Page 63 of Disturbing the Dead
“I still remember how to do this,” I say. “Thank you for bringing it.”
She hesitates and glances at Gray.
“Mallory will serve the tea,” he says.
Lorna nods. Then she says, “Mrs. Wallace wishes to know whether you will still be dining at seven.”
Gray checks his pocket watch. From here, I can see it’s already six thirty. We were up all night and on the go all day, and I’ve lost track of time and meals.
“Shortly after seven,” he says to Lorna. “Tell her I expect Hugh to join us. Thank you.”
Once she leaves, I serve the tea as I resume the interview. “You hurried out before you were discovered. And then what?”
“I was not certain what to do then. Clearly, I could not help. In Dr. Gray, they had both a doctor and an undertaker at the party. I was leaving when I heard one of the maids inside say it was murder. That is when I left the area altogether. I knew I could not be found there, and because I had been recognized earlier—by a policeman no less—I had to warn Sophia. Miss Jex-Blake, I mean.”
“Which you did after three o’clock this morning. The murder was discovered before eleven. There are four hours remaining.”
A wan smile. “You miss nothing, do you, Miss Mitchell? I am beginning to wish I had gone to the police for this interview instead.”
“That wouldn’t have made it any easier. Detective McCreadie and I discussed what to ask you before we arrived at your home. My questions would have been his. Also, your husband says you returned home this morning and then left again. I am going to need a full accounting of your time.”
She sighs. “Of course you are. All right then. I say I realized I had to speak to Sophia, as if I knew that immediately upon leaving. I only wish I were as clearheaded as she is.” A faint smile. “Sophia knows what she wants and how to get it, and woe betide anyone who stands in her way. I am not nearly so decisive. I left the house and went down by the Water of Leith to walk and think, and I fear it took a good few hours before I realized I had to warn Sophia. Even when I left the Christie house, I had not realized the full import of what happened, only that I dared not be found there.”
I finish the tea service and sit down with my own cup and biscuits.
Mrs. King continues, “I was with Sophia for a couple of hours. She needed to calm me, and that involved both whisky and distraction. We ended up talking about murders—a man in my village who died and a case she had followed for the medical implications. When I left there, it was past dawn. I knew Emmett would be worried sick, and so I bought fresh bread and some butter for his breakfast. I took that home and found him deep in his studies, having not even realized the hour.”
She smiles again, that affectionate smile. “My husband lacks the advantage of a physician father and a good education. He must work harder than I do, and seeing him like that, I knew it was not the time to burden him with my mood. I explained what happened and said I needed to walk. He offered to accompany me, but I persuaded him not to. I walked, and I walked. When I got home before noon, Emmett had left for a lecture. He returned late this afternoon and told me the police wanted to speak to me. I decided to come here instead, after learning where to find Dr. Gray.”
I sip my tea. Then I say, “Backing up a little. You said Miss Jex-Blake knows what she wants, and woe betide anyone who stands in her way. I understand Sir Alastair stood quite firmly in all your paths.”
“And so we murdered him to clear the way for our progress?” A bitter smile. “If we began that, we would never stop. Those who oppose us are like ants at a picnic. There are too many to kill, and even if you managed it, more would march in to take their place.”
“Had you ever met Sir Alastair before?”
She sets her teacup down. “That would depend on how you define ‘met,’ Miss Mitchell. If you are asking whether we were formally introduced, no. If you are asking whether I have exchanged a word with the gentleman, no. I have, however, ‘met’ him in the sense that I was in the room when Sophia spoke to him. Or, I should say, when she tried to speak to him. Sadly, he was busy. Terribly busy. This came after she had tried, repeatedly, to set up an appointment to do so. We waylaid the man, and he fled.”
She pauses, fingering the saucer of her teacup. “I admit it was very disappointing to all of us. Of all those affiliated with the university who oppose us, Sir Alastair had seemed the most reasonable. The most likely to listen and perhaps even be swayed. Our hopes were dashed after that.”
“You say he fled. Your choice of words seems significant.”
She glances over.
I say, “He did not walk away or refuse to see you or shut the door in your faces. He fled.”
“Perhaps that is the wrong word, implying he took flight and ran off down the hall.” Her lips quirk. “That is not anything I could imagine him doing. He was a very dignified man. When I say he fled, I mean he made haste to leave.”
“And your group had tried multiple times to arrange a meeting with him, while he was in Edinburgh, but he refused.”
“‘Rebuffed’ is a better word, if we are choosing them with care. Perhaps even ‘dodged.’ He did not refuse to see us. He was simply busy. So very busy.”
“And when you waylaid him, as you called it? Did he say anything?”
“He was in his office at the university. Sophia got in while the secretary was away from his desk, and we marched into Sir Alastair’s office. Took him quite by surprise. He said he was terribly sorry but had someplace to be, grabbed his jacket, and rushed off. We tried to follow, but by then, the secretary had returned and stopped us.”
“So Sir Alastair wasn’t refusing to speak to you as much as avoiding doing so. Dodging, as you said.”
“Precisely.”
