who knows what a woman was capable of when confronted by such an ugly betrayal.
If Tess was guilty of murder, she hated to think what might happen to the young girl once the inspector got his talons into her. Far better that Elizabeth get a confession out of her first, and then present the result to the inspector herself. Perhaps put in a good word for Tess. She wasn’t looking forward to the task. It was so tragic to think that a beautiful young woman could have possibly ruined her entire life.
The Winterhalters had already been served breakfast in the dining room, and Rodney still sat at the table, a newspaper spread out in front of him. He rose as Elizabeth entered the room and waited for her to sit before reseating himself.
“What’s the latest news?” Elizabeth asked, as he started to close the newspaper.
“The Germans have retreated from Anzio.” He tapped the newspaper with his finger. “It’s only a matter of time before Rome will be liberated.”
So many times she’d heard positive news from the front, only to hear of a setback soon after. Nowadays, everyone was afraid to hope, even though it seemed the tide might be turning at last. “Do you think we are seeing an end approach?” she asked cautiously, not really expecting a positive answer.
Rodney shook his head. “The Germans are not going to give up that easily. I have a bad feeling that they’ve got something up their sleeve. If we don’t invade Europe soon and get this war over with, we could be in for a good deal of trouble.”
Elizabeth sighed. “It’s hard to believe the war has dragged on this long. Five years. Who would have thought it could last so long.”
Rodney nodded, his bleak expression chilling Elizabeth’s bones. “Let’s just hope it doesn’t last another five years.”
The thought was so depressing, she dismissed it from her mind. Besides, right now there was an immediate concern that had to be addressed. She hated to heap more worry on him when he looked so downcast, but the problem had to be faced, and as soon as possible. She took a deep breath. “Rodney, we really need to talk to Tess about what happened to Mr. Sutcliffe.”
He seemed to stir himself with an effort, and his face was drawn with anguish when he looked at her. “I know. That damn inspector will be here soon, and I dread the thought of what will happen to her.”
“You think she was responsible for his death.”
It was a statement rather than a question. He buried his face in his hands for a long moment, then slowly withdrew them. “I knew that wretched man spelled disaster from the first moment I set eyes on him. I tried to warn Tess, but she wouldn’t listen to reason. She has my temper . . . I don’t know ...”
“Why don’t I talk to her,” Elizabeth said, her heart going out to the distraught man. “Where is she?”
“With her mother.” He looked up, his eyes dull with pain. “I don’t know what Daphne will do. Tess is all we have . . .”
“Let us not assume the worst until we know the truth.” Elizabeth rose, bringing Rodney to his feet. “I’ll send your wife down to you. I’d rather talk to Tess alone.”
He gave her a brief nod. “Very well. I’ll think of something to tell her.”
She left him alone with his agony, her heart aching.
A few minutes later, she found Tess alone. Daphne, it appeared, had felt the need for some fresh air and was taking a walk. Tess sat fully dressed on the edge of the bed, as if at a loss as to what to do next.
She looked terribly frail and helpless. Her dark eyes seemed to have sunk into her head, and the hollows in her cheeks were even more pronounced.
Elizabeth had to stifle the urge to put her arms around the child and hug her. “I thought we’d have a little chat,” she said, when the young girl invited her to sit down. “I know you lied last night, when you said you didn’t know who went into Brian’s room with him.”
A large tear squeezed out of Tess’s eye and
If Tess was guilty of murder, she hated to think what might happen to the young girl once the inspector got his talons into her. Far better that Elizabeth get a confession out of her first, and then present the result to the inspector herself. Perhaps put in a good word for Tess. She wasn’t looking forward to the task. It was so tragic to think that a beautiful young woman could have possibly ruined her entire life.
The Winterhalters had already been served breakfast in the dining room, and Rodney still sat at the table, a newspaper spread out in front of him. He rose as Elizabeth entered the room and waited for her to sit before reseating himself.
“What’s the latest news?” Elizabeth asked, as he started to close the newspaper.
“The Germans have retreated from Anzio.” He tapped the newspaper with his finger. “It’s only a matter of time before Rome will be liberated.”
So many times she’d heard positive news from the front, only to hear of a setback soon after. Nowadays, everyone was afraid to hope, even though it seemed the tide might be turning at last. “Do you think we are seeing an end approach?” she asked cautiously, not really expecting a positive answer.
Rodney shook his head. “The Germans are not going to give up that easily. I have a bad feeling that they’ve got something up their sleeve. If we don’t invade Europe soon and get this war over with, we could be in for a good deal of trouble.”
Elizabeth sighed. “It’s hard to believe the war has dragged on this long. Five years. Who would have thought it could last so long.”
Rodney nodded, his bleak expression chilling Elizabeth’s bones. “Let’s just hope it doesn’t last another five years.”
The thought was so depressing, she dismissed it from her mind. Besides, right now there was an immediate concern that had to be addressed. She hated to heap more worry on him when he looked so downcast, but the problem had to be faced, and as soon as possible. She took a deep breath. “Rodney, we really need to talk to Tess about what happened to Mr. Sutcliffe.”
He seemed to stir himself with an effort, and his face was drawn with anguish when he looked at her. “I know. That damn inspector will be here soon, and I dread the thought of what will happen to her.”
“You think she was responsible for his death.”
It was a statement rather than a question. He buried his face in his hands for a long moment, then slowly withdrew them. “I knew that wretched man spelled disaster from the first moment I set eyes on him. I tried to warn Tess, but she wouldn’t listen to reason. She has my temper . . . I don’t know ...”
“Why don’t I talk to her,” Elizabeth said, her heart going out to the distraught man. “Where is she?”
“With her mother.” He looked up, his eyes dull with pain. “I don’t know what Daphne will do. Tess is all we have . . .”
“Let us not assume the worst until we know the truth.” Elizabeth rose, bringing Rodney to his feet. “I’ll send your wife down to you. I’d rather talk to Tess alone.”
He gave her a brief nod. “Very well. I’ll think of something to tell her.”
She left him alone with his agony, her heart aching.
A few minutes later, she found Tess alone. Daphne, it appeared, had felt the need for some fresh air and was taking a walk. Tess sat fully dressed on the edge of the bed, as if at a loss as to what to do next.
She looked terribly frail and helpless. Her dark eyes seemed to have sunk into her head, and the hollows in her cheeks were even more pronounced.
Elizabeth had to stifle the urge to put her arms around the child and hug her. “I thought we’d have a little chat,” she said, when the young girl invited her to sit down. “I know you lied last night, when you said you didn’t know who went into Brian’s room with him.”
A large tear squeezed out of Tess’s eye and
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