Page 98 of Death at a Highland Wedding

I say it loud enough for others to hear. I don’t want to be seen whispering and shuttling him off. Does Edith still sniff and give me a look that calls me a forward little trollop? Of course she does. Does her husband glance at me and then give Gray a look that calls him a very lucky fellow? Of course he does. But no one else bats an eye, and Gray tells McCreadie and Frye he will join them shortly.

We go outside, which is the only place where we can be sure of privacy, but I lead him around to the south side, where windows from the sitting rooms overlook the lawn. In other words, we’ll be out of earshot but in plain view of everyone taking their post-dinner drinks.

When we’re far enough away, Gray says, “I wish to apologize—”

“No need,” I cut in, and then hear how that sounds and make a face. “I know you were suggesting a logical solution to our problem, and I took undue offense.”

“It was not un—”

“I’m still getting used to the culture here. One would think I’d understand, being at this very estate to witness an arranged marriage, but my twenty-first-century Western sensibilities are still horrified. When you mentioned your idea, all I heard was ‘marriage of convenience.’” I force a smile. “Which works out so much better in rom-coms.”

His brows rise.

I shrug. “It’s a trope in romantic fiction, especially comedic. Two people absolutely need to get married for some reason or other.”

“That is consideredcomedic?”

“It’s different in my world, where the couple always assume it’ll be temporary. They’ll marry for a few months, solve their problem, and get an annulment or divorce. Except that never happens because, being a romance…?” I trail off with a shrug. “It all works out in the end.”

“How?”

That seems an odd question, but his expression is serious. I shrug again. “They get to know each other and fall in love.”

“They did not know each other before?”

“Sometimes. Maybe they secretly had deeper feelings.”

“Or one party had deeper feelings and the other did not, and the first party hoped to woo the second party, which should properly be accomplishedbeforea wedding takes place.”

“Uh…” I try and fail to parse that out. “I guess so?” I shake it off. “Anyway, the point is that, outside of fiction, a marriage of convenience is never a good idea. Not for me, anyway. We had a culture clash, and I overreacted.”

I glance toward the window to see Edith’s face turned our way. “And since we have an audience, we should really get on with the case stuff. I have a question about Violet.” I pause. “Was she ever larger? In weight, I mean?”

His brow furrows. “Heavier?”

“Significantly.”

“I am going to require more context.”

“I know, but can you try to answer, please? You’ve known her socially for a long time. Has she always been roughly the same physical size?”

“I believe she has grown thinner in the last few years, to the point where if I were her physician, I would be concerned, but she has always been slender, so I cannot say she has lost a significant amount of weight.”

I tell him then about my scheme to question Violet while helping her dress, how she’d been reluctant to accept help, and what I’d inadvertently seen.

“Stretch marks,” I say. “Silverish-red striations on her abdomen, which could signify a sudden loss of weight.”

“Marks on the abdomen? As if from… pregnancy?” He pulls back, blinking hard, and his gaze shoots to the bank of windows before quickly looking away. Color tinges his cheeks.

“It does happen, Duncan,” I say, trying to keep annoyance from my voice. “Accidental pregnancy out of wedlock happens to both men and women. The difference is that guys can walk away without anyone knowing they had extramarital sex. Women can’t.”

“What?” He looks at me and then vehemently shakes his head. “If you heard censure in my voice, Mallory, that was not what I intended. I am horrified by the thought that Violet had to deal with such a thing.”

I relax. “Stretch marks aren’t proof positive of a pregnancy.”

“In this case, with no history of that sort of weight loss, that is almost certainly what they signify. It would also explain a great deal.”

I move to the bench and sit on one end, facing away from the windows. He sits beside me, being sure to leave a decorous gap between us.