Chapter 11 – Shock
Elsie Hughes had been checking the downstairs rooms for cleaning jobs when Tom Branson approached her just after luncheon.
"Mrs. Hughes, I need you to come with me to the police station in Ripon," Tom said quietly. "It's Anna."
"What's wrong? She's not in trouble is she?" Mrs. Hughes asked in concern. Her heart was in her throat. She had worked with Anna for a very long time and the woman was like the daughter she had never had.
"No she's not in trouble. The police called. She is in shock. She knows and trusts you. I'll take you to her. I'll get my hat and coat. We can leave through the servants' entrance."
"Very well, Mr. Branson," Mrs. Hughes said. She could tell by the look on his face whatever was going on was dead serious. She felt her heart speed up a notch with the urgency.
Thomas Barrow was in his office checking the wine register as they passed by.
"Mr. Barrow, I'm driving Mrs. Hughes to the police station in Ripon," Tom said. "I don't know when we'll be back. We'll most likely get our tea out. Mrs. Hughes isn't in trouble and there is nothing to worry about."
"Yes, Sir," Thomas replied somewhat in shock. It was only a minute or two later Mrs. Hughes came out of her sitting room wearing her coat, hat and purse. Her hat was on a bit crooked and she was pulling on her gloves.
"Now will you tell me what's really going on, Mr. Branson," Mrs. Hughes said as they were pulling out of the main gates of the Abbey. She hated being kept in the dark when it concerned someone she felt responsible for.
"Anna is at the police station. The police went to the cottage earlier looking for Mr. Bates. This is going to be difficult to hear Mrs. Hughes, but it is believed John Bates is the man behind the thefts and Mr. Crawley's death."
"Surely not! We all know Mr. Bates. How could it possibly be him?" Mrs. Hughes said.
Tom only set his jaw. The look on his face told Mrs. Hughes not to argue.
"You're in a state of disbelief Mrs. Hughes. Lord Grantham and I have been aware of the investigation and the prime suspects for months. Believe me it wasn't easy to accept at first, but I assure you it is true and there may be more as things unfold."
"I'm stunned," Mrs. Hughes replied.
"Bates evaded the police tail this morning. He's on the run. I don't know much at the moment except that they took Anna to the police station. She's in a severe state of shock. They asked someone close to her be present," Tom said. "We'll find out more when we arrive."
Mrs. Hughes remained silent for the rest of the short trip into Ripon. She was in her own state of shock. She had convinced herself the culprit was someone from the outside staff. It was a difficult thing to hear that someone you had championed their cause and sat across the table for meals for years could be responsible for something so terrible.
The sergeant at the desk summoned another constable to show them into the office where Anna was. Mrs. Hughes went to sit beside Anna and took her hand. Anna's face was pale and she had a faraway look.
"Mrs. Hughes," Anna said. "Did you need me to check the linens? I was making pastry. I must have lost track of the time."
"The linens are all counted. There is no rush," Mrs. Hughes said. She glanced at the police detective and Tom then back to Anna.
"Anna, Mr. Branson's here. He asked me to come. He said you'd had a shock," Mrs. Hughes said.
"Yes, that's right. I was making pastry early in the day. The same way Vera did. Did you know you can put anything in pastry earlier in the day and no one will even know it's there," Anna said vaguely.
"I see you still have some on your hands. Did you want to wash it off?" Mrs. Hughes asked her.
"John will be back for his tea," Anna said. "No, no that isn't right. He went back for his tea but he got in a fight with Vera. That's why he didn't eat the pie. Someone put arsenic in the bowl in the afternoon."
"Did he?" Mrs. Hughes asked. She glanced at the detective who was making notes.
"He's very good at making me forget," Anna said. She was still gazing off into space.
"What is it you forgot, Mrs. Bates?" the detective asked. He was careful not to raise his voice or ask anything too forcefully.
"I forgot what Mrs. Bartlett said," Anna replied. "She said Vera was making pastry. She was scrubbing it off her hands. Everyone thought she had mixed the flour and lard then, but she didn't. She went to the post and John was coming back for his tea."
"How do you know she didn't mix the flour and lard then?" the detective questioned.
