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While Mary was thoroughly enjoying watching the inspector work, her head was still spinning from the kisses and caresses they’d shared not ten minutes ago.
As they walked through the manor house to the servants’ hall, she tried to make sense of the odd connection between her and the Bow Street inspector. When was the last time she’d felt that sort of thing with a man? Desire was present, of course, yet there was something else beyond that, an understanding, a link through life’s struggles, perhaps. Obviously, he’d had a difficult marriage, and so did she, but they were both insecure and untrusting to be the first to show vulnerability or to even talk about it.
Not that they’d had the chance, but were they both too broken deep down?
In the basement level of the manor, the corridors were narrower than they were above stairs. As soon as Mrs. Harley, the housekeeper, became aware the inspector and a guest were visiting, she immediately intercepted them.
“Oh, dear, Inspector Bright, what are you doing down here? You could have rung for one of us.” She wrung her hands while concern and anxiety warred for dominance through her expression. “And Mrs. Tomlinson? Is something amiss?”
“Calm yourself, Mrs. Harley.” Mary laid a hand on his arm. “We are merely here to go through Mr. Alderson’s room in the event there are clues to who killed him. You and your staff have done a lovely job of tending to the house party guests and keeping their minds off this tragedy.” When Bright shot her a look of gratitude, she allowed a small smile.
“That makes sense.” The housekeeper nodded. “Follow me. I’ll show you his room. It’s at the end of the hall.”
Gabriel fell into step behind her with Mary bringing up the rear. “Are there any plans to replace Mr. Alderson at the moment?”
“Lord Stanwick hasn’t informed me thusly, but with the snow, no one could arrive here for an interview regardless.”
“Of course. How did Mr. Alderson treat the staff?”
Mary’s focus on the conversation faded as she swept her gaze over the breadth of his shoulders, exquisitely made on display by the jacket of bottle green superfine stretched over his torso. She remembered what every centimeter of those shoulders felt like, how the strength in his arms had been around her when he’d embraced her. Then her gaze dropped, and she stared at his firm backside. Dear heavens, what was wrong with her that she wanted to squeeze his arse and see for herself how taut those cheeks were? Because she wasn’t paying attention, when he stopped at the door to the butler’s room, she nearly crashed into him, but at the last second got control of herself.
Bright glanced at her from over his shoulder with slight amusement in his eyes. Could he know what she’d been thinking? “Is all well, Mrs. Tomlinson?”
“Yes, of course.” Heat burned through her cheeks as she entered the small room that had once belonged to Mr. Alderson.
There was very little in the way of furniture contained in the space. A long narrow bed beneath a small window that let in very little light, a bureau whose top hosted a silver vanity case and a decanter of brandy, and there was a small round table with only one straight-backed wooden chair. A braided rug in faded shades of blue covered the stone flooring at the side of the bed as well as the foot. Also at the foot was an unassuming cedar trunk.
“Thank you, Mrs. Harley,” the inspector said. “We shouldn’t be long.” When he came into the room once the housekeeper departed, he looked at Mary. “Woolgathering, were you?”
“Perhaps. There have been a few distractions of late.”
“Can I assume they have been welcome distractions?”
Cheeky man, trolling for compliments. “They have, and it will be interesting to discover if anything comes from them.” It was so natural to enter into verbal banter with him, for he didn’t constantly attempt to make her into something she was not. Try as she might to tamp the urge to grin, it tugged at the corners of her mouth anyway, but she avoided his gaze. They had a case to solve. “Mr. Alderson had no personal items to make his room more homey.”
“Interesting, that. I’ll wager he didn’t have any real friends in the household either since the housekeeper said he was a proper prick to most of them.” Bright rested his hands on his hips as he scanned the room with a glance. “At least we’ll make quick work of it. I’ll take the trunk if you’ll search through the bureau.”
“All right.” Mary kept her own counsel while she pulled open the first drawer.
“Your niece seems like a lovely girl. I hope she and the other young people will find enjoyment here even through the pall of death.”
