Next morning we went to Thornfield. I had arranged that we should be allowed to visit the house. For the time being, the local constable had the keys, and we went to his house first. Quarles set him talking about the crime at once.
"Is Mrs. Hall still in the village?" he asked.
"Yes, sir. That's her cottage yonder," and he pointed down the village street. "Poor thing, we all sympathize with her."
"And Mrs. Ashworth, is she still here?"
"No, sir. She was willing, I believe, to remain in charge of Mr. Parrish's house, but it was decided that I should have the keys and look after it. She took a room in the village until after the trial; then she left."
"How long had she been with Mr. Parrish, constable?"
"About a year, sir. You're not thinking she had anything to do with the murder, are you? She wasn't equal to it. She is a little bit of a woman, and it was a tremendous blow which killed Mr. Parrish."
"It was quite early in the morning when she discovered the dead man, wasn't it?"
"Yes; before the village was awake."
"What do you know about Mr. Parrish's nephew?"