Alistair had liked her for years. She’d had a suspicion that he was in love with her. Now she knew it must be true.

The cat came in, twining herself about his legs, leaving a blur of hairs on the dark fabric of his trousers. White on blue. She could hear her purring. She had always been partial to Alistair. If he sat down, she would be in his lap instantly, head stretched up to rub his chin, an expression of serene self-indulgence on her face.

Dragging her thoughts back to the policeman, away from the man, Fiona said, “And what difference does it make to anybody if I did have the child out of wedlock? I’ve done no harm to anyone. And I wouldn’t be the first to have loved a man while I could! The war has butchered them without compunction—so young that most of them cried out for their mothers. Tell me why it’s the world’s business, and not my private affair?”

It was a tacit admission. Alistair recognized it and felt a great sadness for her.

Gently he said, “Well, then, could you prove the boy is your own? Could a doctor examine you and say with certainty that you’ve borne a child?”

She stared at him. Her face answered him before she could prevent it.

After a moment, he went on. “If you haven’t had a child of your own, then how did you come by this one? That’s the question, Fiona! They think the mother’s buried here in the inn—under the floor, most like, or in the cellar. That you killed her and took the child and buried her where nobody would find her.”

“In the inn—!” She blinked, disbelieving. “This inn? I had the boy with me when I first came to Duncarrick. How could the mother be buried here? It’s preposterous!”

“I told them that. I told them your aunt was alive then and would never have been a party to such a thing. They don’t want to listen.”

“Who is this ‘they’ so full of accusations! I have a right to know.”

“Mr. Elliot has seen several of the letters sent to his parishioners—”

“And done nothing about them! He didn’t speak to me once about them!”

“I know, Fiona. It was wrong of him, he should have scolded half the town for paying any heed to them. He’s a man of some weight—”

“I didn’t want him to scold the town, I wanted him to call these things lies! To tell me he didn’t believe what they said. To come here and sit with me, as proof that I am a decent woman! It would have been a comfort, Alistair! Instead he’s turned his back on me too.”