The Girl Underground

Chapter 11: A Small Matter of Concern

        

Chapter 11: A Small Matter of Concern

Abigail noticed her husband was better spirits these days. He wasn't his usual brooding self, even going as far as wishing the servants 'good morning' and 'good afternoon', and smiling at her when he could. She meant to ask him what had prompted such a shift, but that was before Deputy Cromwell paid her a visit that summer afternoon.

"Begging your pardons, Mrs. Quincy," Cromwell moped some sweat from his forehead and scrubbed his hand through his rather unruly hair. "I meant to come sooner, but your husband told me to stall as long as possible."

"Stall?" Abigail asked sharply. "Stall what? What is this?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary, ma'am, just a few follow up questions is all."

"Follow up questions?" Abigail raised an eyebrow and adjusted her shawl. "Of what nature?"

Cromwell shifted his feet a bit before clearing his throat and lowering his nose to a small writing pad. "Your husband and I inspected Denning's old shed, as you suggested to him."

"Yes, he told me you found something," she felt her heart racing, though, because there was the small matter of Arthur possibly telling them. It could be easily denied, for sure, but that man mouthing off was the last thing she needed.

"Aye, and thank you for giving us that lead."

"But?"

"But it's only a small matter of concern, you see," Cromwell cleared his throat. "Your husband may have overlooked this, seeing as you are his wife and his first priority, but this case is mine, and I must be candid with such concerns."

"And those concerns would be...?"

"How did you know to look in the shed, Mrs. Quincy?" Cromwell asked, keeping his voice as neutral and polite as possible. "I cannot assume that you were simply wandering about in the woods and happened by it that way."

"No," Abigail icily. "You cannot."

"Then how did you know about the shed?"

Abigail paused for a moment, remembering when Arthur had told her about it years ago. They had spent a night there, but she knew that could not be her answer. As it was, she had sent her husband to the shed in the hopes that he would find Arthur there. She wanted to be rid of him, not have his memories dogging her skirts!

"I thought it was common knowledge," Abigail finally said, turning up her nose. "There is not a nook or cranny of Lanfore that John isn't aware of, and I've heard talk of the old shed many times, I figured he knew of it already."

"Forgive me, Mrs. Quincy, but old Denning building a shed by the river was hardly common knowledge. I didn't even know of it. And his son is a blacksmith. What use would he have with a shed?"

"How am I to know why? And as for it not being common knowledge, well, I thought it was, deputy, my mistake, that was how I learned of it," Abigail folded her hands in front of her. "Anything else?"

"Common knowledge, eh?" Cromwell didn't look convinced.

"Common knowledge," Abigail said once again. "And if the shed is not that, then I am perhaps more informed than the rest of such things, and happen to remember such small and insignificant details, yes, at the most opportune times. If that is all," she gestured to the door, "my footman will see you out."

"That is all, indeed," Cromwell looked at her over his bushy eyebrows, "for now."

"Excuse me?"

"Unless I am given a reason otherwise, I must consider you a... Well..." He scratched the back of his head.