A sudden, fearful death by Anne Perry Read Free Book Online Page A

was the trust between
them, and how much was Julia really misled? Did she suspect her sister of an
unwise dalliance? Was it all perhaps to protect her from Audley's moral outrage
if he thought she were less than a victim? "That is very kind of
you," he added, sitting in the chair she indicated.
    She rang the bell and dispatched
the maid to fetch the refreshments.
    Monk felt he owed Julia some
explanation for Audley, and racked his brain to think of an acceptable lie. To
say he had left something behind would be too transparent. Audley would be
suspicious immediately, so would Monk in his place. Dare he suggest an errand?
Would Julia be quick enough?
    But she preempted him.
    "I am afraid I have not got it
ready yet," she said, swallowing hard.
    "What ready?" Audley
asked, frowning at her.
    She turned to him with a guileless
smile. "Mr. Monk said he would be kind enough to take a small parcel back
to cousin Albert for me, but I have been remiss and it is not yet ready."
    "What are you sending to Albert?"
Audley demanded, frowning. "I didn't know you were so fond of him. You did
not give me that impression."
    "I suppose I am not,
really." She was elaborately casual, but Monk saw that her hands were
clenched tight. "It is a relationship I feel I should keep. After all, he
is family." She forced a smile. "I thought a small gift would be a
good beginning. Besides, he has several family records I should be most obliged
to share."
    "You have not mentioned this
before," he argued. "What records?"
    "Of our grandparents,"
Marianne put in quickly, her voice sharp. "They are his also, and since he
is older than we, he has memories which are far more vivid. I should like to
know more. After all, I never knew my mother. Julia was kind enough to suggest
cousin Albert might help."
    Audley drew breath to say something
further, then changed his mind. For a young woman utterly dependent upon him,
Marianne had a forthright manner and appeared to have little awe of him. Or
perhaps she was sufficiently devoted to Julia that she would have charged to
her defense regardless, and only thought of her own peril afterwards.
    "Very civil of you."
Audley disregarded her and nodded to Monk. "Are you from Halifax
also?"
    "No, Northumberland,"
Monk replied. "But I shall pass through on my way north." He was
getting deeper and deeper in the lie. He would have to post the parcel and hope
cousin Albert replied with the necessary information. Presumably if he did not,
they would use the excuse that he was obdurate.
    "Indeed." Audley
apparently had no further interest, and they were spared the necessity of small
talk by the arrival of the maid to announce that Mrs. Hylton had called and
wish to see Mrs. Penrose.
    She was shown in and arrived
looking flustered and full of curiosity. Both Monk and Audley rose to greet
her, but before they could speak she rushed into words, turning from one to
another of them.
    "Oh, Mr. Monk! I am so glad
you have not yet left. My dear Mrs. Penrose, how very pleasant to see you. Miss
Gillespie. I am so sorry about your experience, but I am quite sure it will
prove to have been no more than a stray cat or something of the sort. Mr.
Penrose. How are you?'
    "In good health, thank you,
Mrs. Hylton," Audley replied coolly. He turned to his sister-in-law.
"What experience is this? I have heard nothing!" He was very pale,
with two spots of color in his cheeks. His hands were clenched by his sides and
his knuckles showed white from the pressure.
    "Oh dear!" Mrs. Hylton
said hastily. "Perhaps I should not have spoken of it. I'm so sony. I hate
indiscretion, and here I am committing it"
    "What experience?" Audley
demanded again, his voice catching. "Julia?"
    "Oh ..." Julia was lost,
foundering. She dared not turn to Monk, or Audley would know she had confided
in him, if he did not guess already.
    "Only something in the bushes
in the garden," Monk said quickly. "Miss Gillespie feared it