Page 10 of With Good Grace
‘You lived in Belgravia.’ Olivia nodded. ‘Sir Hubert does not have a town house?’
‘Not of his own, but he used ours as if it was his. I swear he and Margaret spent more time beneath our roof than they did their own. Even after I disabused him of the idea that he could take over Marcus’s business, he seemed to think he and Margaret would be welcome in Belgravia.’
‘Astonishing,’ Jake said, shaking his head.
‘He soon realised that he had mistaken the matter,’ Olivia said with asperity. ‘I sold the house and moved here. I didn’t need that barn of a place and wanted to be somewhere quieter and less fashionable.’ She exhaled slowly. ‘Anyway, going back to my marriage, I became quite ill when I realised I was carrying Tom and Marcus had the decency to leave me alone after that. He did not return to my bedroom after the birth and I made no further mention of his affairs. If other women meant he would leave me to enjoy my child then I would not risk making waves and angering him. I suppose you could say that in some respects I started to understand why Margaret behaved in the way that she did; allowing Hubert to act as he pleased. The Grantley men were accustomed to having their way in everything, and did not take kindly to being told what to do.’
‘Why did you argue on the night he was killed?’
‘We had all been to the first night of one of his productions. I could see at once that he had more than a business interest in the leading lady, but that did not bother me. There was a party afterwards but we left early and a group of us went back to the house in Belgravia.’ Olivia closed her eyes for an expressive moment. ‘I went upstairs at one point when we returned home after the performance and found Marcus and the lady in questionin flagrante delictoinmybed. I saw red, ordered her out of the house and Marcus was furious withme!’ Olivia huffed indignantly. ‘He said others were trying to persuade the woman…you will know her name. She is now very famous. Verity Aspin.’
Jake nodded. ‘I saw her perform inTwelfth Nighta year or so ago. She is an accomplished actress.’
‘And not a nice person; take it from me. Anyway, I was incensed because Marcus had gone too far this time. Carrying on discretely was one thing, but we had a houseful of guests, all of whom had seen them ascend the stairs together. The disrespect was beyond insulting, but all Marcus cared about was losing Miss Aspin to another agent which, he told me, would mean a considerable loss of income.’
‘Where Aspin went, others followed?’
‘That is what Marcus said. Miss Aspin did not leave the house, of course. She remained in the room, repairing her hair and listening to Marcus defend her against me. She never liked me, you see because—’
‘Because you are more beautiful than she is and women of that ilk must always be the centre of attention.’
Olivia shrugged. ‘Perhaps. I have always thought it was she who had insisted upon using my bed. She had a point to make, you see. She wanted a confrontation and for Marcus to take her side. Well, she got her wish and Marcus returned downstairs with Miss Aspin on his arm as though nothing untoward had happened. I saw all the pitying glances being sent my way, something inside of me snapped and I knew I couldn’t live like that anymore. Deep down I also know I should have waited until the following day, when we were alone, to tell him how I felt but…well, you know how fiery I can be when I am aggrieved and I simply couldn’t hold it all in. Marcus was outside, or I thought he was. When I went to look for him I found him on the floor in a pool of blood, dying and…well, you know the rest.’
Jake leaned in and gently covered her lips with his own.
‘Thank you for telling me. I know it cannot have been easy for you.’
Olivia rested her head on his shoulder and sighed. ‘Do you imagine that whatever is being looked for has to do with Verity Aspin? I would not put anything past her. She has more skeletons in her cupboard than they have in the local graveyard.’
‘Tomorrow we shall look together through your husband’s records, if you still have them, to see whom he represented at the time.’
‘Yes, there are still some boxes but I have not looked at them. All the up to date records were in the office that Mr Barber took over, but anything personal will be boxed up in the attic here. I will have Green bring those boxes down.’
‘I shall also have to speak with Margaret.’
‘I do not envy you that,’ Olivia replied, wrinkling her nose.
‘I live to serve,’ he replied with a wry smile.
To Olivia’s intense disappoint he stood and she knew he was going to leave her. ‘Must you go?’ she asked.
‘I cannot spend the night with you here, Olivia, much as I would like to. It is easier when you are at my house. A larger establishment, discreet servants. Molly was almost shocked into giving notice when she realised I had been with you in your room at Grosvenor Square.’
‘Hang Molly! She is stepping out with a young curate and is now very morally upright but if her attitude does not improve I shall dismiss her myself.’
Jake groaned. ‘Don’t tempt me, my love. Why do you think I have stayed away from you? I cannot bear to be near you and not with you. I am simply not that strong.’
Olivia’s heart soared. In spite of the fact that he now knew all her sordid secrets, he did not seem deterred. ‘I am a widow. The rules don’t apply to me.’
Jake sent her a scorching smile. ‘We both know that is not precisely true.’
‘Then we had best find my wretched brother-in-law and discover whatever it is that has caused two men to be brutally murdered, because I fully intend to take you up on your invitation to spend the summer with you in Torbay.’
‘When we reach the seclusion of Torbay we will be at leisure to please ourselves.’ He pulled her into his arms and kissed her—far too briefly—before releasing her again. ‘I shall call upon you again in the morning,’ he said as he released her and turned towards the door.
Chapter Four
‘Parker,’ Jake said, when his butler-cum-valet-cum-confidante and right-hand man entered his bedchamber the following morning and pulled back the curtains, ‘Mrs Grantley is in need of our help.’
