Free The Glass Slipper by Mignon G. Eberhart Page B

did,” said Gross helplessly.
    Alicia was listening intently, her small, classically beautiful face like porcelain and as brittle. She said: “Who let her in, then? She couldn’t have entered unless someone opened the door.”
    “I don’t know, miss. She — I was taken aback as it were. I didn’t ask. But I — I know nothing of this. If it is murder —”
    Julie in that silent house; waiting in that shadowy French drawing room. Rue thought back to the silence of the day; the quiet and apparently empty house. She’d heard no sound of Julie’s arrival. She’d heard no one moving about.
    But then, the house hadn’t been empty. Had Julie had that cocktail in the French drawing room while she waited? Then if so, who had given it to her? Only Rue and Steven were at home. Only she and Steven and… How had Alicia got there? When had she come? Who had let her into the house?
    Rue said: “Gross, when did Miss Alicia arrive?”
    The butler opened his mouth to speak, but Alicia quickly interrupted.
    “Why really, Rue,” she said, “what a question. I came to see Madge, of course. After all, Rue, this house is almost my home and has been for years. I’ve always come and gone as I chose. I have always been like a member of the family.” Her look said, You are the interloper here; you are the stranger; your time is short. She continued in silky, cool reproof: “At any rate, Rue, this is scarcely the time and place to attempt to quarrel with me.”
    Steven did not appear to note what she said or what Rue had said; he was staring downward at the little heap on the rug. He said: “Can’t we move her to the bed? Or — or cover her. Or wait in another room. If we can’t do anything for her…”
    Again a small voice in Rue spoke almost without Rue’s own volition.
    “You can’t move her; if she was murdered —”
    “You see,” said Alicia to Steven, “how well informed she is! She’s trying to tell us that the body ought not to be moved until the police have come! Oh, Steven.” She crossed to him suddenly, beautiful and svelte and slender with her lovely face close to Steven and her lovely hands on his arm. “Oh, Steven, I realize I ought not to have let my feelings get the better of me just now! But how could I help it! I’ve stood by so long, telling myself that my suspicions must have been wrong. I’ve told myself that over and over; I’ve forced myself to be as friendly as I could be with Rue. I’ve tried to help her. I’ve felt it was due my friendship to Brule and my love for you to conquer my doubts, to help so that life will go as smoothly as possible for both of you. I’ve made friends for Rue; I’ve given hints to the servants, I’ve tried to help Madge; I’ve done everything possible. Truly I have, Steven. But this — this proves how futile it’s been. It’s no use, Steven, I can’t keep quiet any longer. How do I know that you are safe? Or Brule! Or Madge! You are my only family; the only people I love in the world. Don’t you understand, Steven?”
    How beautiful she is, thought Rue with a kind of stab; how can any man resist her beauty? Steven, white, perplexed, was looking down into Alicia’s perfect small face. He put his hand upon Alicia’s hand.
    “I know how you feel, dear,” he said. “I suppose it’s only natural to resent Crystal’s place being filled. But you mustn’t let your feelings —” He broke off abruptly.
    Brule and Andy were in the doorway. Rue didn’t know how long they’d been there, but she thought it had been long enough for them to hear Alicia’s words — that or her distinct clear voice had met them on the stairway and in the hall.
    “Where is she?” said Brule and looked past Alicia and Steven and saw.
    Brule would know what to do. He didn’t look at Rue as he went to Julie. Andy followed him.
    The room was so still you could hear a faint small hissing in the old-fashioned radiators, concealed below the windows. Neither Andy nor Brule spoke