Pardonable Lie by Jacqueline Winspear Read Free Book Online Page B

revealed in Lawton’s voice, which had become quite loud. Instead of encountering a father crushed by the loss of his only son, Maisie found herself keen to temper his frustration and bitterness. As Lawton began to regain composure, Maisie stood up. “Sir Cecil, it is such a pleasant day today. I know this is somewhat unusual, but may we continue our discussion during a stroll around the square?”
    Lawton frowned. “Julian suggested I should expect you to have a somewhat irregular approach to such an inquiry.” He sighed and consulted his watch. “I can spare another half an hour.”
    Maisie stood up. “Then let us walk. Before I leave I would like the names of those your wife consulted in her quest to prove your son alive. I will need whatever information you have on Ralph’s service record and also, if you have further recollections of his friends, I will require the details. Please make a note of these things. Perhaps one of your assistants can begin to—”
    “Oh, no, Miss Dobbs. I will compile this collection of information myself.”
    Maisie nodded. “I will need to make arrangements to visit Ralph’s room in your house; even if it has been changed since his death, I’d like to see it. I will require any belongings that you have retained, for just a short time.” She paused and looked directly at Lawton. “And Sir Cecil, this is only the first of several discussions. There is much for me to learn, much for me to understand about Ralph. Now then, shall we?”
    Maisie stepped toward the door, but not before she had noticed the line of perspiration across Lawton’s forehead, and the shaking of his hands as he took out a handkerchief and held it against his brow. She would not press him too much during the walk. No, it was important to lure him back into her field of influence with lighter questions. But she would visit him again, and soon. For Maisie had understood something very quickly. Ralph Lawton had failed his father in some way, and Cecil Lawton, the famous Cecil Lawton, the great legal miracle worker, could not forgive him for it— even in death .

SIX
    Sir Cecil Lawton had furnished Maisie with several names, per her request, along with an invitation to visit both his Regent’s Park home and his country estate in Cambridgeshire, where Ralph had enjoyed school holidays. Billy and Doreen Beale had left Paddington Station for Taunton on the early morning train and, after lunch with Priscilla the following day, Friday, Maisie planned to drive to Chelstone, where she would visit her father, before continuing on to Hastings on Saturday morning. As Maisie considered the next two days, her inquiry plan taking shape on a large sheet of paper referred to as a case map , the telephone rang.
    “Fitzroy, five, six, double-oh,” said Maisie, leafing through a box of papers that had just arrived by messenger from Lawton’s chambers.
    “Maisie, darling, I thought I’d give you a quick ring.”
    “Hello, Andrew.” Maisie bit the inside of her lip. Though they had planned a day together, she felt torn, wanting to have time alone to consider the two cases now uppermost on her mind.
    “Oh, dear, I know that voice. You’re knee deep in a case and you want to be still and think about it for hours without any interruption, planned weekends with the unflappable Dr. Andrew Dene notwithstanding.” He paused briefly. “But, dear Maisie, I will hold you to your promise. In fact, I have a surprise for you, so I expect you at my door by eleven on Saturday morning.”
    Maisie smiled as she looked up from her papers, seeing Dene in her mind’s eye. His unruly hazelnut-brown hair would doubtless be flopping into his eyes. His tie loosened as he came into his office, he would have thrown his woolen jacket across the back of his chair and would be trying to pull on his white coat while talking to her.
    “All right, all right, I confess, I was going to try to weasel out—”
    “I knew it!”
    Maisie heard a pile of