The Cursed Countess (The Daring Drake Sisters 1)

Jack jotted a few notes down and then sipped his tea. “And you have been with her ever since?”

“Yes, sir,” she replied with a nervous waiver. She clenched her hands together.

“Do you like being in Lady Stanhope’s employ?” he asked.

“Yes, sir! She is such a fine lady and ever so nice to me. She gave me this dress,” Anne said, holding out the skirt for Jack to see. “It’s such a beautiful dress.”

Jack smiled. “Yes, it is. Do you know anything about the deaths of Lady Stanhope’s husbands, Miss Harte?”

“N...No, sir.”

“Are you certain?”

“Yes. It certainly wasn’t Lady Stanhope, if that is what you’re getting at. All those men had accidents.”

“Not Lord Stanhope. He was found in his bed by his valet,” Jack commented. He watched as she twisted her fingers together so nervously. “Were you involved in some manner with their deaths?”

Anne looked down at her hands. “I don’t think so,” she mumbled.

Jack closed his eyes for a moment and let out a long sigh. How could a person not know if they were involved in murder? “What do you mean?”

She shrugged.

“Come along, girl,” Roberts demanded. “Tell Mr. Raynerson the truth.”

She bit her lower lips as tears welled in her eyes. “Someone gave me some powder and told me to put some in the baron’s wine.”

“What kind of powder?” Jack asked softly to encourage her.

She blushed profusely. “I...I can’t speak of it.”

“Miss Harte, we need your assistance to help Lady Stanhope,” Roberts reminded her.

She shook her head slightly. “I can’t speak of it to you gentlemen.”

Jack looked her in the eye and whispered, “Please. For Lady Stanhope.”

Anne glanced away and stared at the table. “The man said the powder would....would invigorate the men to...”

“To?”

“I cannot speak of it!”

Roberts cleared his throat. “You will tell Mr. Raynerson this instant or you will be gone from here with no reference.”

“To keep their manhood up longer so they could please Lady Stanhope and get her with child,” she blurted out as her entire face went scarlet.

Jack clenched his fists. “Who gave you the powder, Miss Harte?”

“Please don’t ask that of me,” she said with whimper. Her eyes filled with tears and her lower lip quivered.

“I need to know in order to help Lady Stanhope,” Jack said. “Don’t you wish to help her?”

Anne nodded.

“Of course you do, girl,” Roberts said with an angry tone. “Whoever it was might have given you poison to kill those men.”

Her brown eyes widened in shock. “The duke would never do such a thing!”