Read Online Constant Lovers by Chris Nickson - Free Book Online

began, emptying the cup and placing it on the floor.
    â€˜She married that rich man from Horsforth way. Wanted to keep Annie with her. And her parents got all that money not long before, too.’
    He could tell she was talking just to delay the news. She urgently wanted to hear it and yet it terrified her.
    â€˜Sarah Godlove’s dead,’ he told her. ‘Someone murdered her last Saturday.’
    â€˜What?’ Her hand came up to her mouth.
    â€˜She was coming over to Roundhay, but she never arrived. She had Anne with her, but no one’s seen your daughter since.’
    â€˜Annie?’ She didn’t understand. ‘Annie?’
    â€˜Has she been here lately, Mrs Taylor? Have you seen her?’
    The woman shook her head dumbly, in shock.
    â€˜I’m sorry,’ Sedgwick said. ‘We don’t know where she is and we need to find her. She must know what happened to her mistress.’
    â€˜She’s been with that Sarah since she was fourteen. She loves her. You’re not saying she killed her?’
    â€˜No.’ Sedgwick smiled kindly. ‘Nothing like that.’
    â€˜Do you think she’s dead?’ Catherine asked bluntly.
    â€˜We don’t know,’ was the best he could offer her. And it was true, he thought. They really did have no idea at all. ‘I was hoping she’d come here.’
    â€˜No.’ There was emptiness in her eyes.
    â€˜When did you see her last?’
    â€˜A month ago, mebbe? Aye, four week ago last Saturday. She stayed over and we went to church together.’
    â€˜The servants at Godlove’s told me that Sarah and your daughter would go off one day each week. Do you know where they went?’
    â€˜No,’ she said. ‘No. She doesn’t say much about what they do, or her duties or owt like that.’ She stopped herself suddenly, as if suddenly realizing all those days could now be past, a sorrowful, vanished history. ‘Please, tell me, do you think Annie’s dead?’
    â€˜I really don’t know,’ he answered her honestly. ‘But if she comes here, we need to talk to her.’
    â€˜She’s never been in any trouble, never done owt wrong.’ Catherine Taylor was rubbing her hands together as if they were cold. ‘She’s a good lass, mister.’
    â€˜I’m sure she is. Look, there could be plenty of good reasons no one’s seen her,’ Sedgwick tried to reassure her. ‘Don’t go thinking the worst yet.’
    She looked at him, snatching at the hope, brittle as life, in his words.
    â€˜Does she have any friends in the village? Anyone apart from you and your husband she sees when she comes home?’
    The matter-of-fact question seemed to give her strength.
    â€˜Aye, there’s Maggie Blenkinsop. Well, Maggie Archer as was. She’s the same age as our Annie and they were allus together when they were lasses.’
    â€˜Where does she live?’
    â€˜Right across the road. She’ll be there because I know her babby’s been ill. Can’t do much when that happens.’
    Sedgwick stood up, thanking her for the ale.
    â€˜Try not to worry,’ he said, although he knew the words were pointless. He’d planted the thought and it would grow like a weed. ‘One last thing.’ He produced the knife that had murdered Sarah. ‘Have you ever seen this?’
    â€˜No,’ she answered after staring hard at it. ‘Is that  . . .?’
    â€˜Yes.’
    He was at the door when she spoke again.
    â€˜Tell me summat, mister.’
    He halted and turned back, stooping so his head didn’t catch the lintel.
    â€˜When you told them about Sarah, did his Lordship and his wife ask about our Annie?’
    â€˜I wasn’t the one who told them. But from what I heard they didn’t even ask that much about their daughter.’
    Outside, the sunlight seemed too bright and he blinked his eyes to adjust. All