“Think finding out that he didn’t run away will help Nadine and Teddy?” Kate asked.
“I doubt it,” Sara said. “Teddy misses her connection to people she loves. I heard her tell Nadine that she didn’t know if her grandparents would continue to want her.”
“They all probably know more than they think,” Jack said. “Teddy was born six months after the marriage, but they had no more kids. Maybe the viscount was willing to marry a pregnant woman because he couldn’t have kids.”
“Good point,” Sara said.
Kate yawned and scooted off the bed. “So what’s on for tomorrow?”
“A sleep in,” Jack said. “And I hope we meet no one.”
“That means he wants to sing with Byon,” Sara said.
“And watch that child, Teddy, run around in skimpy clothing.”
“You do know,” Jack said, “that she’s just a year younger than you.”
“In numbers perhaps but not in maturity.”
“You wouldn’t be upset to find out your father wasn’t who you believed he was?” Jack asked.
In answer, Kate glared at him. In the last couple of years she’d found out that her saint of a father was far, far from sainthood.
Jack laughed at her expression. “Point made.” He stood up. “Come on, let’s go to bed. Tomorrow we can—”
He broke off at the sound of screaming. “That’s Teddy.” He threw open the door.
When the second scream came, Kate said, “Nadine.”
Sara got off the bed. “Mr. Howland!”
In the hallway, Byon, in a blue silk dressing grown, was heading toward the stairs. Clive was already there and he was tapping his phone.
“What is it?” Jack asked.
“Mr. Howland killed himself,” Clive said. “I’m calling the police.” He gave his attention to his phone.
“No ambulance?” Sara asked. “No attempt at revival?”
Clive shook his head no.
At the end of the hall, was Mr. Howland’s room. The door was open, light flooding the dark hallway.
Bella appeared in her nightgown and robe. “What happened?”
“I’m not sure.” Sara hurried after Jack and Kate.
Byon had his arms around Nadine. As soon as Teddy saw Jack, she flung herself into his arms. She was crying hard.
Sara made her way through the people, Kate behind her, and into the bedroom.
On the bed lay Mr. Howland. His eyes were closed—and a plastic bag was over his head. On the table beside him was an open medicine bottle and an empty glass. There was a roll of duct tape on the bed. It had been used to seal the bag around his neck.
“We loved him no matter what,” Nadine cried. “It didn’t matter that he sometimes forgot things.”
Clive was at the doorway. “The police will be here in a few minutes. They asked that we touch nothing and that we close the door.”
“He needs us!” Teddy said, but Jack wouldn’t let her get away.