They were all stunned at first, but then Firmin burst into the house demanding,
"What happened?" As the others followed, they heard the butler say,
"He was found at the bottom of the stairs leading to the garden, Sir. I've sent a boy to fetch the constable."
"But what if he was connected?" asked Andre.
"Oh no sir! The lad delivers our milk from a neighboring farm. He is not of the household. I made sure no one left." said the butler leading the way through the house. Many servants, some with eyes red from crying, stopped and watched the newcomers on their way to their late employer. The butler continued,
"One of the upstairs maids, Lucy, found him when she went out this morning to hang the wash on the line sir. The garden is fairly close to the kitchens sir. She screamed and I was the first to respond. And that was when I saw him...like that!" He stopped in an entryway and pointed with a pale expression to a crumpled form at the bottom of about eight stone steps. Firmin and Andre froze solid, but Erik stepped forward and went down the stairs. The Lord had been a tall, well built man, with a robust complexion and a full head of silver hair, neatly trimmed and a handlebar mustache. Now he was pale and looking out blankly with unseeing brown eyes. He was dressed in his dressing gown and pajamas. On the ground ahead of him, was a half spent cigar. Then Erik looked out into the grounds and stepped over the body towards the grass. When Firmin and Andre would make no movement, Antoinette sighed, and picked up her skirts to go past them and over the body, following Erik.
"Uh...Erik? I don't know if you've noticed, but the murdered corpse is that way!" she said pointing back to the stone terrace. Erik looked around the grass and said,
"I'm trying to find where Canter was found."
"But what about the dead body?" asked Antoinette.
"He couldn't sleep. He went out into the garden to smoke. Someone came down the stairs and took advantage of the elevated position to blunt him with a heavy object." said Erik kneeling on the ground. Antoinette stared blankly at him.
"You deduced that after looking at the body two seconds?"
"The house smelled nothing of cigars, so her Ladyship must not allow smoking in the house. There are multiple cigar butts in the corners of the terrace. There's dirt clumps in the hall and a scratch on the hardwood. I bet that's from a shovel." said Erik still looking at the ground. Antoinette folded her arms,
"Why would someone keep a shovel in the house?"
"That's what we have to find out. Ah! Here's the circle. The grass is dead here still...hmm. Canter was nowhere near a flower bed, but that's where he must have been going. But why?" asked Erik stroking his chin with his thumb.
"Erik...he was a gardener." said Antoinette as if was obvious. Erik stood,
"But look at the flowers. They are perfectly healthy. Why tend to them?"
"Perhaps her Ladyship likes fresh flowers in her house." said Antoinette. Erik looked at her and quirked a brow,
"Petunias? Not likely. There are far too plain inside a vase. From passing the halls, I noticed the furbishing was of expensive taste." said Erik. Antoinette glanced back towards the terrace and said,
"Come on. We best get back to being assistants. Firmin and Andre finally worked up the nerve to come close to the body." Erik followed her back to see Firmin poking at the corpse with his cane while Andre looked like he was going to be sick.
"Haven't you ever dealt with a dead body before Mousiers?" asked the butler.
"Well yes...but..." started Firmin. Erik interrupted,
"But M. Firmin was too busy thinking of how the murderer hit his Lordship over the head with a shovel using the elevated position of the stairs behind him!"
"I was?" asked Firmin. Antoinette piped up,
"Of course you were sir." Firmin caught on,
"Right! Of course! Now Mousier I suppose the next thing to do would be...?" He snapped his fingers searching for an answer.
"Question the household." said Erik.
" Yes! Thank you Erik! Uh...Mousier?" asked Firmin to the butler.
"Thompkins, sir. And yes. I will gather everyone in the parlor at once." When the butler left, Andre said,
"Can we please go inside before I am to be ill?"
"Come now Andre. Surely you have seen enough dead bodies to give you an immunity to nausea?" said Erik with a dark smirk as he moved past them to go inside. Andre and Firmin got chills at the recollection of the past, while Antoinette merely wondered if Erik was proud of past misdeeds.