"John showed me it was easier to do it ahead. His mother showed him. He showed Vera too. It was easier. That's why I was getting things ready this afternoon," Anna said. "I dropped the pepper." She looked at Mrs. Hughes then collapsed against her breaking out in tears.
"There, there," Mrs. Hughes crooned. "We'll go and get your hands washed and you can wash your face."
"Shouldn't Mrs. Bates see a doctor?" Tom asked the detective.
The detective got up and called a man from the office to show Mrs. Hughes and Anna to the washroom.
"It's important we get the information from Mrs. Bates while it is fresh in her mind," the detective said once the women had left the room. "When I've finished with questioning you may take her for medical attention."
"Detective, I insist. Bates duped his wife as well as the rest of us. She's clearly in no state to be questioned. Has she even had anything to eat since you brought her here?"
"Mr. Branson, Mrs. Bates was in possession of the information to prove Mr. Bates killed his first wife. He was released under false pretenses. Whether she was aware of this and acted as accessory or was duped by her husband is unclear."
"I've known Anna Bates for years. She is one of the most honest women I know. She would have never knowingly been an accessory to murder," Tom said. "Are you charging her with a crime?"
"No, Mrs. Bates won't be charged," the Detective replied.
"Why haven't you got Bates in custody?"
"He's very elusive. He gave his tail the slip this morning. We haven't been able to find a trace of him."
"So he could still be in vicinity of the Abbey?"
"No, we don't believe so. He's long gone but we are not sure how," the detective said. "We have turned up a new lead. It seems he kept a post box at the village post office. The London police are returning to the Cock and Boar with a search warrant. If we can prove a connection between the pub and the post box we will have sufficient proof to charge him with arson."
"But not the proof to charge him with Matthew Crawley's murder?"
"Small steps, Mr. Branson. Each piece of the puzzle leads to another."
"Meanwhile he's on the loose and we knowingly kept a killer on the property."
"It comes down to the burden of proof, Mr. Branson. We have some proof but not enough for a conviction. You saw what happened with his first wife's murder. He served some time but was able to worm his way out of it by misdirecting the truth."
Tom only grimaced in reply.
Mrs. Hughes returned with Anna who was shaking and pale.
"Why don't you take Mrs. Bates to the hospital in Downton?" the detective said. "I'll catch up with her later today.
Tom and Mrs. Hughes got Anna out to the car. Mrs. Hughes sat in the back with Anna. Tom pulled up in front of Rose's favorite teashop in Ripon.
"I don't want to go in," Anna said tearfully.
"I'll get you a take away bun or some such. You have to try and eat something," Tom said.
"I quite agree," Mrs. Hughes said. "Not eating won't help anything."
Mrs. Hughes watched Mr. Branson go into the shop. She rubbed Anna's back while they were alone in the car.
"Everything will turn out as it should in the end," Mrs. Hughes comforted the younger woman.
"Mrs. Hughes, what if John never comes back?" Anna asked.
"That is a question you shouldn't try to answer right now," Mrs. Hughes said with her heart sinking. She didn't have the answer for Anna. At the moment she didn't think anyone did.
Tom Branson returned with a packet with a sandwich and biscuit inside. Mrs. Hughes coaxed Anna to eat a few bites on the way back to Downton. They stopped at the hospital to see Dr. Clarkson. Once the situation was explained to him, he admitted Anna to the hospital for twenty-four hours observation.
"It would be best if she not go back to the cottage. The Abbey may cause her more distress at the moment as well. She's suffering from a form of anxiety. It can happen when a person receives bad news they just can't accept," Dr. Clarkson said.
"Will she be alright, Doctor?" Mrs. Hughes asked.
"Eventually, with time. For the moment, I will sedate her. Rest will help and the presence of someone she knows and trusts," Dr. Clarkson replied.
"I'll leave you with Anna, Mrs. Hughes," Tom said. "Call the house when you want to be picked up. I'll come or send the driver."
"Very well, Mr. Branson," Mrs. Hughes replied. She turned back to help guide Anna to the bed she had been assigned. Only this morning Anna had seemed so happy. Now Anna's world was upside down and her own along with it.
-0-
Thomas Barrow stood on the bottom step of the servants' stair and addressed the crowd in front of him. It was a sea of nervous faces. Some of the people he had worked with almost all of his adult life were missing at the moment.
