“Yes, dear, I did.” Cecily glanced around the crowded shop. “Is there somewhere we can speak in private?”

Gracie looked frightened. “I don’t know, m’m. I’m not supposed to leave the counter.” She sent a worried glance over her shoulder. “I should be getting back there.”

Cecily reached out to pick up a large spinning top. “Perhaps if I buy this, we could retire to a quiet corner to discuss the price?”

Gracie hesitated a moment longer, then nodded. “Over here, then, Mrs. Baxter.”

She led the way to a corner of the shop that was partially hidden by a large display of dolls. Standing back in the shadows, Gracie poked a stray strand of hair underneath the ribbon. “Your footman said you wanted to talk about my Jimmy,” she said, tears beginning to fill her eyes. “I don’t like talking about it, him just being killed and all. What is it you want to know?”

“I’m so sorry for your loss,” Cecily said quietly. “Actually I wanted to talk to you about Basil Baker. I talked to him a short while ago. He said he and Jimmy exchanged blows, and you were the cause.”

Gracie gulped, struggling to control her voice. “Yes, they did. Basil kept pestering me to go back to him, and Jimmy told him to get out of town. He said he’d beat Basil up if he didn’t leave and Basil said he wasn’t going to leave and the next morning Jimmy waited for him to come home and jumped on him. They had a terrible fight, and Basil got the worst of it. Jimmy had a bit of a temper when he was crossed.”

“So they were bitter enemies.”

“I suppose so.” She started, as if she’d just thought of something. “You don’t think Basil threw that rock at Jimmy?” She shook her head so violently a couple of pins flew out and pinged against the doll stand. “Basil might have hated Jimmy, but I know him. He wouldn’t have done something like that. He could fight if he had to, but he’d never attack someone like that.”

Cecily inspected the spinning top in her hand. “Who knows what people are capable of when under the influence of a terrible rage.” She paused, then added quietly, “That’s a nasty bruise on your cheek. It must be painful.”