Mina thought she might risk an interruption. ‘You must have read the papers yourself?’ she asked. ‘What of your customers, did they not talk about the disappearance of Mr Jasper Holt?’
‘Of course, and I admit that since I had seen him when he first came in his good clothes, which my customers had not, I did suspect that he was indeed Jasper Holt, but I didn’t like to ask him about it directly. I felt — I suppose I hoped that in time that he would feel the need to confide in someone, and that person would be me. I did make comments in general conversation, as so many did, but while there were people who made cruel remarks about Mrs Holt, I declared that I had only sympathy for the wife and children who were suffering so much uncertainty. And then one day he did tell me. He confessed that he was Jasper Holt.
I told him that I wouldn’t blame him for his actions, as I couldn’t look into his mind, and didn’t know all his circumstances, but I implored him to tell his wife and family that he was alive and well. He said that he had left a message for his wife, so she knew that he was alive and safe.’
‘A message?’ Mina exclaimed, perhaps a little louder than she had intended.
‘Yes.’
‘Did he say what was in the message?’
‘No, I thought that was a private matter between husband and wife, so I didn’t enquire. I admit, I did once ask Charlotte if she had ever had a note from him, but she said not. Of course, she might not have wanted to say, so I didn’t press her.’
‘No, of course not,’ said Mina, disappointed to see this vital piece of information elude her. ‘I wonder, did he mention Shoreham at all? He told Mr Sutherland, the owner of the yacht, that he wanted to go there.’
‘He did pay visits there from time to time. I asked him why; did he know anyone there, and he said he didn’t, he just — he just liked the sea view.’ Mrs Wandle’s lips trembled. She pressed a hand to her mouth, and Mina could see that she was close to tears.
A third cup of tea was consumed, and two large pieces of cake were made to vanish before equanimity was restored.
‘Did you ever receive a visit from a detective who was looking for him on behalf of the family?’
‘Yes, a few weeks later there was a man came asking questions about any strangers coming in July. I think he’d been going round all the villages. I didn’t know he was from the family, I thought he might be a policeman in plain clothes. Or from a creditor after Jasper’s money. People remembered Henry arriving about then although I was the only one who knew the date for sure, and in any case, he was understood to be my cousin. The man went away, and I didn’t hear any more.
But poor Jasper — Henry I should call him — he was now in a terrible position; one that he had never expected. His deception had been uncovered and he couldn’t go back home to his wife and children because he would be arrested for fraud. Since Charlotte was suspected, too, he thought she was being constantly watched in case he was to ever to try and see her. He was quite adamant that Charlotte had known nothing of his intentions, but while one can prove that a thing is known it is much harder to prove it is not known. For himself, he believed that he could endure being put in prison but if he was it would bring shame and disgrace to the family. And what if Charlotte was charged with being his accomplice? She might find herself in prison, too, and the children would be without a mother. At the same time, he needed to know that his sons were well and being looked after. So he asked me — in fact he pleaded with me to help him.’
Mina understood. ‘And that was why you joined the Barnham circle?’
‘Yes. It was the place where he knew that I would meet Charlotte and make her acquaintance. I went once a week, and there was always some conversation between the sitters, some more than others, and then Charlotte would receive messages from the spirit of her deceased husband saying that he was happy in the heavenly realms. And all the time he was alive and calling himself Henry Brown and working as my pot man.’
‘I imagine,’ said Mina, ‘that the source of the messages Mrs Barnham passes to her sitters is the mind of Mrs Barnham herself, providing what she thinks they will find believable and comforting. Did Mrs Vardy ever reveal to you or anyone else, in any way, that she knew that her husband had not died in the accident? Not even the smallest hint?’
‘No, in fact she was most convincingly certain that he was deceased. Whatever he had written to her — and of course I could never reveal that I knew of it — I think she chose instead to believe the supposed spirit.’
‘You were never tempted to enlighten her?’
‘I was, often, but I had promised Henry not to do so. The spectres of prison and disgrace were more to him than anything. But I was able to let him know that his boys were being well cared for by their godfather, who had been as a second father to them, and that was a great comfort to him. The one thing I had not expected to result was the close friendship that arose between myself and Charlotte. We are united in sympathy. ‘
‘There is one small question you might be able to answer. Mrs Vardy, when she visited the police cells to view the man held there was able to confirm that he was not Mr Holt with barely a moment’s glance. Did she enlighten you as to the reason?’
Mrs Wandle smiled. ‘Jasper Holt, at the time he disappeared was, like so many men do at that age, starting to lose his hair. It was then just a small round patch the size of a penny on the crown of his head. He was able to hide this from acquaintances by artfully combing the remaining hair, which was very thick, but he could not conceal it from Charlotte. She would have known that after more than seven years missing the loss of hair would be more pronounced, but the man in the cells had a very full head of hair. And whatever the sellers of potions might like to claim, there is no cure for baldness.’
‘How simple! I should have thought of that,’ said Mina, especially, she reflected, after Dr Hamid had mentioned the scalp massage offered to gentlemen who feared losing their hair. Mina had another question to ask, although she already knew the answer. Mr Merridew had, she recalled, spoken of Mrs Barnham’s message concerning Mrs Wandle’s late pot man Henry.
‘Mr Holt — he — I am assuming that you can tell me his story now because he is no longer in danger from the law.’
Mrs Wandle nodded. ‘Yes, sadly, Jasper Holt is no more. He had been in poor health for some time, and last December the doctor told me that he had not long to live. It was his heart. His father had suffered in the same way. When he knew that he was dying he asked me that once he had gone, I should give his watch, the only family heirloom he possessed, to his older son, Franklin. It was something he had once promised the boy. He urged that it should go directly to him, and so I made sure that it was delivered to the boy’s school.’
‘When did Mr Holt die?’
Mrs Wandle took a paper from her reticule. ‘I have the certificate of his death. 25 January under the name Henry Brown. He is buried in the parish church.’
‘Mrs Wandle, I must ask you, since Mr Holt can no longer be charged with any crime, do you intend to tell Mrs Vardy all this story? Judging by what you have said, it does clear her of complicity in the attempted fraud. I appreciate that in view of this message he left her, she could be questioned about protecting him from the law, but I think that would be dealt with sympathetically.’