Page 39 of With Good Grace
‘Verity Aspin can be impossibly demanding and only Marcus could handle her when she got into a taking. She wanted to leave and he told me it would be for the best. She was on the point of throwing a tantrum because one of the other actresses was getting all the accolades. I trusted Marcus implicitly and did not doubt what he told me.’
‘Mrs Grantley was accused of killing her husband because they argued violently that night. Were you aware of that?’
‘Someone mentioned something, but it was never established what the argument was about.’
‘Actually it was.’ Jake paused for emphasis. ‘Mrs Grantley objected strongly to her husband taking Miss Aspin up toherroom that night, in full sight of her guests.’
Miss DuBois gasped and her face paled. ‘You’re lying!’
‘If you are unprepared to take the word of a gentleman, I would refer you to Detective Chief Inspector Drake. It is a matter of record. Furthermore, Lady Grantley was there. She saw it all.’
Miss DuBois’s rigid posture collapsed and she looked on the brink of tears. ‘You knew, I think,’ Jake said softly. ‘But all the time you did not see it with your own eyes you were prepared to think it was for the greater good. Marcus Grantley did not love the other women; he cared only for you.’
‘Which is true.’ Miss DuBois briefly rallied. ‘He did whatever had to be done in order to secure our future together.’
And Jake could see that she genuinely believed what she told him. Miss DuBois had nothing to recommend her; especially when compared to Olivia’s radiant beauty and voluptuous figure, or the arresting presence of Grantley’s stable of actresses. But she was in the right place to be of help to Grantley. He had used his charms on a needy young woman, flattered her into complicity because he was clever enough to realise that she possessed knowledge that he could exploit for his own benefit. Jake did not have it in him to tell her about Lady Marchant’s passionate affair with Grantley, which must have taken place whilst he was making empty promises to Miss DuBois. Jake had never had a high opinion of Grantley, but as he watched the gamut of desolate emotion flitting across Miss DuBois’s plain face, he liked him even less.
‘Tell me what information you hold against Miss Aspin and the others,’ he asked softly.
‘What makes you suppose I hold anything?’
Her tone lacked conviction and Jake realised she was on the point of capitulation.
‘If you do not tell me yourself, Iwillapproach each of the actors in turn. One of them will speak to me; I am convinced of it. No one likes to be manipulated.’ Jake lowered his voice. ‘Or deceived,’ he added.
With a protracted sigh, Miss DuBois, a woman wronged and humiliated, told him everything.
Chapter Ten
‘There we are, madam.’ Jane put the finishing touches to Olivia’s hair and stood back to admire her handiwork. ‘You look lovely.’
‘Thank you, Jane. You are very good at what you do. If my son was not quite so fond of you, I would say you were wasting your talents as a nanny.’
‘My mother was able to turn her hand to everything and encouraged me to do the same. She told me you never knew when those skills might be called into play. They certainly helped her with her advancement.’
Olivia nodded, aware that Jane’s mother had also started out as a nursery maid. As the daughter of an impoverished scholar, her mother had been well educated and finished up holding a position as governess to a wealthy family. She was retired now, living in a small cottage in Hampstead, and not in the best of health.
‘How is your mother?’ Olivia asked.
‘Not at all well, madam, although she tries to hide from me just how much pain she is in.’ Jane wrinkled her brow. ‘I saw her on my last afternoon off; I see her every chance I get, but I fear she will not be with us for much longer.’
‘I’m sorry, Jane. If you need to be with her, you know there will always be a position for you here after…well, whenever you need it.’
‘Thank you, Mrs Grantley. I am very attached to Master Tom, little scamp that he can sometimes be.’
Now was not the time to ask Jane if she would like to become her official lady’s maid. She owed it to Molly to give her a chance to change her ways, or explain the sudden alteration in her attitude.
‘Cheyne walk is not so very large that you will ever be able to avoid Tom; much as you might sometimes wish to.’
Jane smiled. ‘It is simply a case of remaining firm without curbing the child’s natural curiosity.’
Olivia rolled her eyes. ‘If you discover how to achieve that ambition, I shall be very much obliged to you.’
Jane put the finishing touches to Olivia’s apparel as they chatted amicably about Tom’s lively character. She could not recall ever getting anything other than monosyllables from Molly; not since she had become friendly with her curate, who appeared to think that all pleasurable activities paved the pathway to hell.
Determined that Molly’s sanctimonious attitude would not spoil the expectancy that coiled through her, Olivia stood to examine her reflection in the long glass. The deep pink gown she wore was a favourite of hers and flattered her figure. Her shoulders were bare and the cream lace that edged the bodice failed to completely conceal the swell of her firm breasts. There was a defiant sparkle in her eyes as she contemplated spending an evening entirely alone with Jake. She had done so several times before but never in his house, the size of which offered them so much more freedom to allow instinct to overcome common sense. If he propositioned her, would she have the strength to resist him? Did she want to?
Worse yet, what if he did not?
