He looked down at his hand, resting on the chair arm. “I hadn’t got around to it.”
“Did she know that you planned to give it to her?”
“I hadn’t got around to telling her.” The hand on the chair arm fisted. “The point is, she needed money and she wouldn’t say why. I believe someone was blackmailing her.”
“About her arrangement with you?”
“Yes.”
“Then wouldn’t she tell you?”
“She’s very proud.Wasvery proud.” He swallowed heavily. “Knowing her, she would try to deal with it on her own. Pearl was like that. Very independent. She didn’t like relying on me to rescue her, you see.”
“Are you aware of anyone in her life who might blackmail her about your relationship?”
“No.”
“Who else knew about you two?”
He shrugged. “I’m not sure. We were very discreet, but those close to us knew. There is a sister, but I can’t recall hername. The other actors and theater staff knew too. Ask the manager. She was close to him. Culpepper, his name is. Good fellow. He introduced us.”
I rose to leave. “Thank you, my lord. Can you give me the address of Miss Westwood’s flat?”
He wrote down an address on a piece of paper at the desk and handed it to me along with two keys. “Thank you, Miss Fox. I appreciate you doing this.”
I bit my tongue. I ought to ask if he was going to pay me but refrained. I would investigate regardless. Harmony was right; I had nothing better to do with my time.
Harmony and I emerged into the corridor. Just as the door closed behind us, Harry Armitage stepped out of the stairwell.
“Good morning, Harmony. Miss Fox, we meet again.” He looked past me at the door labeled four-fifteen. Time seemed to slow. His lips parted in surprise then pressed together. Hard. His face darkened. “You stole my client.”
I stiffened. “I did no such thing!”
He grabbed my elbow and marched me away from the door. “Are you investigating Pearl Westwood’s murder?”
I shook my arm free. “Yes.”
“Then I repeat: you stole my client. I can’t believe this. I trusted you!” He dragged his hand through his hair and shook his head.
I was about to protest again when Harmony mumbled something about work and hurried off. It would seem I’d get no help from her.
“You sent me on a wild goose chase about some mysterious beak-nosed fellow just so you could distract me from your real quarry.”
“What?” I blurted out.
He jutted his chin at room four-fifteen. “Don’t deny it. I saw you leaving.”
“I’m not denying I was inside speaking to Lord Rumford. But I will deny that I sent you on a wild goose chase to deliberately distract you. First of all, it isn’t a wild goose chase. I think there is something going on with Mr. Hirst and that fellow, whoever he is.Probably.”
He crossed his arms and gave me a look as if he didn’t believe me.
“And secondly, I wasn’t going to investigate Miss Westwood’s death until Harmony suggested it to meafterI returned from having coffee with you. It was she who said I should have a word with Lord Rumford after she overheard him say he suspected his mistress had been murdered.”
“And how did she hear that?” He arched his brows. “Let me guess. She was eavesdropping on Lord Rumford’s conversation with my uncle.”
“She didn’t say.”
He rolled his eyes to the ceiling. “Lord Rumford approached my uncle earlier asking for the name of someone discreet to look into Miss Westwood’s death. My uncle didn’t give Lord Rumford my name, as he didn’t know if I had the time to dedicate to the case. He told Rumford he’d send someone to his room if available, or a note if not. When I showed up in his office a few minutes later, he told me all about it, and here I am.” He watched me with a glare so icy I shivered.
