She didn’t need to answer that: the three children came dashing down the hall to greet him, also excited to have a visitor at last. With a smile, Selina slipped away to pour their guest a small brandy, for he was looking chilled.
Once the girls had been scooped up by Nancy and taken away to the kitchen, while Peter went outside to admire the Wolseley, Selina and William sat warming themselves by the fire.
‘Those are fine logs,’ he remarked, glancing at the hearthside basket. ‘I’m glad you’ve not been suffering during this shortage of coal. I was worried.’
‘We heard on the wireless a few days ago that the shortage is over and fresh deliveries should soon be on their way.’
‘Yes, the government finally found a way to dig all the frozen coal out of the snow and distribute it,’ he said, almost savagely, and knocked back the last drop of brandy. ‘About bloody time too.’
‘I imagine they tried their best,’ she said mildly, surprised by his grim mood.
William made an angry noise under his breath. ‘Yes, of course … And I wonder how many people died while they weretrying their best?’
Selina swallowed, knitting her hands together in her lap, unsure what to say. William had always been such a cheerful, polite soul, barely a harsh word to say about anyone. She had never seen him like this.
He caught her wary expression and grimaced. ‘I’m sorry,’he muttered. ‘It’s just … Oh, damn it, I can’t keep the truth from you any longer. The fact is, Helen Bourne is dead.’
Selina sucked in her breath, horrified. ‘What?’ She shook her head, instinctively denying it. ‘No, that’s not possible. I was only in touch with her recently. I sent a note over with Mr Underhill and … He said the house was empty. I thought she must have given up and gone to stay with friends in Bodmin. Maybe John and Deirdre Knowles …’ She searched his face. ‘Please don’t tell me that …’ She couldn’t finish, the words dying in her throat.
He reached across and took her hand. ‘She never left Bourne Cottage. I’m sorry.’
Selina felt awful. She’d disliked the woman, not just for the hurt she’d inflicted on Bella but for her spitefulness and cold way of speaking. But she had still been a human being.
‘When … When did she die?’ she whispered, worrying that Peter might overhear. She could hear him in the porch, knocking snow off his shoes.
‘Maybe ten days ago.’
She was aghast. ‘Ten days?’
‘The doctor’s not sure of the exact timing. There’ll be an inquest, of course. But not for a while.’ He looked wretched. ‘So many people have died this winter, there’s a backlog.’
‘Was it the cold? Did she … freeze to death?’ Selina felt guilt gnaw at her, wishing she’d insisted on Helen coming to them at the hall.
He hesitated, then said reluctantly, ‘I suppose it will come out at the inquest. The thing is, Helen had been on medication since her brother left. Low mood, couldn’t sleep, aches and pains all over …’
‘I wish I’d known,’ Selina groaned.
‘Doctor Ford hadn’t heard from her in a while, so he drove out there.’ His face was grim. ‘The house was dark, but the kitchen door was unlocked. He found Helen upstairs in bed. Been dead for days, he said. It wasn’t the cold, though. She’d taken an overdose.’
‘Oh God!’ She jumped up, pacing the room, consumed by guilt. ‘When she sent back that note with Mr Underhill the first time, insisting she was fine, I ought to have walked over there myself,forced herto come back with me.’
‘And risked your life in the snow?’ He shook his head. ‘Besides, she would have refused to leave the cottage, and you know it. Helen Bourne was a damn prickly woman who never got on with anyone except her brother, and even he deserted her in the end.’
‘Does Cameron know?’
William nodded, also getting to his feet. ‘He’ll attend the inquest, I’m told.’ He hesitated. ‘I could be doing the fellow an injustice, but it doesn’t sound like he’s grief-stricken over his sister’s death. In fact, I believe he’s already asked how soon the house can be put on the market. I’m sorry,’ he finished roughly. ‘I know you and Cameron were close once—’
‘I was never close to Cameron,’ she insisted, the two of them standing close, looking into each other’s eyes. ‘I thought he was someone different, that’s all. Once I realised the truth, I never wanted to speak to him again. He’s a dreadful, dreadful man.’ Her voice shook. ‘And I didn’t much like Helen. She only seemed to wish ill on me and my family. I walked over to see her on Boxing Day, you know, and she more or less threw me out of the house.’ She grimaced, recalling that last unpleasant meeting with Helen. ‘But I’msorry for her. To die alone like that …’ She choked, unable to go on.
William pulled her towards him with gentle hands. Selina didn’t resist, and when he kissed her, she closed her eyes almost gratefully, pushing aside the horror of Helen’s death.
But the kiss soon deepened, becoming passionate, and her head began to swim …
‘William, I can’t. The children …’ She shook her head and he drew back at once, a strange intensity in his face. ‘I’m sorry.’
‘No, it was my fault. To tell you such a hard thing and then expect—’ He headed brusquely out of the room, buttoning his jacket. ‘Look, I brought a food hamper and a case of lemonade for the kids. I’ll fetch them from the car. I initially thought maybe a spring picnic … But I doubt you’ll be in the mood now. And it’s probably still too cold.’
‘A food hamper? How marvellous you are … We’re nearly out of everything.’ She shook off the desire in her veins, struggling to come back to earth as quickly as he’d done. ‘And a spring picnic would be wonderful. The children have been stuck indoors for weeks and this is the first sunny day we’ve had since … Oh, I can’t even remember. Thank you so much, William.’