"I don't know anymore myself," Thomas repeated. "Lord Grantham has said he will have a meeting with all the staff tomorrow during the morning in the great hall. He's asked me to go to the village and ask if the younger Mr. Mosely is available to act as valet. The family has asked for an informal dinner tonight. Miss O'Brien is sitting with her ladyship and Mrs. Hughes went with Mr. Branson to the police station in Ripon earlier today. I can't tell you anything else."
"Where are Mr. and Mrs. Bates? Lord Grantham said the police were coming to make an arrest and they haven't been to the house," One of the junior maids asked. "Are we safe?"
A murmur went through the crowd.
"We're perfectly safe," Thomas reassured her. "The person the police were after is gone. Lord Grantham said they're gone for good. We're safer now than we have been in months. They'll let us know the news when they hear anything. Mrs. Hughes will be back soon. She may have more information."
Thomas went into his office and closed the door. He felt as though someone had pulled the rug out from under his feet. Only this morning he had been thinking about the plans for a small staff car and who would be trained to drive it. Now he was down two staff members, maybe three since Mrs. Hughes wasn't here. He had no idea where Bates or Anna was. Everyone upstairs was in a state. He missed Mrs. Hughes reassuring presence. She always seemed to know exactly what to say. For the first time since he was made Head Butler he wished it was Mr. Carson and not him who was here to steer the ship. He grabbed his hat from the peg by the door and headed down to the garage to find the chauffeur with determination. This was one time he wasn't walking into the village. He would get the chauffeur to drive him to Mosley's and bring them back if the man was available.
Something was definitely afoot, Thomas noted as they passed through the village. There was a police car parked outside of Kieran and Ivy Branson's cottage with a throng of people standing on the sidewalk looking on. Further down the lane another police car was parked outside the post office. Whatever was going on it was going to be the talk of the village for at least the next year. Thomas spotted Mr. Carson at the door of his shop watching the goings on. Thomas gestured to the chauffeur to stop so he could speak to Mr. Carson.
"What the devil is going on Mr. Carson?" Thomas asked. He didn't bother to pussy foot around asking for the latest gossip.
"I was hoping you could tell me," Mr. Carson replied. "There have been police around all day. The village is in an uproar and no one seems to know a thing about what is going on."
"All we know is the police were supposed to come by and make an arrest this afternoon. We haven't seen hide or hair of them. They all seem to be here," Thomas replied. "Mrs. Hughes went off with Mr. Branson earlier. I'm on my way to see if young Mr. Mosely is available to come and work at the Abbey as valet."
"Where is Bates?"
"We don't know. It couldn't be him could it?" Thomas questioned wide-eyed with his mouth gaping.
"It's best not to jump to conclusions, Mr. Barrow," Mr. Carson said. "Young Mr. Mosley is working as a spare at a hunting party over towards Thursk for the week."
"Wonderful," Thomas said in a discouraged tone. "You wouldn't be interested in coming out to the Abbey even for a few hours or even days would you Mr. Carson. We could really use a steadying presence at the moment."
"I was just closing up," Mr. Carson said. "Give me a few minutes to go by my cottage and pick up an overnight bag and some suitable attire."
"Thank you, Mr. Carson. I appreciate it and I know Lord Grantham will too," Thomas replied. "Get in and we'll give you a lift to your cottage."
"You must be in need of a steadying presence, if you want an old war horse like me back," Mr. Carson said seriously before he hurried to lock up.
-0-
Mr. Carson walked up the stairs he was so familiar with in the company of Thomas Barrow. It seemed strange. He had thought of this house for so long as home and now he felt as a visitor. The old expression, you can never go home again was true. He enjoyed his small cottage and the teashop and the steady stream of people, who came through the door to have their lunch, chat or just say hello. Instead of living vicariously through another man's family, his was now made up of the people he interacted with everyday.
"Jimmy, where is Lord Grantham?" Thomas asked when he spotted the footman in the main hall.
"He's in the drawing room with the rest of them," Jimmy said. "Hello, Mr. Carson, fancy seeing you back and in your livery."
"James," Mr. Carson said.
"We call him Jimmy, now," Thomas said.
"Humpf," was all Mr. Carson replied.
