A Quiet Death by Alanna Knight Page B

marched him out of the police station. Once outside, he could restrain himself no longer. 'For God's sake, Vince, you look terrible.'
    'And disgusting, don't I? Frankly I don't care what I look like, I don't care about anything any more. Particularly at this moment, whether I live or die—'
    'That's your decision,' said Faro coldly, momentarily lacking his usual compassion and understanding. 'I've just come from a harrowing interview with the Superintendent.'
    'So you know all about my shocking behaviour.'
    He didn't sound contrite in the least. However, the expression on Faro's face as he looked in his direction halted him. As of old, he knew when he had gone too far.
    'I'm sorry, Stepfather, really I am. Getting you involved like this.'
    'And so you should be. You haven't given me a red face before anyone since your schooldays. And now I find myself having to guarantee your good behaviour. It really isn't good enough, after all your promises.'
    'I've said I'm sorry—'
    'Then I'd like to see you act like it, instead of being an impulsive young fool and getting the police into all this. If you hadn't had me on hand, you'd be cooling your heels in that prison cell with the door locked until your case came up before the court. Don't you realise what you're doing?'
    Vince was silent and Faro stopped in his tracks, pulled him roughly by the shoulders to face him. 'Look, lad, before we go any further I want your word, your solemn promise, now, before I leave Dundee, that you will stay away from Rachel Deane.'
    Faro hadn't spoken so severely to his stepson since the latter was nine years old and had played truant from school. He might have grown up but that look of mutinous hostility carried Faro right back through the years. To the early days of his marriage to Vince's mother Lizzie when he had been faced by the implacable hatred of her illegitimate son.
    Now almost as soon as he had noticed it, it was gone, replaced by Vince's most charming smile, albeit apologetic and a trifle wan. 'All right. Stepfather. I give you my word. Here's my hand on it. No more assaults upon Deane Hall. Although I'd like to kill Wilfred Deane. Smug smiling bastard. Oh, I'm sorry, Stepfather.'
    'Being sorry is not enough. Did you ever look ahead for one moment and consider the fact that your infantile behaviour might cost you your post here with Deane's and seriously jeopardise any future one you might consider applying for? Can you in all honesty see them giving you a reference after such atrocious behaviour?'
    Vince wilted under his stepfather's cold anger. 'I just wanted to try once more. That was all. I was very polite. But this time Wilfred Deane opened the door and said that Rachel was not at home and that if I continued these harassments then they would call the police.'
    ' Which he was quite at liberty to do if he felt they were being harassed.'
    Vince ignored that. 'I argued with him, but I didn't lay a hand on him.' He clenched his fists, remembering. 'I could have choked the smug bastard, smiling at me, daring me to make a move. I called out Rachel's name, hoping she would hear and come and help me. Then the butler took over and between them they threw me out bodily. As for Rachel, she had never showed her face. Not a sign of her. But she was at home.'
    'How do you know that?' Faro demanded sharply.
    'They were lying. As I picked myself up from the drive, I saw her at one of the upstairs windows. Watching me. Never lifting a finger in protest. That was too much. I'm afraid I assaulted the front door and when no one came, I threw a stone through the window. You know the rest,' he said shamefacedly. 'Dear God, what am I to do?'
    'Stay away from Deane Hall, for a start.'
    Faro was furious. Anyone but Vince could see with half an eye that the girl no longer cared for him. Whatever motives had led her to that brief infatuation were now over and she deeply regretted her lapse from virtue.
    Again he found himself wondering whether some quirk in her