Roberts? He wondered how long Roberts had worked for Tessa. Could the butler be involved? Jack put his file back into the drawer and said, “Show him in.”
“Yes, sir.”
He locked the drawer and tucked the key back into his waistcoat pocket then pretended to look at the bills on the desk.
“Mr. Roberts, sir.”
Jack looked up from the bills. “Mr. Roberts, please come in.”
“Thank you for seeing me, sir.” Roberts walked to the chair on the opposite side of the large mahogany desk. “I am dreadfully sorry for interrupting you at this early hour.”
“I assume this must be very important, then.” Jack leaned back and studied the older man. He put the butler in his mid-to-late forties. He had probably been in service most of his life based on his position now.
“Yes, sir. We, I mean the servants at the house, are all dreadfully concerned about Lady Stanhope. Tripp, the driver of her carriage said he was informed that you would see her home because she was ill. Her poor maid is most distraught thinking something horrible has happened to her. I came by to see if you had any information.”
“Mr. Roberts, I assure you Lady Stanhope is safe and sound. She had a bit too much wine last night and was taken ill by her overindulging. I brought her here because my cook has an excellent remedy for such things. Last I checked, she was still sleeping.”
“In your bed, no doubt,” he said under his breath.
“And is that your concern, Roberts?” he asked sharply.
“Yes, sir, it is,” he said vehemently. “I am her butler and care deeply for her, as do all her servants. After all she’s been through, we don’t want to see her hurt again.”
Did he care enough to kill for her? Could the butler have killed all three husbands on her command? “Tell me, Roberts, how long have you been in her employ?”
“Only since his lordship passed. I have worked for the Stanhope family since I was fourteen.”
So much for that theory. “Why didn’t you go to the current lordship’s employ then?”
Roberts face darkened. “That bastard would have turned me out, sir. A cheaper man you will never meet. Lady Stanhope offered me the position so I decided to stay. We all love her dearly. She has a kind heart and treats us very well.”
“Yes, she does have a soft heart.” She was exactly the type of woman he wanted in his life. Jack tapped his finger against his desk. “Do you believe she could have anything to do with the deaths of her husbands?”
“No, sir. As I told the investigators at the time, Lady Stanhope was in love with the earl. And he loved her beyond reason.” Roberts tilted his head and stared at him. “You are investigating this again?”
He had no doubts about Roberts’ comments. “I am but it goes no further than this room. She cannot know until this is resolved.”
“Do you believe she had anything to do with his lordship’s death?”
“Actually, I don’t know. She had more to lose by his passing.” Jack looked down at his desk. “Although I can’t say the same for her other husbands.”
“What do you mean? Langley died in bed with his mistress and Dereham died on the way home from his mistress in a carriage accident. There was no indication that either man had been murdered. The only reason people became suspicion after his lordship’s death was that he was found in his bed on a day he normally would have been up riding.”
“Some people are speculating that she had a hand in her first and second husbands’ deaths, though I personally doubt Dereham’s accident was anything more than that. But Langley was abusive toward her.”
Roberts’ face went white. “I had no idea. What can I do to help, sir?
Should he involve a devoted servant? Roberts might just want to protect her, but at this point Jack had no other leads. “Is there anyone in her employ that has been with her since her first marriage?”
“You should speak with Anne, her maid. Anne has been with her since Langley.”
“Thank you again, sir. I shall need your assistance with that though.”
“Come by tomorrow. Lady Stanhope visits with her sisters then so Anne will be free.”
“Thank you.” Jack rose to show him that their meeting was over. “Please make certain that no one on your staff speaks of her being with me last night.”
Roberts stood and crossed his arms over his chest. “Only if you give me your word that you will do your best to prove her innocence.”