She murmured:

"Why should he kill Underhay?"

"My God, Lynn, can you ask? I've just told you! Underhay's being alive means that we get Gordon's money! Anyway, Underhay was

blackmailing him."

Ah, that fell more into the pattern. David might kill a blackmailer - in fact, wasn't it just the way he would deal with a blackmailer? Yes, it all fell into pattern. David's haste, his excitement - his fierce, almost angry, love-making. And, later, his renouncement of her. "I'd better clear out... " Yes, it fitted.

From a long way away, she heard Rowley's voice asking:

"What's the matter, Lynn? Are you feeling all right?"

"Yes, of course."

"Well, for heaven's sake, don't look so glum." He turned, looking down the hillside to Long Willows. "Thank goodness, we can have the place smartened up a bit now - get some labour-saving gadgets put in - make it right for you. I don't want you to pig it, Lynn."

That was to be her home - that house. Her home with Rowley...

And one morning at eight o'clock, David would swing by the neck until he was dead...

Chapter 3

With a pale determined face and watchful eyes, David had his hands on Rosaleen's shoulders.

"It will be all right, I'm telling you, it will be all right. But you must keep your head and do exactly as I tell you."

"And if they take you away? You said that! You did say that they might take you away."

"It's a possibility, yes. But it won't be for long. Not if you keep your head."

"I'll do what you tell me, David."

"There's the girl! All you have to do, Rosaleen, is to stick to your story. Hold to it that the dead man is not your husband, Robert Underhay."

"They'll trap me into saying things I don't mean."

"No - they won't. It's all right, I tell you."

"No, it's wrong - it's been wrong all along. Taking money that doesn't belong to us. I lie awake nights thinking of it, David. Taking what doesn't belong to us. God is punishing us for our wickedness."

He looked at her, frowning. She was cracking - yes, definitely she was cracking.

There had always been that religious streak. Her conscience had never been quite stilled. Now, unless he was extremely lucky, she'd break down completely. Well, there was only one thing to be done.

"Listen, Rosaleen," he said gently. "Do you want me to be hanged?"

Her eyes widened in horror.

"Oh, David, you wouldn't - they couldn't -"

"There's only one person who can hang me - that's you. If you once admit, by look or sign or word, that the dead man might be Underhay, you put the rope round my neck! Do you understand that?"

Yes, that had got home. She gazed at him with wide, horrified eyes.

"I'm so stupid, David."

"No, you're not. In any case you haven't got to be clever. You'll have to swear solemnly that the dead man is not your husband. You can do that?"