Page 16 of A Whisper at Midnight

“Pardon?” Teague said.

Again, Massey spoke, but Tilda still couldn’t hear what he said.

“I see,” Teague replied slowly. “I understand your concern. I am not here to punish anyone for anything other than the murder of your employer. However, I may need the name of the … establishment you went to so that I may confirm your alibi. I will not record the location in the report. When you left the house last night, Mr. Chambers was alive?”

There was another silence. Perhaps the valet had nodded.

“Forgive the indelicacy of my next question,” Teague said. “Were you aware of Mr. Chambers having a liaison?”

“It is not my place to notice such things.” The valet sounded almost nonchalant. “I know Mr. Chambers was unhappy in his marriage and that his wife had refused him access to her bed.”

That was not what Mrs. Chambers had told Tilda. However, she needed to consider the possibility that her client had lied.

“You have no idea who your employer’s paramour may have been?” Teague prodded.

“As I said, I do not pay attention to such things. Icansay that Mrs. Chambers was having an affair.”

“You knew about her having an affair but not her husband,” Teague noted. It didn’t sound like a question. “With whom is she having a liaison?”

“I am not certain.”

“Do you have suspicions?” Teague prodded.

“Mr. Chambers often mentioned his wife’s infidelity. Just last night, he speculated it was likely Ravenhurst.”

Tilda heard Hadrian’s intake of breath behind her. She turned her head and gave him a quelling look.

“What was his evidence for making that claim?” Teague asked.

“He didn’t say. You haven’t asked, but I would not be surprised to learn that Mrs. Chambers killed him.”

“Why is that?”

“She did not care for her husband at all,” the valet said with disdain. “They fought a great deal.”

“What did they fight about?”

“Most often, it was money. Mrs. Chambers is a spendthrift. Her reckless purchasing and running up debts were a cause of great stress to Mr. Chambers. He was always taking her to task over it, and she would grow angry. She was also not supportive of his investment in the drapery shop, which angered him. He was trying to improve their financial situation by becoming a man of business.”

“I see,” Teague said.

“May I see Mr. Chambers now?” Massey asked, his voice sounding a bit hollow.

“Yes. I don’t have any more questions for the moment. We will need to take the body for the inquest tomorrow. You can come with me into the bedchamber, but you may not touchanything. Is that clear?”

The constable who’d gone outside returned. He eyed Tilda and Hadrian before proceeding into the study.

Tilda moved away from the doorway, and Hadrian followed her. “I don’t believe for a moment that a valet wouldn’t be aware of his employer having an affair. I’ve never had a valet, or a personal maid, but wouldn’t they know if their employer had entertained someone who wasn’t their spouse in their bedchamber? And we know Chambers did that because of the vision you saw.”

“I would be surprised if a valetdidn’tknow, particularly given Massey’s awareness of what’s happening in this household between his employer and his wife.”

Massey strode from the study, his gaze falling briefly on Tilda and Hadrian before he continued into the sitting room. Tilda craned her neck to watch him pass through the open doorway to the servants’ stairwell.

“You’re still here,” Teague said, drawing them to turn toward the study where he stood in the doorway. “My constable says you were likely eavesdropping on my interview with the valet.”

“I was looking for Mrs. Chambers,” Tilda said, purposely not responding to Teague’s comment. “I must speak with her to conclude our business before I leave.”

“I’m here.” Mrs. Chambers stepped into the sitting room. She’d pinned a black bow to her bodice.