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wings and backed further away. From this safe distance, it gave a derisive honk.
‘I know we’ve had no luck removing him, Harry,’ said Alison. ‘But it’s the only way. I’ll ring the RSPCA in the morning and see if they have any ideas.’
‘I still think you ought to let me shoot him,’ offered the man.
‘No, Harry! Certainly not! We’ll think of something.’
Spike’s would-be Nemesis snorted and, turning, shambled off, his long arms swinging by his sides.
‘That’s Stebbings,’ said Jenner. ‘He’s got a quaint way with him but he’s a good chap.’
His listeners made no reply to this, and they all began to walk back to the house, leaving Spike in triumphant possession. Alan, Toby and Jeremy had forged ahead and Alison slowed her step so that she and Meredith fell back out of earshot of the three men.
‘Some things I can’t say in front of Jeremy,’ she said a low urgent voice. ‘But I’m so worried about the effect this business is having on him. I know he gives the appearance of being in control, but he’s had years of practice at that. He’s really very, very angry. It will come out, won’t it? It will all get in the papers now?’
They had reached the arrangement of rustic table and chairs. Alison made a gesture towards them and she and Meredith sat down. The other members of the party were now out of sight.
‘It’s always so difficult,’ Alison said, ‘to explain family matters.’ Her hands smoothed her skirt nervously. She was looking down and her fair hair fell forwards, obscuring her face. ‘Being accused
of killing my aunt was horrible. Worse than anything I can describe.’
‘I can imagine it,’ Meredith said sympathetically.
Alison looked up sharply. ‘No, you can’t. I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be rude. But quite simply, you can’t.You haven’t been in that situation and I hope you never are. I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. The trial was a nightmare. Afterwards, living with what had happened, was almost unbearable. Dirt sticks. The papers had painted me as a fortune-hunting, hard-hearted, scheming woman. It’s true my aunt had given me money on several occasions. But she didn’t mind. She liked to help me. She would have been hurt if I’d turned her offers down. Barnes-Wakefield couldn’t understand that. Over and over again, he kept asking me about the money Aunt Freda had given me over the years and about her will. Had I known she’d made me her sole heiress?Yes, I had to tell him, I did know. So, he kept asking, what did I feel about that? What kind of reply could I give him?’
‘You’re quite right,’ Meredith told her. ‘I have no idea what I would have replied in your situation.’
‘But I carried on. I still had my job. People there were kind and supportive. But I’d still catch one or two or them watching me when they thought I was busy. There would be a question in their eyes, a sort of prurient curiosity. They got a sort of kick out of working with someone who’d been accused of murder. Eventually, in the natural process of staff turnover, they left. I stayed. I thought it was forgotten. Then I met Jeremy. Our firm handled an advertising campaign for him. When he proposed to me, I told him all about the trial. Fifteen years had gone by and I really, stupidly, believed I had, at last, left it behind me. Or so I thought. But I had to tell Jeremy. It was only fair. He was splendid about it. From then until just the other day when he found I’d received another letter, we didn’t speak of it again, not once in ten years of marriage. Now it’s as if we can’t speak of anything else. Jeremy wants it all cleared up quickly, so that we can get back to normal. But will we ever be able to do that? Get back to normal?’
‘Yes!’ said Meredith. ‘You will. It doesn’t seem like it now but you must hold on to the belief that it will all be sorted out eventually.’
Alison gave her a wry smile. ‘Thanks. I can see why Toby
‘I know we’ve had no luck removing him, Harry,’ said Alison. ‘But it’s the only way. I’ll ring the RSPCA in the morning and see if they have any ideas.’
‘I still think you ought to let me shoot him,’ offered the man.
‘No, Harry! Certainly not! We’ll think of something.’
Spike’s would-be Nemesis snorted and, turning, shambled off, his long arms swinging by his sides.
‘That’s Stebbings,’ said Jenner. ‘He’s got a quaint way with him but he’s a good chap.’
His listeners made no reply to this, and they all began to walk back to the house, leaving Spike in triumphant possession. Alan, Toby and Jeremy had forged ahead and Alison slowed her step so that she and Meredith fell back out of earshot of the three men.
‘Some things I can’t say in front of Jeremy,’ she said a low urgent voice. ‘But I’m so worried about the effect this business is having on him. I know he gives the appearance of being in control, but he’s had years of practice at that. He’s really very, very angry. It will come out, won’t it? It will all get in the papers now?’
They had reached the arrangement of rustic table and chairs. Alison made a gesture towards them and she and Meredith sat down. The other members of the party were now out of sight.
‘It’s always so difficult,’ Alison said, ‘to explain family matters.’ Her hands smoothed her skirt nervously. She was looking down and her fair hair fell forwards, obscuring her face. ‘Being accused
of killing my aunt was horrible. Worse than anything I can describe.’
‘I can imagine it,’ Meredith said sympathetically.
Alison looked up sharply. ‘No, you can’t. I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be rude. But quite simply, you can’t.You haven’t been in that situation and I hope you never are. I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. The trial was a nightmare. Afterwards, living with what had happened, was almost unbearable. Dirt sticks. The papers had painted me as a fortune-hunting, hard-hearted, scheming woman. It’s true my aunt had given me money on several occasions. But she didn’t mind. She liked to help me. She would have been hurt if I’d turned her offers down. Barnes-Wakefield couldn’t understand that. Over and over again, he kept asking me about the money Aunt Freda had given me over the years and about her will. Had I known she’d made me her sole heiress?Yes, I had to tell him, I did know. So, he kept asking, what did I feel about that? What kind of reply could I give him?’
‘You’re quite right,’ Meredith told her. ‘I have no idea what I would have replied in your situation.’
‘But I carried on. I still had my job. People there were kind and supportive. But I’d still catch one or two or them watching me when they thought I was busy. There would be a question in their eyes, a sort of prurient curiosity. They got a sort of kick out of working with someone who’d been accused of murder. Eventually, in the natural process of staff turnover, they left. I stayed. I thought it was forgotten. Then I met Jeremy. Our firm handled an advertising campaign for him. When he proposed to me, I told him all about the trial. Fifteen years had gone by and I really, stupidly, believed I had, at last, left it behind me. Or so I thought. But I had to tell Jeremy. It was only fair. He was splendid about it. From then until just the other day when he found I’d received another letter, we didn’t speak of it again, not once in ten years of marriage. Now it’s as if we can’t speak of anything else. Jeremy wants it all cleared up quickly, so that we can get back to normal. But will we ever be able to do that? Get back to normal?’
‘Yes!’ said Meredith. ‘You will. It doesn’t seem like it now but you must hold on to the belief that it will all be sorted out eventually.’
Alison gave her a wry smile. ‘Thanks. I can see why Toby
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