Allegra Fairweather_ Paranormal Investigator - Janni Nell [84]
Instead I said quickly, before the door closed in my face, “It’s really important. I have to speak to her tonight.”
“I’m afraid that’s impossible. She’s not at home.”
“Where is she?” When Phillips didn’t answer, I could no longer keep the desperation from my voice. “This is really urgent. Please. Let me speak to her.” I don’t know why I thought Phillips would help me. He was Sir Alastair’s man, after all.
“Ms. Fairweather, I suggest you go home and collect yourself. If you return tomorrow, at a reasonable hour, I’m sure Lady Justina will—”
“You don’t understand.” Surely even Phillips wouldn’t want Justina to die. “This is a matter of life and death. Literally.”
“I’m sure that’s an exaggeration, Ms. Fairweather.”
“Listen, buddy, I’m not playing the drama queen for fun, okay?”
He raised an eyebrow ever so slightly, as though I had committed some horrible social faux pas.
“Go home,” he said, “or wherever you call home while you’re living in our country. Lady Justina cannot see you tonight.”
I stared at Phillips in exasperation. “You have to let me see her.”
“I am not preventing it,” he said snootily. “Lady Justina herself has expressed a wish that she is not to be disturbed this evening.”
“If she’s with Sir Alastair—” and wasn’t that where she was every night? “—I’m sure she’ll speak to me for a moment.”
Phillips drew himself up to his full height and tried to look down at me. “Although you have no right to know this, I assure you Lady Justina is not with Sir Alastair. She wants to spend the evening alone.”
Was he lying or telling the truth? I sensed he was telling the truth. There was only one reason Justina would ask to be left alone tonight.
No! I couldn’t let her die.
“Out of my way,” I said. Taking Phillips by surprise, I barged into the hall.
His habitually scornful expression dissolved into alarm. Recovering quickly, he grabbed my arm and tried to steer me out the door.
“You’re trespassing, Ms. Fairweather. You have to leave.”
I tried to shake off his arm. “I’m not leaving here until I—”
Sir Alastair appeared from the drawing room. He’d probably been listening to everything we’d said.
“Let her go, Phillips. The least we can do is give her a drink before we send her out into the night.”
Then, with a reptilian smile, he beckoned me into the drawing room.
We sat, just Sir Alastair and me. He unstoppered a decanter of port and filled two glasses.
I said, “I have to speak with Lady Justina. It’s important.”
“I have no doubt it is,” he said as he handed me a glass. I waited for him to drink first. It had nothing to do with courtesy and everything to do with survival. Both drinks had been poured from the same decanter. If one was poisoned or drugged, they both were.
Sir Alastair took a large mouthful. I watched him swallow. Then, barely wetting my lips, I took a sip of my own drink.
“Can I speak with Lady Justina?”
Sir Alastair got to his feet and paced the room. He ran a hand through his hair as though he had recently suffered a catastrophic loss. I felt sick at the thought. Had Justina been unable to endure another night of his attentions?
He turned to face me. “This is very distressing, Allegra.” He took another large swallow of scotch. “My wife has gone.” His voice cracked. “I don’t know where she is.”
I met his eyes. Immediately I knew he was lying. Playing the deserted husband didn’t suit him. He was too proud of his young wife to make it real. He knew where she was. But was she dead or alive?
I wanted to rattle him, so I asked bluntly, “Is she dead?”
He choked on his scotch. “Are you suggesting I killed her? Good God—after what I went through to win that creature, that’s the last thing I’d do. I want her with me always.”
“Sir Alastair,” I asked coldly, “has Justina committed suicide?”
His face paled. Obviously he had never considered the possibility, which meant he hadn’t found her body. A wave of relief swept through me. She might still be alive. But where was she?
Coolly Sir Alastair offered to top up my drink. I waved him away.
Pouring another