The Dead Songbird (The Northminster Mysteries) Read Online Free Page B

admirers.”
    “Especially female singers?”
    “Yes. Of course that is hard for my husband. It is an affront to his pride. So I do not speak to him of my letters, good or bad. I do not want to wound him unnecessarily, and these letters would make him angry. Perhaps that may seem strange to you, gentlemen, but really I have been trying to make light of this. I should have carried on like that,” she said, getting up. “Really, I have been wasting your time. After all, what can be done about this? I cannot send the police after a shadow who is trying to scare me out of my wits – but who has not succeeded.” She held out her hand to Felix, who stood still holding the letter in his hand. Before he knew what she had done, she had taken the letter from him. “This should go in the fire like the rest of them. And I will lose no more sleep.”
    She walked over to the fire with it, but the Major leapt up and stayed her hand.
    “Sir?” she said, in surprise.
    “If you burn it, I cannot catch him. And I will catch him. This cannot be allowed to pass.”
    “I would be happier if I could burn it,” she said. “And think it all nonsense. I want to laugh at this wretch, not fear him.” And she moved her hand again towards the fire, but the Major again stopped her. There was a slight struggle between them, the great fire blazing behind them, and the light of it cast strange shadows on her face, making her beauty seem more other-worldly than before.
    Suddenly she stepped back and yielded the letter to Major Vernon. She walked swiftly up the room away from them, then spun round, throwing up her hands.
    “Yes, yes, you are right. Of course. I concede, but please give me credit for my defiance. Tell me I have courage for being so careless!” and then dropped a low curtsey, as if she was on stage. As she began to rise from the curtsey, Felix met her eyes again and he could not help himself: he rushed forward and took her hand.
    “It is more than courage, ma’am. It is...”
    She did not allow him to hold her hand for more than a moment. She stepped back from him and turned again to Major Vernon.
    “It is less than courage,” she said. “It is foolish. I should have spoken to someone long ago. I have let it carry on too long. Thank you for making me see sense.”
    “I think we should begin by questioning your household,” the Major said. “These things often lie close at home. A disgruntled servant –”
    “I cannot think of anyone whom I might have offended. But perhaps I am a bad mistress. I am so busy with my work that sometimes these things may escape me. You should speak to my sister-in-law, Mrs Ridolfi. She engages the servants for me, and counts my sheets and is the repository of all our domestic virtue. She’s out in the garden now with my little boy.” she said, going to the window. As she looked out Felix saw her face light up and wondered what it might be like to be the recipient of her unfettered affection.
    “A handsome boy,” Major Vernon said. He was looking out of the other window. “How old is he?”
    “Harry is just three,” she said.
    “That’s a charming age.”
    “I have not yet found an age at which he did not charm me,” she said.
    The maid came into the room again.
    “Madame,” she said, “there is a policier at the door. He is asking for Major Vernon.”
    “If you’ll excuse me a moment,” said Major Vernon and left with the maid.
    Felix alone with her, felt dry-mouthed again and struggled to think what he might say. He could not make small talk about her child. He was longing to ask her how things stood with Lord Rothborough, but that was not a question that could be asked.
    She came away from the window and went to the piano, picking out a few notes as she stood there.
    “I need to send for a tuner,” she said.
    “Lord Rothborough would probably insist upon you using his man,” Felix said.
    “Yes, probably,” she said, glancing up at him for a moment. She played another