Allegra Fairweather_ Paranormal Investigator - Janni Nell [42]
“The storm has abated,” he said. “You can return to the village this morning.” He tried valiantly but failed to keep the note of pleasure out of his voice.
“Thank you for letting us stay,” I said. It seemed an appropriate response.
Lady Justina replied, “It was a pleasure.” There was no doubting the sincerity of her words.
Sir Alastair gave her a disapproving glance.
“You have such a beautiful home,” I said, hoping Sir Alastair wouldn’t see where I was going with this. “You must be very happy living here. My mother lives in a large house now that she’s married to The Senator. She says it’s way too large for the two of them. That it needs to be filled with grandchildren. I’m a bit of a disappointment in that respect but my sister’s doing the right thing. She’s going to have a baby next year.” I probably sounded as though I was rambling. Sir Alastair was all but rolling his eyes, but I was priming him for my next question. “Do you have grandchildren, Sir Alastair?”
He looked at me as if I was crazy. “Grandchildren? I don’t even have children.”
Lady Justina fidgeted in her chair.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “I’ve embarrassed you. I just thought that—um—Sir Alastair, you might have been married before.”
“You’re correct in that assumption,” he said. “But sadly my first wife and I never had children. Flora died some years ago.”
“Forgive me for prying.” I hoped I sounded more sincere than I felt.
“Think nothing of it,” he replied with an equal lack of sincerity. I had the feeling he would not only remember my prying but try to get even with me at some future date.
Casper chose that moment to appear. Looking appropriately angelic he heaped a huge amount of food on his plate, including lambs fry and kidneys. He devoured everything while I finished my second cup of coffee.
After breakfast we once again thanked our hosts for their hospitality and headed back to Furness.
Casper disappeared before we reached the outskirts but I continued down Loch Road until I reached Mac’s. The front door was locked so I headed around the back and into the kitchen.
Douglas was nowhere in sight but Bess was unloading the dishwasher. I picked up a tea towel to help her polish the glasses.
“Thanks,” she said. Her voice was thick with sorrow.
“What’s up?”
“Nothing.” She stifled a sob.
Bess was a strong, tough-as-nails Scottish woman. She wasn’t the type to cry easily.
I touched her shoulder half expecting my offer of comfort to be rebuffed. To my surprise she collapsed sobbing in my arms. I patted her back and let her cry.
When her sobs subsided, I said, “You liked McEwen, didn’t you?”
She nodded and blew her nose on a tissue. She didn’t need any prompting to say, “We’d been very close. I thought he was in love with me. Then Justina arrived and I realized Angus had just been using me for sex.”
I asked gently, “Did he tell you he had fallen in love with her?”
“That’s what he said. But it was more than love. His feelings for Justina were what they used to call a grand passion. He was so besotted with her he dinnae—couldn’t—even make love to me anymore.” She hugged herself, bending forward as though she had a pain in her belly.
“Men can be so shallow,” she continued, “falling for a pretty face when there’s a perfectly good woman—maybe not so pretty or young—but a good woman willing to cook and clean, willing to put them to bed when they’re drunk and never mention it in the morning.”
“Do you think Lady Justina had any feelings for Angus?”
Bess wiped her eyes, smudging her mascara. “I couldn’t say, but she obviously likes older men. Just look at Sir Alastair.”
“I don’t think she likes him very much,” I said.
“Who knows what she likes?” said Bess bitterly. “Justina’s a strange woman.”
“You’ve met her?”
Bess looked uncomfortable. She whispered, “Aye.”
I waited for her to go on. She chewed her lower lip. For a moment I thought