Minutes later, eight servants were in the parlor. Thompkins, plus three men stood. The women, all dresses as maids in white aprons and caps, sat down on the couches. One man was dresses as a gardener, the second a butler, the third as a stableman. One of the women was a robust, wide woman of advanced years, the other three were all maids, the pretty blond one in the middle sobbing profusely as the rest tried to comfort her. As always, Firmin took charge of the situation.
"Now that you are all together, we would like to ask you some questions..." Erik stepped forward and interrupted,
"But M. Firmin, didn't you say you wanted to interview everyone, separately?"
"I did?" asked Firmin. Andre caught on,
"Of course Firmin. To prevent anyone from creating an alibi for another!" The stableman spoke up in a gruff Scottish accent,
"As if we'd do that!"
"Indeed!" said Firmin.
"And Mousier, I must point out that not everyone is here. We have yet to meet her Ladyship." pointed out Antoinette.
"I am coming, Mam'selle." said a weak and refined voice. They turned to see a beautiful middle aged blond woman, her eyes red and swollen with tears come off the stairs and enter the parlor in mourning black.
"You will forgive me Mousiers for not greeting you upon your arrival, but circumstances being what they are, you can understand my delay. I am Lady Victoria Wittingham Bowler." she said. Andre stepped forward and took her hands in his,
"Enchante, Madame. We are most saddened by your lost. And that we could not have arrived sooner to prevent it. I am Giles Andre, my partner M. Michael Firmin and our assistants, Mlle. Carone and M. DuL'Soir."
"Thank you for your kind words, Mousier. And for taking such an interest in the matter still. Charles would have admired it." she said her strong voice cracking.
"Come Milady, do sit down." said Andre leading her over to a chair.
"Now then, here is what we shall do. What is the closest room?" asked Firmin.
"The library sir. Right through that door." said Thompkins pointing to his left.
"Very good. Andre, you stay in here. Erik, Mlle. Carone you shall accompany me to the library to interview everyone one at a time. Mam'selle I trust you've got your notebook handy?" asked Firmin.
"Ready to go sir." said Antoinette.
"Good. Thompkins, we'll start with you." said Firmin heading into the library.
"Certainly sir." he said right behind him with Antoinette following, leaving Erik to close the door behind them.
The series of questions asked started with this,
"Where were you last night?" Each responded, but with a different answer.
" Asleep in my bed sir." said Thompkins.
"I was talking with Miss Harould, one of the maids sir. We share a room. We were kept up by the noises coming from Mr. Grady's room." said a harsh looking woman.
"I was staying up late talking with my roommate Miss Wilcox." said Miss Harould.
"I was down at a pub in the village. Every bloak can vouch for me." said the Scotsman Mr. Grady.
"I was doing the dishes in the kitchen sir. Oh poor Lord Bowler! Poor, poor Lord Bowler! There never was a finer man!" sobbed the pretty blond main named Lucy.
"I was in the kitchen sir. Doing the dishes." said the second butler, a young man named Jefferson. To which Erik asked Jefferson,
"You were alone?"
"Yes sir." he nodded. The first question was put to Mrs. Bradley, the large cook who said,
"I was in my room knitting, Mousier. I was waiting for my daughter Lucy, we share a room. She came in rather late all short of breath and her hair messed up. She said she was working on the dishes, but I knew she was down there with that Jefferson cad! I know because the dishes were only half done this morning! I was also kept up by noises from Mr. Grady's room. Confound the man!" Finally, the question was put to the new head gardener, Tom Kelsey.
"Yes sir. I was down at the pub in the village sir, visiting my brother and sister in law. They run the place."
"Did you see Mr. Grady?" asked Erik speaking up again.
"No sir. And I was there all night. And you know when he's down at the pub because he's a wicked drunk sir. My brother has to throw him out every week!"
The next question they asked each person separately was,
"Did you notice anything unusual about his Lordship last night?"
"No sir. He was in a fairly pleasant mood as I recall. I remember it plainly, for I remember thinking Her Ladyship was quite ill, the exact opposite of him." said Thompkins.
"The Master was very kind last night. First time he's been that way in a couple of days." said Miss Wilcox.
