Page 89 of A Whisper at Midnight

Mrs. Blank nodded, and Tilda gestured for her to come to the dresser. Peering into the drawer, the housekeeper frowned. “That is definitely Mrs. Dunning’s missing knife. There’s a chip in the blade down near the handle. It’s why she didn’t use it as often as the others.”

Tilda surveyed the knife and saw the chip to which Mrs. Blank was referring. “Thank you, Mrs. Blank. Would you mind fetching Mrs. Dunning so that she can confirm? I would also ask that you or Oswald ask his lordship’s coachman to inform Detective Inspector Teague of what we’ve found.”

Nodding, Mrs. Blank left—after casting a look of derision toward Beryl.

Beryl waved her hand toward the dresser. “I did not put that knife there, nor did I kill my husband.”

“I think it’s time you tell us the truth about your marriage,” Tilda said evenly.

“I don’t know what you want to know,” Beryl said somewhat defiantly. “I’ve told you everything about our marriage.” She looked at Tilda as she crossed her arms over her chest. “You saw the bruises Louis gave me.”

Mrs. Styles-Rowdon moved to stand beside Beryl and lightly touched her arm.

“I did,” Tilda replied. “However, I did not see the injuries you gave him.”

Beryl gasped. “Who told you such lies?”

Tilda resisted the urge to roll her eyes at Beryl’s obvious dissembling.

“We understand you hit Louis on occasion,” Hadrian said softly but firmly. “With your hairbrush.”

“And with his walking stick once,” Mrs. Styles-Rowdon said, which provoked another gasp from Beryl who sent her friend an accusing glance. Mrs. Styles-Rowdon gave her friend a sad look. “I’m sorry, Beryl. It is the truth.” The woman looked backto Tilda and Hadrian. “You must know that Louis was a beast. Beryl was only defending herself.”

Tilda wasn’t sure she believed it was only that, but she did think that Beryl and Louis’s marriage had been most contentious.

Hadrian locked his eyes with Beryl’s. “You must realize that you are the primary suspect in Louis’s murder. Withholding information will not help you, and I must say that the presence of this knife in your bedchamber will only make matters worse.”

Tilda agreed with everything Hadrian had said. Indeed, she wondered if Teague might arrest Beryl when he arrived. She had plenty of motive and opportunity, and the evidence against her was mounting.

“I don’t know where the knife came from,” Beryl insisted. “Someone had to have put it there.” She glowered toward Clara.

The maid looked at Tilda. “Do I need to stay?”

“Not in here, no. But the inspector will want to speak with you when he arrives,” Tilda said.

“Thank you.” Clara hurried from the room without looking in Beryl’s direction.

Tilda glanced toward the dresser. She didn’t plan to disturb the knife. Teague could collect it when he arrived. Before that, however, she needed Hadrian to touch it.

Turning her back to Beryl, she motioned for Hadrian to step closer to the drawer with her. “You must touch the knife before Teague arrives,” she whispered. “You may not have another chance.”

“Of course.”

Tilda shielded him as best she could as he reached into the drawer. He closed his hand around the handle. Frowning, he moved his fingertips to the dull side of the knife and slid them along the blade.

After a moment, he withdrew his hand. “Nothing,” he muttered.

“That’s unfortunate,” Tilda murmured.

The housekeeper returned with the cook who said, “Mrs. Blank said Clara found my missing knife.”

“It’s in the drawer here,” Tilda said. “We are not going to remove it until the detective inspector arrives. Can you verify it’s yours?”

Mrs. Dunning came to the dresser and looked inside. “That’s mine. I chipped the blade a year or so ago when I dropped it.” She shook her head. “I was not pleased with myself.”

“And how long has this been missing from your kitchen?” Tilda asked.

“Since Friday when the inspector asked me if anything was missing. I can tell you what I told him, that I used it on Wednesday. I remember because I only use it for certain things, one of which is cutting bone. I had to do that last Wednesday.”