Chapter 8 The Investigation begins
Mrs. Jansen's maid, Nancy stared at Constable Jones as he painstakingly wrote her name down on his small pad with a well worn pencil. Once finished he lifted his eyes and gave her a baleful stare. Taking a deep breath he rubbed his large hand across his brow as if trying to draw the next question forward.
"Right then, Miss Carter – ahhh how long have, err had you been in the employ of Mrs. Jansen?
Again with Mrs. Young's reassuring smile, Nancy stuttered out her reply:
"Well – I've been with her since last Christmas. Her former lady's maid did not want travel with her no more and so she, Mrs Jansen I mean Sir, she put an advert in the papers and me ma, I mean my ma saw it. She knew I was going ta, to need a new situation soon so she showed it to me. I applied and I was employed right away. So I guess I has, have been with her for about 18 months… Sir.
Jones scribbled an 18 on his pad and without looking up asked:
"So did Mrs. Jansen have many friends? Would you suspect any of them as likely to do this?"
Nancy stared at the Constable and her tongue wet her lips nervously. She glanced at Mrs. Young whose eyes narrowed ever so slightly as she watched the young maid's face. Nancy stared down at her hands as she squeezed her handkerchief so tightly that her knuckles whitened. She closed her eyes and almost imperceptively straightened her back. She opened her eyes and stared back at Jones.
"Sir – I don't know who might have killed her but I do know someone stole her gold necklace and her pearl ear rings. I'm thinking it must have been the same person."
Mrs. Young interrupted her with a sharp tone – "Miss Carter – that is a strong allegation to make! Are you suggesting that I run a loose household where just anyone can stroll in off the street and steal from an esteemed guests?
Mrs. Young's eyes held young Nancy's gaze in a steely grip. Nancy seemed to shrink as she stared back at her. " No Mam – no I'm not suggesting that. But the other day I saw a man leaving Mrs. Jansen's room, late in the evening. And this morning I realized some of her best pieces were missing."
An uncomfortable silence hung over the three inhabitants of the dining room.
Mr. Jones cleared his throat and with a light blush on his cheeks asked: "Is Mrs. Jansen's husband traveling with 'er? "
With a stiff back and tight voice; Mrs. Young interjected. "No- he is not. Mrs. Jansen is a widow!"
She silenced Nancy with a withering glance before Mr. Jones looked up from his pad.
"Then just oo would this gentleman have been – leaving 'er room at such a time. Just what time was it Miss ?" He stared at Nancy."
'It was after dinner sir, I'd say it was closer to twelve than not, sir.'
He fixed a hard stare at Mrs. Young. " 'Ere then – what kind of establishment are you running with strange men exiting ladies' rooms at that late hour? And what were you doing up at that hour Miss?" He shifted his eyes from Mrs. Young to Nancy's pale countenance.
"Why that's my job Sir. I'm supposed to wait up for my mistress and then I help her to prepare to retire."
"Well, never mind then – was Mrs. Jansen in the habit of entertaining men at late hours in her rooms?"
Mrs. Young's pointed boot made direct and sharp contact with young Nancy's slim ankle. Biting her lip, Nancy nervously glanced at the ceiling, than back at Mrs. Young. Mr. Jones missed the barely perceptible shake of Mrs. Young's head.
Nancy's grip on her handkerchief tightened even more.
"No sir – I had never seen that man in her room before sir. Though he was wearing a coat much like those gentlemen who were here calling on Mr. Wickham, sir. I guess it could have been one of them, sir."
Mr. Jone's eyes lightened while Mrs. Young appeared to relax.
"Oh ho – and you think he stole Mrs. Jansen's necklace and," he glanced at his notes, "pearl ear rings?"
Relieved to see Mrs. Young looking less hostile, Nancy readily agreed.
"Yes, sir – yes! I'm sure it was one of 'em".
He looked from Mrs. Young to Miss. Carter.
"Well – go on" – he prompted them. "Tell me more about these two gentleman callers you say were in 'er room. Though what she were doing with TWO men in her room…" He shook his head doubtfully.
Nancy's eyes widened as she gasped. "Oh NO sir – not two men in 'er, her room. No, no! I said that the man that I saw was wearing a coat like one of gentleman that were here yesterday morning to see Mr. Wickham."
The constable began to scrawl the name on his pad, not noticing the tightening in Mrs. Young's face.
"Now oo is Mr Wickham?", he asked looking pointedly at the home's owner.
Mrs. Young's back straightened even more than it seemed possible and she glared at the Constable.
"He is one of my esteemed guests. ' she replied crisply.
"Right – well, I'll be needing to speak to him after you ladies describe the coat this 'ere gentleman caller was wearing in Mrs. Jansen's room. "
Nancy opened her mouth as if to correct Mr. Jones and was quickly overridden by the mistress of the house.
"Nancy, please go and rouse Miss Bennet. Mr. Jones will no doubt need to chat with her after I finish describing the guests that were here yesterday. My kitchen maid is with her right now – and I really need Betty to get back to her duties. As you no longer have an employer – perhaps you can busy yourself by helping Miss Bennet to get ready." Her deep brown eyes eyed young Nancy coldly as she quickly rose to follow Mrs. Young's directive.
As Nancy closed the door behind her she could hear Mrs. Young voice as she filled the constable's ears with the details of the fashionable wear that the two male callers had been attired in the day before.