Lady Gwendolen Investigates. ANNE ASHLEY

and hardworking. And so sensible too! That’s why I cannot understand what could have possessed her to go out walking on what I’m reliably informed was such a damp and dismal day, by herself and in such a lonely spot.’

      Mrs Brice wasn’t slow to agree. ‘Truth to tell, ma’am, it surprised us too. Never mentioned to anyone she meant to go out. Which was most odd, not like her at all. She’d always let one of the staff know, even if she was just going for a walk in the garden. And she was never late for meals. Always so considerate to Cook, she was.’

      ‘Perhaps something had upset her, and it slipped her mind,’ Gwen suggested, and watched a slightly troubled expression flit over the housekeeper’s face.

      ‘Now, it’s strange you should say that, ma’am. Because, unless I’m much mistaken, it were on that very day the young parlourmaid happened to catch sight of Miss Robbins coming along the passageway from the nursery. Said as how she looked upset, red eyed and sniffing, and whisked herself into her room without speaking. But I don’t see as how she could have been upset, because she was fine earlier when I spoke to her, and I know for a fact she was looking forward to beginning lessons with the girls again the following morning.

      ‘She’d done wonders with those girls, ma’am,’ she went on to reveal, her mind seemingly locked in the past, ‘especially Miss Amy, who can be something of a handful at times. Both Miss Mary and Miss Amy had grown right fond of her, so they had. So I can’t see as how a visit to the nursery to see them would have upset her. No, I think it’s much more likely she’d picked up a touch of the influenza herself, and maybe thought to walk it off that afternoon.’

      ‘Or maybe she’d agreed to meet someone, and chose Marsden Wood so that the assignation wouldn’t be witnessed,’ Gwen suggested, and then watched as Mrs Brice’s expression of gentle concern changed at once into a decidedly guarded look.

      She easily guessed the reason for the slight withdrawal. ‘I’m not suggesting for a moment that Miss Robbins’s behaviour was in any way improper,’ she assured the servant. ‘I suppose I’m just trying to think of some reason why she should have taken it into her head to visit such a place alone, when she knew of its unfortunate reputation.’

      The explanation evidently satisfied Mrs Brice, because she visibly thawed. ‘That I couldn’t say, ma’am. But what I can tell you is Miss Robbins never had any callers…followers, as you might say. And never received any letters, at least none that weren’t picked up in a proper manner from the receiving office, with the master’s own. And she received a few of those during the many months she were here.’