"I, uh… I owe the deceased butler an apology."
"And why is that?"
"...When I left the mansion, I borrowed something of his."
A pretty way of saying she'd stolen something. Ian let out a short, humorless laugh, his gaze inviting her to continue. It wasn't so much indignation he felt, but rather sheer disbelief.
"I had no choice. You yourself urged me to quit, Ian."
"Yes, yes. That I did."
"I had to leave the mansion, and I needed money until I could find a new job. But you see, you had me enter the butler's room a few times on your behalf."
So she had taken something she'd had her eye on when she quit. Audacious, to say the least. Wouldn't the culprit be obvious once the item was discovered missing?
"A dozen or so others quit around the same time. For different reasons, though. The mistress had become incredibly volatile. The beatings were getting worse by the day. The atmosphere in the mansion was terrible."
