The Young Widow Read Online Free PDF Page A

that,” said Carmichael, a little formally. “How did he die?”
    She hugged her arms to her body. “In a skiing accident—in
Switzerland. He was a very active man for his age—skiing, sailing, golf. In a way, I wasn’t really the best wife for him. I’ve never been very good at sports, and I get horribly seasick.”
    â€œYou had no children?”
    She shook her head, sighing a little. “No—we meant to, but I didn’t get pregnant right away and, well, I think really Eric was less interested than I was. He’d worked hard all his life and what he really wanted was to have fun.”
    Carmichael raised a bushy eyebrow. “He was retired, then?”
    â€œOh, yes. He was fifty-five when we married—he had taken an early retirement.”
    â€œI see,” said Carmichael evenly, but what he was really seeing was a pattern. Three husbands much older and wealthier than herself, and three deaths. “And your second husband was William Burton?”
    She hesitated and raised her eyes to his, a question hovering in their depths. But then she seemed to think better of it and simply replied, “Yes. I met him in Switzerland shortly before Eric’s death. He was very kind to me. We travelled back to England together and were married two months later.”
    â€œHow long did your marriage to him last?”
    The brown eyes were sad and wistful. “Two years,” she answered. “Bill wasn’t in the best of health when I married him, but I didn’t realize quite how bad it was. For the last six months, he was very ill indeed, and the doctor prepared me for the idea that he would die. It was still somehow a surprise when it happened, though.”
    â€œIt always is,” murmured Carmichael sympathetically, but his blue eyes were shrewd. “You married Geoffrey Berowne soon afterward?”
    â€œWell, about eighteen months later, yes.”
    â€œI see,” said Carmichael again. “Now, Mrs. Berowne, I have just a few other questions. Were you aware of any enemies your husband might have had?”
    She shook her head. “None,” she said firmly. “He was very well
liked and looked up to in the community, Chief Inspector. He was a very kindly man—I can’t believe he gave anyone cause to hate him.”
    â€œI understand,” said Carmichael, almost casually, “that there had been some business disagreements between he and his son.”
    â€œOh.” She seemed a little startled. “Well, yes, I suppose there had been. But nothing—I mean—Paul would never hurt Geoffrey. I’m sure he had great respect for his father, even if they did disagree from time to time.”
    â€œWell, thank you, Mrs. Berowne.” Carmichael beamed at her with his best put-the-suspect-at-ease smile. “You’ve been uncommonly helpful. Now what we’d like to do is interview the rest of the household and then have a look at the study, if that’s all right with you.” His tone was positively avuncular.
    She blossomed under the smile. “Of course, anything you’d like. Maddie is upstairs in her rooms and Kitty’s in the kitchen, naturally. I think Mrs. Simmons is in the dining room at the moment.”
    Carmichael appeared to think these choices over, though Gibbons knew he had long ago decided what to do. “Perhaps,” he said, “my colleagues could talk to Miss Whitcomb, while I see Miss Wellman.”
    â€œCertainly.” She rose at once, drifting up out of the chair and smoothing her skirt. “If you’ll come with me, I’ll show you where everything is.”
    She led the way across the room, and paused abruptly by the door, turning to look up at Carmichael. She hesitated, and took a step closer to him.
    â€œChief Inspector,” she said, “tell me: do you think—well—” She paused, biting her lip, and then went on in an even lower