Murder Among the Roses: A Violet Carlyle Cozy Historical Mystery (The Violet Carlyle Mysteries Book 5) by Beth Byers

Author:Beth Byers [Byers, Beth]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Published: 2018-12-16T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

“Of all the…of all the nerve! Victor will never be anything other than a drunk in this village even after helping the poor widow.”

Violet noted Kate’s fury was directed at the reception of Victor rather than at the death of the children. Violet shuddered as she thought of that again. To lose so deeply. It was awful. Victor’s lot was the result of his actions. He should have known better to get so zozzled that he ended up buying a house. Especially one that he hadn’t seen and would not have otherwise bought—at least Violet hoped he wouldn’t have.

Violet tried to smile at Kate, but Vi wasn’t up to it. Maybe it was the walk after a restless night of sleep and being ill for days. She scoffed at herself. Her melancholy was for the house. Perhaps she should work on improving her heart. She should be happy for her brother that he hadn’t been taken advantage of more than he had been.

The vicar was easy enough to find. He had a little house near the church. There was a young woman crying into a handkerchief in the garden. Violet and Kate saw her and then pretended to completely miss her as they approached the door. Violet, however, considered the timing of the girl’s tears even as she and Kate smoothed their faces into perfect politeness and knocked on the door.

It was opened a moment after by a uniformed maid who saw them inside. Violet told the dogs to lie down. Victor and Violet weren’t responsible for how well-behaved they were, but Violet had no worries that they’d remain where they were. The vicar was in his office, but they were left in a parlor while the housekeeper inquired if he could receive them.

“What do you think the girl was crying about?” Kate asked.

Vi shook her head. Her answer was so low Kate had to lean forward to hear it, but Violet didn’t want to be caught talking about some poor girl who was trying to have a good cry. “You were that young once. For a bit there, I was crying for no reason at all. Victor or Father looked at me wrong and I was squalling into my pillow, telling myself the most woeful stories. I almost liked it. That being said, someone died yesterday, and I’d bet half the kingdom that her tears have to do with it. Otherwise, why would she be hiding in the garden?”

Kate’s gaze widened, and she nodded in agreement.

Then she was unable to hold back a laugh. “I can hardly imagine you crying and bemoaning. Victor must have hated that so much.”

“He used to curse at me and stomp away. I always wailed a little louder after he did. It only spurred him on. You could hear the echoes of his curses as he fled.”

Kate’s shout of laughter escaped as the parlor door opened and the vicar entered the room. He crossed to them as Kate tried to muffle her giggles.

“Hullo!” Vi said brightly.

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