Stranger At Home by George Sanders

Author:George Sanders
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Dean Street Press
Published: 2015-01-21T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

After the door had closed on Trehearne’s stiffly retreating back, Michael Vickers returned to Angie, who was still standing where the two men had left her. Or rather, she was leaning there, her head and shoulders back against the wall. Her features had the dry whiteness of chalk, and her eyes were closed. Vickers picked her up in his arms and carried her into the living room.

“I’m tired,” she whispered. “I’m so tired.” She began to cry, very quietly, not making any fuss about it. She did not even sob. The tears made little bright patterns on her cheeks.

Vickers put her down on the big couch and sat beside her. Very tenderly he pushed her dark hair back from her forehead and then let his hand stay there.

“You didn’t have to tell him that,” he said, “about the handkerchief. I’d never have known, and Joan would never have given you away.”

“It was the truth. I won’t have you accused unfairly.”

Vickers’ mouth twitched, with a certain wry humor. “In other words, if I killed Harry I’ve got to be caught fair and square, with no deviation from the rules.”

Her eyes met his, held them, and did not turn away.

That goes for both of us, doesn’t it? There’s a legal phrase, I think. Something about proving guilt beyond the shadow of a doubt.”

Vickers said slowly, “It’s innocence I want to prove, for both of us.”

Her fingers closed tightly on his wrist. “How can we do that, Vick? How can we ever do that?”

“We can’t. We’ve got to make others do it for us.” He got up and began to walk about the room. Suddenly he turned. “Are you still afraid of me, Angie?”

She put her arm up to shield her eyes from the light, and said dully, “I don’t know. I don’t know anything anymore.”

“You were afraid this morning. Why did you stay with me, Angie? Why didn’t you make Trehearne take you away?”

She rolled her head on the cushion and looked up at him. He was very tall. She said quietly, “Because I love you. Because I can’t go on this way any longer. Because I’ve either got to have you, or be free of you.”

He came close to her, his shoulders bent as he studied her. “You thought I might kill you. You still don’t know. You don’t know, do you?”

She said, “No.”

“But you were willing to chance it. Why?”

‘I’m not playing at this, Vick. I’ve been married to you for nine years. I’ve loved you longer than that. Even when you’ve been cruel to me – even when you’ve broken my heart, and worst of all, my pride – for some crazy reason, I’ve loved you. These four years you’ve been gone, and I didn’t know where you were, or what had happened to you, or whether I’d ever see you again – you’ve never really been away from me for one minute. The sound of your voice, the way you smile...”

She stopped talking. Vickers stood looking down at her for a long still moment.

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