‘Night. Nine-thirty, sir.’

‘What were you doing in her room on Tuesday night?’

The girl shifted uncomfortably. ‘I often checks all the rooms, sir, afore I goes to bed. To make sure no lights are left lit. Close the windows.’

‘What did you do when you discovered the doll missing?’

‘I felt sick. Somebody were in the room. Secret, like. I was scared.’

‘Perhaps Dillie herself returned for her doll?’

‘No, sir. Like I said.’ A shy smile. ‘It’s her mother likes dolls, not Miss Odelia.’

Holmes shrugged. ‘But anyone could come in. What about her sister? Or Mrs Wyndham? Why did you not first think of a family member?’

The girl hesitated. ‘That window.’ She pointed to the largest, adjacent to the tree.

‘It was open?’

‘Yes, a little.’

‘But not when you tidied the room earlier?’

‘No, sir.’

Holmes moved to the window, examined the lock, opened, shut it. He stood motionless for a few seconds, then turned back to the girl with that piercing stare that intimidated all who encountered it.

‘Excellent, Polly. And what of yesterday? When Deacon Buttons arrived at this house with the drowned and dismembered doll. What time was that, I forget?’

Of course, Holmes forgot nothing. The girl hesitated. He did not take his eyes from her.

‘Nine, or so,’ said she.

‘Mrs Wyndham did not hear of the doll until ten-thirty,’ he said. ‘Where were you in the hour and a half between Deacon Buttons arriving with it, and when her parents were informed?’

The girl froze, eyes wide.

Holmes sighed, then made an effort to soften his approach. His voice took on a gentler tone. ‘You were not worried about Dillie before this, Polly?’

‘N-not really, sir.’

‘Young lady, I believe you know more than you are telling us. This doll is disturbing. Your mistress may now be in danger. I suggest that you know where she is hiding, and between nine, when the drowned doll showed up here with the deacon, and ten-thirty, when the Wyndhams were informed, you went to see if she was all right. And you took the doll with you so that Deacon Buttons could not alert the parents just yet. But she was not there, and you became worried. You then returned to the house and alerted her mother. Have I got that right?’

The girl was preternaturally still, like a small wild animal that wishes to be invisible.

‘I take that as a yes. How is it that Deacon Buttons allowed you to run off with the doll?’

‘I just did it, afore he could stop me. He found me on the way back though. He offered to escort me through the streets, so as I would not get caught again, and—’

‘Caught?’

The girl looked down and blushed.

‘Caught by whom?’

She hesitated. Then, ‘The proctor’s men.’

‘Oh, yes, of course, I had forgotten,’ said Holmes.