The Coffin Lane Murders Read Online Free PDF Page A

closest friends or relatives.'
    Mills smiled. 'I see what you are getting at, sir. The secrets of the confessional.' He shook his head. 'Alas, I'm afraid I have to disappoint you. Molly never consulted me on any occasion and as far as I know she is - was - a strong and healthy young woman.'
    'Would you have considered her the kind of young woman who might have enemies?'
    Mills stared at him for a moment. Then he laughed. 'I see what you are driving at, Inspector. You are hinting that she might have had a jealous or over-zealous young man.'
    'I must confess I was hoping for something of the sort, sir.'
    Mills shook his head. 'Then I am sorry to have to disappoint you once again. Molly was completely devoted to her mistress and as far as I have gathered she had no other life outside this house.'
    Regarding Faro's doubtful expression, he laughed softly. 'You will understand a lot more when you meet Miss Errington.'

Chapter 4
     
    Admitted after several onslaughts on the doorbell by a scared-looking maid obviously relieved to see that one of the two gentlemen on the doorstep was Dr Mills, they were shown into the sitting room while she went to see if her mistress was receiving callers.
    Suspecting that they might be in for a long wait, Faro used this admirable opportunity to invite the doctor to fill in some details of Miss Errington's background.
    'Her father served Her Majesty in India. Her mother died when she was fourteen and she devoted her entire life to taking care of her father. Molly has been with her for the past two, or is it three years ...'
    Faro found himself listening to a familiar tale of an only child, a daughter who gave up a life of her own to look after a bereaved parent, only to find when death released her from her duties that the marriageable years had also vanished.
    More fortunate than some who were doomed to single blessedness, Amelia Errington could at least enjoy the remainder of her years in comfort, if not the happiness that wealth could not buy.
    The house, a typical middle-class Georgian villa, was already showing signs of luxury somewhat decayed. There was an Aubusson carpet, elegant furniture and bric-a-brac on small tables. The stern and forbidding expressions of the family portraits on the walls indicated states of mind not noticeably cheered in the graduation to family photographs on the grand piano.
    The atmosphere, those first impressions, told Faro much about the house's owner and were confirmed when Miss Errington entered the room in her wheelchair.
    Faro was introduced but left the doctor to break the horrific news. The invalid Miss Errington was shocked. However, she did not faint or have a heart attack, armoured from her earliest years against showing any emotions relating to the fate of that lesser breed of mortals, the servants.
    Her attitude showed clearly that it was the stigma attached to such a dreadful happening that affected her most. What interpretation would her influential friends and acquaintances, to say nothing of neighbours, put upon such a happening?
    Molly was after all only a servant, but Miss Errington's house had given her shelter and she had paid her wages. Murder taints those nearest regardless of their innocence and might well be calculated to throw considerable doubts on matters relating to her mistress's reliability and respectability.
    'How will you manage without her?' asked Dr Mills gently.
    Miss Errington turned to him from a somewhat glazed contemplation of the garden beyond the window. 'I have a housemaid, Adie; she answered the door. I presume she is competent to deal with such elementary matters until I find a replacement.'
    And quite unexpectedly there were tears. She sobbed for a few moments, swiftly applying a lace handkerchief.
    Dr Mills patted her shoulder, and Faro cleared his throat, embarrassed into thinking that he had been too hasty in his judgement of her character. Her reaction had merely been shock and disbelief. She had a soft heart after