Chapter Twenty-Two

Divorce. The word rang of failure and embarrassment. I felt as if someone had punched me in the chest and knocked the air out of my lungs. “I don’t believe it,” came out in an angry, gasping cry.

“That’s what he said, not me,” Maryellen said, rubbing her side where her sister had poked her a second time.

Divorce had been scandalous even before the previous king abdicated so he could marry a divorced woman. Now, instead of just being unwelcome in social circles, avoided as a pariah, and sniggered at behind cupped hands, divorce was now the symbol of a failed reign, a sign of agreeing with the Nazis as the former king and his now wife appeared to do, and a symbol of appeasement.

“Why would Simon say that?” Rosalie asked, looking from Maryellen to me.

“Apparently, when Simon and Adam worked together a couple of months ago, they had a big disagreement.” We fell silent as our lunches arrived.

“About what?” Maryellen asked before I could add anything else.

“Official Secrets Act,” I replied, making a cringing face.

“Golly, but I hate that. Makes everything so boring,” Maryellen fumed.

“Or mysterious. It must have been quite a disagreement for Simon to be spreading a story such as this around,” Rosalie said. “Divorce is such a taboo, especially after Edward abdicated to marry Mrs. Simpson and then compounded his treachery by traveling to Germany.”

“Adam and Simon had a major falling-out. If they were countries, they’d be Britain and Germany,” I told her.

“Which is which?” Maryellen asked.

Even her sister looked askance at her.

“That’s not the point. I just meant they’d be at war.”

Marianne and Maryellen looked at each other. Finally, Marianne said, “Simon said you’d say something along those lines. When Simon saw your husband here, he knew your husband would tell you something to discredit him.”

“He said you’d tell us not to believe him,” Maryellen added.

I shook my head. “I wouldn’t have said anything about Simon. He had a work disagreement with Adam that has nothing to do with any of us. But the lie he’s telling you, that Adam wants a divorce, makes me think I need to keep a close eye on him. What other lies is he telling us?”

“I don’t think he’s truly lying,” Marianne said. “Perhaps he misunderstood what your husband said. He might have been talking about someone else.”

I glared at her. “But Simon feels it necessary to spread gossip about me that isn’t true. Even if it were true, and it’s not, why would he be telling everyone about it? It’s certainly not your business, and it isn’t Simon’s. I trusted him before. I don’t, now.”

“Well, whatever is going on, know that Maryellen and I are here to help you in any way.”

I glared at Marianne. She obviously didn’t believe me.

Rosalie changed the conversation to the weather, that old standby, as we finished our meal. I was furious. I was upset enough about missing Adam and not being at the flat to see him as soon as he arrived on leave. Now I had a liar telling tales about my marriage, taking my mind off the investigation I had to carry out if I wanted to return home.

As I walked back to Hut Six, I thought maybe that was the reason he told his story. He wanted me tied up in knots so he could finish the investigation and take all the credit. Wasn’t that what he wanted when he destroyed Adam’s operation?

Too bad he didn’t realize I didn’t care who got the credit, as long as the investigation was wrapped up satisfactorily, and we found the traitor.

I would have to watch Simon. He didn’t have the knowledge he needed to have tricked Sarah Wycott to come back outside to kill her, and he had no motive. Still, at that moment, I wouldn’t have minded discovering he was the killer.

Mentally shaking my head at my vengeful fantasy, I went back to work, taking out my anger on the keys of the refitted TypeX machine. It took a lot of effort to press them down, and I had them banging with every stroke.

Unlike most days, Simon didn’t make an appearance in the Decoding Room where I worked. He stayed in the Machine Room all afternoon, hopefully keeping his mouth shut. Any deliveries or verifications were done by Peter. Things went smoothly until quitting time.

They took the four of us staying at Bloomington Grove back in an estate car, so Simon and I didn’t need to see each other on the way to our billets.

Walking up the drive from the lane, I tried to guess who had used the exit that I had found. Simon had seen it. Had he seen the woman who’d used it? I’d only seen the reflection on his face, a faint light in the vast darkness around us, but it had been enough.

