China Blue (The Dudley Sisters Saga Book 3) by Morgan Madalyn

Author:Morgan, Madalyn [Morgan, Madalyn]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Published: 2015-05-07T04:00:00+00:00

Claire woke to what sounded like a howling animal caught in a trap. She took her wristwatch from the side of the bed. It was almost twelve o’clock. She had overslept. She pulled on a skirt and jumper and ran downstairs to the kitchen. Father Albert was standing in the doorway. Édith was on her knees with her arms around her distraught son, who was on the floor. ‘Frédéric has had some tragic news, Claire,’ Édith said, looking up at Claire, her voice hoarse with pain for her son. ‘His fiancée Monique has had an accident. Father Albert found her this morning.’

‘She is dead!’ Frédéric sobbed. ‘My beautiful Monique is dead!’ Suddenly he lifted his head from his mother’s arms and turned to the priest. ‘Perhaps you have made a mistake, Father. Yes, that is it, Mama. Father Albert has made a mistake.’ Frédéric scrambled to his knees and, gripping the table, pulled himself to his feet. ‘Monique is at her grandmother’s house. I write to her every day,’ he cried. ‘Tell him, Mama. Tell Father Albert he has made a mistake.’

The priest crossed the room to Édith; she closed her eyes. He put his hand on Frédéric’s shoulder. ‘Frédéric, perhaps I did make a mistake.’ Édith shot the priest a look of apprehension. ‘So,’ he said pointedly, ‘when you are ready, we will go to the church together and you can tell me if the young lady who lies in the chapel is Monique, or another unfortunate young woman.’ Claire saw Édith’s shoulders drop.

‘Now!’ Frédéric said. ‘We must go now!’ Édith stood up and began to take off her pinafore. ‘No, Mama, I will go alone with Father Albert,’ he said. Édith looked pleadingly at the priest.

‘He will be fine with me, Madame,’ the priest said, opening the door to allow the broken-hearted Frédéric to leave first. Before closing the door the priest said, ‘Do not worry, Madame, I will take good care of him.’

‘Thank you, Father,’ Édith whispered. She turned to Claire. ‘I have always tried to shield Frédéric, but this is out of my hands. I feel so… useless.’

‘Not useless, Édith. You’ve saved him much pain by moving Monique to the river. Did you tell Father Albert where she was killed and that it was Alain and I who found her?’

‘No! He is a priest. I could not expect him to know that, and then tell an outright lie. He found it difficult enough to say it was him who found her. He only told Frédéric that she was on her way to the station because I told him she was. I begged him not to say she was found near the farm. He agreed that there was no reason to tell Frédéric more than he needed to know. That way he did not have to lie. No.’ Édith Belland sighed and shook her head. ‘Let the sin of lying be mine.’

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