Page 56 of A Whisper at Midnight

Tilda gave the valet an encouraging smile. “We appreciate your telling us this, Massey. I found the brooch in Martha’s room at the lodging house. Have you any idea why she didn’t sell it?”

Massey rubbed his palms along his thighs in an agitated manner. “She tried, but the pawnbroker accused her of stealing it. He said someone like her wouldn’t have something that nice, and he would fetch the police.” The valet gave them a mournful look. “She was just trying to do what she could to survive. I know you’ll think she was foolish to lie with Mr. Chambers, but Martha thought she loved him. Her family had turned her out. She only wanted to be loved.”

“I’m sorry she struggled,” Hadrian said.

“When and why did you visit her at the lodging house?” Tilda asked.

“She sent me a note asking me to come, saying she needed money. I took her what I could. That was last Sunday.”

“Then you were aware of Mr. Chambers’ infidelity?” Tilda prompted. “You indicated to Detective Inspector Teague that you were not.”

Massey’s face flushed. “How could I not be?” His brows pitched in anger. “Mr. Chambers treated Martha horribly. After he turned her out, he lamented to me about what a strumpet she was and how she’d lured him to her bed. It’s as if he thought I wasn’t aware of what went on here.” His lip curled, and his eyes were darkly furious.

“Why did you lie about that to the inspector?” Tilda asked.

Massey shrugged as some of the vitriol left his expression. “I suppose I was trying to protect Martha. I don’t think she would kill anyone, but if the inspector knew she was carrying Mr.Chambers’ child and that he’d turned her out, I can’t imagine it would have looked good for her.”

“I understand protecting a friend.” Tilda darted a glance at Hadrian.

“Also, Mr. Chambers always told me to mind my own business as I expected others to mind theirs. I was not in the habit of sharing his secrets.” His gaze darted away for a moment. “As you have likely deduced, I have my own secrets I prefer to keep hidden.”

Hadrian wasn’t entirely sure what Massey’s specific secret was, nor was it his business. “Why were you so loyal to a man that you clearly dislike? Particularly after he died?”

The valet’s nostrils flared as he regarded them once more. “I had a good position. Chambers allowed me an entire night to myself once a fortnight. Do you know how difficult that is for someone in service to have? I can’t imagine you do.” His gaze lingered on Hadrian.

Massey was silent a moment, his features stoic. “Chambers would taunt me sometimes, saying it would be a shame if I ran into trouble whilst I was enjoying my night off. When he tossed Martha out, she warned me that Chambers would turn on me too if the need arose.” His eyes simmered with anger. “And before you ask—I didn’t kill him.”

“You said that Beryl did,” Tilda said. “Why do you think that?”

“She was just as bad as he was. They were horrid to one another—shouting at one another and harming each other. She beat him with her hairbrush once, left red welts on his neck.”

Hadrian clenched his jaw lest he gasp. This was shocking to hear.

Tilda glanced at him before looking back to Massey. “Was she also unfaithful?”

“Yes, I told the inspector that.” He looked at Hadrian. “I thought she was likely having an affair with you, given the way Chambers went on about you.”

“It is definitely not me,” Hadrian said sharply, keeping his anger in check.

Tilda touched Hadrian’s arm. “It was not Lord Ravenhurst. He was not in contact with Mrs. Chambers until she asked him for help the day before her husband was killed. Have you any other suspicions as to who her lover might be?”

Massey shook his head. “She wasn’t conducting any liaisons in the house, unlike her idiot husband.”

“Was Chambers carrying on with anyone besides the two maids?” Tilda asked.

“Not in the house.” Massey hesitated. “Though I did wonder if he’d had someone in his bed on one of the nights that I was gone last month. I smelled perfume on the linens—a strong floral scent, roses perhaps.”

Tilda recalled Beryl telling her about smelling perfume when they’d met the first time. “That is helpful—thank you, Massey. Can you tell us anything more about Martha? We are trying to determine if her death was truly an accident. It seems coincidental that she would die the day after Mr. Chambers.”

Massey shook his head. “I’ve told you everything.” His chin dipped, and he looked at his lap. “Martha wasn’t a bad person. She was a good friend to me. She knew my secret and kept it.”

“I am sorry Martha is no longer here for you,” Tilda said softly.

Massey sniffed and lifted his head, blinking away his emotion. “I’m just glad to be away from that household. I confess that Mr. Chambers had become difficult to work for. He’d been drinking excessively and was often ill the past fortnight or more. I was weary of cleaning up after him.” He grimaced. “I do wishI had a reference from him. Though I worry no one will want to hire me after what happened to my employer.”

Hadrian understood that this was a scandal, and that it may negatively impact Massey as well as the other retainers. “Perhaps I can help by offering my own recommendation.”

“Why would you do that?” Massey asked dubiously, his gaze narrowed.