Fatal Ring: A 1920s Murder Mystery (Lucas Rathbone Mysteries) by Saffron Amatti

Author:Saffron Amatti [Amatti, Saffron]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-10-17T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

Tommy Kilbourne took his usual place at Flora Jenkins’s scrubbed pine kitchen table with the strange sensation of having come home.

Which was impossible, surely? Other than a few visits and a couple of brief stays, he’d barely been in the place.

But, as he was welcomed with open arms and fell into a comfortable conversation with Mrs Jenkins and Mrs Rathbone, he knew that here, regardless of what the rest of the world thought of him – and those thoughts were rarely favourable – here, in a little kitchen in a tiny house in an insignificant corner of England, a country losing influence by the day, he was loved. Simply for being him. No strings attached, no expectations.

No wonder Clara and Lucas came back every other weekend. He might have to start doing the same, if Noah was agreeable to so much time in the countryside.

But as they settled at the table, yet again, the small talk morphed into discussing the damn wedding. Yes, it was exciting, but surely everyone was sick to death of it by now?!

He certainly was, and by the morose way Noah doodled in a spill of sugar, he wasn’t alone in his unspoken misery.

Though Mrs Rathbone had just said the church was empty of people again, now the decorating was completed.

Hmm. Well, if it was empty, and unlocked, as these places usually were…

Tommy’s heart hammered at the unfinished thought, though with fear or excited anticipation, he couldn’t tell.

But there was no time like the present, was there? Now was the only time that ever mattered, and if not now, then when? Especially as, if they didn’t do it now, in the empty church already decorated for a wedding, there might never be another chance. Not of doing it with any semblance of officiality, certainly, and despite being a rather lapsed Catholic these days, Noah would probably appreciate a proper setting.

‘Kilbourne’s getting married soon, too,’ said Lucas suddenly, the words shocking Tommy from his romantic daydreams like a bucket of icy water, and drawing sharp breaths around the table. Lucas put his empty teacup down with a rattle, an apologetic glance in Tommy’s direction betraying that here was another chap fed up with hearing about weddings. Didn’t mean he had to sacrifice Tommy on the altar of maternal scrutiny, though. ‘Nice girl,’ continued Rathbone, the traitor, helping himself to a spiced biscuit. ‘Shame she’s banged up for murder.’

‘Entirely justifiable, not to mention accidental, murder,’ added Tommy, squirming as Flora and Hettie’s round eyes turned to him, their mouths perfect circles of surprise. ‘Though I don’t suppose that makes the dead man feel much better about it.’

Noah’s chin had dropped to his chest, teacup cradled in his hands as though the warmth would soothe his aching heart, worries he’d often voiced obvious despite his currant silence.

For the millionth time, anger flickered in Tommy’s chest. If Noah’s former boyfriend were still alive, he’d would’ve wrung the cheating bastard’s neck for making the sensitive boy so insecure about his current relationship.

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