Gossip and Gorgons by Tilly Wallace

Author:Tilly Wallace [Wallace, Tilly]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ribbonwood Press
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

13

Wycliff clenched his hand into a fist and dug his nails into his flesh. He wanted to grab the woman, tear the veil from her face, and demand to know the name of his accuser. For there were many to choose from. The spirit could be any one of the men in his regiment who had been slaughtered. When he closed his eyes, he could still hear his men begging for his help.

No good could come of dredging up long-ago deeds. Lord knew he had paid for the choices he made that day. His soul was consigned to the pits of hell and his physical presence shunned by society.

“I do not think the accusation was levelled at you.” Hannah’s voice pulled him from his thoughts.

He had forgotten he prowled the halls, dragging his wife along beside him. She had remained silent until they were well clear of the others. He slowed his pace. “What makes you say that?”

She flashed him a grateful glance that they no longer marched at double time. “You said spirits could be malicious. Accusing men who fought of cowardice seems a cruel taunt to throw. I would imagine every single man who saw action must doubt himself at some point.”

He halted and took Hannah’s hands in both of his. Her skin seemed cool to his touch and he wondered if the curse frozen in her body affected her temperature. Not that she ever complained of being cold. “You are right. The captain also seemed affronted by the charge. It is a low blow to call into question a man’s honour during war.”

Her attention dropped to their joined hands. “One among us has been killed and we are all a little on edge. I found a moment to ask Mrs Armstrong if she had wandered from her room last night. She said in most emphatic terms that she stayed in her bed the entire time.”

“That leaves us three possible players for the role of Concealed Woman.” He let her hands go and tucked his own behind his back as they took a more leisurely pace along the hall.

Hannah stopped by their door. “Or it could have been someone else entirely. What if one of the men had summoned a woman from below stairs to his chamber?”

Wycliff swung open the door. “Mowatt and Robins are the only single men. I shall talk to them again and see if they had company. That is, if you do not mind being left alone?”

“I am perfectly at ease with my own company and after today’s events, solitude will give me time to contemplate what we have discovered so far.” She stepped into the room and dropped her shawl over the arm of the sofa.

“I’ll not be long.” He nodded and closed the door behind him.

Wycliff found the men, as before, in the billiards room. The captain took his shot while Wright-Knowles hovered behind him. The admirer narrowed missed getting a cue in his gut, so close did he stand. Robins leaned on his cue, waiting, while Mowatt poured drinks at the buffet.

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