Callander Square by Anne Perry Read Free Book Online Page B

deal of fun,” she pursued.
    “No, indeed.” Sophie looked her up and down and moved a little closer. Emily knew a confidence was coming and her blood tingled with excitement. She smiled encouragingly.
    “She is very,” Sophie hesitated, “attracted—to Brandy Balantyne. So charming, Brandy. I swear if I were not simply devoted to Freddie, I should be quite in love with him myself!”
    Emily took a deep breath, her heart beating in her throat.
    “You mean,” she said in wonder, “she is having an affair with Brandy?”
    Sophie held up her finger to her lips, but her eyes were dancing. “And she is expecting!” she added. “About the third month!”

THREE
    I T WAS THREE DAYS before Emily could visit Charlotte and report to her on the Friday afternoon party and deliver her astounding news. The weekend was quite out of the question, not only because George had arranged for them several engagements: a day at the races on Saturday, and then dinner with friends, and on Sunday a society wedding in the midafternoon and the inevitable celebration afterward; but also, of course, because Pitt would be at home. Having reached the rank of inspector, he was not required to work at such times unless he were pursuing a most urgent case. The deaths of two babies, probably illegitimate and some servant girl’s, would not fall in that category.
    Emily was in no way ashamed of what she was doing, but she preferred that Pitt should remain unaware of it, at least for the time being.
    However, by Monday morning she could contain herself no longer, and took the unprecedented step of calling for her carriage at ten o’clock and having herself driven directly to Charlotte’s house.
    Charlotte was both incredulous and amused. She opened the door herself, in a plain stuff dress and apron.
    “Emily! What in goodness’ name are you doing here?” There was no need to ask if some disaster had brought her, her face was glowing with excitement; indeed Charlotte could not remember having seen such a look of satisfaction on her face since Emily had announced that she was going to marry George Ashworth: not that he had known it at the time, of course.
    “I have the most devastating news!” Emily said, almost willing Charlotte out of the way so she could enter. “You will hardly believe it when I tell you.”
    Charlotte summed up the nature of her news immediately.
    “Detecting agrees with you more than I expected,” she said with wide eyes. “Perhaps you should have married Thomas, not I!”
    Emily stared at her with withering reluctance, and then dismay. It was quite a moment or two before she realized Charlotte was teasing her.
    “Why, Charlotte—you—” she could think of no word that both described her feelings, and was fit for the tongue of the lady she felt herself to be.
    Charlotte laughed.
    “Come in, tell me what you have detected, before you burst!”
    Emily had intended to drop her clues one by one, to extend the story to its utmost tension, but she could not bear it herself.
    “Euphemia Carlton is having an affair!” she said proudly. She waited for Charlotte’s amazement.
    Charlotte gratified her, widening her eyes and letting the duster fall from her hand.
    “There!” Emily shone with satisfaction. “Pitt hasn’t found that out, has he? The affair is with Brandy Balantyne, and that isn’t all!” She hesitated, for effect.
    Charlotte sat down.
    “Well?” she inquired.
    Emily sat beside her.
    “She is expecting! The third month!”
    Charlotte was genuinely impressed, and she was perfectly sure Pitt did not know any of this, whether it was actually relevant or not.
    “How do you know?” she asked. It seemed the oddest information to have come by on so short an acquaintance.
    “Sophie Bolsover told me. She is a silly, harmless creature, and does not seem to have the least notion of its meaning.”
    “Or else she knows it has no meaning,” Charlotte did not wish to burst the bubble of Emily’s excitement,