Read Online Dark Secret by Marina Anderson - Free Book Online Page A

week.’
    ‘Where did you go?’ asked Chris, sitting down at table with a large glass of whisky in his hand.
    ‘I went shopping,’ said Harriet, caught unawares.
    ‘How nice. What did you buy?’ enquired Rowena.
    ‘Nothing, I just window-shopped.’
    ‘I wish Rowena exercised such self-control!’ laughed Lewis.
    ‘Anyone can tell Harriet knows a lot about self-control,’ said Chris softly. ‘Do you ever let yourself go, Harriet?’
    This apparently innocent question brought a blush to Harriet’s cheeks as she remembered how abandoned she’d been with Lewis. ‘Not in public,’ she said shortly.
    ‘Then we must get together in private,’ responded Chris.
    Rowena frowned at him and turned to Lewis. ‘Shall we eat? I’m exhausted and need an early night.’
    He rang the small bell set in the middle of the table. The maid responded promptly, as she always did, and Harriet was extremely thankful when the food was served. She knew it was ridiculous to worry, that Rowena couldn’t possibly know that had happened between her and Lewis that afternoon, but there was a distinctly strained atmosphere in the room and all she wanted to do was get away from the three of them.
    The meal began with asparagus soup, followed by prawns and salmon in a delicious mayonnaise sauce served with a green salad and new potatoes. After that they all had slices of the cook’s superb tarte citronne, then finally cheese and biscuits and coffee.
    As usual Lewis ate well, while Rowena merely picked at the main course, pushed her dessert aside after one mouthful and ignored the cheese and biscuits.
    ‘No appetite?’ asked Chris, smiling at his half-sister as though at some private joke.
    ‘I’ve put on three pounds. I need to be careful,’ responded Rowena, glaring at him.
    Lewis looked surprised. ‘I didn’t think you’d put on weight, in fact quite the reverse.’
    ‘I’m flattered you’ve had time to notice,’ retorted Rowena sharply.
    ‘That’s not fair,’ said Chris. ‘You know how important this project is to Lewis. He’s been working hard on it all day, haven’t you, Lew?’
    His brother-in-law looked directly at him, his eyes cool. ‘What do you mean by that?’
    ‘Just that you’ve been busy!’
    ‘No busier than you, I imagine. Harriet told me you were going over a script with Rowena. Was it good?’
    Chris shrugged. ‘Not really. We’ve binned it.’
    ‘Do let me look before it gets thrown away. I might know someone who could use it.’
    ‘I shredded it,’ said Rowena.
    ‘Goodness, it must have been bad!’ laughed Lewis.
    Harriet kept her eyes on her plate. She knew now that she wasn’t mistaken. The other three were definitely sniping at each other beneath the cover of normal conversation and her own guilty conscience made the situation even worse.
    ‘What shops did you wander round?’ demanded Rowena abruptly.
    Harriet swallowed her last fragment of cheese.‘I… Bond Street.’
    ‘You mean there’s a shop called Bond Street? I must go there.’
    ‘No, of course there isn’t a shop. I meant I wandered up and down Bond Street.’
    ‘Was it busy?’
    ‘Bond Street’s always busy,’ said Harriet calmly, but her stomach was churning as Rowena’s questions continued.
    ‘I think Harriet’s private life is her own affair, Rowena,’ said Lewis suddenly. ‘If you’re really tired, darling, do you want to go up to bed now?’
    Rowena nodded. ‘I think I will. I’ll take a pill and go straight to sleep. Perhaps you wouldn’t mind sleeping in your own room tonight.’
    Lewis nodded. ‘As you like. I’ve got a lot to do before I go up, so that way I won’t have to worry about disturbing you.’
    Rowena stood up. She looked at Harriet and opened her mouth to speak. ‘Good night, Rowena,’ said Lewis sharply. At the sound of his voice she turned her head towards him, met his warning glance and quickly left the room.
    ‘Not a good day for her, I’m afraid,’ said Chris with an