“In that case I shan't keep her long from her work, Mrs Matthews.”
Beecher came into the room. Guy said: “Yes, I rang, Beecher. Take the Superintendent to the morning-room, will you, and send Mary to him there.”
“Very good, sir.” Beecher held the door open for Hannasyde, and ushered him out into the hall, and across it to the morning-room.
In a few minutes Mary appeared, round-eyed and scared, and stood just inside the door, with her hands behind her back. “Yes, sir?” she said in a frightened whisper.
Hannasyde bade her good-afternoon, and asked her what her name was. She told him, and he said: “I shan't keep you long. I just want you to tell me who made Miss Matthews' early tea this morning, and who took it up to her.”
“Mrs Beecher, she made the tea, sir. It was me carried the trays up—me and the kitchen maid.”
“Which of you took Miss Matthews' tray?”
“I don't rightly know, sir. The kitchen maid, she only took two trays up the stairs and put them down on the table on the landing. I can't exactly remember which they was.”
“Did the kitchen maid go downstairs again once she had put the trays down on the table?”
“Oh yes, sir! She only carried them up to oblige. She doesn't go into any of the bedrooms.”