She nodded. “As do I, but Adelaide is a sunny girl. Eventually, they’ll all come out of the shock and make the best of their time here.” As quickly as she could, she poked through the orderly stacks of folded and starched handkerchiefs, lengths of cravats, cuffs, collars, and the like. “Lady Stanwick has much on the agenda for everyone to do. Soon, no one will remember the butler.”
“True enough. Time does march onward.” He knelt on the floor in front of the cedar trunk and opened the lid. “Though I am worried about Henry. Most of the guests are avoiding him due to the fact he might have killed Mr. Alderson.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. Children—even ones who are almost adults—can be cruel and go with a crowd mentality.” She frowned. “Do you think Henry is guilty?” If he could assume that she might have killed the butler, no doubt he’d thought the same of his son.
“No, at least I would like to hope not, but to clear him, we need to find the real murder weapon.” He turned his attention to the contents of the trunk, pulling out a few books and extra blankets.
“It is good the two of you are so close.” And it provided an interesting insight into the inspector’s private life. “I suppose losing your wife drew you together?”
“In a roundabout way.” The words were clipped, and once more he closed himself off to further questioning or probing.
With a silent huff, Mary concentrated on searching through the next drawer, where pristinely folded pairs of breeches and trousers were located. She needed a different tact to find out Gabriel’s secrets, but how to convince him she was trustworthy? Then she gasped.
“What’s wrong?” Instantly on alert, Bright sprang to his feet.
“This was hidden beneath folded pairs of breeches.” She held up the jewel-studded sheath for the antique knife. “Why would he have this?”
“Why was the decorative knife near his body? These are questions we need answers to, but this is good. I rather doubt either piece was ever in Mr. Alderson’s possession, but placed here by the killer or someone else wishing to deflect scrutiny.”
“Do you think, perhaps, someone is trying to frame the viscount? After all, the antiquities belong to him.”
“It’s another avenue we will need to explore.”
The mystery deepened. After setting the sheath on the bureau’s top, Mary continued searching the rest of the drawers while the inspector returned to the contents of the trunk. “Did he keep a journal or anything that would provide insight into his private life?”
“Not that I can tell.” Seconds later, he uttered a soft curse. When Mary came near, he held up a brooch set in silver, studded with sapphires with emeralds for eyes. The whole thing was in the shape of an elephant, and had the same look as the knife sheath. “Now why the devil would the butler have this in his possession?”
“Who does it belong to?”
“Lady Stanwick.” His mouth was set into a hard line.
“How do you know?”
“I gave this to her as a wedding gift when she wed my brother.”
“How interesting.” And somewhat disturbing. “Either Mr. Alderson was blackmailing both of them or someone is trying overly much to throw us off their trail.”
“Indeed.” He tucked the jewelry into his waistcoat pocket then went back to rooting through the trunk. Eventually, he returned everything to the interior. “Nothing else of importance.”
“Neither is there anything here. Merely clothing, and quite frankly, some of these things are rather too fine for what a butler could afford on his income.” She closed the final drawer with a decided click.
“None of this is adding up to a clear picture of his daily life.” With a frown, Bright moved to the narrow bed. He peered beneath that piece of furniture, but there was nothing there, yet when he pulled up the mattress tick, they both gasped. Nestled within the ropes of the frame was a pistol. “Well, now. What is this, then?”
Mary stared at the weapon with open-mouthed shock. “More to the point, why would a butler have need for a pistol to begin with? Especially Mr. Alderson. He didn’t appear the type to defend the household with his last breath.”
“Indeed not, which is why this is quite puzzling.” The inspector retrieved the pistol. After he replaced the mattress tick, he checked the mechanism of the pistol. “It is loaded with one ball ready to go.”
She met his gaze. “Was it for personal defense or did he merely con it from someone else, like he accumulated the rest of his belongings?”
“It’s something I’ll aim to discover.” In silence, he tucked the pistol into the waist of his breeches at the small of his back. “Come. There is nothing else here. We will now conduct an interview with Lady Stanwick.”
Cold apprehension coiled in her gut. “Perhaps you should interview her by yourself. My presence could present a problem if Francis has told her...”
