Read Online Pardonable Lie by Jacqueline Winspear - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jacqueline Winspear
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people.” Hartnell reached forward, poured a small measure of still-hot tea from the pot into her teacup, and added milk. “You get it from your mother’s side, don’t you?”
“Miss Hartnell, I’m afraid—”
“No, you’re not afraid. You have no reason to be, because she walks with you. She’s always with you, your mother, watching over you.”
Maisie felt a lump grow in her throat. She felt protected against any darkness in the spirit world, but not in the most vulnerable places of her heart. She sat straighter, but Hartnell was ready.
“Yes, it’s one thing protecting oneself from the dead, but only too easy to forget the damage that the living can do, eh?” Hartnell smiled at Maisie, then at a place beyond Maisie’s shoulder, as if sharing a secret with another.
“You make a good point, Miss Hartnell.” Maisie was anxious to gain control of the conversation, though she wanted dearly to reach behind her chair, to touch, just once, the soft yet strong hand that had once grasped her own small one. Come on, Maisie, love, skip along, we’ve to be back from the park and have your dad’s tea on the table by five. Come along, my girl, come along, skip along with Mummy . Maisie spoke quickly before any more memories flooded into her mind’s eye. “Have you any information that might help me? I seek only to assist my client and to bring a measure of peace into his life.”
“And knowing will bring him peace?”
“I have, of course, suggested that peace may not come with such knowledge, but in the meantime I have a commitment to search for truth.”
Hartnell moved to the window and opened the blinds, using a pulley secured to the wall. She closed her eyes and turned to Maisie, her blond hair now haloed by a bright ring of sunlight. “I can tell you nothing more, Miss Dobbs, though I will say this: You would be advised to withdraw from the agreement immediately.”
“I have given my word.”
“Yes, I know. And you can’t abandon the girl either, can you?” Hartnell closed the blind and moved to the door. The meeting had ended.
Taken aback by the comment and her abrupt dismissal, Maisie stood, gathered her document case, and opened it to take out a calling card. She knew very well what Hartnell meant but would not acknowledge the accuracy of her words.
“Miss Hartnell, thank you for your time, it is most appreciated.” She held out her card. “Perhaps you would be so kind as to telephone me, should you think of anything that might assist me in my search for proof of Ralph Lawton’s death.”
Hartnell held the card in one hand, the doorhandle in the other. She glanced at the card. “Psychologist and investigator? Well, well, well….”
Maisie again said nothing and moved toward the now-open door.
“I have been asked to tell you two things, Miss Dobbs.”
“Yes?” Startled, Maisie turned quickly, her senses alert.
“First, that you look beyond the town, the town in the west country.”
Maisie nodded.
“The other is that you have two from the other side who protect you, though one has not passed over.” Hartnell closed her eyes. Maisie could hear the housekeeper’s footsteps as they click-clicked closer along the parquet hallway. “It is strange; he is between this world and the next: caught in life, yet his spirit wanders. It is so very sad.” Madeleine Hartnell did not say goodbye but left the room with tears in her eyes.
Maisie thanked Mrs. Kemp and left the flat at Dufrayne Court quickly. Slipping into the driver’s seat of the MG, she leaned back and exhaled deeply. Madeleine Hartnell was formidable, without doubt. Maisie placed her hand on the buckle at the front of her belted dress and took another, deeper, breath. Calm, become calm . A moment or two passed before Maisie leaned forward to start the engine. As she pulled away, she considered all she had learned about Madeleine Hartnell. She did not doubt that Hartnell had command of the abilities she claimed—indeed,
“Miss Hartnell, I’m afraid—”
“No, you’re not afraid. You have no reason to be, because she walks with you. She’s always with you, your mother, watching over you.”
Maisie felt a lump grow in her throat. She felt protected against any darkness in the spirit world, but not in the most vulnerable places of her heart. She sat straighter, but Hartnell was ready.
“Yes, it’s one thing protecting oneself from the dead, but only too easy to forget the damage that the living can do, eh?” Hartnell smiled at Maisie, then at a place beyond Maisie’s shoulder, as if sharing a secret with another.
“You make a good point, Miss Hartnell.” Maisie was anxious to gain control of the conversation, though she wanted dearly to reach behind her chair, to touch, just once, the soft yet strong hand that had once grasped her own small one. Come on, Maisie, love, skip along, we’ve to be back from the park and have your dad’s tea on the table by five. Come along, my girl, come along, skip along with Mummy . Maisie spoke quickly before any more memories flooded into her mind’s eye. “Have you any information that might help me? I seek only to assist my client and to bring a measure of peace into his life.”
“And knowing will bring him peace?”
“I have, of course, suggested that peace may not come with such knowledge, but in the meantime I have a commitment to search for truth.”
Hartnell moved to the window and opened the blinds, using a pulley secured to the wall. She closed her eyes and turned to Maisie, her blond hair now haloed by a bright ring of sunlight. “I can tell you nothing more, Miss Dobbs, though I will say this: You would be advised to withdraw from the agreement immediately.”
“I have given my word.”
“Yes, I know. And you can’t abandon the girl either, can you?” Hartnell closed the blind and moved to the door. The meeting had ended.
Taken aback by the comment and her abrupt dismissal, Maisie stood, gathered her document case, and opened it to take out a calling card. She knew very well what Hartnell meant but would not acknowledge the accuracy of her words.
“Miss Hartnell, thank you for your time, it is most appreciated.” She held out her card. “Perhaps you would be so kind as to telephone me, should you think of anything that might assist me in my search for proof of Ralph Lawton’s death.”
Hartnell held the card in one hand, the doorhandle in the other. She glanced at the card. “Psychologist and investigator? Well, well, well….”
Maisie again said nothing and moved toward the now-open door.
“I have been asked to tell you two things, Miss Dobbs.”
“Yes?” Startled, Maisie turned quickly, her senses alert.
“First, that you look beyond the town, the town in the west country.”
Maisie nodded.
“The other is that you have two from the other side who protect you, though one has not passed over.” Hartnell closed her eyes. Maisie could hear the housekeeper’s footsteps as they click-clicked closer along the parquet hallway. “It is strange; he is between this world and the next: caught in life, yet his spirit wanders. It is so very sad.” Madeleine Hartnell did not say goodbye but left the room with tears in her eyes.
Maisie thanked Mrs. Kemp and left the flat at Dufrayne Court quickly. Slipping into the driver’s seat of the MG, she leaned back and exhaled deeply. Madeleine Hartnell was formidable, without doubt. Maisie placed her hand on the buckle at the front of her belted dress and took another, deeper, breath. Calm, become calm . A moment or two passed before Maisie leaned forward to start the engine. As she pulled away, she considered all she had learned about Madeleine Hartnell. She did not doubt that Hartnell had command of the abilities she claimed—indeed,
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