Chapter 20
The bank manager’s hollow words echoed down the phone. Nina shook her head. ‘No, that’s impossible.’ A late ray of sunshine flared through the cobwebbed window and was swallowed by the evening.
‘Sorry, is this the first you’ve heard?’ asked Trevor.
‘Yes,’ she stammered, disbelieving, numb with the news. It couldn’t be. She’d have known, wouldn’t she? If Eva’s heart had stopped beating, if they no longer shared this world? Why hadn’t she been told? Nina’s mind cast vainly about for somebody to blame. She was Eva’s most regular visitor, but she wasn’t a relative. The staff at Pemberley had no duty of care to inform her of anything. That precious call had belonged to James Langley. How had he reacted? With shock, with grief? Or was he indifferent, or even relieved at the news? W
