Page 8 of The Stolen Sparkler
Martha shook her head. “No, your Grace. Lady Eleanor never opens it during the colder months. It was locked, just as it is now.”
The duke’s fingers tested the latch, and he nodded. “No sign of tampering. Whoever stole the necklace did not come in this way.”
“Which leaves the door,” I said.
Martha’s expression grew troubled. “Lady Eleanor doesn’t lock her door during the day. Only at nighttime.”
“No forced entry, then,” the duke said quietly. “The thief could have come in as easily as opening the door.”
“Who knew that the necklace was in this room last night?” I asked Martha, my voice gentle.
“Miss Lavinia and Miss Felicity. They saw it when they arrived.” Her eyes darted nervously toward the door as if the thief might be listening even now.
The duke turned to me with a wrinkle in his brow. “The cousins. Are they close to their brothers?”
“They are.”
“That means we cannot rule out the possibility that the men knew about it as well.” He turned to Martha, “I need to ask you a few questions. Does Lady Eleanor have a sitting room?”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
We followed her to the graciously appointed room which consisted of a seating arrangement, a desk, and several small tables. Just as we entered, the small carriage clock on the mantle over the fireplace chimed the two o’clock hour.
“Please take a seat, Martha,” I said, taking the lead. The poor thing was pale as could be.
“Thank you, milady,” she said, barely perching on the edge of the chair she chose.
The duke and I had previously decided I would interrogate the female staff and Eleanor’s female cousins. He would question the men. So I led off with the statement that was the most natural. “As you know we’re investigating the missing necklace.”
“Yes, milady.” Terror was evident in her eyes.
“You brought it to Lady Eleanor’s room yesterday, correct?”
She nodded. “Just as my lady asked.”
“Did you tell anyone that you had done so?” I pressed.
“No, I swear it,” Martha said earnestly, her hands clenched tightly on her lap. “I didn’t breathe a word of it to anyone. I only brought it to Lady Eleanor.”
“What happened after you delivered it? Please be as specific as you can.”
She seemed to relax a little as she searched her memory. “Lady Eleanor wanted to check the necklace to make sure the clasp was secure, which she did. And then she wanted to see how it looked with her ball gown. Just as I had placed it around her neck, her cousins arrived.”
“Miss Lavinia and Miss Felicity?”
“Yes.”
I believed her. Her sincerity was undeniable, and I could see the fear in her eyes—the kind that comes from someone who knows she’s innocent yet fears she may not be believed. But I couldn’t afford to trust instincts alone. “Did the cousins say anything about the necklace?”
“Oh, yes, milady. They oohed and aahed about it. When they said they wanted to hold it in their hands, Lady Eleanor asked me to unclasp it and give it to them. After a few minutes, milady asked me to put it back in the jewelry box.”
“Did Miss Lavinia and Miss Felicity see the box?”
“Oh, yes. They couldn’t have missed it.”
“Did you return the box to its usual place?”
“Yes, Miss. In Lady Eleanor’s vanity.”