“We are partners, Mrs. Tomlinson,” Bright said as they left the butler’s room and closed the door firmly behind them. “Where I go, you go as well.” Then he handed her a small leatherbound notebook and the nub of a pencil. Both of which she recognized from yesterday when he’d highhandedly interviewed her. “I need you to jot down notes. It is sometimes beyond me to do so while forming questions.”
It might have been a lie, so she felt better about the situation, but remarkably, it did ease her mind. “Very well, but don’t be surprised if she doesn’t welcome me with open arms. Everything has been exceedingly... odd ever since I stepped foot in this manor.”
“All will be well.” When he glanced at her from over his shoulder, he gave her an encouraging nod. “Trust me?”
“Oddly enough, I am beginning to.” And she never thought that would happen again in her life when it came to men.
“I’ll consider that a victory, then.”
Once they quit the servants’ hall, the inspector led the way to the grand staircase, where he took the treads two at a time. Mary appreciated the athleticism in his form as he did so; he certainly didn’t act like a man who was a couple of years past forty. Still, she was obliged to trot to keep pace with his long-legged strides on the second floor. The buzz of conversation and laughter coming from the drawing room gave credence to Adelaide’s mention that a decorating party was forming for the afternoon, and part of her yearned to be there with her niece, for she missed spending time with the girl. However, she would be lying to herself if she didn’t admit that working to solve a crime with the handsome inspector was the most thrilling thing she’d ever done in her life.
Finally, Bright paused at the open door to the morning room, where he rapped peremptorily at the frame before entering. “Pardon the interruption, my lady, but this visit cannot be helped.”
The viscountess glanced up from the handiwork in her lap. She frowned at the inspector. “Why are you here, Gabriel?” she asked, and there was slight annoyance in her tone, but when her gaze fell on Mary as Bright moved further into the room, her reception was much frostier. “Mrs. Tomlinson.”
“We have just come from Mr. Alderson’s room,” he started off without preamble as he perched on the arm of a low sofa. “How was your relationship with the butler?”
Lady Stanwick shrugged. “I don’t know that I had a relationship with him,” she said with a shrug. “Why would you ask such a question?”
“Because we found this in his room.” Bright pulled the elephant brooch from his waistcoat pocket. The jewels glimmered in the overcast light coming in from the windows as the snow continued to come down. “Why did Mr. Alderson have this in his possession when I know for a fact it belongs to you.”
For one second, the viscountess’ face paled as she stared at the brooch in Bright’s hand. Then she huffed in annoyance and set aside her embroidery in order to glare at him. “I rather think that is none of your business.”
“It is if it has bearing on the butler’s death.” One of his brown eyebrows rose in question. “I think, perhaps, you should explain.”
Quietly, Mary seated herself on the sofa near Bright’s location and waited with her pencil.
Eventually, Lady Stanwick sighed. “Alderson was a nosy arse who couldn’t stay out of everyone’s business, and he had the bad habit of tattling on some of my actions to Stanwick.”
“Such as?” This from the inspector while Mary took notes. “Is it enough to give you the motivation to kill the man?”
“Of course not!” She cut the air with a hand. “How dare you even accuse me of such, Gabriel.”
“Murder is a great equalizer. No one is above the law.” Again, he flashed the brooch. “How did the butler come to have this in his room?”
With a scathing glance to Mary, the viscountess then focused on the inspector. “Mr. Alderson inadvertently came into a room where I was otherwise occupied with a footman.” At least she had the grace to blush. “In exchange for the man’s discretion and silence with regards to my husband, I paid him with the brooch. He wasn’t above blackmail at any given time.”
“Ah, so you and he went ‘round with the same subject before?” Nothing in Bright’s tone gave away his thoughts on the hinted at infidelity.
“A time or two, and no doubt he did the same to everyone he’s ever met.” Lady Stanwick shook her head. “He wasn’t a good man. I don’t know why Stanwick continued to employ him.”
As Mary wrote a few notes, she would wager she knew why Francis did it. If he suspected she’d been unfaithful, he was the type of man to hold that over her head even though he’d no doubt done the same regularly. But she held her tongue.
