Page 50 of In the Midnight Hour

“I do not,” he said. “I have a dressing gown, but my valet brings it to me in the morning to wear if I drink tea in my sitting room. Or he occasionally leaves it at the end of my bed.”

Hypatia hadn’t shared a room with her husband, thankfully. Whenever he came to her chamber, he always wore a dressing gown. She realized in that moment that she had a strong dislike of them. At least on men. “Do you think he wore the dressing gown into his chamber and kept it close because he’d don it again when he rose?”

“That seems reasonable to me, but I’m concerned that it’s disappeared,” he said, frowning.

“Are we sure it’s disappeared?” she mused. “We should query Usher and perhaps Mrs. Babcock, since she tidied the bedchamber. I suppose we should look for Usher in the morning room.” Rising, she wrinkled her nose.

Northwood stood. “Unfortunately, yes.” He started toward the door but stopped abruptly and turned to face her. “I’ll go in and fetch him. I don’t want you to have to see Sir Radnor.”

Hypatia startled at his thoughtfulness as well as the fervor of his tone. “Thank you. Though, I’ve no qualms about viewing a decaying body.”

He held her gaze. “That isn’t why I don’t want you to have to see him.”

Warmth spread through her. “I know.”

They left the drawing room and hastened downstairs. Hypatia hoped this clue—if it was a clue—would lead to something helpful. As they reached the entrance hall, they encountered Mrs. Babcock carrying some linens.

“Are you leaving now?” There was an edge of impatience to the housekeeper’s question. “We need to start preparing the drawing room for the gathering after tomorrow’s burial.”

“Shortly,” Northwood replied. “Though, we’re finished in the drawing room. We’ve another query for you. As you cleaned Sir Radnor’s bedchamber last Saturday morning, did you find his dressing gown?”

Mrs. Babcock’s nostrils flared slightly. Hypatia wasn’t sure of the woman’s reaction as she was overall a touch cranky. “I didn’t see it.”

“Usher said Sir Radnor donned it before going to bed,” Northwood said. “I distinctly recall him saying that because I found it odd he would wear it just to walk to his bed.”

“As I’ve told you already, you can’t trust what Usher says.” Mrs. Babcock sent him a scolding look. “You must excuse me.” She didn’t wait for a response before bustling off.

“Apparently, we’ve exhausted her patience,” Hypatia noted. She gave her head a shake. “I’m sure it’s been difficult. Losing one’s employer and not knowing how long you will have employment is undoubtedly worrisome, not to mention having his body in the house all these days and having to prepare for a large gathering without a host or hostess to manage things. I think I would be short of temper too.”

“Is she usually that way?” Northwood asked. “In your experience.”

“I’ve spoken to Maberly more than her,” Hypatia replied. “She does seem to be somewhat…aloof?”

“I’ll go and fetch Usher,” Northwood said, turning.

“I’ll wait in the library.” Hypatia made her way there and paused at the threshold. The memory of Sir Radnor’s unwelcome touch and repellent perusal made her skin feel as if ants were rushing all over her. She brushed at her arms and shook her shoulders out.

She walked to the cabinet where the illuminated manuscripts had been held. Perhaps the Clavertons hadn’t taken them. What if Killingsworth had come here in a rage after leaving Mr. Huxley’s and decided to take what he’d lost to Sir Radnor, but Sir Radnor had been up and about and caught him? Killingsworth might have killed him.

And then what? Dragged Sir Radnor upstairs to his chamber? It might make more sense if Killingsworth had come to kill Sir Radnor and steal Le Roman de la Rose. But if Killingsworth had killed Sir Radnor in his chamber, what had happened to the dressing gown? A horrible thought occurred to her—perhaps the garment had been used to clean up some of the blood. That could explain why Northwood hadn’t thought there was enough.

Northwood and Usher came into the library as Hypatia turned from the cabinet. She registered that Northwood’s face looked a bit green. He brushed at his nose several times. She should have offered him her handkerchief to take into the morning room.

“We’re sorry to disturb you again, Mr. Usher,” Hypatia said.

The valet gave her a solemn nod. “I’m happy to help. His lordship said you wanted to ask about the dressing gown Sir Radnor wore to bed last Friday.”

“Can you describe it?” Hypatia asked.

“It was relatively new—Sir Radnor loved his dressing gowns. This one is bronze merino wool with a Greek key pattern on the cuffs and hem.” He frowned. “I haven’t seen it since he put it on before going into his bedchamber.”

“You said you wait for a while before going in to empty the chamber pot,” Hypatia noted, recalling their conversation from earlier. “When you went back, did you notice the dressing gown?”

“Let me think.” Usher looked up at the ceiling a moment. “Yes, Sir Radnor typically laid his dressing gown on the foot of his bed.” The valet nodded definitively. “I definitely saw it there.”

“That means it disappeared sometime after Sir Radnor removed it when he got into bed,” Northwood concluded. “You say you haven’t seen it since?”

Usher shook his head. “Perhaps Mrs. Babcock took it to be laundered when she cleaned Sir Radnor’s chamber that morning. I would expect it to have made its way back upstairs by now, but with Sir Radnor gone, none of his laundry has come up.” He exhaled sadly.