very odd. It was almost as if no one really knew who Eric was.
“Were you very close?” she asked. “I mean—I’m sure you must have been. It must have been nice for you when he moved back to Dappled Hills after such an absence.”
An unreadable expression passed across Eric’s face. He stared down at the floor. “Well, you know how it is with adult siblings. Sometimes you grow apart through the years.”
Actually, that hadn’t been what Beatrice had observed at all. It usually seemed that siblings who might have had childhood rivalries grew closer as adults. She peered at him. So Eric was not only alienated from the entire town; he’d been alienated from his one relative, too. “And losing your last living relative must have been especially difficult.”
Eric gave a harsh laugh. “Difficult? I wouldn’t say that. Difficult was when I lost my mother. That was difficult.”
“I’m sorry,” said Beatrice softly. “Was that recent? That’s a lot of loss to go through at one time.”
“Not recent, no. It coincided with Jason’s escape from Dappled Hills seven years back.”
Escape? What an odd word to use. Beatrice frowned.
Eric ran a finger around the inside of his shirt collar, pulling it as if he weren’t used to wearing dressy clothes. His face was flushed as if he were aware that he’d said something he shouldn’t have said. “It was good to meet you, Beatrice. I should probably go now. I’ll need to thank Martha.”
Beatrice glanced back in Martha’s direction, wondering if she was still in John’s arms. Instead she saw Martha back at her iciest—and then saw why. Phyllis Stitt had arrived and was busily talking with a group of women as if she had every right to be there. Judging from Martha’s expression, however, she strongly disagreed.
Meadow’s gaze met hers from across the room and she raised her eyebrows at the development. Would there be drama at the funeral reception?
Eric wandered up to thank Martha, however, so she was momentarily diverted from what Beatrice guessed would be Martha’s expulsion of Phyllis from the reception. She saw Martha’s gaze soften as she spoke with Eric, giving him a quick hug before he left. Beatrice wondered if they’d actually really known each other, though. It certainly hadn’t sounded as if Eric and Jason had been very close. And Eric apparently didn’t spend all that much time in Dappled Hills.
After talking with Eric, Martha removed herself with difficulty from Phyllis’s proximity. Martha walked up to Beatrice and said, “I certainly think it’s in very poor taste of Phyllis to come here. Really. I’ve half a mind to toss her out on her ear.”
Chapter Eight
“I suppose she’s trying to show that she had no hard feelings for Jason,” murmured Beatrice.
Martha rolled her eyes. “But there were hard feelings. Many of them. It’s all an act for the police.”
Phyllis glanced their way, her gaze falling for a moment on Martha before she quickly looked away. She noticed Eric was walking out the door and she gave him a friendly nod and a sympathetic smile before he left. He looked searchingly into her eyes, causing Phyllis to pause. Eric, seeming unable to help himself, reached out an arm toward Phyllis. She hesitated and then gave Eric a quick hug before hurriedly leaving. Phyllis was probably the only person there who’d reached out to Eric besides Beatrice and Martha.
John joined Beatrice and Martha. His face was appropriately solemn for the occasion, but his eyes wereglowing. He greeted Beatrice and handed Martha a plate of food he’d put together for her. Beatrice noticed many curious glances from around the room.
Beatrice walked across the room for another glass of tea and Miss Sissy intercepted her on the way over. “They go out, you know.”
Beatrice frowned. “Who goes out?”
Miss Sissy scowled at her. “
They
do.”
Meadow joined them and Miss Sissy repeated her statement. Meadow said, “Who goes out with
“Were you very close?” she asked. “I mean—I’m sure you must have been. It must have been nice for you when he moved back to Dappled Hills after such an absence.”
An unreadable expression passed across Eric’s face. He stared down at the floor. “Well, you know how it is with adult siblings. Sometimes you grow apart through the years.”
Actually, that hadn’t been what Beatrice had observed at all. It usually seemed that siblings who might have had childhood rivalries grew closer as adults. She peered at him. So Eric was not only alienated from the entire town; he’d been alienated from his one relative, too. “And losing your last living relative must have been especially difficult.”
Eric gave a harsh laugh. “Difficult? I wouldn’t say that. Difficult was when I lost my mother. That was difficult.”
“I’m sorry,” said Beatrice softly. “Was that recent? That’s a lot of loss to go through at one time.”
“Not recent, no. It coincided with Jason’s escape from Dappled Hills seven years back.”
Escape? What an odd word to use. Beatrice frowned.
Eric ran a finger around the inside of his shirt collar, pulling it as if he weren’t used to wearing dressy clothes. His face was flushed as if he were aware that he’d said something he shouldn’t have said. “It was good to meet you, Beatrice. I should probably go now. I’ll need to thank Martha.”
Beatrice glanced back in Martha’s direction, wondering if she was still in John’s arms. Instead she saw Martha back at her iciest—and then saw why. Phyllis Stitt had arrived and was busily talking with a group of women as if she had every right to be there. Judging from Martha’s expression, however, she strongly disagreed.
Meadow’s gaze met hers from across the room and she raised her eyebrows at the development. Would there be drama at the funeral reception?
Eric wandered up to thank Martha, however, so she was momentarily diverted from what Beatrice guessed would be Martha’s expulsion of Phyllis from the reception. She saw Martha’s gaze soften as she spoke with Eric, giving him a quick hug before he left. Beatrice wondered if they’d actually really known each other, though. It certainly hadn’t sounded as if Eric and Jason had been very close. And Eric apparently didn’t spend all that much time in Dappled Hills.
After talking with Eric, Martha removed herself with difficulty from Phyllis’s proximity. Martha walked up to Beatrice and said, “I certainly think it’s in very poor taste of Phyllis to come here. Really. I’ve half a mind to toss her out on her ear.”
Chapter Eight
“I suppose she’s trying to show that she had no hard feelings for Jason,” murmured Beatrice.
Martha rolled her eyes. “But there were hard feelings. Many of them. It’s all an act for the police.”
Phyllis glanced their way, her gaze falling for a moment on Martha before she quickly looked away. She noticed Eric was walking out the door and she gave him a friendly nod and a sympathetic smile before he left. He looked searchingly into her eyes, causing Phyllis to pause. Eric, seeming unable to help himself, reached out an arm toward Phyllis. She hesitated and then gave Eric a quick hug before hurriedly leaving. Phyllis was probably the only person there who’d reached out to Eric besides Beatrice and Martha.
John joined Beatrice and Martha. His face was appropriately solemn for the occasion, but his eyes wereglowing. He greeted Beatrice and handed Martha a plate of food he’d put together for her. Beatrice noticed many curious glances from around the room.
Beatrice walked across the room for another glass of tea and Miss Sissy intercepted her on the way over. “They go out, you know.”
Beatrice frowned. “Who goes out?”
Miss Sissy scowled at her. “
They
do.”
Meadow joined them and Miss Sissy repeated her statement. Meadow said, “Who goes out with
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