‘I understand your concern. Tell me, when Miss Digby asked to be released, what was her manner towards you?’

‘Manner?’ he asked, as if that was an expression that required further explanation.

‘Yes. Was she calm, or embarrassed, or upset?’

‘Oh, I see.’ He considered the question. ‘I really couldn’t say. She is a quiet girl and spoke quietly. Who can tell what occupied her thoughts?’

‘Perhaps if I spoke to her she would be willing to express those thoughts to me, but if there is another suitor who has slandered you she is unlikely to give up his name.’

‘At the very least I wish to know what has been said about me, in order to show that I am innocent of any charges. If I am able to prove that the slanders are without foundation then my rival is exposed as a liar and Miss Digby may then make up her own mind as to who is the better man.’

Frances agreed to take the commission, and also made a note of the charities for which Mr Candy acted: a home for incurable children, a free dispensary and a fund to assist the families of men injured in the building trade. Mr Candy, she reflected, might be of the opinion that he had nothing with which to reproach himself, but others might not agree.

Frances was easily able to secure an appointment to speak to Miss Digby, but on her arrival was met not by the lady but her father, who had the good grace to look embarrassed.

Mr Digby was a dealer in fine porcelain, with a solidly successful business and personal good standing in Bayswater. He knew Frances by reputation and was aware that she was not to be trifled with. He began by reassuring Frances that he knew nothing to Mr Candy’s detriment and had been fully in favour of the marriage. No one had indicated either directly or by insinuation that there was anything to impugn either Mr Candy’s honesty or character.

‘It is a matter of extreme delicacy,’ he said awkwardly, with what he hoped was an engaging smile but came out as a sickly grin, ‘and I believe that I can trust your discretion. If I was to tell you that my daughter, being fickle by nature, simply changed her mind, would that suffice?’

Frances considered this suggestion. ‘What would suffice for the purposes of my client is to be reassured that he was not, as he had thought, the victim of slander, but if there are any circumstances that might emerge in the future that would cast doubt on what you say, it could have further repercussions. It would be as well if you were honest with me on the understanding that I will not reveal any more to Mr Candy than is strictly necessary according to his commission.’

Mr Digby looked resigned. ‘You are aware, of course, that the engagement had not yet been announced, and Mr Candy’s interest in my daughter has been of a most refined and discreet nature so that it was not widely known in society. My dear girl is a lovely creature, with every art and appearance that would attract a suitor, and she is just nineteen.’ He gave an embarrassed cough. ‘I have been approached by a young gentleman, the cousin of a baronet, who asked my permission to call upon my daughter. They had already met and conversed, and I saw a lively interest but had not realised its full import. He revealed to me that he had already advised Enid of his intention to speak to me and she had received this news with pleasure. Under the circumstances I asked if I might have time to consider his request and had an urgent conversation with Enid. She told me that she preferred her new suitor, and I admit I could see that the connection would be a very favourable one. We thought it would hurt Mr Candy’s feelings if he felt that he had been supplanted by a rival, and we did not want to create any bad blood between him and my future son-in-law and his family, so when Enid asked to be released from the engagement she simply told Mr Candy that she felt she was too young to take such an important step. I have agreed to the new connection but stipulated that the engagement will not be announced for six months at least.’

Frances was satisfied, but before she left, Mr Digby engaged her to enquire into the family of the new suitor to see if he really was the cousin of a baronet.

Frances reported to Mr Candy that his reputation stood unimpeached, and there was no slanderer. He took the news with equanimity and appeared content with the thoroughness of Frances’ work, so much so that he asked her to make enquiries into the bona fides of some claims against the injured workmen’s charity.

In a single day one commission had somehow transmuted into several, and while she was grateful for the employment, Frances began to wonder if she might soon need another assistant.

It was agreed that Sarah, assisted by Tom and his ‘men’, would check on the injured workmen, while Frances would pursue the new suitor herself. The Westbourne Grove reading room held a directory of the nobility that would tell her if the titled family mentioned by the suitor actually existed. Should the baronetcy prove genuine that was not the end of her task, since he might not be connected with it. He would have to be followed from his lodgings to find out where he went and who his companions were. Frances did not anticipate with any pleasure being obliged to tell Mr Digby that his daughter had thrown over a respectable suitor for a fraud, but it was better to know the truth before marriage than afterwards.

The day ended on a lively note. Frances and Sarah were practising their sign language skills before retiring for the night when those two bitter rivals Mr Wren and Mr Cork descended upon them in such a froth of anger that they seemed ready to strangle each other with their own cummerbunds. Mr Wren was twitching more violently than ever and Mr Cork, a squat, red-faced man with small staring eyes, looked about to explode. Frances did not know the cause of their new quarrel and did not want to. Sarah had often claimed she could stop any argument by banging together the heads of the persons concerned, and for a moment Frances thought she was about to see the method demonstrated. Instead Sarah dragged the two of them downstairs by their collars and out of the house.

She returned an hour later announcing that the men, now much the worse for alcoholic beverages, had fallen onto each other’s necks like long lost brothers and were back in business together again. She predicted a quiet six months before one of them killed the other, it being a matter of debate which way round that transaction would go.

‘Now,’ said Sarah, resuming her seat and opening the book. ‘What’s the sign for murder? We might need that one.’

CHAPTER NINETEEN

On Monday morning Frances received a note from Mr Malcolm Dromgoole, cousin of the deceased surgeon, announcing that he had come from Dundee to arrange a funeral for the remains and wished to call and see her that afternoon.

While anticipating that interview with some interest, Frances and Sarah were far from idle and spent the morning gathering information about Miss Digby’s new suitor and receiving reports on the applicants to Mr Candy’s charities. Tom, Frances discovered, was so busy on her behalf that he was planning to create a new team of ‘men’ who would devote themselves to the very special kind of work she required, placing Ratty at their head.

After a luncheon of boiled eggs and toast Frances applied herself to correspondence while Sarah departed to teach one of her twice-weekly classes in ladies calisthenics. As Sarah saw it, the purpose of the art was to improve the strength and health of her pupils, with advanced lessons on what to do when insulted by a man in the street.