At present he could not very well see his way. He had, as he termed it, a delicate and difficult bit of steerage.
A rash or imprudent step might ruin all.
He was by no means disposed to tamper with Miss Stanbridge’s servant. He had ascertained that she had been a long time with her present mistress, and the people in the neighbourhood said she was “true as steel.”
The detective, therefore, concluded possibly enough that the girl might prove a troublesome customer.
He sent for Mr. Slingsby, with whom he had a long consultation.
In the end it was agreed between the two that other attempts should be made before having recourse to the servant for information.
Mr. Wrench now came to the front. He watched the house in the occupation of Laura Stanbridge, and made several inquiries in the neighbourhood in a careless manner.
He ascertained by the merest accident that a charwoman was occasionally engaged by the maid servant to clean the house and do the rough work of the establishment.
This was just the sort of person Mr. Wrench was desirous to meet with.
A few shillings would go a long way with a woman of that description, and the chances were that she had a tongue, which she could make very good use of.