receiving a telegram from my wife I returned at once."
"Very well, my Lord, thank you. May I ask as to where I could find Richard or Mrs. Catria at this time of day?"
"Richard could be anywhere, Mrs. Catria will be in the kitchen, having her dinner. I'd advise you to see her in maybe half an hour. Or indeed, tomorrow, as you must be tired from your journey and we have not yet shown you to your room." Lord d'Narley rises and I do also, we leave the Blue Room and make our way back to the front hall of the house, where Richard is walking towards where we have left.
"Richard," Lord d'Narley calls out. The butler stops.
"Yes, m'Lord?"
"Mr. Crane's luggage has been taken to the guest rooms?" The butler bows his head.
"Yes sir, before dinner sir."
"Thank you. This way," Lord d'Narley leads me up the main stairs of the house, along several passages, past several doors, until we stop at one. "We have given you this room, although if it is not satisfactory, there is another available." The Lord opens the door and shows me into a lavishly decorated guest bedroom. I do wonder, at this point, what fine décor the master bedroom must have if this is commissioned as guest. I thank Lord d'Narley, wish him good night, and set about emptying my cases. I hang clothes and arrange shoes, before changing into my nightclothes and laying down on the softest king size bed I have ever seen.
Morning dawns and I wake refreshed and ready for a morning's work. I dress quickly, and descend to breakfast, served at half past eight in the breakfast room. Mrs. Caddeston the cook should indeed be proud of the spread.
After breakfast I immediately set about asking questions. I began with the servants of higher positions in the house. Mrs. Catria the housekeeper, and Richard the butler first.
"Mrs. Caddeston, can you tell me your whereabouts on the day of Natty's death?" I ask, having spoken to both Mrs. Catria and Richard earlier. I stand just in the large kitchen, around me bustling some ten to fifteen other servants.
"Oh!" she exclaims. "Poor Natty. Poor, poor Natty, how it is so terrible sir. Would not have hurt a fly that one, and ever so pretty sir. Ever so pretty you ever did see." I got the distinct feeling that Mrs. Caddeston had a flair for the dramatic. She carried a pot of potatoes over to the Aga.
"Yes, I understand. But could you please tell me where you were," I repeat, having to move for several more maids coming to the kitchen.
"And ever so nice to me, too. Never complained, not once, sir. Hard worker, she's a dreadful loss to the master. Poor Natty!" I feel this conversation is going nowhere.
"But, do you remember where you were?" I ask.
"In the kitchen," she replies stoutly. "Not my place to be anywhere else, sir. If that will be all." Again I have to move to allow work to commence.
"Did you see Natty that day?" I take out a small notebook and pencil.
"No, she had been helping the master with something, then, she was dead," Mrs. Caddeston answers.
"Yes, well, thank you very much for your time, Mrs. Caddeston, you have been a great help," I smile and turn to leave the kitchen, hearing wails of "Poor Natty" as I quietly close the green baize door behind me.
In fact, Mrs. Caddeston's information was indeed a great help. Lord d'Narley had said to me the previous day about his absence. If he had been in New York than Natty could not have been with him the day she died, yet Mrs. Caddeston had said she was. Could Mrs. Caddeston be mistaken? The door behind me opens and the cook comes through it, and to me.
"Sir, I have been terribly mistaken sir. Natty, poor Natty! Natty had been with the master the day before, Lord d'Narley was out the day she died, sir, I am so terribly sorry to have mislead you in any way sir! She was with the master the day before. Ever so pretty she was, sir, poor Natty! Wouldn't hurt a fly," and she turns back to the kitchen. Having cleared up the certain matter concerning the Lord, I return to my room.
Lord and Lady d'Narley had invited me out riding with them earlier, but I had declined, I have not a great history with horses. I find myself much better on two feet. And such, they had not returned, as of yet.
Because of their absence, I take advantage of being alone in the house, save for domestics, and decide to explore a little. The rooms by mine, on the west of the house, are mainly guest bedrooms, most covered in sheets and stored away. On the middle floor – as I am located on the third, and top – are drawing rooms, and living rooms, rooms which one can read or relax in. The library is also on this floor. The ground floor mainly holds the Great Dining Hall and reception rooms. Kitchens are below ground floor, as are some servants quarters, other quarters are in the attics. To the east of the house are other living rooms, also covered and not used.
As I draw nearer and nearer the further east of the house, I begin to feel looking in these room trivial. After all, the past four have been closed, at least as the winter draws in, and I almost do not look in the last three. Two are further closed rooms, sparse furniture covered in sheets, the rest of the furniture obviously moved to other parts of the house as not to ruin as the rooms are unheated and unused. The last, however, is another living room, containing a double bed. I make note of the size of bed, as every other bedroom I have seen houses a king size bed with great hangings, as does my own. But this one is not meant for sleeping, there is hardly any furniture, but that there is is not covered. One thing is clear. This bedroom is used. And has been used recently. The bed is untidily made, implying that no maid or housekeeper has been here since the occupant left, but indeed, I feel the strong sense that someone has been living here, someone Lord and Lady d'Narley have not told me about.