"Had another word with the kitchen maid?" Monk took a guess. He smiled as he said it.
The footman colored, his eyes downcast. "Yes sir."
"Did you fetch the coal buckets for the library?"
"Yes sir - but I don't remember how many minutes later it was." He looked unhappy. Monk guessed it was probably quite some time.
"And crossed the hall to do it?"
"Yes sir. The armor was still all right then."
So whoever it was, it was not Louisa. Not that he had held any real hope that it might be.
"Any other rooms you took coal for? What about upstairs?"
The footman blushed hotly and lowered his eyes.
"You were supposed to, and didn't?" Monk guessed.
The footman looked up quickly. "Yes I did, sir! Mrs. Furnival's room. The master doesn't care for a fire at this timeo' the year."
"Did you see someone, or something, when you were upstairs?"
"No sir!"
What was the man lying about? There was something; it was there in his pink face, his downcast eyes, his awkward hands and feet. He was riddled with guilt.
"Where did you go upstairs? What rooms did you pass? Did you hear something, an argument?"
"No sir." He bit his lip and still avoided Monk's eyes.
"Well?" Monk demanded.
"I went up the front stairs - sir..."
Suddenly Monk understood. "Oh, I see - with the coal buckets?"
"Yes sir. Please sir ..."
"I shan't tell the butler," Monk promised quickly.
"Thank you, sir! I - thank you sir." He swallowed. "The armor was still there, sir; and I didn't see the general - or anyone else, except the upstairs maid."
"I see. Thank you. You have helped me considerably."
"Have I sir?" He was doubtful, but relieved to be excused.
Next Monk went upstairs to find the off-duty housemaids. It was his last hope that one of them had seen Sabella.
The first maid offered no hope at all. The second was a bright girl of about sixteen with a mass of auburn hair. She seemed to grasp the significance of his questions, and answered readily enough, although with wary eyes, and he caught a sense of eagerness that suggested to him she had something to hide as well as something to reveal. Presumably she was the one the footman had seen.
"Yes, I saw Mrs. Pole," she said candidly. "She wasn't feeling well, so she lay down for a while in the green room."
"When was that?"
"I - I dunno, sir."
"Was it long after dinner?"
"Oh, yes sir. We 'as our dinner at six o'clock!"
Monk realized his mistake and tried to undo it.
"Did you see anyone else while you were on the landing?"
The color came to her tace and suddenly the picture was clearer.
"I shan't report what you say, unless I have to. But if you lie, you may go to prison, because an innocent person could be hanged. You wouldn't want that, would you?"
Now she was ashen white, so frightened as to be robbed momentarily of words.
"So who did you see?"
"John." Her voice was a whisper.
"The footman who was rilling the coal buckets?"
"Yes sir - but I didn't speak to him - honest! I jus' came to the top o' the stairs, like. Mrs. Pole were in the green room, 'cause I passed the door and it was open, an' I seen 'erlike."
"You came all the way down from your own room at the top of the house?"
She nodded, guilt over her attempt to see the footman outweighing every other thought. She had no idea of the significance of what she was saying.
"How did you know when he was going to be there?"
"I..." She bit her lip. "I waited on the landing."
"Did you see Mrs. Carlyon go upstairs to Master Valentine's room?"
"Yes sir."
"Did you see Mrs. Carlyon come down again?"
"No sir, nor the general, sir - I swear to God!"
"Then what did you do?"
"I went as far as the top o' the stairs and looked for John, sir. I knew that was about the time 'e'd be fillin' the coal buckets."
"Did you see him?"
"No. I reckon I were too late. I 'ad to 'ang around cos of all the people comin' and goin'. I 'ad ter wait for the master ter go down again."
"You saw Mr. Furnival go down again?"
"Yes sir."
"When you were at the top of the stairs, looking for John -think very carefully, you may have to swear to this in court, before a judge, so tell the truth, as you know it..."