you know what that means? It’s too late, Inspector. They are beyond saving.’ He bit his lip. ‘Imogen and her maid must be dead.’
‘How are you feeling now, Paulina?’
‘I feel very frail and very confused.’
‘There’s no colour in your cheeks.’
‘The doctor says that all I can do is rest.’
‘Well,’ said Cassandra, ‘at least do so where you can breathe in fresh air. It’s far too stuffy in here.’ Crossing the bedchamber, she flung open a window. ‘That’s better. It will do you good to be fanned by a light breeze.’
‘Thank you for coming, sister. I do appreciate it.’
‘There was no point in staying in Oxford. Dominic ispreoccupied with college matters and Emma has a fit of weeping whenever she thinks of her cousin. I left both of them to their own devices. My place is here. I’d like to think that Marcus has been looking after you,’ she added, tartly, ‘but that’s too much to expect.’
‘He’s done his best.’
‘It’s not good enough, Paulina, and never has been.’
Cassandra Vaughan had never been in awe of her brother-in-law. While others admired Sir Marcus as a man of distinction, she saw his deficiencies as a husband and had the courage to tackle him about them. Her comments were invariably brushed aside with a lordly wave of the hand but that didn’t stop her continuing to speak up on behalf of her sister. Paulina was clearly ailing and there was a marked deterioration in her condition since Cassandra’s last visit to Burnhope Manor.
‘When did the doctor last call, Paulina?’
‘He came first thing this morning.’
‘I’d like to speak to him.’
‘He said that he’d try to come again tomorrow.’
‘If he doesn’t,’ said Cassandra, ‘I shall go looking for him. Having brought three children up, I’m used to dealing with the medical profession. So many of its members try to fob you off with glib diagnoses – I know how to get the truth out of a doctor. It’s something your husband should have done.’
‘Don’t blame Marcus. This dire news about Imogen has hit him hard.’
‘What about you? You’re her mother. It’s hit you even harder because Marcus is in better health to withstand the blow. Have there been any developments?’
‘Two detectives came but I was not allowed to see them.’
‘It was your right to do so, Paulina.’
‘I lacked the strength to enforce that right.’
‘Well, I can tell you that Inspector Colbeck visited us as well. We were struck by his acumen and by his confidence. Mr Tunnadine happened to be there at the time, making a nuisance of himself.’
Paulina sat up anxiously. ‘How is dear Clive?’
‘You’d not have spoken of him so solicitously had you been there. He was both offensive and insulting. I’d not let a bully like that marry
my
daughter,’ said Cassandra. ‘I was grateful when Inspector Colbeck put him in his place.’
‘Was the inspector able to raise your hopes?’
‘Yes, he was – to some extent.’
‘It’s so maddening to be stuck up here in bed,’ whined Paulina. ‘Nobody tells me a thing. I’m left here alone with my fears.’
‘That will change now that I’m here.’
‘What are you going to do, Cassandra?’
‘I’m going to adopt the policy I use with Dominic,’ said the other. ‘I’m going to state my demands to your husband and keep repeating them until he succumbs.
Something
must have happened since yesterday.’
‘I daresay that it has.’
‘Then we’re entitled to hear about it.’
‘Please don’t upset Marcus. He’s feeling very sensitive at the moment.’
‘He’s not as sensitive as I felt when I stood on that station yesterday and realised that Imogen was not on the train. It was mortifying. That’s why I took steps to confirm thatshe’d left Worcester at the time agreed. Imogen definitely got on that train to Oxford.’
‘No, Cassandra,’ said her sister, mournfully. ‘She had a ticket to oblivion.’
‘That’s nonsense!’
‘How are you feeling now, Paulina?’
‘I feel very frail and very confused.’
‘There’s no colour in your cheeks.’
‘The doctor says that all I can do is rest.’
‘Well,’ said Cassandra, ‘at least do so where you can breathe in fresh air. It’s far too stuffy in here.’ Crossing the bedchamber, she flung open a window. ‘That’s better. It will do you good to be fanned by a light breeze.’
‘Thank you for coming, sister. I do appreciate it.’
‘There was no point in staying in Oxford. Dominic ispreoccupied with college matters and Emma has a fit of weeping whenever she thinks of her cousin. I left both of them to their own devices. My place is here. I’d like to think that Marcus has been looking after you,’ she added, tartly, ‘but that’s too much to expect.’
‘He’s done his best.’
‘It’s not good enough, Paulina, and never has been.’
Cassandra Vaughan had never been in awe of her brother-in-law. While others admired Sir Marcus as a man of distinction, she saw his deficiencies as a husband and had the courage to tackle him about them. Her comments were invariably brushed aside with a lordly wave of the hand but that didn’t stop her continuing to speak up on behalf of her sister. Paulina was clearly ailing and there was a marked deterioration in her condition since Cassandra’s last visit to Burnhope Manor.
‘When did the doctor last call, Paulina?’
‘He came first thing this morning.’
‘I’d like to speak to him.’
‘He said that he’d try to come again tomorrow.’
‘If he doesn’t,’ said Cassandra, ‘I shall go looking for him. Having brought three children up, I’m used to dealing with the medical profession. So many of its members try to fob you off with glib diagnoses – I know how to get the truth out of a doctor. It’s something your husband should have done.’
‘Don’t blame Marcus. This dire news about Imogen has hit him hard.’
‘What about you? You’re her mother. It’s hit you even harder because Marcus is in better health to withstand the blow. Have there been any developments?’
‘Two detectives came but I was not allowed to see them.’
‘It was your right to do so, Paulina.’
‘I lacked the strength to enforce that right.’
‘Well, I can tell you that Inspector Colbeck visited us as well. We were struck by his acumen and by his confidence. Mr Tunnadine happened to be there at the time, making a nuisance of himself.’
Paulina sat up anxiously. ‘How is dear Clive?’
‘You’d not have spoken of him so solicitously had you been there. He was both offensive and insulting. I’d not let a bully like that marry
my
daughter,’ said Cassandra. ‘I was grateful when Inspector Colbeck put him in his place.’
‘Was the inspector able to raise your hopes?’
‘Yes, he was – to some extent.’
‘It’s so maddening to be stuck up here in bed,’ whined Paulina. ‘Nobody tells me a thing. I’m left here alone with my fears.’
‘That will change now that I’m here.’
‘What are you going to do, Cassandra?’
‘I’m going to adopt the policy I use with Dominic,’ said the other. ‘I’m going to state my demands to your husband and keep repeating them until he succumbs.
Something
must have happened since yesterday.’
‘I daresay that it has.’
‘Then we’re entitled to hear about it.’
‘Please don’t upset Marcus. He’s feeling very sensitive at the moment.’
‘He’s not as sensitive as I felt when I stood on that station yesterday and realised that Imogen was not on the train. It was mortifying. That’s why I took steps to confirm thatshe’d left Worcester at the time agreed. Imogen definitely got on that train to Oxford.’
‘No, Cassandra,’ said her sister, mournfully. ‘She had a ticket to oblivion.’
‘That’s nonsense!’
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