Free Never Call It Love by Veronica Jason Page B

to
catch the four-o'clock stage."
    It
was not until well after dark that she walked up the brick path between the
untrimmed boxwood bushes. Just before she reached the front door, her mother
opened it, her face taut with anxiety.
    In
the hallway Mrs. Montlow said, in a low, rapid voice, "Donald Weymouth is
here, in the side parlor."
    "But
he wasn't to return from Bath until several days from now!"
    "Nevertheless,
he is here. He has been waiting for you for over an hour." she paused.
"Well? Did you see her?"
    "Yes.
He was with her from Wednesday afternoon until early Thursday morning."
    Mrs.
Montlow's face went slack with relief. "Thank God! Then you will—"
    "Of
course I will testify that he was with us that night." Joyful tears sprang
to Mrs. Montlow's eyes. Elizabeth said, with contrition, "Mother, forgive
me for not having believed him right from the first."
    "Of
course I forgive you. And I was wrong this morning to call you unfeeling. I
know it is because you have strength of character that you had to... make sure.
And I realize that sometimes in the past the boy has been... rather
strange." Some memory shadowed her eyes.
    Elizabeth
had never told her mother about the kitten dangling from its noose, nor the
crumpled print in Christopher's clothespress. Had there been other such things
of which her mother had been aware, but had preferred to keep secret?
    Mrs.
Montlow said, "Did you see Christopher?"
    "I
was not allowed to. But I left the money for him, with Sir John Fielding. And I
saw Mr. Fairchild. He thinks Christopher is in no danger whatsoever."
    "But
he will have to stand trail?"
    "Yes,
Mother. Now, about Donald. What did you tell him?"
    "Just
that Christopher had been arrested, and why, and that he could not possibly be
guilty, because he was with us that night."
    "What
reason did you give him for my being in London?"
    "I
said you had gone to take Christopher some money and to consult with Mr.
Fairchild."
    "Good.
I had best go to him now. May I ask him to supper?"
    "Of
course, my darling."
    Elizabeth
went down the hall. Evidently Donald had heard her footsteps, because when she
entered the parlor, he was already on his feet, a thin young man in a dark gray
coat and breeches. He crossed the room to meet her and to take her outstretched
hands. "Elizabeth!"
    He
kissed both her hands, and then her lips. "Your mother has told me all
about Christopher." His gaze went over her face. "I imagine you don't
want to talk about it. You look tired, my dearest"
    "I
don't mind talking about it. But first I would like to know why you came back
from Bath so early."
    His
thin, intelligent face broke into a warm smile. "Because I couldn't wait
any longer to tell you my news. Come over here."
    They
sat down on a small red plush settee facing the fire. He said, "We can be
married sooner than we planned. The vicar has written my uncle that he will
retire in June. After that, the living will be mine."
    "Oh,
Donald! I'm so glad."
    He
drew close to her and kissed her, his lips far more ardent than ever in the
past. Once, he had told her that for the last five years, ever since he was
twenty, he had wanted to marry her. Five years was a long time for a man to
wait.
    He
released her. "We can be married in June, can't we? Surely by then this
trouble of Christopher's will be well in the past."
    She
nodded. "His case will come up in February."
    He
hesitated. "Surely you won't stay at the Kingman Street house...."
    "During
the trial?" She shuddered slightly. "No, I'm sure we can stay with
Aunt Sara. Her house is very near Old Bailey." Sara Finchley, Mrs.
Montlow's older sister, was also a widow. Although badly crippled by
rheumatism, she always welcomed visits from the Montlows.
    "Good."
He got to his feet. "I must go now."
    She
said, dismayed, "But won't you take supper with us?"
    "I
must not. I must see my parents. They may have heard by now that I arrived on
the stagecoach this afternoon." He laughed. "I was so eager to see
you that I walked