"Oh, he was nice last night. A regular charmer! Apparently, he had just received some happy news in the post, according to Mr. Grady anyway." said Miss Harould.
"I wouldn't know his mood last night. I was at the pub." said Grady.
"He has been in a dark mood since poor Mr. Canter passed. But he was in such good spirits last night! Oh! What a awful thing! To die when you are in a happy mood! And after we just lost Mr. Canter." sobbed Lucy as Firmin handed her his handkerchief.
" He was sour up until Grady came back with the post. I remember it because I was washing the windows at the time. Then he was right chipper." said Jefferson. Antoinette paused and asked,
"Before you did the dishes?"
"Yes Miss." he said. Mrs. Bradley responded to the question by saying,
"The Master was quite happy sir. He praised my cooking. Her Ladyship didn't eat much, but he ate enough for the both of them. Lord! If I had known that was his last meal..."
"Well, I don't remember his mood but I remember her Ladyship's. She was rather cross all day. She kept snapping at me about the roses. She wanted them tending to." said Tom.
"Where were you when his Lordship was found?"
"I was polishing the silver in the dining room with Miss Wilcox. We heard Miss Lucy scream and I ran out and found her pointing to the body." said Thompkins.
"I was polishing silver in the dining room with Mr. Thompkins. He was lecturing me on the proper technique and whatnot, when I heard Lucy scream. I stood and then Thompkins called me to fetch Lucy. She was in fit of hysterics, she was." said Miss Wilcox.
"I was helping Mrs. Bradley fix breakfast, when we heard Lucy scream. Mrs. Bradley called for her, then we saw Thompkins pass by in the hall. Then Miss Wilcox was called and she brought Lucy in the kitchen. Lucy was hiccupping and coughing, making herself sick. She rushed into her mother's arms and we've spent the better part of the day calming her down." said Miss Harould.
"I was in the stables when I heard Lucy scream. The boy who delivers the milk had just arrived, and Jefferson came out and told him to fetch the constable." said Grady.
"I came from the kitchens to hang the wash...I dropped the basket as soon as I saw him. The look...the look on his face...I knew he was dead!" sobbed Lucy as Antoinette stopped her shorthand to come over and comfort her. Jefferson responded by telling them,
"I was upstairs, picking out the Master's suit in his bedchambers sir. He was to go hunting today sir. I was just coming out from the master's room to get some shoe polish, when Her Ladyship came from her bedroom. She asked me if the Master was up yet when we heard Miss Lucy scream. Then her Ladyship fainted in my arms. Tom was coming out of his room and he rushed to help me when Thompkins called me. I ran down and saw Lord Bowler at the bottom of the garden steps, Lucy getting sick in the kitchen with the women all about her. Thompkins told me to get someone to fetch the constable. I found the boy from the farm over at our door bringing the milk. I told him and he was off."
"I was in the kitchens and then Lucy screamed. I...I haven't been able to walk much since I took a spill last fall. I couldn't run to her. Last thing I recall clearly was Miss Wilcox shoving her in my arms." said Mrs. Bradley .
"Admitting, I had a bit of a row with my brother last night so I was sleeping in a bit to get over it. When I dressed and came out, I heard a scream and then saw Her Ladyship faint in Jefferson's arms. I rushed to help her, and then Thompkins called Jefferson, so I picked her up and carried her back in her room so she could lie down." said Tom.
"Do you know why she fainted?" asked Erik.
"Miss Lucy can scream loud enough to wake the dead. Probably gave her a fright after the business of Mr. Canter and all." answered Tom. Then they were all asked,
"Did anyone in the house have reason to kill Lord Bowler?"
"As far as I know, no one in the house sir. Despite his debt, the master always paid us a fair wage on time, he was of good temperament and was on agreeable terms with everyone except Mr. Grady. Mr. Grady doesn't have the proper attitude when it comes to servitude. No respect for the higher classes at all, sir. They were always going at it." answered Thompkins. Everyone else said basically the same thing, except for Grady who surprisingly answered,
"Aye there would be a few. Her Ladyship first thing. They haven't shared a room in the past six months so you've got to figure they were on the outs. Then Miss Lucy and Mister Jefferson."
