Murder in Mind by Veronica Heley Page B

he there with intent to poison Abigail?’
    â€˜What you’re saying is—’
    â€˜Who gains by these deaths?’
    Diana’s eyes switched to and fro. ‘I do. But I didn’t. Wouldn’t. I didn’t need to. Angelika was on her way out. Fiona and Freya were a pain, but I didn’t need to kill them because Evan had already planned to send them off to boarding school.’
    â€˜Costly.’
    â€˜Mm. He can afford it. As for Abigail, Evan thought she’d be Angelika’s responsibility, that she could hire a full-time nanny for her or something. He wasn’t – isn’t – a hands-on father.’
    She could say that again.
    â€˜It will be different when he has a son.’
    â€˜You’re sure about that?’
    â€˜Of course. He’s a bit shell-shocked at the moment, but as soon as I mention the baby, he perks up no end. He’s had a bellyful of tragedy in his life, never been able to feel that he was supported by his wives, any of them.’
    Ellie forbore to comment. ‘So, what brings you here this morning? Perhaps it was to ask how well your son did yesterday when he played in his first match for the football team? You will be pleased to know that he did very well indeed. Stewart, Thomas and I all went to cheer him on. He scored a goal, too. He would have loved it if you’d felt able to come.’
    â€˜I was working.’ Diana’s mind was elsewhere. ‘No, what I came about, it’s a bit awkward, but I want you and Evan to make up and be friends. He’s so low at the moment that he needs something to make him feel better. Apart from the new baby, I mean. His household is all at sixes and sevens. One minute he had a wife and three children under his roof and now he’s only got Freya, and she’s in a sulk most of the time. His housekeeper has walked out and Angelika’s permanently at the beautician’s.’
    â€˜I suppose you’re planning to move in?’
    â€˜Not yet. I want all their stuff cleared out of the house first. I’ve asked Evan to get rid of the gym machines and he’s promised to get a decorator to return the conservatory to what it ought to be. Then the kitchen will have to be ripped out and modern fitments installed; not that I intend to be chained to the kitchen sink.’
    â€˜Naturally not.’ More work for Betsey, then.
    â€˜All the reception rooms will have to be redone, and the master bedroom. I’m not sleeping in
her
bed. Then we’ll need one of the rooms decorated and furnished as a nursery. I’m leaning on Evan to send Freya off to boarding school straight away, which is the best place for her, nasty little madam that she is. No, I’m not moving in – yet. But I’ll make sure no one else does, and I’m running the office for him until he feels he can cope again.’
    â€˜You want me to play Happy Families with him?’ Ellie thought about it. ‘I’m not sure I could. He’d want to talk business, and I’m not prepared to do so.’
    â€˜I can promise you he wouldn’t. He respects you.’
    Ellie thought Evan respected her millions, not her. He’d tried to patronize her in the past. He’d tried talking down to her as if she were a silly little housewife and she’d taken some pleasure in cutting him off at the knees. He’d remember that, wouldn’t he, and want his revenge?
    Both Ms Milburn and Diana reported that he was in shock at what had happened, but Ms Milburn had observed that a business phone call had taken Evan’s mind completely off the tragedy. So how deeply did he really feel the deaths which had ravaged his family?
    It might be interesting to find out.
    On the other hand, to sit down at table with this man would take some doing. He didn’t seem the ‘forgive and forget’ type. More like someone who nursed a grudge.
    â€˜Please,’ said Diana.
    Ellie’s