They entered the drawing room to a less than happy scene. The Dowager Countess and Isobel Crawley were sitting down looking pale and worn. Lady Grantham was sitting on a chair staring off into space while Lord Grantham was standing beside her looking equally as worn. Even Lady Rose who was usually bright and chipper was sitting with her head down staring into a cup of rapidly cooling tea.
"Carson, old chap, what are you doing here? Never mind, I can't tell you what a relief it is to see you," Lord Grantham said striding across the room to take the older man's hand in a firm shake.
"Mr. Barrow said you were in need of a valet for a few days, milord," Carson said. "I volunteered my services for a day or two until a new one could be secured."
"Carson, you couldn't have come at a more opportune time," Violet said. "It seems drama and this house go together hand in hand these days."
"Lady Grantham, I am at your service," Carson replied.
"We're all glad you're here," Cora said. "We've had a terrible shock. Knowing is almost worse than not knowing."
"I think I'll go up and lie down for a bit," Isobel said unsteadily.
"I'll come with you," Rose said quietly. "I wanted to go up and check on the children."
"Carson, Thomas come with me to the library," Lord Grantham said. "I'll fill you in on the details or as much as we know."
The two men did a slight bow and followed Lord Grantham to the library. When they got to the room Lord Grantham signaled Thomas to close the doors. Thomas had a feeling of dread. Whatever they were about to hear wasn't going to be pleasant.
"As you both surely know, there has been a thief living amongst us off and on for the last thirteen years. When this man wasn't living and working on the estate he was close by, keeping an eye on things. It's believed he is responsible for Mr. Crawley's death and a recent arson. The police have strong evidence that points directly to him. They are still working to collect evidence that would lead to a conviction," Lord Grantham paused. "This morning I announced the police would be making an arrest in an attempt to push him into making a mistake that would give concrete evidence leading to his arrest and conviction."
"Is this tied to the hullabaloo going on in the village, milord?" Mr. Carson asked. The hair on the back of his neck was standing on end and his heart was racing in dread.
"I'm afraid so, Carson," Lord Grantham continued. "The man evaded the police and is on the run. It was Bates."
"No," Mr. Carson said in shock.
"Lord Grantham, I sincerely don't know what to say," Thomas said. He felt as though the room were spinning slightly.
"There is nothing you can say," Lord Grantham said. "He stole something from me, from us all more precious than money. He took Mr. Crawley's life and he stole our trust. It can never be put right."
"If you'll forgive me, milord," Mr. Carson said. He slowly collapsed into a chair. Lord Grantham got a shot of whisky in a glass and handed it to the older man. Carson reached out and took it blindly.
"I don't have any more details at the moment. I think it is best to wait until tomorrow to notify the remaining staff," Lord Grantham said.
"As you wish, milord. It will be difficult to keep this quiet for too long. The Bates' absence has already been noticed," Thomas said.
"We'll assemble the staff in the morning and make an announcement," Lord Grantham said. "Carson are you alright?"
"Yes, milord," Mr. Carson said getting to his feet and straightening his jacket. "It is difficult news but we must carry on."
"Don't ever change, Carson," Lord Grantham said with a small grin on an otherwise serious countenance.
"I try not to, milord," Mr. Carson replied stiffly. "Now what will you be wearing for dinner?"
Notes:
Parts of this story over the next few chapters is inspired by very odd murder case in California, involving Erik and Lyle Menendez. It is made even odder by the women in the brothers' lives. Both brothers married after they were convicted of a double homicide. I did some research on psychological trauma for this and the previous story. In some forms of grief the first reaction is denial. The person is in such an extreme state of shock their mind will not let them accept what has happened.
When I research Who Killed Vera Bates, I went over every bit of dialogue in season one and two. I actually found more to point to guilty than innocent. In that story I had Vera die of accidental poisoning, but I was never able to prove that Bates was innocent. In the real show Bates is released from prison on Audry Bartlett's testimony although there is more in the testimony to convict than to prove his innocence. For this story I took the road of guilty. In series one, Bates says to Anna, "You don't know what I'm really like and what I am capable of doing." Hmmm. Curious yet Fellows is a master of changing the story to suit and having a number of story lines that don't add up and we love the show anyway. Anyway, it is all for entertainment and don't despair, there are more twists and turns and bumps in the road coming.