“I was afraid of what he might do to you if you actually came to stay with us. I told you, he hated you. I think, deep down, he saw you as a threat. But knowing that you were out there in the world—free—is what kept me from sinking into the abyss. I told myself that if I could just escape the house and disappear, I would be able to find you.”
Tears blurred Amity’s vision. “Penny, my beautiful little sister. When I think of what you must have gone through. So alone. No wonder you sold the big house and dismissed all the servants. Hah. I imagine that came as a shock to that lot. I do hope you turned them out without any references.”
“I did precisely that.” Penny gave her a misty smile. “I will admit I took some pleasure in telling them that their services were no longer required.”
“I can certainly understand why you are not on good terms with Nigel’s family.”
“In fairness, I’m not sure they knew exactly what was going on. Nigel always put on a great show of being an attentive husband whenever his mother was around. So much so that I think his mother was actually jealous of me. She made a few attempts to convince me to let her solicitor manage my finances after Nigel died.”
“But you knew you could not trust her to look after your best interests.”
“Definitely not,” Penny said. “One of the first things I did after the will was read was dismiss Nigel’s solicitor and hire Mr. Burton to oversee my business affairs.”
“Burton handled Papa’s affairs and now he handles mine. You can trust him. He’s getting on in years and is semiretired, but his son is taking over the business and doing a fine job.”
“I admit I don’t find it easy to trust anyone except you these days.”
“You have taken back your life,” Amity said. “I am in awe of your strength and bravery. You are an inspiration, Penny, a fine example of the modern, independent woman.”
“Bah, I am no shining example. I was a fool for allowing myself to believe in a fairy-tale kind of love. You are the one who set out to see the world and now you are going to publish a travel guide for other adventurous ladies.Youare the shining example of modern womanhood, not me.”
“I disagree,” Amity said gently. “What I have done requires no particular strength of character, just a deeply ingrained streak of curiosity. But let us not quarrel over which of us is the more modern woman. I am just so very sorry that I did not know what you were going through in your marriage.”
“You did not know because I could not risk telling you. I feared that if Nigel found out that I had confided in you, he might actually murder me and possibly you, as well, when you showed up to save me.” Penny smiled. “Which I knew you would do, of course.”
Amity shuddered and wrapped her arms around Penny. “It infuriates me to know that if he had killed you, he likely would have gotten away with murder. I expect that there would have been a story about how you came to fall down a flight of steps or some such nonsense.”
“And his wealthy family would have protected him from any police inquiry that you might have tried to launch.”
Amity thought about that for a moment.
“Just as someone in Society is very likely concealing the identity of the Bridegroom,” she said.
Fourteen
It’s that famous travel photographer to see you, Miss Amity.” Mrs. Houston hovered in the doorway of the study. She was flushed a bright pink. “Mr. Nash, the gentleman who journeys around the world taking pictures of strange monuments and elephants and the like.”
“Mr. Nash is here to see me?” Amity set aside the list of names she had been studying. She had heard the low murmur of voices from the front hall a moment ago, but she had assumed that the caller was Inspector Logan. She was not sure how to take the news that it was Humphrey instead. She looked at Penny. “He did say he wanted to speak with me in private, but I never dreamed he might pay us a visit.”
Penny set her pen back in the stand. A troubled expression crossed her face. “I wonder what he wants?”
“You heard him last night at the reception.” Amity rose quickly. “He wishes to discuss our mutual impressions of various destinations we have both visited.”
Mrs. Houston lowered her voice to a conspiratorial tone. “I must say, he is a very handsome gentleman.”
“I thought so at one time myself, Mrs. Houston,” Amity said. “Please show him into the drawing room. I will be along in a moment.”
“Yes, Miss Amity.”
Mrs. Houston went back down the hallway. Amity hurried to the gilt mirror that hung on the wall and pinned up a few stray strands of hair.
“I am so glad I decided to put on one of my new day gowns this morning,” she said.
Penny studied the multi-striped dress with a considering eye. “It is very becoming. But I was under the impression that you chose that dress this morning because we are expecting Mr. Stanbridge.”
“True,” Amity admitted. “Not that Mr. Stanbridge is in the habit of taking any notice of a lady’s gown.”
“Do not be too sure of that.”
