Face Down among the Winchester Geese by Kathy Lynn Emerson Page B
Authors: Kathy Lynn Emerson
Ads: Link
at more. I looked for her, as did others, even in the place where she was eventually found dead, the room in which set pieces are stored for royal masques and mummings."
The morning after the revels, when Lora's body was discovered, he'd felt no remorse, no guilt, but now Susanna's silent disapproval made him uncomfortable.
"Did she try to win King Philip's interest?"
"Did the Lady Mary say so?” Here was a new twist.
"She said he had an eye for the ladies."
"You cannot think Philip of Spain murdered Lora Tylney."
"Is he not capable of murder?"
Robert was silent. ‘Twould be marvelous irony to let Philip take the blame. He could not be questioned. Even Susanna would not pursue a king to his own kingdom. But would it be wise to accuse the man who held the key to his own future? Robert's plans remained dependent upon Philip, and upon his son, Don Carlos. He dared not risk such a lie.
"Any man is capable of murder, given the right circumstances,” he said slowly, “but if you think the same person must have murdered Diane, then you cannot suspect King Philip, for most assuredly he is no longer in England."
"Did you bed Lora Tylney?” Susanna asked.
"No. Never."
She stared at him long and hard. “And Diane? Did you spend the night before her death with Diane St. Cyr?"
"You might as well ask me if I killed her."
"Did you?"
"God's teeth, Susanna! Do you not know me better than that?"
"I wonder if I know you at all of late,” she told him. “But I do not believe you killed those women."
"Small comfort,” he muttered.
"Mayhap Sir Walter will remember more than you do."
Robert weighed what Pendennis could tell her against what his old friend might discover of Robert's present business. Certes, she must question Pendennis. ‘Twould keep them both occupied while he implemented his master plan.
"Doubtless you will pay no attention if I forbid it,” he grumbled. “You will go your own way unless I imprison or kill you. ‘Twould be a great temptation, my dear, were I the sort of man who could murder a woman."
"Then I am fortunate you are not,” she said evenly.
"Talk to Pendennis,” he said with a sigh. “I give you leave."
"My thanks, husband.” They both knew she had no need of his permission.
Smiling blandly at her, Robert proposed they sup, for he'd worked up an appetite with this sparring. Over the meal, he decided, he would amuse himself by enumerating Pendennis's flaws. Susanna thought Sir Walter pleasant, even charming, for he took care to present his best face in her company. Robert intended to remind his wife that Pendennis had been a courtier, a soldier, and a spy. He'd killed men in battle.
And he'd been responsible for at least one woman's death.
Chapter 16
In spite of Robert's dire hints about his good friend Pendennis, Susanna felt comfortable paying a visit to Blackfriars. Only hours after her husband's early-morning departure from Catte Street, eager to push forward in her investigation, she sought Sir Walter's help.
Shock suffused his features when he opened his door at her knock and recognized her. “Susan—! Lady Appleton! I—"
"—did not expect to see me here.” Susanna finished his sentence for him, then pushed boldly past him into his lodgings. This was a matter best discussed in private.
"I do not—"
"Jennet accompanies me, as you can see.” The younger woman eased inside right behind her mistress. “And Robert approves of my plan to speak with you."
"You mean to look into Mistress St. Cyr's murder, do you not? Are you certain such a course is wise?"
"Need I remind you who solved the murders at Madderly Castle?"
Sir Walter's reluctance remained evident, but a faint smile reached his eyes. Her actions in Gloucestershire had earned him his knighthood. They had worked well together at Madderly Castle, Susanna thought. Ever since then, Sir Waiter had accorded her a respect bordering on reverence. A most flattering circumstance, if occasionally an embarrassment
The morning after the revels, when Lora's body was discovered, he'd felt no remorse, no guilt, but now Susanna's silent disapproval made him uncomfortable.
"Did she try to win King Philip's interest?"
"Did the Lady Mary say so?” Here was a new twist.
"She said he had an eye for the ladies."
"You cannot think Philip of Spain murdered Lora Tylney."
"Is he not capable of murder?"
Robert was silent. ‘Twould be marvelous irony to let Philip take the blame. He could not be questioned. Even Susanna would not pursue a king to his own kingdom. But would it be wise to accuse the man who held the key to his own future? Robert's plans remained dependent upon Philip, and upon his son, Don Carlos. He dared not risk such a lie.
"Any man is capable of murder, given the right circumstances,” he said slowly, “but if you think the same person must have murdered Diane, then you cannot suspect King Philip, for most assuredly he is no longer in England."
"Did you bed Lora Tylney?” Susanna asked.
"No. Never."
She stared at him long and hard. “And Diane? Did you spend the night before her death with Diane St. Cyr?"
"You might as well ask me if I killed her."
"Did you?"
"God's teeth, Susanna! Do you not know me better than that?"
"I wonder if I know you at all of late,” she told him. “But I do not believe you killed those women."
"Small comfort,” he muttered.
"Mayhap Sir Walter will remember more than you do."
Robert weighed what Pendennis could tell her against what his old friend might discover of Robert's present business. Certes, she must question Pendennis. ‘Twould keep them both occupied while he implemented his master plan.
"Doubtless you will pay no attention if I forbid it,” he grumbled. “You will go your own way unless I imprison or kill you. ‘Twould be a great temptation, my dear, were I the sort of man who could murder a woman."
"Then I am fortunate you are not,” she said evenly.
"Talk to Pendennis,” he said with a sigh. “I give you leave."
"My thanks, husband.” They both knew she had no need of his permission.
Smiling blandly at her, Robert proposed they sup, for he'd worked up an appetite with this sparring. Over the meal, he decided, he would amuse himself by enumerating Pendennis's flaws. Susanna thought Sir Walter pleasant, even charming, for he took care to present his best face in her company. Robert intended to remind his wife that Pendennis had been a courtier, a soldier, and a spy. He'd killed men in battle.
And he'd been responsible for at least one woman's death.
Chapter 16
In spite of Robert's dire hints about his good friend Pendennis, Susanna felt comfortable paying a visit to Blackfriars. Only hours after her husband's early-morning departure from Catte Street, eager to push forward in her investigation, she sought Sir Walter's help.
Shock suffused his features when he opened his door at her knock and recognized her. “Susan—! Lady Appleton! I—"
"—did not expect to see me here.” Susanna finished his sentence for him, then pushed boldly past him into his lodgings. This was a matter best discussed in private.
"I do not—"
"Jennet accompanies me, as you can see.” The younger woman eased inside right behind her mistress. “And Robert approves of my plan to speak with you."
"You mean to look into Mistress St. Cyr's murder, do you not? Are you certain such a course is wise?"
"Need I remind you who solved the murders at Madderly Castle?"
Sir Walter's reluctance remained evident, but a faint smile reached his eyes. Her actions in Gloucestershire had earned him his knighthood. They had worked well together at Madderly Castle, Susanna thought. Ever since then, Sir Waiter had accorded her a respect bordering on reverence. A most flattering circumstance, if occasionally an embarrassment