Prince of Secrets by Paula Marshall Page A

surprised to see, gone three o’clock.
    Desolation swept over her. Had he gone to Susanna, after all? She knew, as who could not, that gossip had it that Susanna and Sir Ratcliffe were now a thing, but that might have changed again. Or perhaps, although he had spent every night with her since they had come to Markendale, he had gone to his own room to sleep.
    She had slipped out of bed to discover that he wasn’t in his own room, either. Perhaps he was with Susanna after all. She lay quiet for some time, her mind going round and round, but exhaustion finally claimed her, and she slept. To wake shortly afterwards to find him in bed with her, kissing and stroking her until they had come together in a mutual ecstasy so sweet that all her fears vanished. Surely he wouldn’t behave like that if he were betraying her with other women?
    But the robbery put a different light on things, allied as it was to her vague suspicions about him, those tenuous, cloud-like feelings which were no more than that. But it was stupid to think him a thief, surely? Ought she to answer truthfully if the Scotland Yard man asked her whether her husband had spent the night with her. He had certainly spent part of the night in her bed—and to good effect!
    When it was her turn to be faced with Will Walker, Cobie sat beside her. He said gently, ‘The inspector wishes to ask you some questions about the other night, Dinah. Don’t be worried, he is going to question all the guests. His sergeant is with the servants doing the same thing,’ which didn’treally help her at all, she was still unsure of what her answers ought to be.
    â€˜I’ve very little to ask you, Lady Dinah,’ Walker began politely, and what a delicate little creature she was and no mistake. She deserved better than the devious brute she had married. ‘It’s simply that we need to check where everyone was during the time the theft probably took place. Did you and your husband retire together?’
    Well, she could be truthful about that. She shook her head vigorously. ‘Oh, no, I was the first to retire, before eleven o’clock. I was very tired.’
    â€˜Did he come in later, and spend the night with you? I don’t like to ask such personal questions of you, Lady Dinah, but my duty compels me,’ for he saw that she had gone quite white, and her lips were quivering.
    â€˜Of course, Inspector. I do understand. He came to my room not very much later. I was dozing, but I heard voices in the corridor, and then he was with me.’
    Now this was not all a lie. She had heard voices in the corridor, but earlier, before he had come to her, but it seemed a safe thing to say because she couldn’t lie directly, only by inference.
    â€˜Would you know if he had left you during the night?’
    Now she could be truthful. ‘Oh, yes, I am a very light sleeper, you see—and…and…’
    â€˜Yes, Lady Dinah?’
    She showed him a scarlet face. ‘We haven’t been married long,’ she whispered, apparently agonised at having to make such a confession.
    Will Walker’s gaze on her was steady. Something was odd here, his intuition told him, but he could hardly accuse her of being a liar. He was certain that she knew nothing of her husband’s double—treble—life.
    â€˜You are sure of this, Lady Dinah?’
    â€˜Quite sure, inspector.’ Now she had lied for him—and Cobie would never know! Did she want him to know?
    Cobie took her hand when they left, Will Walker’s baffled face causing him an unseemly amusement. He whispered into her ear, ‘How fortunate I am to have a light-sleeping wife.’
    He was uncertain whether she was mistaken, forgetful, or was simply saying what would make the police stop questioning him, not because she thought that he was guilty, but because she thought him innocent. He couldn’t ask her to explain, but he could be