“I believe she ran away to France with a lover.”
“How sad for your uncle,” she murmured. “He must have loved her, to take her back. And he kept her things and never remarried.”
A romantic view. Dominic knew nothing of their relationship, but Uncle Alberic could have been a swine to live with. He felt he knew too little about his uncle to judge him, but his sorry life appeared to be unfolding before Dominic’s eyes. “Nor did I know my uncle,” he admitted. “I wonder if he were the sort of man who would hide his fortune from his heir. What is your opinion, Miss Jenner?”
She paused, giving his question consideration while he watched her. “If he suspected someone wished to rob him, he might. We seldom saw him in the village during his final years. His health seemed poor.” Her brows met in a slight frown. “But if he secreted his fortune away in the house, you would expect him to leave some sign or message for his heir to find them.”
“Yes, you would.” His voice grated with sarcasm. “Both sons died before him. I’m not privy to what he thought about me as his heir. Still, that is an excellent point.”
He continued down the stairs. “A man who refused to put his money safely in banks is not of sound mind, however. If my uncle left a map or a message, our visitor last night has not found it.” He turned to her. “I’ll speak to the parish constable. He might have heard of someone stealing from the big houses in the area. But we must make a thorough search of it from top to bottom.”
“An arduous task in a building this size. But when news spreads that the house is being searched, it might deter the robber if he intends to return.”
Dominic nodded, with little confidence that they would find anything. “I shall require your help, Miss Jenner.”
She nodded. “Of course, the maids and I will…”
“I don’t want the staff involved.”
Miss Jenner raised her eyebrows. “But how…?”
“I will discuss it with you later when I have given it more thought.”
She obviously disagreed but managed not to tell him so. “Very well.”
He left Miss Jenner to her duties and went to consult with Williams.
Leaving the house in search of his estate manager, he examined his reasons to invite Miss Jenner to aid him in his quest. While he did not wish her to uncover anything without him present to witness it, he also needed to keep watch while the house was under threat. But, if he were honest, he wanted her company, as she was an excellent sounding board. The last made him shrug at his folly.
When Dominic asked Williams to question the staff, his estate manager stroked his chin in thought. “The door between the female and male bedchambers is kept locked at night, but the staff are at liberty to leave their rooms. However, they know not to enter that part of the house with the footman on duty and you often working late in the library. Someone was bound to see them, as Miss Jenner did. But you might prefer to be there when I question them.”
Dominic tightened his jaw. “I intend to.”
Shortly after luncheon, he entered the noisy servants’ hall. The staff had obviously been told of the break-in, although most would already have heard of it. Silence settled over the room as he nodded to Williams and Miss Jenner.
While Williams questioned them, Dominic, his arms folded, watched the proceedings. He wondered if there could be a traitor among them. Servants became close, like a family belowstairs. Anyone would find it hard to keep such an enterprise from them. He dismissed his footmen and the kitchen boy. And Emily and the younger housemaids, as they nervously twisted their hands in their aprons. Mary, an older housemaid, had recently joined the household but was hardly the type to involve herself in something like this.
Samuel stated calmly that he had not left his chamber. Dominic recalled the cook had a checkered past. But he didn’t come from these parts, and Miss Jenner spoke well of him. He respected her judgment in this. Mrs. Hobbs, the laundry maid, a widow close to forty who hailed from the village, had been with them for only a short time. According to Williams, the reference from her last employer was excellent.
“If it happens again, I will send for a Bow Street Runner to investigate,” Dominic said, once Williams had completed his inquiry. He doubted it would come to that and was extremely reluctant. He’d had a word with the parish constable earlier, who offered nothing useful, so he might have to act on it.
With a collective gasp, the servants gazed at each other. He’d expected the news would make them nervous when they were already upset by the break-in. The detectives from the Bow Street Magistrate’s court in London rarely came to these parts, preferring the city and its environs. Some had unsavory reputations. Their presence here would cause suspicion in a small village.
The staff dismissed, Dominic asked Miss Jenner to join him in the library.
Moments later, she entered the room. From his desk, he watched her cross the swirl of patterned carpet. He gestured for her to sit. “Williams handled it well. Did you notice anything they said which might be suspicious?”
“No.” She frowned. “I dislike how unsettled the servants are. I wouldn’t want this to turn them against each other.”
“That is unfortunate. But necessary.”
“While I understand your concern, a house runs better with a happy household belowstairs.”
“Then we must hope we have seen the last of the intruder. The fear of Bow Street Runners might give them second thoughts about trying it again.”
“If a servant is involved. Are you still of that mind?”
“Until proven otherwise.” He steepled his fingers, his elbows resting on the desk, watching the emotions flit across her expressive face as she considered his words.