“I’m sure I would have no idea, so let us keep this conversation going in the direction I need it to, hmm?” He held up the knife’s sheath. “Why would Alderson have had this in his room?”
She gasped. “That goes with the knife used to murder him.”
The inspector didn’t confirm or deny the statement. “We also found this.” When he pulled out the pistol, the viscountess recoiled. “Why would your butler need a pistol? Had he been threatened by someone on your staff?”
“I would have no idea, Gabriel. You will need to speak with Stanwick.” Then, as regally as a queen, she rose to her feet, which made Bright scramble to his. “I believe this interview has concluded. There is nothing more I can tell you, but I did not murder Alderson, and I will remind you it is a dangerous thing to accuse someone in the beau monde of such, even if we are related by marriage.”
A frown pulled at the corners of his mouth. “I am merely doing my due diligence, but if you are guilty, I’ll discover that as well.”
“Hmph.” She flicked her gaze to Mary as she stood. “Stay away from Lord Stanwick, Mrs. Tomlinson.” When surprise jolted through her, the viscountess nodded and stared with narrowed eyes. “Oh, yes, he told me about you.”
“Pot calling the kettle black, hmm Vivian?” Bright asked softly as he tucked the pistol back into the waist of his breeches.
The viscountess ignored him, while hot anger cycled through Mary’s blood.
“I want nothing to do with your husband, my lady.” She clenched her fingers about the notebook and pencil so hard the edges bit into her palm. “I am here as companion for my niece, who is roommate to your daughter. That is all.”
“Ha!” Lady Stanwick shook her head while taking a menacing step toward her. “I know you are trouble, and once the roads are passable, I want you gone from this house.”
Mary’s lower jaw dropped. “If I go, Adelaide comes with me, and that will sadden your daughter. I rather think you don’t wish to do that.”
“Enough.” Bright gave the knife sheath to Mary then wrapped a hand about her upper arm. “Thank you for your time. If we have more questions, we will come back, but until this case is solved, Mrs. Tomlinson remains here in this manor with everyone else.”
“Fine.” Fury lined Lady Stanwick’s face. “I suggest you look elsewhere for your suspect, Gabriel, and leave me alone.”
As Mary left the room at Bright’s side, she shook with anger. “I am sick unto death of being looked down on by the aristocracy for whatever the reason.”
“I understand.” He led her along the corridor and then into the butler’s pantry located across from the dining room. After he released her arm, he pulled the sliding pocket door closed. Seconds later, he lit a candle and laid the copper holder on a work counter where Mr. Alderson had no doubt counted out silver and polished stemware before meals. “I know this is a difficult time for you—”
“—while I will take responsibility for my part in the affair fourteen years ago,” she interrupted in a low voice that shook with outrage, “I refuse to continue to pay for those sins. Especially when he isn’t willing to acknowledge his fault in them.” To her mortification, tears of anger sprang into her eyes. She couldn’t show weakness in front of this man!
“Agreed.” He put a finger beneath her chin and raised her head until their gazes connected. Compassion shadowed his eyes, that were more green than brown in that moment. “I will talk to them both on your behalf.”
“No.” Mary shook her head, temporarily breaking that connection, for it felt as if she might drown in those hazel pools. “It is not your place nor your fight.”
“Stanwick and his wife are my family, so I can dress them down more easily and without societal consequences.”
She uttered a huff of frustration. “I can take care of myself, have done so for years.” Ever since your brother ensured my ruin.
“Of that I have no doubt, but you and I are partners as I’ve stated before.” When he cupped her cheek, drew the pad of his thumb along her bottom lip, she trembled. “You are helping me with the case. Let me do the same for you with this,” he said in a whisper that had flutters moving through her lower belly.
“I am afraid that if you introduce the subject, one or the other of them will retaliate, then everyone here—including my niece—will know of that time in my life.” Mary shook her head, breaking their connection. “I don’t want Adelaide disappointed in me.” What she really wanted, needed in this moment was his arms around her and to kiss him until she didn’t feel so unsettled, but if she did that, there was every chance she’d be carried away by the disconcerting passion brewing between them.
