03 - Murder in Mink by Evelyn James Read Free Book Online Page A

cousins, how kind she was, how nice . That Tommy is a
cripple just makes it an extra bonus, ‘oh look how Glory takes care of the war
wounded!’ Didn’t you even wonder why she suddenly got in touch after all this
time?”
    “Ignore him.” Tommy said promptly, refusing to look at
Eustace, “This is his way of getting attention.”
    Clara did ignore him, she had more sense than to take Eustace’s
‘honesty’ at face value. But a little seed of doubt had been sown, perhaps not
even sown, perhaps just watered. Something deep down had always wondered if
there had been more to the sudden invite than the wedding. After all, they had been asked to stay at the house, how often were distant cousins given such
privilege?
    “Eustace, would you mind moving over to Laura’s side of
the church, we are uneven.” Glory had appeared like a Valkyrie ready to clash
shield and spear with a recalcitrant foe.
    Eustace scowled at her.
    “Yes, I mind. I don’t know anyone over there!”
    “You know great aunt Bess and her companion Irlene.”
    “Bess Campbell! You want me to sit next to that deaf old
post?”
    “Yes we need to make up the numbers on that side, else it
all looks rather awkward. Now come, come Eustace, you weren’t going to sit with
us anyway, so why make a fuss about moving?”
    “Typical! Typical!” Eustace pried himself from his seat
and started to edge away, “You have it in for me Glory!”
    “Nonsense! I’ve already asked cousins Bert and Freda to
move and they were very gracious about the matter.”
    Eustace launched himself into the aisle of the church,
already panting hard from the exertion. Glorianna carefully motioned him to an
opposite aisle, made the introductions to great aunt Bess and left him in her
mercy. She quickly returned to Clara and Tommy.
    “I’m so sorry about that Clara.”
    “No harm done.” Clara assured her.
    “He really drives me to distraction. You never know what
he will do next. And I’m sorry about you being so far back, this is really most
trying. I was assured by the vicar he would arrange somehow to accommodate
Tommy’s chair in the third row, but as you can see he completely forgot.” Glorianna
fanned herself with a hand, “I really wonder sometimes, I really wonder…”
    She was distracted by the whispered announcement the
bride had arrived and rushed back to her place.
    “Let the show commence.” Tommy said to his sister with a
slightly morose grin.
    Laura looked stunning as she appeared at the church
doors. The private viewing of the dress she had given to Clara at her house had
not done justice to the outfit designer. The slimming lines and low waist,
coupled with a hemline that revealed ankle and white shoes, turned the dress
into something a starlet might wear. It helped that Laura had the dainty figure
to accommodate its unforgiving cut. Her veil draped down behind her and spilled
out on the floor like a grand spider’s web. Minus one bridesmaid, the remaining
girl fought to keep the veil lifted and snag-free.
    Clara watched Laura walk up the aisle with a strange
flutter in her stomach. To be getting married to a man one loved so dearly in
that moment seemed the greatest of things. Clara found herself tight-throated
as Laura took her place by Andrew and looked up into his eyes with blissful
happiness. Would that ever be Clara? She tossed away the thought; it made her
angry getting so emotional and silly. She had her place in this world as did
everyone, so far it had been a rather lonely journey and with her twenty-fifth
birthday approaching hopes of it being otherwise were looking dim. But she had
other things and she was pleased with the life she had created for herself.
Still, there were so many missing; her mother, her father, those who had gone
to war and never come back. A tear rolled unnoticed down her cheek.
    Tommy reached out and took her hand, squeezing it hard.
She glanced at him, gave him a smile to assure him she was all right and then
held