"Those two?" asked Firmin with his hands behind his back.
"Aye. See...they've been having...an intrigue if you will for months now. His former Lordship wouldn't let them get married. I'd say they might resent him for that."
"And what of you? I understand you didn't get along with his Lordship at all." said Erik. Grady glared at him,
"I didn't kill him! And I don't need some defected dandy Frog telling me I did!" Erik stood and heavens, if looks could kill just as easily as a Punjab lasso. Grady stood and matched his stare, to which Firmin stood between them and said,
"Gentlemen! I will only tell you once to sit down!" When Lucy was presented with Mr. Grady's accusation of a possible motive, she cried out with red eyes,
"Yes! Yes, Billy and I do want to marry! But you don't understand! You don't understand!" They didn't get much more out of Lucy, so they asked Jefferson and he continued with a sigh,
"Alright...I admit I was a little put off when Lord Bowler told us he wouldn't let us go get married. But he had a good reason and that was because of this whole Canter business. He wanted to make sure we'd be around for the honeymoon!" Finally, everyone was asked,
"What can you tell us of John Canter's death?"
"I was tending to my duties sir. Her Ladyship was having a tea that afternoon, so all the maids and Mrs. Bradley were in the kitchen. I was setting up chairs with Jefferson in the parlor. Lady Bowler was with us, telling us where to put the tables, as his Lordship came in ready to go off riding so he wouldn't have to be in the way. Then Tom ran in and told us there was a fire in the garden. All the men, including his Lordship came out, joined by Mr. Grady running around the corner of the house a second later. He had been tending to his Lordship's horse. We put out the fire, and found Mr. Canter dead in the center of that perfect smoldering ring of fire. At first we thought someone had clubbed him, and then suffocated him with smoke, but the coroner confirmed it was his heart and his lungs had no smoke in them. That was when Lord Bowler sent for you and your company Mousier." Thompkins told them, which the rest of the staff confirmed. They specifically asked Tom Kelsey,
"So you first found Canter?"
"Yes sir. He had told me to work on the west shrubbery on the other side of the house. I remember him sweating a lot and looking pale, and it wasn't even the middle of the day yet. I guess he was starting to go then. Next thing I know, I smell smoke. I run over and see the flames, then I rush inside to get help. Tis a shame sir. Was just about to retire and go live with his sister and his nephew he was. They live in the village up the road. A mighty shame. That's all I know sir." The last question put to them was,
"What was John Canter like?"
"A hard worker."
"A cheapskate."
"Penny pincher!"
"An old fool, like everyone else around here!" huffed Grady.
"A nice man!" said Lucy blowing her nose in the soaked handkerchief, she then tried to give back to Firmin who smiled and then said,
"Keep it!"
"Funny. He was always cracking jokes."
"Loyal. Worked here for seventy years and through three generations of Bowlers!" nodded Mrs. Bradley.
"Mr. Grady might have been the only person he didn't like. He thought him a rude little prick...beg your pardon, Miss! But yes sir, John Canter was a good sort who never met a stranger!" Tom told them. Firmin nodded and gestured for the young man to leave saying,
"Thank you sir. You have been most helpful!" When Tom had gone, Firmin asked Erik,
"So what do you think?" Erik rubbed the bridge of his nose,
"Three people lied to us. Grady, Lucy and Jefferson. Lucy and Jefferson lied about being alone in the kitchen last night, and Grady lied about being in the pub since Tom and Jefferson confirmed he was still at the house last night. Anyone could have been out of their rooms, but those three had the motive to kill him. Them and her Ladyship of course."
"Lady Bowler?" asked Firmin.
"Firmin, before your marriage ended, did Madame Firmin share the same room with you?" asked Erik. Firmin brightened,
"Ah! I see your point. They had martial discord!" Antoinette interrupted,
"And the servants said the Lord was in a good mood after the post arrived. And since her Ladyship seemed ill, His Lordship may have been holding something incriminating over her head!"
"Right, but don't forget. On the day of Canter's death, the only two not accounted for in the house, was Tom and Grady." said Erik.
