All Bedlam Courses Past (part two hundred three)

 

 

 

 

 

All Bedlam Courses Past

 

 

Chapter Eight

Things Relative

 

(part two hundred three)

 

 

 

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“Miss Buckley provided useful information,” said Phelan.

“Which shuffles the logical order, so that we have to have these little theatricalities?”

Monaghan gave a merry snort. “Get on with yourself, Phelan.”

Arnulfa’s evening habit was to stitch in her bedside chair, her own mending or Regina’s, otherwise gifts that she would give to various relatives, and worked on year-round. She stitched, and she listened while she stitched, to the Für Elise, to her music box that played it. Mrs. Demrose did not want music once she had extinguished the lamp; while Arnulfa found it soothing to fall asleep to, and the very thing to make her eyes heavy in the evenings. Yes, the Für Elise, yes, every evening, she had no other music box.

So, Mrs. Demrose being fully retired, you were requested to shut the communicating door between her cabin and your little chamber?

Yes, this was so. There was a bell and Mrs. Demrose could have rung it. Arnulfa had put her stitching aside and lain flat on the top sheet, the heat being what it had.

You are a sound sleeper?

If she had wanted me, I would have heard.

And this was definitely at seven?

Because of course I would look, doesn’t everyone who has a clock in her room?

No one, in Ebrach’s office anteroom, could contradict this.

Mrs. Demrose was not seen, by any known person, between her retirement and the finding of her body by the steward Lubinski; and the steward Lubinski had checked the kitchen clock carefully, because the head steward was a tartar for checking. There had been a number of complaints, the ice had run out, a supply boat had needed to dock alongside, the chef was stingy of his store, the saloon still crowded, its waiters given preference.

From Lubinski’s statement: I’d have said, if it wasn’t. I wouldn’t make up twelve thirty-five, if I was making up a time.

What time would you make up?

Feeling unwarrantedly trapped (which seemed to Élucide just), Lubinski had countered, but first thing off I went for the doctor. He put it down in his notebook. He showed me his watch and asked me to tell him what it said.

Twelve forty-five, the interviewer said.

So what could I be doing, it’s only ten minutes?

What were you doing?

A moment in which the witness was overcome, but collected himself. My foot came down on her, like I said. I didn’t mean to. I caught the tray, but the pitchers fell. I crouched down, I guess. I got them away from her, but they were okay.

Not broken, but spilt.

I wouldn’t have done it, I didn’t mean to.

And what did you do with the two of them, before going for the doctor?

I don’t remember. I don’t remember…completely. But I remember seeing they were all right, so I guess I set them someplace. I heard Billy Jervis talking to himself, coming from lower down the stairs, we’re not ever supposed to yell or whistle, but… But he’s a steward like me, I called him up and said keep watch.

You spoke a bit, with the woman lying there, a curious happening.

A minute? I was keeping my voice down. I told Billy stay, and I went for the doctor.

 

 

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Bedlam

All Bedlam Courses Past (part two hundred four)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(2025, Stephanie Foster)