Behold, a Mystery! by Joan Smith

Author:Joan Smith [Smith, Joan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Regency Romance
Publisher: Belgrave House
Published: 1995-07-30T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

Anita did the honours of the tea-table, as I was too shaken to be trusted with the pot. It was a curiously unsettling interval. The air was dense with suspicion. Narrowed eyes glanced around the circle from face to face, asking tacit questions. Is he the one? Did she fire that shot on purpose? Long silences would be followed by a sudden eruption of two or three people into nervous speech at once, as if there were some desperate need to fill the silence.

Only Felix seemed isolated from it all. He sat hunched close to the grate, staring into the fire, as if he were alone in the room. I thought it must be nice, at a time like this, to be able to lose oneself so completely in another world. Yet to judge by his pensive frown, his world was not without its own problems.

With the shadows of evening falling beyond the windows, the purple saloon seemed more funereal than ever. I would change those horrid old purple window hangings, and perhaps paint the aged panelling a brighter color. I was to be mistress here for a year, and there was nothing in the will that forbade my making a few changes.

Felix was the first to leave. “There is something I want to look at in the library,” he mumbled, and left after one cup of tea. He had not eaten a bite.

“You had no luck finding Duke, Felix?” I asked, as he went towards the door.

“I’m afraid not. I shall have another look tomorrow,” he said over his shoulder, and kept going.

“Demmed odd, Duke’s disappearing,” Horatio said, tugging at his ear.

Anita looked at Gregory, then turned to the rest of us and said, “I was just thinking—as Jessica has definitely decided not to marry any of you, would it not be possible for her to sign an affidavit to that effect and get the money distributed before the end of a year?”

Gregory leaped on the idea at once. I had a distinct impression he had put her up to it. “Now that is an interesting idea. You might speak to Ogilvy about it, Jess.”

Otto gave him a knowing look. “You are a little interested in when you receive your share then, are you, Gregory?”

“A little interested, but not concerned,” Greg replied. “It was just an idea. Jess cannot be looking forward to being buried here for another twelve months.”

“It is a lady’s prerogative to change her mind. She may accept an offer. I doubt very much if what you suggest would be permitted in any case,” Otto said. "The terms of a will must be executed unless they are illegal or not feasible. It may be unfair to ask Jess to stay here another year, but it is neither illegal nor impossible.”

Some desultory conversation ensued. Gregory said he thought we ought to look into the matter, but I did not encourage him. I rather wanted that year to weigh the situation before making any decision.

I disliked the idea of being alone in my room again, and sat on without adding much to the meeting.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.