"Sounds like to me, Grady is our man then!" said Firmin. Erik scowled and looked out the window,
"As much as I would like it to be...I don't think it is. It is far too obvious a choice."
"But Erik, he had the temperament, he didn't get along with Canter or Bowler, he had no solid alibis either occasion and..." said Antoinette. Erik interrupted her,
"And we still can't leave out Jefferson and Lucy, or Her Lady ship until we get some hard evidence. And I would love to get my hands on that post Lord Bowler got. Don't get me wrong, I believe Grady is involved somehow, but I don't think he's the killer."
"Ok, so we still need to find out where the kerosene came from, what was in the post, confirm Tom Kelsey's story, where and what Lucy and Jefferson were really doing and if Lady Bowler hated her husband enough to kill him." said Antoinette.
"Should be fairly simple!" joked Erik dryly.
"Yes...where the devil is Andre? He was suppose to bring her Ladyship in..." But Firmin was interrupted when Andre came in and said,
"The constable is here with the undertaker and the coroner!" The three reentered the parlor to find a short, middle aged man with a bald head lick his fingers at the cucumber sandwiches Mrs. Bradley had prepared as he stood over Lady Bowler. He said as the coroner and the undertaker took the body out together on a stretcher,
"Don't worry Ma'am. These things work out in time." Lady Bowler pointed to Firmin, and said,
"Constable Bowers, this is Mousier Andre's partner M. Firmin and their assistants..."
"Yes, yes...and I'm told you've interviewed the servants already. We'll I see no reason to interview them again, so if you could just give me your notes, I can read them over myself." said Bowers.
"But we did all the work! Now you presume to stand there and take all..." started Erik glaring at the man. Antoinette touched his arm as Andre gave him a pointed look,
"M. DuL'Soir, that'll do! Now, Miss Carone, hand over your notes to the constable. We make it a point to cooperate with the authorities!" Antoinette sighed, ripped the notepaper out and handed it to Bowers as Erik asked,
"So what did your coroner find?"
"He was hit on the head dead. Anyone can see that!" laughed Bowers.
"Even you!" smirked Erik. Bowers bristled so much, even his mustache spread. He turned to Lady Bowler and said,
"Now Missus, I just need to ask you some questions. Did your husband have any enemies?"
"No." she said.
"What about kin who wanted the family fortune?" asked Bowers.
"No, he was the last in line." said Lady Bowler.
"Any mistresses he had on the side?" he asked as she began to sob,
"NO!"
"And what about you? Were you faithful to him?" asked Bowers bluntly.
"Now see here! Can't you be a little more patient? The woman just lost her husband!" protested Andre as Lady Bowler fought with her handkerchief against the tears.
"Aye! Leave her be!" said Grady to which Erik raised a brow.
"No...no I'm quite alright...No, Constable...I didn't have an affair." she said her pride and dignity returning.
"What about sleeping in separate bedrooms?" asked Erik.
"I beg your pardon?" asked Lady Bowler looking to the strange young assistant.
"This is my interview, sir!" said Bowers to which Erik ignored him and stepped towards Lady Bowler and said,
"You and his Lordship have been in separate bedrooms for the past six months. Something must have gone wrong."
"Yes Mousier. Charles began to snore! I couldn't earn a wink of sleep until I moved into the rooms next door. Now please...I'm tired...I must go lie down. Can we continue this later?" asked Lady Bowler standing.
"I'll come back later Ma'am." said Bowers.
"Thompkins, show Constable Bowers out. Jefferson, Miss Wilcox, show our quests to their rooms. Everyone else, tend to your duties." said Lady Bowler exiting. As Bowers was shown out, and the servants left, Firmin sighed towards Erik's direction,
"You couldn't leave well enough alone, could you? Bowers WAS getting information out of her!"
"I apologize. I grew impatient. Bowers has no idea what he's doing!" said Erik.
"Well we all can see that!" said Andre.
"So what do we do now?" asked Antoinette. Erik sighed,
"I suggest we go gather our thoughts in our rooms." He walked out, his mind reeling with all the information he had heard in the last few hours.