Page 21 of In the Midnight Hour

After him, Harry interviewed Mrs. Babcock, Maberly, and Dr. Ellingham. North was quite satisfied with the attention Harry gave to questioning Mrs. Babcock about her tidying of Sir Radnor’s chamber. She estimated the amount of blood she’d cleaned from the carpet.

Then, when Harry had interviewed Dr. Ellingham, he’d asked the doctor if the amount of blood Mrs. Babcock had supposed along with the blood on the bedpost, which Drummond had described in his testimony, matched the type of head wound Sir Radnor would have sustained if he’d struck the finial.

“It’s unfortunately difficult to answer that question without having seen the chamber before it was cleaned,” Dr. Ellingham responded.

Harry nodded faintly. “What of the plausibility of Sir Radnor stumbling as he left the bed and falling in such a way that his head would strike the finial with enough force to cause death?”

“I don’t know that I’m qualified to say, but it seemed plausible to me as a physician.” Dr. Ellingham put his arm at a right angle with his elbow over the table and lowered his arm as if it were a falling tree. “Falling with force against the sharp finial could have caused the fracture to Sir Radnor’s skull.”

“What is your opinion as to the cause of Sir Radnor’s death?” Harry asked.

“I think it’s likely he fell and hit his head on the bedpost. However, I can’t conclusively state that is what happened.” Dr. Ellingham glanced at the assembly. “I’m afraid we may never know for certain.”

Harry excused Dr. Ellingham and next called the footman, Amos. Harry asked him about his nightly routine watching the front door after the butler finished his duties.

“I typically take over the door after concluding my duties in the dining room,” Amos explained. “Then I relieve Mr. Maberly. That’s usually around ten, though later when Sir Radnor has guests.”

“I understand Lady Cartwright is a frequent dinner guest,” Harry said, and Amos nodded. “How often does she come to Sir Radnor’s house?”

“Somewhat frequently, usually on Fridays,” Amos replied. His light brown hair flopped across his forehead.

“Including this past Friday, the fifteenth of October. Please tell us what happened after dinner that night. Mr. Maberly has already testified that he served port in the library for Lady Cartwright and Sir Radnor.”

Amos nodded. “That’s right. Mr. Maberly told me that before he went downstairs, and he said I was to fetch more port if Sir Radnor drank it all.”

“What time did Lady Cartwright leave on Friday?” Harry asked.

Amos flushed bright red. “I’m afraid I don’t know, sir.” His voice lost most of its volume.

North heard him because of his proximity, but he would wager no one in the back of the room did.

“You weren’t aware of the time?” Harry prodded.

“No, sir. I was asleep.” His head dipped and his face somehow turned even redder, the poor lad. “When I woke up, it was past three. I checked the library, but it was empty, so I returned to bed.”

Harry looked at the footman with kindness, which didn’t surprise North. For all of Harry’s ferocity as a Bow Street Runner, he had an exceptionally good heart. “Where were you sleeping?”

“In the truckle bed under the stairs.”

“Do you often fall asleep whilst you’re supposed to be watching the door?” Harry asked. “Especially when Sir Radnor has guests?”

Another flash of scarlet raced up the poor footman’s neck. “Only if the guests are there late, which Lady Cartwright typically is. I usually hear her leave, however.”

He did?

“And you didn’t last Friday?”

Amos hung his head. “I suppose I was deeply asleep.”

Harry turned the parchment in front of him over. “Amos, is there a gate in Sir Radnor’s back garden that leads to Lady Cartwright’s garden next door?”

“Yes.”

“Does anyone use it?” Harry asked.

The footman nodded. “Mrs. Spragg, the cook, and her scullery maids borrow things from Lady Cartwright’s kitchen. Sometimes the maids from there do the same,” Amos explained. “Lady Cartwright herself uses it from time to time to fetch her cat from Sir Radnor’s garden.”

“Thank you, Amos. That’s all for now,” Harry said with an amiable smile.