her shoulder, then back at Ella. “The thing is…” she sighed, her hands now tangled her apron. “Harvey thinks I should just…leave it. But…”
Something in the way Beth’s eyes scampered over the room warned Ella that this was important! “Nothing you tell me will go beyond Malcolm and me, unless it is something we need to bring to the authorities,” Ella assured her.
Beth chewed her lip for a moment, did another over-the-shoulder glance, then nodded, as if she’d just made up her mind about something. “You’re looking for something,” she whispered, then took a tentative step closer. “I know…places.” She fidgeted nervously. “I’ve cleaned this house for the past several decades, Ms. Ella. And that man, the duke, he was…he did things. He did evil things!”
Ella’s heart rate accelerated but she tried to appear calm, not wanting to scare the timid woman. “I know that. Malcolm and I are trying to prove that.”
Beth’s fingers clasped tightly together. “His lordship was a good man!” Beth whispered. “Malcolm was a good boy! As soon as he realized that things were bad in the house, after his momma died, Malcolm left! The duke, he ranted about the son for years, trying to trick Malcolm into coming back and taking over the finances. The duke, he muttered about bad things. He thought we were cowed, but Harvey and I, we heard and we…” Tears sprang to the woman’s eyes. “We didn’t do anything about them because we were too scared and we didn’t know what to do. The police in the village, they came here all the time, schmoozing with the duke. And he paid them. All the time, that horrible man paid them.” Her eyes glittered with angry tears. “Harvey and I didn’t break or lose any of the things that he said we’d broken. But the police, they were owned by that rabid bastard!”
Ella let the housekeeper’s fury wash over her. Beth had obviously been keeping things to herself for a long time. It was good that she was venting.
“I know that. He kept you under his control in a different way.”
“You’re right!” she hissed. “He kept the village police officers under his control by paying them. So, whenever something bad happened, the police would only pretend to investigate! You wouldn’t believe all of the things that bastard got away with over the years! He paid those officers all that money, but then held Harvey and I in servitude with false accusations!” She closed her eyes, a tear sliding down her wrinkled cheek as she took a deep, calming breath. “What I’m trying to say is that, Harvey and I know where the duke’s hiding places are. If you tell us…” she stopped, then shook her head. “No. I’ll just…you and his lordship have been looking for the past several days. Now it’s time for Harvey and me to show you everything. Obviously, you haven’t found what you need in order to nail that bastard.”
“Beth, no!” Harvey hissed from the hallway.
Ella turned to find the gardener staring at his wife, his face more than slightly green.
Beth’s chin went up, but Ella could see her chin quivering. “Harvey, please,” Beth whispered.
Turning back to Ella, she said, “Let us help you.” Beth’s hands fluttered for a moment, but she stood firm.
Ella took a step forward, trying to think of something to say that would assure Beth and Harvey to help. “Malcolm has taken over the duke’s finances. He’s in the hospital and there are multiple witnesses that heard the duke announce that Malcolm should take over. So, there’s nothing illegal about you showing me anything on this estate.”
Harvey’s eyes moved from his wife’s startled gaze, then back to Ella.
Beth took a step closer, her weathered hands pleading with her husband. “Harvey, it’s time. We can’t be completely free until we show them. He’ll have no power after that. We’ll really be free.”
Harvey’s Adam’s apple bobbed slightly as his gaze continued to shift back and forth from Ella to his wife. Finally, Ella saw the resignation in his eyes and he nodded slowly. “You’re right,” he sighed.
Beth wrapped her arms around Harvey comfortingly. “It will be okay,” she whispered to him. “His lordship is a good man. He’ll protect us.”
Harvey didn’t look convinced, but his arms moved around his frail-looking wife. For a long moment, Harvey laid his cheek against Beth’s salt-and-pepper hair, closing his eyes. He looked like a man about to be led to his execution.
Thankfully, a moment later, he lifted his head