“While that is understandable, I’ll make certain that doesn’t happen.”
She snorted. “You might be a lovely investigator, but you can’t control people, Gabriel.” To ensure she wouldn’t do something stupid like rush into his arms, she sprang away from him as if burned, and in the process cracked her elbow on the counter. “Ow!”
“Silly goose,” he said softly, but when he reached for her, she moved farther from him in the small space. “All right. I’ll concede to the walls you’ve thrown up.”
“They rather match yours, don’t you think?”
“Indeed, they do.” A half grin quirked up one side of his mouth. “We have an investigation to continue in any event.”
When he poked about the room, she breathed a sigh of relief, for that meant his attention was no longer focused solely on her. After opening and closing drawers beneath the counter, Bright uttered a curse.
“What is it?”
He held up a man’s handkerchief. “Look here.” Pointing to a corner, he traced a forefinger over the initials HAB done in embroidered script. “This belongs to my son—Henry Andrew Bright. His grandmother made these for him right before she died.” Concern etched his face, making it appear far older in the flickering candlelight. “Why is this here? It would take no time for him to cross the corridor, gain the dining room and then kill Alderson.”
The poor man. “Don’t jump to conclusions, Inspector.” Daring much, she laid her free hand on his arm. The muscles flexed beneath her fingertips. “It could be innocent.”
“I hope so.”
“Go back down to the study. I’ll find Henry and escort him down.” She thrust the notebook, pencil, and sheath into his hands. “Lock these in the desk.” Then she slid open the pocket door.
“Mary?”
“Hmm?” When she turned back to him, gratitude warred with the concern in his eyes.
“Thank you for keeping me company and making certain I’m calm during these proceedings.” He cleared his throat then blew out the candle. “Though I’m still becoming acclimated to working with a partner, I’m finding that I rather enjoy this unexpected side of investigating.”
She gave him an honest smile. “As am I, Inspector.” Then she left the butler’s pantry and set out to find his son.
It took very little time to locate Henry, for he hadn’t gone down to the drawing room or billiards room with the other members of the party, nor had he made up the numbers to retrieve Christmas greenery. In fact, he was tucked away in the library a few doors down from the study on the first level of the manor house.
“Henry? Your father would like to interview you now,” she said softly so she wouldn’t startle him.
The poor young man blanched. His eyes rounded and grew dark in the flickering candlelight. Slowly, he stood, and the book resting in his lap fell unheeded to the thick Aubusson carpeting at his feet. “I’d wondered when he would get to me.”
“It is merely part of the investigation. We have already conducted three interviews.” Mary offered a smile as he joined her at the door. “Try not to worry.” In many ways, he was the mirror image of his father, and she suspected he’d break hearts in a few years.
His Adam’s apple bobbed with a hard swallow as he tugged on the knot of his cravat. “I didn’t do this, Mrs. Tomlinson,” he said in a choked whisper while she escorted him into the corridor.
“I know, but your father has a job to do. As he has stated a few times today, no one is above the law, but don’t you think you’ll feel better once this is out of the way?”
“Everyone at the house party already hates me.”
She glanced at him. “They are fearful. There is a difference. Once your father clears you of the crime, you’ll see how their behavior changes.” Though, why he’d want to be friends with that sort of fickle group, she had no idea.
“Will you stay during the interview?” His tone had the ring of a frightened child.
“Of course I will.” It would seem the son was as broken and yearning as the father.
Once the young man seated himself across from the inspector at the desk, she perched on the matching chair. “Henry, when we were in the butler’s pantry, we found a handkerchief bearing your initials.” She leaned forward and accepted the pocket square when Bright handed it to her. “Can you tell me how it ended up there?”
For long moments, he rested his gaze on the handkerchief before training his attention on her face. “One of the maids was rushing down the corridor just outside the drawing room shortly before Mr. Alderson was killed. She was in tears.”
Mary glanced at Bright. He motioned at her to continue. “Why was she upset?”
