A Scandalous Bargain (The Pretenders #2) - Darcy Burke Page 0,21
scratched something on the parchment. “Can you tell me what happened prior to Lady Rockbourne’s fall on Sunday night?”
Tension spun through Thomas’s frame as he tried to find a comfortable position. He hadn’t wanted to think about this again, let alone speak of it. “We were in the sitting room, as was sometimes the case at that hour.” In truth, Thomas tried to avoid her, but occasionally that was impossible. “She’d imbibed in a great deal of port, which was not unusual.”
“Her maid, Miss Emily Spicer, said you and she were arguing and that you often became angry with her.”
Spicer had provided testimony? He’d rarely spoke to the woman. She was—or had been—Thea’s maid and kept entirely to her mistress.
Thomas flexed his hands, then flattened them on his knees. “Is that what she said?”
Sheffield’s gaze was unflinching. “It was.”
Unfortunately, the maid wasn’t entirely wrong. They had been arguing, and Thomas sometimes grew angry with Thea. To her, his anger justified her outrage. She hated when he failed to rise to her bait, which he tried to do as much as possible.
“I would rather not discuss the specifics of our conversation. The woman is dead, and I’d prefer to let her rest in peace.” Thomas wanted peace too.
“Why would her mother think you’d pushed her? Many married couples argue.”
“Do they?” Thomas had hoped his own parents were an aberration. “I understand you are shortly to be wed. Do you expect to argue with your wife?”
A quick smile flashed across Sheffield’s mouth. “In fact, I do. I also expect to make up in a thoroughly enjoyable fashion.”
Thomas wanted to laugh, but the truth was that he couldn’t imagine such a relationship. Envy burned within him. “To answer your question, I can only guess at why my mother-in-law would think I pushed my wife from the balcony. Lady Rockbourne despised me. She likely told her mother any number of untruths about me, such as that I was unfaithful. Which I was not.” Thomas saw no harm in telling him something Thea’s mother had likely already reported to him or another constable.
“Your wife despised you? How did you feel about her?”
Exhaling, Thomas glanced toward the portrait of them that hung in the corner. It had been painted shortly after they’d wed. He made a mental note to remove it immediately. “I suppose I felt the same way about her.” He met Sheffield’s gaze and didn’t flinch.
“You won’t tell me what you were arguing about?”
No, he wouldn’t, not entirely. “I confronted her about her infidelity—I doubt her mother mentioned that. The countess grew angry. She went out onto the balcony and the next I knew, she’d fallen. As I said, she was quite intoxicated.”
“And this was a common occurrence? Her intoxication, I mean.”
“Yes. I would say a night never went by when she didn’t have multiple glasses of port. I have the receipts for the quantity I am required to purchase on a regular basis.”
Sheffield scribbled some notes in his book before looking up at Thomas once more. “How did you become aware of her infidelity?”
“It’s not uncommon knowledge.” Distaste curled through Thomas. “I don’t wish to soil her reputation now that she is gone. She is still my daughter’s mother.”
Sympathy creased Sheffield’s features. “Yes, I understand. Was she having an affair with a specific gentleman?”
“I believe so, yes. But don’t ask me who, because I don’t know for certain.” However, he had his suspicions. “I can’t imagine his identity matters.”
“Just so I may make a record, you deny pushing her?”
“I do. Emphatically.”
After writing more onto his parchment, Sheffield snapped the book closed and returned it and the pencil to his coat pocket. “You weren’t even on the balcony.”
“That’s correct.”
“Well, I thank you for your time. I’d like to speak with whomever else was home that evening. I can wait here.”
“You really want to talk with everyone in the household, even the scullery maids?” Thomas knew the answer, but hoped the man had perhaps changed his mind.
“If it’s not too much trouble. My colleague, Mr. Dearborn, is downstairs speaking with your butler and whomever else, so I can speak with anyone who hasn’t talked with him yet.”
“I’ll find out.” Thomas rose. “May I offer my congratulations on your upcoming marriage?”
Sheffield stood. “Thank you. I’d hoped you would be able to attend the breakfast, but I understand that isn’t possible.”
“My aunt tells me it is, that the ton is already wagering when I will wed again.”
“Is that your intent?” Sheffield’s eyes narrowed as he asked.