Read Online Murder in Paradise by Alanna Knight - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Alanna Knight
Ads: Link
merely to burst out laughing at something outrageous Erland had whispered and the past of an Edinburgh courtroom momentarily blended into the present – a garden’s mellow sunshine, still warm for the winds of autumn had not yet stripped the trees.
Above their heads a robin sang, his sweet serenade adding to that feeling of peace and serenity, of time eternal. Red House, so newly built as a marriage home for William and Janey Morris and a family life still to come, had a sense of belonging to the landscape as if it had been here awaiting their arrival.
Faro bowed rather stiffly over Lena’s hand and, smiling, she made room for him on the rustic garden seat. It seemed impossible that she could not recognise him again, although there had been no smiles during their first encounter on that journey from the High Court to Slateford, meeting with her brother James, who would take her back to Glasgow and a reception from her stern father that beggared imagination.
Faro remembered her perfume, a delicate scent of some unknown flowers. The same perfume she still wore and again it touched his senses, his masculinity yearning for this strongly desirable woman. Her slender shape, her features delicate and sharply defined, she would be the perfect model for Rossetti, with a beauty of bone structure that would wear well with time and defy age.
Indeed she looked even younger than she had during the trial, just a mere slip of a girl. Impossible to imagine that the girl before him could have been capable of murdering anyone and against his will he felt a tinge of envy for Emile who had been her lover in the past and for Erland who had this new role in her life.
Erland. He was hardly listening to the radiant Erland saying, ‘This is a perfect day for me—’ and taking Lena’s hand he placed it in Jeremy’s, linking the two together. ‘You are to be the greatest friends – my wife and my cousin, who is also my dearest friend. If I was a God-fearing man, I would thank the good Lord for this extraordinary coincidence of bringing us together in Red House.’ He grinned. ‘In God’s absence, however, I shall have to thank Topsy Morris.’
Lena listened, smiling, and gently withdrew her hand. ‘It is good to meet you, Jeremy. And I share dear Erland’s sentiments.’
Did she recognise him? He thought it highly unlikely that she had been aware of his presence among the many onlookers at her trial. Apart from a polite inclination of her head, a thanks for his escort to Slateford, he had not heard her voice until now. A pleasant educated upper-class voice with only the faintest trace of a Scots accent.
‘Erland has told me of the marvellous coincidence of you being down here on business.’
Faro gave his friend a sharp glance as Lena said hastily, ‘Be assured that I shall be most discreet.’
Erland shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. What kind of business had he invented? Were there any secret hints that he was a policeman?
Lena was smiling, nodding towards the house. ‘Not a word to anyone, I promise. I hope you’ll complete your assignment but not too soon.’ Another tender smile at Erland this time. ‘Not until after our wedding or dearest Erland will be so disappointed. And so indeed will I, having met you.’
Quite a fulsome little speech, Faro decided, unable to think of a suitable response, burdened by his own terrible thoughts about the situation he had encountered which seemed more fraught with horror than any possible meeting with his hidden enemy Macheath.
‘We are all north Britons,’ said Erland, ‘although people do confuse Orkney with Scotland, don’t they, Jeremy?’
Faro looked at her. A sudden devil in him made him ask: ‘Do you know Edinburgh, Miss Hamilton?’
‘Lena, please.’ And looking up at the house as if the question required thought, she nodded vaguely. ‘Not really at all. I believe my parents took me there when I was a little girl but I have no memory of anything but the
Above their heads a robin sang, his sweet serenade adding to that feeling of peace and serenity, of time eternal. Red House, so newly built as a marriage home for William and Janey Morris and a family life still to come, had a sense of belonging to the landscape as if it had been here awaiting their arrival.
Faro bowed rather stiffly over Lena’s hand and, smiling, she made room for him on the rustic garden seat. It seemed impossible that she could not recognise him again, although there had been no smiles during their first encounter on that journey from the High Court to Slateford, meeting with her brother James, who would take her back to Glasgow and a reception from her stern father that beggared imagination.
Faro remembered her perfume, a delicate scent of some unknown flowers. The same perfume she still wore and again it touched his senses, his masculinity yearning for this strongly desirable woman. Her slender shape, her features delicate and sharply defined, she would be the perfect model for Rossetti, with a beauty of bone structure that would wear well with time and defy age.
Indeed she looked even younger than she had during the trial, just a mere slip of a girl. Impossible to imagine that the girl before him could have been capable of murdering anyone and against his will he felt a tinge of envy for Emile who had been her lover in the past and for Erland who had this new role in her life.
Erland. He was hardly listening to the radiant Erland saying, ‘This is a perfect day for me—’ and taking Lena’s hand he placed it in Jeremy’s, linking the two together. ‘You are to be the greatest friends – my wife and my cousin, who is also my dearest friend. If I was a God-fearing man, I would thank the good Lord for this extraordinary coincidence of bringing us together in Red House.’ He grinned. ‘In God’s absence, however, I shall have to thank Topsy Morris.’
Lena listened, smiling, and gently withdrew her hand. ‘It is good to meet you, Jeremy. And I share dear Erland’s sentiments.’
Did she recognise him? He thought it highly unlikely that she had been aware of his presence among the many onlookers at her trial. Apart from a polite inclination of her head, a thanks for his escort to Slateford, he had not heard her voice until now. A pleasant educated upper-class voice with only the faintest trace of a Scots accent.
‘Erland has told me of the marvellous coincidence of you being down here on business.’
Faro gave his friend a sharp glance as Lena said hastily, ‘Be assured that I shall be most discreet.’
Erland shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. What kind of business had he invented? Were there any secret hints that he was a policeman?
Lena was smiling, nodding towards the house. ‘Not a word to anyone, I promise. I hope you’ll complete your assignment but not too soon.’ Another tender smile at Erland this time. ‘Not until after our wedding or dearest Erland will be so disappointed. And so indeed will I, having met you.’
Quite a fulsome little speech, Faro decided, unable to think of a suitable response, burdened by his own terrible thoughts about the situation he had encountered which seemed more fraught with horror than any possible meeting with his hidden enemy Macheath.
‘We are all north Britons,’ said Erland, ‘although people do confuse Orkney with Scotland, don’t they, Jeremy?’
Faro looked at her. A sudden devil in him made him ask: ‘Do you know Edinburgh, Miss Hamilton?’
‘Lena, please.’ And looking up at the house as if the question required thought, she nodded vaguely. ‘Not really at all. I believe my parents took me there when I was a little girl but I have no memory of anything but the
Similar Books
