about it?” Kate’s mind was racing with possibilities for the woman in black’s identity, and none of them included Green’s possible mistress.
“Of course not.” Miss Green sounded as if Kate had suggested she ask her brother to name his favorite London brothel. “If she was his mistress, then merely acknowledging I’d seen her would have been improper. If she wasn’t, then there was nothing to be done about it anyway because she was long gone.”
There was a certain logic to Miss Green’s rationale. “Did you discover what the crashing sound was?”
At this, Hettie Green’s brow furrowed. “I retraced her steps and found the door to my brother’s study ajar. When I looked inside, I found that trinket box that sat atop a file box had been knocked to the floor. It looked as if she’d been going through his papers.”
She shook her head ruefully. “I thought she was looking for money or jewelry because he’d failed to pay her as they’d agreed.”
A mistress who broke into her lover’s home in search of money would find herself without protection if she made a practice of such behavior, Kate reflected. Men went to great trouble and expense to ensure that their wives and mistresses never laid eyes on one another. And once word got around that a mistress had made such a breach, she would be ostracized by any man who valued his neatly ordered life.
“But now you think differently?”
“I think she must have been there to search for the letters or the secret room.” Miss Green’s regret at misreading the situation was evident. “Perhaps he told her about them in a moment of passion?”
Or perhaps the woman in black hadn’t been Green’s mistress at all.
“What do you remember about her?” Kate would need to give Eversham as many details as possible about the intruder if they were to find her.
“I only glimpsed her for a moment.” Miss Green’s mouth turned downward.
“Anything,” Kate encouraged her. “What color was her hair? How was it dressed?”
“Light brown, and it was put up with a cascade of curls in the back.” This was said firmly. “And her gown was rather fine. I remember because I noticed it was more fashionable than anything to be had in Lewiston.”
“Very good. And what about her hat?”
“It was wide brimmed,” Miss Green said. “It was old-fashioned, which looked odd with her gown, now that I think on it. And though I couldn’t see her face, I did see that there was black netting over the top, as if she were wearing a veil.”
So, the hat had been chosen because it would help conceal her identity. Which could either mean she was in danger of being recognized by someone in Lewiston or she didn’t want to be described by someone later. Either way, this woman possessed skills that one would not expect from a “fancy woman,” as Miss Green had called her.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you yesterday, Lady Katherine.” Hettie looked much more relaxed now that she’d unburdened herself. “I didn’t even remember it until this morning and then I realized that she wasn’t what I thought her to be at all.”
Kate moved forward to pat the other woman on the shoulder. “You had a very difficult time of it, and I daresay you were in no position to remember anything, much less a strange encounter from weeks ago.”
“Do you think she may have had something to do with Josiah’s murder?”
There was such a note of hope in Miss Green’s voice that Kate felt guilty to offer her anything else. However, it was not her place to say one way or the other.
“I don’t know, and that’s the truth. But I will tell your story to Inspector Eversham, and I feel sure he’ll appreciate this information as he tries to uncover who killed your brother and Mr. Jones.”
The mention of Eversham gave Miss Green pause. “You don’t suppose he’ll be angry I brought this to you instead of him, do you? It’s just that I found him rather intimidating, and I could never have told him about Josiah’s fancy woman. I’d have died of shame.”
Thinking back to her own shame earlier that morning—thanks to Eversham, no less—Kate rushed to reassure her. “I don’t think he’s quick to anger. And I will let him know that you were more comfortable speaking with me. I’m sure he’ll understand.”
Wishing Eversham hadn’t gone into the village, Kate hurried to find Caro.
Not only did they have a new clue, but it was one that