The Burden of Doubt by Angela Dracup Read Free Book Online Page A

concerns. And neither should she.
    ‘Were you were aware of anything troubling Moira in recent weeks, Mrs Farrell?’ she asked, getting straight to the point, even though coming face to face with others’ grief never ceased to trouble her. And the questions she needed to ask seemed worryingly intrusive.
    ‘I’m afraid I wouldn’t know,’ Mrs Farrell said. ‘Moira and I weren’t very close, I’m afraid. Well – not since she married Rajesh.’
    She glanced across to her daughter, who gave her a gently sorrowful look in response, suggesting her complete agreement with her mother’s implied dissatisfaction with Rajesh Patel.
    ‘It wasn’t that her father and I had anything against Rajesh,’ Sylvia Farrell went on. ‘But after they were married, Anthony and I seemed to see Moira rather less than we did before. And sadly Anthony died three years afterwards.’
    ‘I see,’ Laura said, injecting a touch of sympathy into her voice. ‘How long had Moira been married, Mrs Farrell?’
    ‘Seven years.’ As she spoke, Sylvia Farrell’s was face was set and stern rather than sad. ‘They were married around the same time Anthony and I were.’
    She raised her head, as though staring into a lost past. Jayne reached out and touched her arm for a brief moment.
    ‘So you are Moira’s stepmother?’ Laura said, enlightenment dawning. She turned her attention to Jayne.
    ‘I’m Moira’s stepsister,’ Jayne explained, before Laura had time to ask the question. ‘My mother has been widowed twice. Her first husband, my father, died when he was only thirty-eight.’
    ‘How I dislike that term stepmother,’ Sylvia commented, her tone suggesting a degree of exasperation at being faced with such irrelevancies at a time of deep crisis.
    ‘I’m sure Moira never thought of you as the kind of stepmother portrayed in fairy-tales,’ Jayne said soothingly.
    ‘Moira was dedicated to her work,’ Sylvia Farrell said, steering the conversation away from delicate issues. ‘Highly committed. Although I believe nowadays it’s called being a workaholic.’ She looked thoughtful. ‘Rajesh is rather the same. In fact, Anthony and I sometimes wondered how much time they could have spent together.’
    ‘And they had no children?’ Laura asked gently.
    ‘No,’ Mrs Farrell said curtly.
    Laura had an uncomfortable feeling that Mrs Farrell was silently adding that it was just as well. So, what was the problem, she wondered? Had Sylvia and her late husband thought a child would get short shrift with workaholic parents?
    ‘Actually the issue of children had caused Moira a great deal of sadness,’ Mrs Farrell offered spontaneously. She paused, considering her next words. ‘She and Rajesh very much wanted children, and Moira had in fact become pregnant more than once. But each time she had had a miscarriage. It caused a great deal of sadness for them.’
    ‘Poor Moira,’ Jayne said. ‘It must have been hell losing those babies.’
    ‘Yes,’ Sylvia said pointedly, ‘I’ve been through it myself.’ Her eyes were suddenly pink with mounting tears.
    Jayne squeezed her mother’s hand. ‘You’ve got me, darling.’
    Sylvia looked gratefully at her daughter. ‘Poor, poor Moira!’ she exclaimed bowing her head and appearing suddenly overcome with the gloom and sadness of the situation.
    ‘Did Moira have any other sisters or brothers?’ Laura asked.
    ‘Moira has a brother who practises medicine in the States,’ Jayne said, continuing her role of facilitator in this difficult interview. ‘My mother has contacted him and told him of Moira’s death. He and his wife will be flying over for the funeral. At such time as the body is released to us.’
    ‘I see.’ Laura left a small pause of respect.
    Jayne reached for her mother’s hand. ‘We’ll get through this, Mummy,’ she said gently. ‘And you know I’ll always be here for you.’
    Sylvia lifted her head and permitted herself a tiny, regretful smile. ‘Thank you,