Read Online The Scent of Almonds: A Novella by Camilla Läckberg - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Camilla Läckberg
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‘What will Harald and Britten say when they hear that Bernard has accused Matte of murdering Ruben?’ asked Vivi anxiously as she fidgeted on the sofa.
‘Who the hell cares what they say?’ replied Gustav, still swirling the cognac in his glass. ‘Matte is clearly an unstable and aggressive individual. It’s not much of a stretch to picture him as the most likely candidate.’
‘But a murderer …’ said Vivi, giving Miranda a pleading look.
‘I have to agree with Mamma,’ Miranda said, to her own surprise. It was rare for her to see eye to eye with Vivi, but for once they seemed to be on the same side. ‘I know that I was the one who planted the seed, but … no. Matte as a cold-blooded killer? That doesn’t feel right at all.’
‘Women!’ snorted Gustav, taking a gulp of the golden liquid before continuing. ‘You’re always so gullible. What do you think a murderer looks like? A crazy man with a big beard and lots of tattoos? Personally, I reckon Matte is more than capable of killing someone.’ With a smug expression, he leaned back in his chair, apparently thinking he’d had the last word.
Miranda and Vivi exchanged a glance. Both sensed that this was not good. Not good at all.
‘Did we make a mistake?’ asked Britten quietly. She and Harald had retreated to the dining room to escape from the rest of the family for a while. Both Matte and Lisette had stormed upstairs to their rooms. Gustav and his family were in the library, no doubt gloating over all the commotion. And out of the corner of her eye Britten could see Martin Molin in the kitchen, talking to the hotel owners. Harald was sitting across from her, his face such an ashen grey colour that she instantly grew concerned.
‘Are you all right?’ she said, placing her hand over Harald’s. He smiled, but it was a strained smile.
‘Don’t worry about me.’
‘You know that I can’t help worrying.’
‘Yes, I know.’ Harald smiled again and then pulled his hand back so he could place it on top of hers. He meant the gesture to be reassuring, but it wasn’t.
‘I’ve made some fresh coffee. Help yourselves,’ said Kerstin as she went over to the sideboard to set down a tray holding a thermos jug and cups. Then she returned to the kitchen.
‘Would you like some?’ Britten asked her husband as she stood up and moved towards the sideboard. Harald nodded, so she filled two cups. Black for herself, and milk with two lumps of sugar for Harald. She’d spent years trying to get him to stop putting sugar in his coffee, but in the end she’d realized that it was a battle she couldn’t win.
‘You didn’t forget the sugar, did you?’ asked Harald, giving his coffee a suspicious look.
Britten smiled. ‘No, sweetheart. I didn’t forget the sugar.’ They knew each other so well.
She took a few sips of her coffee and then repeated her initial question. ‘Did we make a mistake?’
‘You mean with Matte?’ Harald stirred his coffee to dissolve the sugar.
‘With Matte and Lisette. She’s right, you know. We’ve neglected her. Matte always got so much attention, whereas she was forever being told to be a good girl and help out. We left her to manage on her own. But she didn’t – manage on her own, I mean. And she still can’t.’
‘What should we have done instead?’ replied Harald wearily, rubbing his face. ‘Matte required more from us. We did the best that we could.’
‘Are you sure?’ said Britten. Her eyes were shiny with tears. ‘Did we really do our best? Couldn’t we have tried harder? Tried to help them both? Given Lisette the time and the attention that she deserved? Now I’m afraid it’s too late.’
Harald fixed his eyes on his coffee as he shook his head. ‘I suppose I could have worked less …’ he said. Britten realized that this was the first time she’d ever heard him mention that possibility. She thought of all the times she’d told him that he didn’t need to work so hard,
‘What will Harald and Britten say when they hear that Bernard has accused Matte of murdering Ruben?’ asked Vivi anxiously as she fidgeted on the sofa.
‘Who the hell cares what they say?’ replied Gustav, still swirling the cognac in his glass. ‘Matte is clearly an unstable and aggressive individual. It’s not much of a stretch to picture him as the most likely candidate.’
‘But a murderer …’ said Vivi, giving Miranda a pleading look.
‘I have to agree with Mamma,’ Miranda said, to her own surprise. It was rare for her to see eye to eye with Vivi, but for once they seemed to be on the same side. ‘I know that I was the one who planted the seed, but … no. Matte as a cold-blooded killer? That doesn’t feel right at all.’
‘Women!’ snorted Gustav, taking a gulp of the golden liquid before continuing. ‘You’re always so gullible. What do you think a murderer looks like? A crazy man with a big beard and lots of tattoos? Personally, I reckon Matte is more than capable of killing someone.’ With a smug expression, he leaned back in his chair, apparently thinking he’d had the last word.
Miranda and Vivi exchanged a glance. Both sensed that this was not good. Not good at all.
‘Did we make a mistake?’ asked Britten quietly. She and Harald had retreated to the dining room to escape from the rest of the family for a while. Both Matte and Lisette had stormed upstairs to their rooms. Gustav and his family were in the library, no doubt gloating over all the commotion. And out of the corner of her eye Britten could see Martin Molin in the kitchen, talking to the hotel owners. Harald was sitting across from her, his face such an ashen grey colour that she instantly grew concerned.
‘Are you all right?’ she said, placing her hand over Harald’s. He smiled, but it was a strained smile.
‘Don’t worry about me.’
‘You know that I can’t help worrying.’
‘Yes, I know.’ Harald smiled again and then pulled his hand back so he could place it on top of hers. He meant the gesture to be reassuring, but it wasn’t.
‘I’ve made some fresh coffee. Help yourselves,’ said Kerstin as she went over to the sideboard to set down a tray holding a thermos jug and cups. Then she returned to the kitchen.
‘Would you like some?’ Britten asked her husband as she stood up and moved towards the sideboard. Harald nodded, so she filled two cups. Black for herself, and milk with two lumps of sugar for Harald. She’d spent years trying to get him to stop putting sugar in his coffee, but in the end she’d realized that it was a battle she couldn’t win.
‘You didn’t forget the sugar, did you?’ asked Harald, giving his coffee a suspicious look.
Britten smiled. ‘No, sweetheart. I didn’t forget the sugar.’ They knew each other so well.
She took a few sips of her coffee and then repeated her initial question. ‘Did we make a mistake?’
‘You mean with Matte?’ Harald stirred his coffee to dissolve the sugar.
‘With Matte and Lisette. She’s right, you know. We’ve neglected her. Matte always got so much attention, whereas she was forever being told to be a good girl and help out. We left her to manage on her own. But she didn’t – manage on her own, I mean. And she still can’t.’
‘What should we have done instead?’ replied Harald wearily, rubbing his face. ‘Matte required more from us. We did the best that we could.’
‘Are you sure?’ said Britten. Her eyes were shiny with tears. ‘Did we really do our best? Couldn’t we have tried harder? Tried to help them both? Given Lisette the time and the attention that she deserved? Now I’m afraid it’s too late.’
Harald fixed his eyes on his coffee as he shook his head. ‘I suppose I could have worked less …’ he said. Britten realized that this was the first time she’d ever heard him mention that possibility. She thought of all the times she’d told him that he didn’t need to work so hard,
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