“She’d just been reprimanded by the butler for something inconsequential, something that wasn’t even one of her duties.” Henry traced his finger over the embroidery. “She crashed into me since she was running blind. I didn’t know what to do, but Papa always said to err on the side of gallantry.”
Again, she looked at the inspector. Oddly enough, a mottled flush crept over his collar to color his neck. Stifling a grin, she nodded at the young man to continue. “There is nothing wrong with that. What happened next?”
“I encouraged her into a chair and poured her a glass of water from a pitcher I found on the counter then gave her my handkerchief because she was crying.”
“You did the right thing.” Mary patted his hand. “Did she not take the handkerchief when she left the butler’s pantry?”
“I couldn’t say.”
“Why not?”
A flush that matched his father’s colored his neck and cheeks. “I left her there to search out Mr. Alderson. He deserved a dressing down for his treatment of her.”
She looked at Bright, and his expression fell. What now? she mouthed in confusion.
The inspector sighed. “You wished to teach the butler a lesson.” It wasn’t a question.
“I did, because what he did wasn’t right.” He stared at his father, and they were so much alike her heart squeezed. “So, I went into the dining room.”
Bright nodded. “Where did you find your uncle’s antique knife? When everyone arrived in the drawing room, it was still in the curio cabinet.”
“I don’t know.” The young man shrugged and seemed a bit green around the gills. “As soon as I entered the dining room, I knew something wasn’t right. Mr. Alderson was lying on the floor. When I saw the puddle of blood, I froze. The antique knife was lying there beside him, half in the blood pool.” His swallow was audible. “I didn’t think, just picked up the knife to move it away on the off chance he was still alive...”
“Then the maid screamed,” Mary finished for him as she took his hand. “You intended to help the man who’d been nothing but horrible to everyone.” Her heart went out to him. “That was a brave and compassionate thing to do.”
For a few seconds, his face screwed up as if he were fighting his emotions, then he gave into a sob. “I’ve never seen a dead body, Mrs. Tomlinson; didn’t know what to do, and I was afraid I would disappoint Papa because this is what he does every day.”
When it appeared he would crumple, she quickly gained her feet and crossed over to him. He hugged her about the waist and rested his cheek on her belly. “It’s all right, Henry. I am quite certain your father wasn’t that brave when he was your age.” Over the young man’s head, she met Bright’s gaze, surprised that he struggled with his own emotions.
The inspector cleared his throat. “Seeing your first dead body, especially when life has been stolen from it by violent murder, is much to digest, but you remained composed. For that you have my admiration.”
Oh, he’d come up to the mark beautifully! “You see?” she asked Henry in a soothing voice. “You were trying to do the right thing, and your father knows you didn’t kill Mr. Alderson. Once that word gets out, the members of the house party will take you back within their fold.”
“One last thing, Henry,” Bright said as he held up the sheath. “Was there another knife somewhere on the butler’s person that might have disappeared between the time you found his body, when the maid screamed, and when we came into the room?”
He lifted his head. “Not that I can remember, but when I was talking to the maid in the butler’s pantry, she said it was odd Mr. Alderson was even here because he’d told a few of them in the servants’ hall he had a meeting with someone out at the old mill.”
“The mill?” Mary asked with a frown.
“Yes.” The young man nodded. “It’s only used in the summer. Halfway between Stanwick Hall and the village.”
“Very well.” The inspector nodded. “You may go.”
Henry looked at her, and when she nodded, he stumbled from the room as if the hounds of hell were after him.
For long moments, silence reigned in the room. Then Bright sighed. “It was amazing how you connected with him. He and I have been... stunted in that for a long time.”
“It only takes one person to make that first move.” She shrugged but hoped this would help him break down his own walls. “Now, if you will excuse me? I’m going to spend some time with Adelaide, take tea, and help with decorating efforts.”
“Of course.” He scrambled to his feet. “But after that?”
“Yes?”
Waggling his eyebrows, he asked, “Care to take a sled out and visit the mill? We can go out there and come back before the sun sets without being late for dinner.”
She offered a grin, for the opportunity to be alone with him was far too tempting. “I look forward to it.”
