The Cretingham Murder Read Online Free PDF Page B

thought that if Arthur had continued to puff away, the Revd Farley might not have died when he did!
    On Friday 30 September Harriet accompanied Arthur on a visit to the home of William Emmerson, the parish clerk, where Arthur administered the last rites to Emmerson’s dying son. Emmerson was full of praise for the concern and kindness shown by Arthur to the grieving parents and the bereaved young widow. He saw no sign of the curate not being ‘right in the head’, as Mrs Farley had suggested to him as she was leaving.
    Again I ask, what, apart from Arthur’s abstinence from smoking, precipitated events in that final week? What changed Harriet Louisa from being delighted to have Arthur’s merry, childlike presence with her to her concerted attempt to convince him and those around him that he was not quite right in the head?
    In spite of writing to Mrs Gilbert-Cooper that Farley was glad to have him back, there is a suggestion that Farley was abusive towards him and that on at least one occasion he had even attempted to strike him. Harriet was later to say that this had been because Farley was upset over some family business. Had Farley decided that the curate’s position in the household had become untenable or was it Harriet Louisa who wanted Arthur out of the way? Either way, she now set about convincing Arthur that he was not well and could not cope with his church duties. The vicar, she told him, intended to advertise in the Guardian for another curate to assist them for a few weeks. But, so she said, she had assured Arthur he could stay on with them and perhaps after a while ‘he would be better’.
    Her concern – or threat – worried Arthur, for later, on Friday, he wrote to his father saying, ‘I must be careful or I shall be incapacitated from carrying on my work here and then I don’t know what I shall do’. Here was yet another cause for his inability to sleep.
    It is possible that he was not the only one suffering from disturbed nights. On the morning of Saturday, 1 October, Harriet Louisa gave orders for a couch to be taken up to the marital bedroom. This was placed at the foot of the bed and it was there she intended to rest that night. It is quite feasible that Farley’s restlessness was depriving them both of sleep.
    Arthur spent most of the day in the dining room reading and writing. Harriet Louisa divided her time between the kitchen and her husband’s room, where, during the late afternoon and early evening, she read aloud. It says something about the timbre of her voice or the construction of the house that Arthur was reputed to have complained to her later that her reading to the vicar had irritated him.
    At some point during the evening she allegedly had a discussion with Arthur about his fitness to take the following day’s service. She was of the opinion that she should send a note to the Revd Allen of Winston, asking him to come and take the duty. At about eight o’clock, Emmerson called at the vicarage. As parish clerk, it was his duty to collect the Communion plate from the vicarage safe ready for the Sacrament service which fell that Sunday. Emmerson did not see the curate but talked in the kitchen with Mrs Farley who reiterated her fears for Arthur’s state of mind. She mentioned to him the possibility that a deputy might be taking the service so Emmerson decided that, if that was the case, he would leave the silver where it was and come early the next day.
    For whatever reason, Harriet did not write the invitation to the Revd Winston to officiate. After Emmerson had left, she summoned Arthur to join her in the kitchen for supper. In her solicitude for his welfare, she tried to tempt his poor appetite with oxtail soup, made especially for him. But even this delicacy failed and he ate sparingly.
    At nine o’clock they were joined by Frank Bilney and Annie Wightman for family prayers which were read by Arthur. Neither maid nor manservant was aware that there was anything untoward in