Page 32 of With Good Grace
‘She heard about the break-in and was concerned that someone was trying to tarnish her late husband’s memory.’ Jake somehow managed not to smile at the ridiculous nature of the falsehood Barber appeared to accept. ‘Thanks to you, I shall be able to put her mind at rest.’
‘Then I am delighted to have been of some small service.’ Barber bowed low. ‘Please send the lady my warmest regards.’
Jake managed to leave without having to endure a third sweaty handshake. It was almost time for luncheon. He would return to Grosvenor Square, see if Olivia had made any progress and update her on his own meagre findings.
He entered his library to find the table covered with neat piles of papers and Olivia and Parker engaged in animated conversation.
‘Ah, Jake, there you are.’ Olivia smiled at him. ‘Parker has just been on an errand and was telling me how he got on. You might as well hear it too.’
Jake listened as Olivia explained about the compromising letters she had found from Lady Marchant. Olivia handed one of them to him. His brows rose as he read its indiscreetly graphic contents.
‘Parker and I could not understand why Hubert would not have taken these letters. We know he went through Marcus’s papers whilst I was in prison. So I sent Parker to Cheyne Walk to ask Green. As you know, he is the only servant who came to Chelsea with me from Belgravia. I wanted a fresh start, with as few reminders as possible of Marcus. But Green was unswerving loyal to me, and too old to find another position.’
Jake smiled. Even at her lowest ebb, she still found compassion for others. ‘What did Green have to say for himself, Parker?’ Jake asked, taking the seat beside Olivia.
‘A very great deal. You were right, Mrs Grantley. Those particular papers were hidden. Green knew there was a nook in the wainscoting in your husband’s library. He was in there once and saw him open it. Grantley swore him to secrecy. He was very worried about you when you were in prison and, as he puts it, disgusted with Sir Hubert’s proprietary attitude; the manner in which he acted as thoughhewas now master of the house when you had not even been convicted of wrongdoing. He confirms that Sir Hubert searched every inch of your husband’s library and dressing room, went through every paper and became quite agitated when he could not find what he was looking for. Green suspected that whatever he sought was safely concealed in that nook but felt no pressing need to inform Sir Hubert. Besides, he never asked him.’
‘Was there anything else in that nook?’ Jake asked.
‘No.’
‘Ah, it would have been too much to suppose that whatever Grantley held over those actors would have been concealed there also.’
‘Perhaps there were other hiding places,’ Olivia mused.
‘If there are, then the papers are lost to us. We cannot gain access to that house now.’
‘Green said that when you asked him to clear out the library, he thought of that hiding place and emptied it out.’
‘Why the devil didn’t he mention it to Olivia?’ Jake asked.
‘He maintains that he tried but you were still recovering from your ordeal, ma’am. You didn’t want to hear your husband’s name mentioned, and especially not Sir Hubert’s. You felt betrayed by the entire family.’
‘That is certainly true.’ A glimmer of a smile played about Olivia’s lips. ‘I hope Green didn’t read those letters. The contents would have given him apoplexy.’
‘I am sure Green would not read someone else’s correspondence,’ Jake said with acuity.
‘No, he maintains that he did not,’ Parker affirmed. ‘He simply looked at the dates on them and slipped them into the file for that particular year. He felt that if they were important then you would come across them when you felt able to look at Grantley’s papers.’
‘Dear, faithful Green,’ Olivia said with a sigh. ‘Always so worried about my sensibilities.’
‘We must assume that Sir Hubert knows about these letters, because I gather your husband shared most things with him.’ He looked to Olivia for confirmation and she nodded. ‘Well then, if he is as desperate as we think he is, it stands to reason that he would want possession of them so that he could blackmail the lady.’
‘What ought I to do with them?’ Olivia asked.
‘They should to be returned to Lady Marchant; but not yet. Not until we have got to the bottom of this business. In the meantime, with your permission, I shall lock them in my safe. Better…well…safe than sorry.’
‘By all means.’ Olivia screwed up her nose. ‘How did you get on, Jake?’
‘Sir Hubert did not reach the Garrick Club on the day he disappeared. I am now perfectly satisfied on that score. And the mystery A.C. did not appear either. So I went to see Barber.’
‘Colourful character, ain’t he,’ Parker said, chuckling.
‘Indeed.’ Jake sighed. ‘He maintains all the top actors stayed with him because, in his own words, he is a safe pair of hands. Oh, and because they were under contract.’
‘I saw a copy of one of Marcus’s contracts somewhere,’ Olivia replied. ‘I kept it.’
‘Good. I will take a look at it later. Barber, unfortunately, told me little so unless your husband’s papers throw up any further clues, then we are no further forward. I might pay a visit to Madame Céleste to see if she can cast any light, but this afternoon I shall remain here with you, Olivia, and help you go through the rest of the boxes.’
