Page 67 of Triple Jeopardy (Daniel Pitt)

“What do you mean, ‘we’? Jem, you’re not meddling in Daniel’s affairs, are you?” he asked suspiciously.

“Don’t be ridiculous!” The idea hurt, because it could so easily have been true. “Apart from the fact that I wouldn’t, any more than I’d let him meddle in mine, Miriam fford Croft is the daughter of the head of chambers. She’s just…clever.”

Patrick relaxed at last. “I suppose if I come, I’ll be in the way.”

“Yes, you will! It will look as if I’ve come with force! I want to—”

“I know. You want to help. You can’t stop yourself.” His smile was wry and gentle.

“I just—”

“Can’t help meddling,” he finished for her. “Apparently, just like your mother!” He leaned forward and kissed her cheek.

For a second, she kissed him back, then slipped away and walked briskly along the pavement. She had no idea what to expect. She would have asked Daniel more about Miriam, but she did not want him to know she intended to visit her. He would be quick to understand her motives, if she pursued it.

When Jemima knocked, a woman opened the door. She had bright auburn hair tied in a tight, untidy knot on her neck, and she wore a floor-length apron. Jemima was uncertain who she was. Her hands were wet, as if she had been scrubbing something, and her sleeves were rolled up to the elbows. She could easily have been a maid. Her greenish-blue eyes were bold and curious at first, then amused.

Jemima made a rash guess. “Dr. fford Croft?”

There was a moment’s hesitation, then the woman laughed. “You must be Daniel’s sister. You have to be. You look quite a lot like him, and no one else would call me Doctor.”

Jemima was surprised. “Do you think I look like Daniel? I suppose I must a bit. But yes, that is who I am.”

Miriam smiled. “Please come in. You want to discuss the case of Philip Sidney, I expect.” She pulled the door wide open and stepped back.

“I’m interrupting you. I’m sorry,” Jemima began.

“Chores,” Miriam answered. “Only too happy to have a good excuse to leave them. Come in.”

Jemima was startled. Surely the daughter of the house did not do the heavy scrubbing?

Miriam saw her confusion. She laughed cheerfully. “Not the kitchen floor,” she explained. “The table in my laboratory. I won’t let the servants in there.”

“Thank you.” Jemima followed her into the hall, and then into a small study whose floor was partially covered with piles of books and papers.

Miriam insisted Jemima sit down at the plain Adam mahogany table; she sat opposite her. “Something is new?” Miriam asked. She clearly perceived that Jemima had come to tell her something Daniel did not know.

“We dined with the Thorwoods yesterday evening,” Jemima replied. “In the course of the conversation, Mr. Thorwood admitted that it was not he who had seen Sidney in the corridor outside of Rebecca’s bedroom. It was his wife, Bernadette Thorwood. She was disturbed, at first fearing that Rebecca had been attacked, even raped. Mr. Thorwood claimed it was he who had seen Sidney to protect her from having to be questioned.”

Miriam looked interested, but not yet drawn in. Jemima knew that she was waiting for the fact that made a difference; the detail as to who had seen Sidney would probably not matter.

Jemima swallowed hard. “And Mr. Thorwood said that the pendant has been recovered by a pawnbroker in Washington. The person who pawned it worked in the British Embassy there, and the pawnbroker was told he got it from another man at the embassy in payment of a gambling debt…the day before Sidney left America. That sort of…seals it.” She had no idea why she was telling Miriam this. What did she expect Miriam to say or do? Why was Jemima refusing to accept Sidney’s guilt? Had she identified with Daniel because he still believed in Sidney? Would he continue to, when he knew about the pendant?

Miriam was still waiting. “What else?” she asked.

“I’m not sure. I hope you can put all these things in their proper order and relationship to each other, and see some sense in it. Rebecca told me the pendant was crystal. It only mattered to her because it belonged to her godmother, May Trelawny, who died very recently.”

“Is all her godmother’s estate left to Rebecca?” Miriam suddenly looked far more interested.

“I don’t know. I think so.”

“But the pendant was crystal, or so it was said?”

Jemima was sitting forward now. “You think it could have been a real diamond? Does that make a difference? I suppose the point is, who knew it was real?”

“Yes. If it was. Or if they thought it was. It is one fact that seems to tie into a lot of things. I think we should look into May Trelawny’s estate. The will must have been probated, if they are here to settle it. I have friends I can ask. It would certainly be interesting to learn.” She shook her head. “I wish I could think it matters.” She stood up from the table. “I will change my

clothes and we shall go and visit one or two people. I will make some telephone calls.” She did not wait for Jemima’s acceptance; she had already taken it for granted.

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