When we entered, it was to hear that we needed to come to the table. Dinner was ready.

I dropped off my coat in my room and then went into the bathing room to wash my hands. When I arrived at the table, there was an uncomfortable silence and Maryellen looked guilty. Elsie had gone upstairs already, and Betty was dishing out our dinners, a potato stew.

“How was your stay in town with your husband last night?” she asked.

“It was splendid. We’ve only seen each other twice in over three months since the war started, so we had a tremendous time together. My only complaint was it was much too short.”

“I’m glad,” Betty said, giving Maryellen a dark look.

Oh, terrific. The talk was spreading. Simon had chosen the right person to spread his lie when he told Maryellen.

As soon as we began eating, Betty wished us a good night and headed upstairs. I wouldn’t be able to ask her any more questions tonight about the hidden door and if any of us were using it. Oh, well. I’d just have to be practical. Someone knew more about it than they’d admitted.

Gwen cleared her throat. “We all want you to know we’re on your side, Olivia. I’m sure you and your husband can work things out. Divorce is such an evil—”

“Aaaah!” I half-shouted. “That is a story Simon made up because he’s mad at my husband over a work-related difference of opinion from a couple of months ago. There is nothing wrong between Adam and me.”

“And Maryellen knows this because she asked Olivia about it at lunch today,” Rosalie said, staring at Maryellen with raised brows. “Apparently, she believes Simon about Livvy’s marriage more than she believes Livvy about her marriage.”

“And Simon swears he heard this from Adam Redmond’s lips. Why would Simon lie?” Maryellen said.

“I can’t answer that because of the Official Secrets Act. Believe Simon or don’t, but there’s nothing wrong between Adam and me.” I glared at Maryellen.

“Simon swears it’s true. And he has no reason to cover up anything out of pride. Why have Simon and Olivia been whispering together until this weekend?” Maryellen said.

Everyone looked at me. How could I answer that without revealing the real reason Simon and I were here? Especially since chances were very good that the killer was in the room with us.

The best lies were the ones that were close enough to the truth to be believed. “Simon’s been making passes at me, just trying it on because he and Adam had a falling-out at work and he wanted to start some mischief. I finally got tired of it and told him off. That’s when he started this story about Adam planning to divorce me. Why, if he were going to divorce me, would Adam spend his leave coming out here to spend time with me when he could be enjoying himself in London?”

“She’s got a point,” Gwen said to Maryellen, who pouted.

Oh, I hoped Maryellen didn’t have feelings for that jerk Simon. At least Aileen wasn’t at dinner tonight to listen to Simon’s lie. Since she was rigorously chapel, she’d have plenty to say to me.

“Where is Aileen this weekend?” I asked, hoping I didn’t bring myself bad luck by asking and getting more questions about the state of my marriage.

All I got were shrugs and “She didn’t tell me.”

After that, we got down to the business of finishing dinner and cleaning up the kitchen, mostly in silence. Then we all went our separate ways, washing out underclothes, or listening to chamber music on the radio, or knitting, or having a bath.

“May I try to unlock your door with my key?” I asked Rosalie when I saw her in the hall.

Rosalie made a sweeping gesture toward her door.

“Is the door locked?” I asked.

“Of course.”

I put my key into the lock and turned. The door opened easily.

“Well, that explains it.” Rosalie said, her face muscles rigid.

“Explains what?”

Rosalie gave me a considering gaze. “I had five pounds disappear from my room. It was before you arrived. Everyone said I’d dropped it and it wasn’t in my room at all, but I knew it was. I’d hidden it in my jewelry case.”

“Wonderful.” I looked at Rosalie, wondering how she’d take this. “On top of the murder of one of the residents, we have a thief.”

“You don’t think it’s the same person, do you?” Rosalie asked.

“There’s no reason to, at least not without some proof. How many people know these room keys are interchangeable?” I answered with a question of my own.

Fiona and Helen were coming up the hallway at that moment, Fiona with her latest scarf full of mistakes and Helen with a book in her hand. They must have overheard, because Fiona said, “Sarah knew.”