Page 49 of A Whisper at Midnight

“Had she married then?” Tilda asked. “She was unwed when she worked for us.”

Mrs. Jefford shook her head. “Not that I know. She were by ’erself. Couple people visited ’er though, and one were a man. ’E could ’ave been the father, I suppose.”

“Did you know his name?” Hadrian asked, wondering if it could have been Chambers.

“No. ’E only came one time that I saw.”

“Can you describe what he looked like?” Tilda gave her a soft smile. “One of our footmen liked Miss Farrow a great deal. I believe they saw each other after she left our household.”

“’E were tall and dressed in dark clothes. ’Is ’air flopped in front.” Mrs. Jefford motioned over her forehead with her hand.

Hadrian immediately thought of Chambers’ valet, Massey.

“That doesn’t sound like our footman,” Tilda said. “Did anyone else visit Miss Farrow?”

“A woman, but she wore a veil, so I can’t tell you what she looked like. She came twice. That I know of. I didn’t see ’er the second time, but my daughter said she saw ’er ’ere last night.”

Hadrian’s pulse quickened. Perhaps there had been a witness to Miss Farrow’s fall.

“Was that around when Miss Farrow fell?” Tilda asked.

Mrs. Jefford shrugged. “I don’t know. We didn’t ’ear anything as we were eatin’ dinner downstairs. My daughter saw the woman in the veil arrive as she was coming down to eat. We didn’t find Miss Farrow until later. She was lyin’ in the stairwell in a pool of blood.” Mrs. Jefford pivoted and motioned through a doorway. Hadrian could see the stairs.

“Would you mind if we went to her room?” Tilda asked, her features set with deep concern. “I’m hoping to find something I can give to her parents.”

“The constable who was ’ere said not to let anyone up there.” Mrs. Jefford sounded as though she could perhaps be persuaded otherwise.

Hadrian took a couple coins from his pocket and handed them to her. “We would be greatly obliged.”

Mrs. Jefford immediately pocketed the coins. “Top floor, first door on the left.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Jefford,” Tilda said with a grateful smile before walking into the stairwell.

Hadrian followed her and paused to look at the floor where Martha Farrow would have landed. Whatever mess had been created had been cleaned.

“There’s some blood here,” Tilda said, leaning down.

Not thoroughly cleaned then.

Hadrian joined her and saw the smudge of blood on the floorboards. “Such a shame, especially as she was with child.”

Tilda straightened. “I am quite eager to know who the father was, but I’m afraid I can guess since we know she was working in the Chambers household until recently.”

“And it’s likely she was sharing Louis Chambers’ bed,” Hadrian said, loathing the man even more than he had before. “The man was truly despicable.”

“Particularly if he was aware of the child. Perhaps she told him, and he evicted her from the household. Let us look in Martha’s room.”

Hadrian followed Tilda, pausing at the first and second landings to look down. When they reached the third one—the top—he stood there a moment. “That’s a terrifying fall.”

Tilda looked over the rail and grimaced. “Yes. And how did it happen? I’m not sure I believe Mrs. Jefford’s claim of clumsiness. This rail seems high enough that Martha wouldn’t have fallen over it by accident.”

“Do you think she may have been pushed?”

Tilda moved closer to it and touched the wood. The railing moved.

Gasping, Tilda jumped back just as Hadrian curled his arm around her waist, pulling her against his chest. She was breathing heavily—as was he.

They stood like that a moment, long enough for Hadrian to realize he needed to let her go. But also to acknowledge that she seemed content to be in his arms. Likely because she was terrified.