time.â
âEveryone, except for my husband and, of course, Mr. Welch.â
âIf the deceased had shouted out, would someone have heard him?â
Dee Dee considered this. âI think so. Yes. We were all in the passage close to his door. Of course, there was a lot of chattering. But I think someone would have heard.â
âNo one thought of waking him?â
âThe seven-thirty scene was strictly make-believe. Mr. Welch wasnât much interested in play-acting.â
âThen why was he here?â
âWanted to buy some land off me,â Gilroy said shortly. âSigning on for the weekend gave him a good chance to haggle.â
âI see,â Rutherford said, deciding there was definitely more to all this than he knew. âAnd where would I find Mrs. Welch?â
âIn the library, most likely. Iâll show you.â Gilroy led him out into the hall and indicated the library door.
Inside the library Jim and Jemma Savage were patiently listening to Adrienne Welch unburdening her soul on the subject of her husband.
âPeople didnât like George,â she was saying, âI know that. Property isnât a very nice business. He had his enemies. But he was a good husband to me.â
âPrivate faces are often very different to public ones,â Jim said soothingly, remembering fraud rumours about Welch of a few years ago. âSome men can be angels to their families and devils to everyone else.â
âThatâs right. You understand. You reely do understand.â Adrienneâs gratitude for this sympathy began to overflow into tears, and Jemma, who was sitting next to her on a sofa, put an arm round her shoulders. Adrienne pulled some tissues out of her bag and dabbed at her eyes. âWell, heâs out of all that now.â She indulged in another brief session with the tissues. âYou should have heard how rude Lord Gilroy was to George. She was bad enough at dinner, but him! Youâd have thought we was something the cat brought in.â
âWas he doing business with the Gilroys?â Jemma prompted.
âIt was supposed to be a secret. Well, it never could have been, reely. They needed cash and George needed land. The trouble was they didnât want to sell the bit we wanted.â
âItâs often the way.â Jim nodded. âDid they agree in the end?â
âI donât know,â Adrienne said helplessly. âNot when I was with them. But I think that lawyer of his persuaded them. Itâll be terrible if they did, because whereâd I find the money? Like that woman said, itâd be legal even though he is dead. But I donât know where the contract even is.â
âWouldnât his company buy the land?â Jim asked innocently, knowing that Welch had probably been a one-man band.
âHe was the company!â Adrienne confirmed. âHe could go to the bank with a deal and theyâd give him loans. None of the other directors counted for a row of beans.â
âSo it could affect you personally?â
âIt oughtnât to. Iâm just worried that it might.â A note of pride came into her voice. âGeorge left me provided for, praise the Lord. Very nicely provided for. Life insurance.â She smiled weakly, cheered up by this golden lining to the cloud of death. âOh no, Iâll be all right, just so long as no one lands any debts on my doorstep.â
Jim was re-assuring her that her own assets could not be touched by her husbandâs creditors when Rutherford swung open the double doors and marched in.
Even to a cynic about the aristocracy, the Gothic library was impressive. Gloomily impressive, it was true, as if the architect had been dreaming of the ultimate in funeral parlours. But the high ranges of mahogany bookshelves lining the walls, the heavy tables and the high-backed sofas made it inconceivable to think of this as a mere
Terra Wolf, Mercy May
Jennifer Collins Johnson
Louise Penny
Tamara Hogan
Mary Hanson
Roderick Gordon
Aimee Agresti
Dean Murray
Amy Malone
Katharine Davis