The Four Swans Read Free Page B

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    ‘What called? To see Mistress Elizabeth, d’ye mean? Or Miss Agatha? There was few what called, sur. The house was real bye … Mind, there was village folk. Betty Coad wi’ pilchards. Lobb the
    Sherborner once weekly. Aaron Nanfan - George waved him into silence. `For the Poldarks. Socially. Who called?’
    Tabb thought a few moments and rasped his chin. `Why you, sur. You more’n anyone! An’ for the rest, Dr Choake to see Miss Agatha, Parson Odgers once a week, Cap’n, Henshawe, the churchwarden, Cap’n Poldark over from Nampara, Sir John Trevaunance maybe twice; I believe Mrs Ruth Treneglos once. Mrs Teague I seen once. Mind I was in the fields half the time and couldn’t hardly.
    `How often did Captain Poldark come from Nampara?’ ‘Oh … once a week. There or thereabouts.’ `Often in the evening?’
    `Nay, sur, twas always avnoon he. come. Thursday avnoon. Took tea and then off he’d go.’
    `Who came in the evening, then?’
    `Why no one, sur. Twas quiet - quiet as the dead. One widow lady, one young gentleman scarce ten years old, one rare old lady. Now if you was to ask me ‘bout Mr Francis’s time; thur was times then:‘
    `And Mistress Elizabeth no doubt she went out in the evening?’ Tabb blinked. `Went out? Not so’s I know, sur.’
    `But in the light evenings of that summer -April,-May and June, she must have ridden abroad.’
    `Nay, she scarce rode at all. We’d sold all the ‘orses, save two which was too old to be rid.’
    George fingered the two guineas, and Tabb stared at them, hoping that this was all.
    George. said : `Come, come, you have earned nothing yet. Think, man. There must have been others about at that time.’
    Tabb racked his brains.: `Village folk … Uncle Ben would be there wi’ his rabbits. Thur were no outlanders nor–, ‘How often did Mistress Elizabeth go to Nampara?’ `To Nampara?’
    `That’s what I said. To visit the Ross Poldarks.’
    `Never. Not ever. Not’s I know. No, not ever.’ `Why did she not go? They were neighbours.’
    `I reckon - I reckon mebbe she never got on so well with Cap’n Poldark’s wife. But tis merest guessingwork fur me to say.’
    There was a long silence.
    `Try to remember particularly the month of May. The middle or early part of May. Who called? Who called in the evening?’
    `Why … why no one, sur. Not a soul I ever seen. I said so.’ `What time, did you go to bed?’
    `Oh … nine or ten.-Soon as it went dark.. We was out and about from cocklight to cockshut and
    `What time did Mistress Elizabeth retire?’ `Oh .. bout the same. We was all spent.’ ‘Who locked up?’
    `I done that, last thing. Time was when we never locked, but wi’ no other servants; and all these vagrants about…’
    `Well, you have earned nothing, I fear,’ said George, moving to put the money away.
    `Oh, sur, I’d tell ee if I knew what twas ye wanted for me to say!’
    `No doubt you would. So tell me this. If someone called after you went to bed, would you hear the bell?’
    `At night, d’ye mean?’ `When else?’
    Tabb thought. ‘I doubt.- I doubt there’d be anyone t’hear. Twas in the lower kitchen, the bell was, and we all slep’ well above.’ `Never? Would you have known?’
    ‘Why - yes, I reckon. What would, anyone want t’enter for except to steal?-and there was little enough to steal.’
    `But is there any secret way into the house that you know of one that would be known perhaps to a member of the family?’
    `Nay … None’s I know. An’ I been there five and twenty year.’ George Warleggan got up. `Very well, Tabb.’ He dropped the coins on the table. `Take your guineas and go. I enjoin you to say nothing to anyone - not even to Mrs Tabb.’
    `Shan’t tell she,’ said Tabb. `Else … well, sur, you know how tis.
    She’d want for to put this money away.’ `Take your guineas,’ said George.; `And go.’
     
    Elizabeth Warleggan was thirty-one, and had two children. Her eldest, Geoffrey Charles Poldark, would soon