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Authors: Kerry Tombs
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inspector.’
‘If you would just wait here, ma’am,’ said the maid closing the door.
Lucy looked across the square towards the drab, austere church hall and wondered whether she had been somewhat impetuous in her decision to seek out the Huddlestones of Cheltenham. Perhaps it would have been wiser to have consulted her husband first, and to have allowed him to make enquiries? That would have been the more prudent course, but the unexpected events of earlier that day had prompted her to bring about a swift reunion between the unfortunate young woman and her abandoned child. The address at the top of the letter had clearly stated number 22 Suffolk Square, and yet no one of that name appeared to reside in the vicinity. All she could do was hope that the owner of the property would allow her to call unannounced, and that such an interview would furnish the information she was so anxious to obtain.
‘Miss Jameson says you may call upon her,’ announced the maid.
‘Thank you.’
‘If you would care to follow me, ma’am.’
Lucy followed the maid across the hall and into a spacious drawing room, where she found herself standing in front of two elderly ladies.
‘Mrs Ravenscroft, ma’am,’ announced the maid.
‘Mrs Ravenscroft,’ said one of the ladies coming forwards tomeet her. ‘Florence Jameson. How can my sister and I be of assistance to you?’
‘I am sorry for the intrusion ladies. I was under the impression that a Mrs Huddlestone resided here.’
‘I believe that our maid has already informed you that there has never been anyone of that name who has resided here. My sister and I have lived here for over thirty years.’
‘So I believe. Perhaps I might explain the reason for my visit?’ asked Lucy somewhat nervously.
‘Then you had best take a seat, Mrs Ravenscroft. Can we offer you some refreshment?’ said the other elderly lady.
‘No, thank you,’ replied Lucy seating herself on the chair Miss Jameson indicated.
‘I understand that your husband is a police inspector?’ enquired the first speaker.
‘Yes. We reside in Ledbury. My husband would have come in person to see you, but he has been called away on urgent business to Droitwich.’
‘So you have chosen to come in his place?’ smiled the second sister.
‘It is rather a delicate matter. Earlier today, ladies, a young woman called upon me at home and told me a rather distressing story – of how under pressing circumstances, she gave away her infant daughter to a person of the name Huddlestone, whom she believed resided at this address.’
‘Gave away her daughter!’ exclaimed the two sisters, speaking almost in unison.
‘I am sorry, ladies, I did not mean to cause alarm.’
‘I think you had better explain as soon as possible, Mrs Ravenscroft.’
‘Yes, of course.’
During the following few minutes, Lucy recounted in full the detailed events of earlier that day.
‘What an extraordinary story!’ said one of the sisters.
‘So you understand, ladies, why I felt it necessary to call upon you. I felt I had to do all I could to reunite this poor woman with her daughter.’
‘It is indeed a very sad account you have presented to us, Mrs Ravenscroft, and although my sister and I have a great deal of sympathy for the young lady in question, and also commend you for your admirable concern, we nevertheless do not see how we can be of any assistance to you in this matter. As already stated, we have lived in this house for over thirty years and have never met anyone of the name of Huddlestone in all that time.’
‘I see,’ said Lucy looking dispiritedly at the neatly folded hands in her lap.
‘May we see the letter you mentioned?’
‘Of course.’
‘Ah, I see that our address has indeed been hand written at the top of the notepaper. If you would care to follow me, Mrs Ravenscroft, across to the bureau.’
Lucy rose from her chair and walked over to the writing desk.
‘You will see that all our notepaper has
‘If you would just wait here, ma’am,’ said the maid closing the door.
Lucy looked across the square towards the drab, austere church hall and wondered whether she had been somewhat impetuous in her decision to seek out the Huddlestones of Cheltenham. Perhaps it would have been wiser to have consulted her husband first, and to have allowed him to make enquiries? That would have been the more prudent course, but the unexpected events of earlier that day had prompted her to bring about a swift reunion between the unfortunate young woman and her abandoned child. The address at the top of the letter had clearly stated number 22 Suffolk Square, and yet no one of that name appeared to reside in the vicinity. All she could do was hope that the owner of the property would allow her to call unannounced, and that such an interview would furnish the information she was so anxious to obtain.
‘Miss Jameson says you may call upon her,’ announced the maid.
‘Thank you.’
‘If you would care to follow me, ma’am.’
Lucy followed the maid across the hall and into a spacious drawing room, where she found herself standing in front of two elderly ladies.
‘Mrs Ravenscroft, ma’am,’ announced the maid.
‘Mrs Ravenscroft,’ said one of the ladies coming forwards tomeet her. ‘Florence Jameson. How can my sister and I be of assistance to you?’
‘I am sorry for the intrusion ladies. I was under the impression that a Mrs Huddlestone resided here.’
‘I believe that our maid has already informed you that there has never been anyone of that name who has resided here. My sister and I have lived here for over thirty years.’
‘So I believe. Perhaps I might explain the reason for my visit?’ asked Lucy somewhat nervously.
‘Then you had best take a seat, Mrs Ravenscroft. Can we offer you some refreshment?’ said the other elderly lady.
‘No, thank you,’ replied Lucy seating herself on the chair Miss Jameson indicated.
‘I understand that your husband is a police inspector?’ enquired the first speaker.
‘Yes. We reside in Ledbury. My husband would have come in person to see you, but he has been called away on urgent business to Droitwich.’
‘So you have chosen to come in his place?’ smiled the second sister.
‘It is rather a delicate matter. Earlier today, ladies, a young woman called upon me at home and told me a rather distressing story – of how under pressing circumstances, she gave away her infant daughter to a person of the name Huddlestone, whom she believed resided at this address.’
‘Gave away her daughter!’ exclaimed the two sisters, speaking almost in unison.
‘I am sorry, ladies, I did not mean to cause alarm.’
‘I think you had better explain as soon as possible, Mrs Ravenscroft.’
‘Yes, of course.’
During the following few minutes, Lucy recounted in full the detailed events of earlier that day.
‘What an extraordinary story!’ said one of the sisters.
‘So you understand, ladies, why I felt it necessary to call upon you. I felt I had to do all I could to reunite this poor woman with her daughter.’
‘It is indeed a very sad account you have presented to us, Mrs Ravenscroft, and although my sister and I have a great deal of sympathy for the young lady in question, and also commend you for your admirable concern, we nevertheless do not see how we can be of any assistance to you in this matter. As already stated, we have lived in this house for over thirty years and have never met anyone of the name of Huddlestone in all that time.’
‘I see,’ said Lucy looking dispiritedly at the neatly folded hands in her lap.
‘May we see the letter you mentioned?’
‘Of course.’
‘Ah, I see that our address has indeed been hand written at the top of the notepaper. If you would care to follow me, Mrs Ravenscroft, across to the bureau.’
Lucy rose from her chair and walked over to the writing desk.
‘You will see that all our notepaper has
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