No Shred of Evidence: An Inspector Ian Rutledge Mystery by Charles Todd

his body the next morning. On the rocky shore. Quite dead. I believed it to be my fault. Even now I do. But everyone said it was his for showing me such a dangerous place, and he must have had designs on my virtue, taking me out there in the dusk. But it was I who went out there, and he followed me only to keep me from falling. To protect my good name, it was called a tragic accident, and the footman’s family was told of his death.”
    He wasn’t sure where she was going with her story, but he could see that she was still haunted by it. And so he waited in silence.
    “When I was married and came here to live at Padstow Place, I didn’t know that the footman’s family lived on a farm nearby. I was out riding one day and I encountered Mr. Trevose. He looked me up and down in a rude way and told me that he could now see why his brother felt I was worth dying for. It shook me, Mr. Rutledge, and I thought I was going to be ill. I was already pregnant with Stephen, and I said nothing to my husband or anyone else. When I came in from my ride, they saw how pale I was and they put me to bed and called a doctor. He ordered me to give up my rides. And of course I did, but not because I was pregnant. I have seen Mr. Trevose many times since that day—in church, of course, and around the village—but we have never spoken since. It was as if that day hadn’t happened. But it had. And now I’m afraid he’s found a way at last to pay me back for his brother’s death.”
    “Who knows about this encounter?”
    “No one. I told no one, not even my husband. I expect Mr. Trevose has said nothing about it either. There has been no gossip. If there had been, it would have come to my attention sooner or later.”
    He regarded her, wondering if she was telling the truth or was willing to sacrifice herself to save her daughter. After all, she’d lost her son. Victoria was the only child left to her.
    “You realize that you have given me information that I shall have to investigate before I can discredit Mr. Trevose’s statements. There will be no easy way to do this, and your name will eventually come out. I can’t protect you and get at the truth at the same time.”
    “I wouldn’t have told you any of this if I hadn’t been prepared to accept the consequences.”
    “How, for instance, did Mr. Trevose learn your part in his brother’s death? If it was treated as an accident?”
    “I don’t know,” she told him frankly. “I’ve wondered. My best guess is that one of the staff wrote to him or his parents and told them what had occurred. At the time I hadn’t met my husband; I had no connection to this part of Cornwall. I expect Mr. Trevose was as surprised to learn I was to be mistress here as I was to learn that his family’s farm was nearby.”
    “Are you sure that there was nothing between you and this footman?”
    “Paul. His name was Paul. I had seen him, of course I had, and he was simply one of the staff.”
    “What was he doing in that part of the house, when you were looking for a place to hide?”
    “I don’t know. He was carrying a tray with a glass on it. Someone had asked for something to drink. It was thought that he’d stepped outside on the terrace for some air. The house was stuffy, closed up on a stormy evening.”
    “You reported his death. How could you have known it had happened, if you hadn’t been present?”
    “It was said that I heard a cry, saw the door swinging open, and realized that someone had fallen. That I had initially thought it was one of the players. The doctor came and gave me a sedative. He asked me what had happened, and I was so frightened I also told him I believed it was one of my friends. He passed that on to the police.”
    “And did Paul try to force himself on you?”
    “Good God, no, he was laughing and saying that no one would think to look for me on the terrace, and if I stood close to the doors, my gown wouldn’t get wet. He was a footman, but he was a human