Read Online The Young Widow by Cassandra Chan - Free Book Online Page A

“It’s lucky whoever built that Victorian horror didn’t just pull this down.”
    â€œProbably just a farmhouse here in the beginning,” agreed Carmichael. “There are McAllister’s rhododendrons,” he added. “I see he hasn’t started digging them up yet.”
    â€œDid you really get the impression he ever intended to?” asked Gibbons and Carmichael chuckled.
    Marion Berowne answered the door herself. She was about thirty-five, a tall, well-turned-out woman, who had been very handsome before her face had come to look so strained.

    She led them into the drawing room and said, “I must ask you not to speak too loudly—my son is having his nap upstairs.” Her voice was pleasantly husky.
    â€œOf course, Mrs. Berowne.” Carmichael smiled at her. “Mine are grown now, but I remember how it used to be at nap time.”
    She smiled back and thanked him, but the smile did not reach her eyes.
    â€œWe’d just like to go over the statement you made to Commander Andrews,” said Carmichael, settling himself in an armchair.
    She made a little gesture. “It was really a perfectly ordinary day,” she said. “Paul went over to the main house for breakfast, and Mrs. Simmons came in while I was feeding Edwin in the kitchen. She went up to the schoolroom—she always does that first, so I can have a place to keep Edwin out of her way. When I’d finished in the kitchen, I took Edwin up there, and we were still there when Aunt Maddie rang looking for Paul.”
    â€œSo your husband did not return here during the morning?”
    She flushed. “He came back to call the office, but I didn’t see him—I was already up in the schoolroom. I didn’t realize he hadn’t gone up to Town.” He voice was faintly bitter. “I told Maddie he was at the office, but she said no, he’d had car trouble and was probably at the garage.”
    It struck all her listeners as odd that Paul Berowne should not have told his wife where he was. She was clearly embarrassed by her ignorance, which begged the question of whether Berowne’s action had been deliberate.
    â€œDo the schoolroom windows overlook the path to the postern?” asked Carmichael.
    She shook her head. “No, I’m afraid not. It’s on the other side of the house.” She gestured again. “I’m sorry I can’t be more help, but, really, I thought it was a perfectly ordinary day until Aunt Maddie rang up.”
    Carmichael nodded. “We’ve been told,” he said carefully, “that
of late there had been some disagreements between your husband and his father over the business. Can you tell us anything about that?”
    â€œOnly that they had them,” she answered. “I don’t really know much about the company itself. Geoffrey still put in an appearance at the office once or twice a week and I know they had a row there once. Paul was quite upset about it—he said the staff would never learn to respect him if Geoffrey was going to tick him off in front of everybody.” She paused. “Geoffrey had a bit of a temper at times,” she added. “Not violent or anything, but he’d just burst out when anything distressed him.”
    â€œDid he ever make threats—even threats he didn’t mean?”
    â€œThreats?” She looked puzzled. “I don’t think so. He’d just rant a bit, really.”
    â€œI see,” said Carmichael. “Did your husband get on well with his father outside of business?”
    â€œYes, of course. Paul’s an only child so he and Geoffrey were very close.”
    â€œI understood there had been some tension over Mr. Berowne’s remarriage.”
    She smiled ruefully. “It was not generally well-received. Geoffrey was rather hurt; he couldn’t understand why the rest of us didn’t take to dear, sweet little Annette.” Her voice was