Read Online Murder by Appointment: Inspector Faro No.10 by Alanna Knight - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Alanna Knight
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face under a veiled bonnet. It could fit almost any well-off Irishwoman living here.'
As he spoke he watched his stepfather's expression change. He hadn't the heart to suggest what was in the forefront of his mind: someone like Imogen Crowe, the Irish writer they had encountered during one of Faro's earlier cases on the Borders at Elrigg Castle.
He guessed that Faro had been a little in love with her. She was to get in touch with him when her travels brought her back to Edinburgh. But when time passed without any letters or communication, Vince presumed that Faro had dismissed her from his mind as she had apparently dismissed him from hers.
Oddly enough, it was Olivia who had brought it all back to Vince. Just a week ago she had been shopping with the maid May and was certain she had seen Imogen.
'Imogen or someone very like her, sitting in Princes Street Gardens. I was tempted to go for a closer look, but she was obviously waiting for someone and as I was trying to make up my mind, a young man came along and greeted her. He sat beside her and took her hand. They were obviously well acquainted. So I turned May round, made some excuse and hurried in the opposite direction.'
'Why on earth—!'
'My dear, I simply didn't want to intrude. How embarrassing, especially if she wasn't Imogen or, worse, was—and didn't remember me!'
'But you were friends, for heaven's sake.'
Olivia sighed. 'We did exchange a letter or two after Elrigg. I liked her very much, I even read her books and told her how much I enjoyed them—'
As Vince listened he thought that Imogen had perhaps written back only in politeness, answering a fan letter. But tactfully he refrained from mentioning it. Not for the world would he disillusion his darling Olivia.
'I sent her an invitation to our wedding, which she never even acknowledged.' Olivia sighed. 'Such a shame. The perfect opportunity for her to be reunited with your stepfather. I was vexed they hadn't kept in touch after Elrigg.'
'You are a wicked little matchmaker,' said Vince, smiling at her tenderly.
'I know,' she laughed shamelessly. 'But I do wish and you know it would be a good thing—if the dear man remarried. All those good looks, that kind heart, going to waste.'
'He'd hate to hear you saying that about him. It's not how he sees himself at all. Anyway, Livvy, I don't think marriage is for him. He's married already—to the City Police. If only you knew how he reproached himself for neglecting my mother—'
'That was quite a long time ago,' Olivia reminded him. 'And it wouldn't have saved her life, poor soul. After all, she didn't exactly die of his neglect, having his baby.'
Now remembering Olivia's words and regarding his stepfa ther's remote expression, Vince quickly changed the subject to Rose and Lachlan Brown. He and Olivia had invited them to the Café Royal for lunch the previous day.
'We were sorry you couldn't be with us. It was quite an eye- opener. The two of them, I mean, quite besotted with each other I'd say.'
Faro's face clouded. The reason he had declined the invitation was precisely that. He dreaded seeing the young couple falling in love.
'There's definitely something in the air. Livvy's very good at spotting that sort of thing. I have learned that she's seldom wrong, so we can take her word for it.'
'Early days, surely?' Faro interposed. 'After two or three meetings.'
Watching him solemnly, Vince said, 'You don't look as if you welcome this new suitor, Stepfather.'
Faro did not reply, his expression enigmatic. Vince sighed. 'I'll be frank with you, I thought the idea was always that she should also forgo and forget Danny.'
Again Faro was silent and Vince continued cautiously, 'Any further developments there that we don't know about?'
'Rose doesn't talk about him,' Faro admitted reluctantly. 'It's the one point of disharmony between us. She knows that I cannot conceal my feelings about this relationship, the nearest we have ever come to a quarrel. So now his
As he spoke he watched his stepfather's expression change. He hadn't the heart to suggest what was in the forefront of his mind: someone like Imogen Crowe, the Irish writer they had encountered during one of Faro's earlier cases on the Borders at Elrigg Castle.
He guessed that Faro had been a little in love with her. She was to get in touch with him when her travels brought her back to Edinburgh. But when time passed without any letters or communication, Vince presumed that Faro had dismissed her from his mind as she had apparently dismissed him from hers.
Oddly enough, it was Olivia who had brought it all back to Vince. Just a week ago she had been shopping with the maid May and was certain she had seen Imogen.
'Imogen or someone very like her, sitting in Princes Street Gardens. I was tempted to go for a closer look, but she was obviously waiting for someone and as I was trying to make up my mind, a young man came along and greeted her. He sat beside her and took her hand. They were obviously well acquainted. So I turned May round, made some excuse and hurried in the opposite direction.'
'Why on earth—!'
'My dear, I simply didn't want to intrude. How embarrassing, especially if she wasn't Imogen or, worse, was—and didn't remember me!'
'But you were friends, for heaven's sake.'
Olivia sighed. 'We did exchange a letter or two after Elrigg. I liked her very much, I even read her books and told her how much I enjoyed them—'
As Vince listened he thought that Imogen had perhaps written back only in politeness, answering a fan letter. But tactfully he refrained from mentioning it. Not for the world would he disillusion his darling Olivia.
'I sent her an invitation to our wedding, which she never even acknowledged.' Olivia sighed. 'Such a shame. The perfect opportunity for her to be reunited with your stepfather. I was vexed they hadn't kept in touch after Elrigg.'
'You are a wicked little matchmaker,' said Vince, smiling at her tenderly.
'I know,' she laughed shamelessly. 'But I do wish and you know it would be a good thing—if the dear man remarried. All those good looks, that kind heart, going to waste.'
'He'd hate to hear you saying that about him. It's not how he sees himself at all. Anyway, Livvy, I don't think marriage is for him. He's married already—to the City Police. If only you knew how he reproached himself for neglecting my mother—'
'That was quite a long time ago,' Olivia reminded him. 'And it wouldn't have saved her life, poor soul. After all, she didn't exactly die of his neglect, having his baby.'
Now remembering Olivia's words and regarding his stepfa ther's remote expression, Vince quickly changed the subject to Rose and Lachlan Brown. He and Olivia had invited them to the Café Royal for lunch the previous day.
'We were sorry you couldn't be with us. It was quite an eye- opener. The two of them, I mean, quite besotted with each other I'd say.'
Faro's face clouded. The reason he had declined the invitation was precisely that. He dreaded seeing the young couple falling in love.
'There's definitely something in the air. Livvy's very good at spotting that sort of thing. I have learned that she's seldom wrong, so we can take her word for it.'
'Early days, surely?' Faro interposed. 'After two or three meetings.'
Watching him solemnly, Vince said, 'You don't look as if you welcome this new suitor, Stepfather.'
Faro did not reply, his expression enigmatic. Vince sighed. 'I'll be frank with you, I thought the idea was always that she should also forgo and forget Danny.'
Again Faro was silent and Vince continued cautiously, 'Any further developments there that we don't know about?'
'Rose doesn't talk about him,' Faro admitted reluctantly. 'It's the one point of disharmony between us. She knows that I cannot conceal my feelings about this relationship, the nearest we have ever come to a quarrel. So now his
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