Free The Seven Stars by Anthea Fraser Page B

planets in Capricorn, which could only mean trouble, and it depressed him having repeatedly to warn against negative influences in the daily columns.
    Sighing , he switched on the computer and reached for his books of tables.
    *
    At Melbray, Helen, happily settled into her first class, was busy making notes. This morning was devoted to silver, and she was gratified to find, as the lecture progressed, how much she remembered from her time at Lamprey’s. Several times, when the speaker invited them to date objects shown on the screen, she had been able to do so, and her fellow students were starting to look at her with respect.
    There were about twenty-five in the class , mostly elderly or middle-aged women, though three married couples were among them and two younger women, who sat together on the far end of a row. There were also a couple of unattached men, one quiet and grey-haired, the other with overlong hair, flamboyantly dressed and obviously of some importance in his own eyes. He had not taken kindly to Helen’s accurate dating, and she resolved to hold back for a while and not antagonise him further.
    During the coffee-break , she heard him introduce himself to the lecturer, a woman from a local auction house, as Valentine Perry. From the way he announced his name, she gathered it should have been familiar, but it meant nothing to her.
    At the end of the class , Helen turned to the pleasant-faced woman beside her. ‘Do you know who that gentleman in the second row is?’ she asked quietly. ‘I feel I should know him.’
    ‘ That’s Valentine Perry,’ the woman replied, which much Helen had already gleaned.
    ‘ Should I know the name?’ she prompted.
    ‘ Not if you don’t live locally; he writes articles on antiques in Broadshire Life . ’
    ‘ Then shouldn’t he be giving lectures rather than attending them?’
    ‘ I suppose he’s covering the course for the magazine.’ They were now filing through the hall in search of the promised buffet lunch. ‘My name’s Rose Chalmers,’ the woman added.
    ‘ Helen Campbell.’
    ‘ How do you do? I must say, you have quite a sound knowledge of silver yourself.’
    Helen explained about her pre-marriage work at Lamprey’s and Miss Chalmers was impressed. ‘And you’re hoping to take it up again? I envy you.’
    Valentine Perry was already seated at one of the tables , and as Helen passed he treated her to a considering stare. She met his eyes with bland inquiry and after a moment his own dropped to his plate.
    He regarded her as a rival , Helen thought, and was secretly flattered. Perhaps her knowledge wasn’t as out of date as she’d supposed.
    *
    Kate said abruptly, ‘What do you think of Helen Campbell?’
    Stella looked up in surprise. ‘I haven’t really thought anything. Why?’
    ‘ Didn’t it strike you as odd that she’s come back?’
    ‘ Not at all. She’s attending the course at Melbray.’
    ‘ I know that,’ Kate said impatiently. ‘But it could just be a cover.’
    ‘ A cover?’ Stella echoed blankly. ‘For what?’
    ‘ She gives the impression of snooping, that’s all. The way she asked about Molly, for instance. Did you mention her name in front of her?’
    ‘ Not that I remember.’
    ‘ I’m sure I didn’t, so how did she know it?’
    ‘ She must have overheard it, as she said.’
    ‘ Also, she seemed upset on hearing she was dead; almost as if she’d known her.’
    ‘ Well, the accident did happen while she was here.’ Stella forced a laugh. ‘Don’t start imagining things, Kate!’
    But her sister was not to be deflected. ‘Perhaps the police aren’t convinced it was an accident.’
    Stella stared at her for a moment , then picked up her knife and fork. ‘I don’t know where you got that idea. We answered all their questions and they seemed quite satisfied.’
    ‘ Only because they didn’t ask the right ones.’
    ‘ Kate!’
    ‘ Such as why Molly was so upset she went running off without even stopping for