checking her posture and drawing her shoulders back before answering. “A good day’s work for her money. And all the women came to church for Sunday evensong—and we studied the Bible two evenings a week with them, and had prayers before bedtime and lights out, so I can tell you she was always in on time.”
“And what do you think she was doing to be found in the canal? Was it a place she usually walked? Was there anyone locally who had been seen with her?”
Paige reddened. “I’m sure I don’t know. We thought her life might have been taken somewhere else and then she floated here—that river has tides, you know.”
Maisie nodded. “My grandfather was a lighterman on the water, so I do know—very well, in fact. Mind you, I think it might be somewhat fanciful to think she floated home to Camberwell.” She paused. “Do you have knowledge of any associations, anyone Miss Pramal might have been seeing?”
“Do you mean men?”
“No, I don’t. I mean anyone—men or women.”
Paige shook her head.
“How about the other women living here? Were they all friends? Did they know her well?”
“Well, they’re all from India, so I suppose . . .”
“Mrs. Paige, I think Miss Pramal’s level of education indicates that she might have been somewhat frustrated by her work. What do you think?”
“I’m sure I don’t know—we do our best for the women. As I said, they have a roof over their heads, and meals. And we save their money for them, so they can go home again.”
“You save their money? How? Did you collect wages from them?”
Paige became flustered, patting her bun again, and then picking an imaginary piece of fluff from a sleeve. “I’m sure I mustn’t discuss money matters without my husband here. He looks after the accounts.”
“I’ll talk to him about it, then. In the meantime, may I see Usha Pramal’s room?”
“I—well, it hasn’t been touched, you know, not since she was found. We thought it best to wait until the brother arrived from India so he could collect her belongings. The police told us not to move anything, anyway, until further notice.”
“That’s very thoughtful of you. I am sure Mr. Pramal would be grateful to you for keeping her personal effects in the order she left them. In any case, I would like to see the room—could you let me have a look?”
The woman sighed. “Come with me, then.”
She led the way towards the staircase, stopping alongside the banister.
“Wait here a minute. We’ll need the key.”
She was gone for a couple of minutes, during which time Maisie heard her voice echoing through the house. “If you know what’s good for you, you’ll get the floor a bit cleaner than that!”
Maisie wondered if this was an example of how the women who had come seeking refuge were generally treated. Soon she heard Mrs. Paige approaching, huffing as if the exertion of collecting the key had taken her breath.
“Follow me,” she instructed, rubbing her chest.
Maisie made her way up two flights of stairs in the woman’s wake, until they reached the top-floor attic room.
“Had this all to herself, she did. Here we are.” Mrs. Paige unlocked and opened the door. The room inside was dark and shadowed. She stepped towards the heavy faded velvet drapes and drew them back. At once sunshine streamed in through the window, catching dust motes in broad shafts of light.
“And I wonder why the carpets fade, what with all this hot sun. I had to tell her of it many a time, she was always leaving the curtains wide open. I shan’t draw them back like that again. It rots the carpets, the sun.”
“Please leave them—I’ll close them when I leave. If it’s all right with you, Mrs. Paige, I’d like to spend a few moments here in Miss Pramal’s room on my own. Just to sit for a while, and look around me.”
“I don’t know what my husband would say, but—well, all right. Come down when you’re ready—but don’t be long, because I don’t want to have to come all the way up these stairs again.”
“No, I won’t be long. I just want to look at her books, try to gain an understanding of her character.”
The woman tutted, and turned away from Maisie, closing the door as she left the room.
Maisie sighed. At last. Now she could take time to see what Usha Pramal had left behind of herself. Looking around the room, Maisie took account of the low ceilings and sloping attic