He placed his hand over her fidgeting one laying on the table. “Can you tell me now what is wrong?”
“Y-y-yes. I’m afr-r-raid you will h-h-have a t-t-time of it listening t-to me.”
Nick shook his head. “No, Pamela. I told you before that is not a problem for me. I am a very patient man. From your manner, it’s obvious you are very upset, and I know speech is harder for you then.”
She smiled as his words seemed to relax her somewhat. Once again, he was struck by everything about this woman that called to him. Whatever was troubling her he would handle. He would love more than anything to handle all her troubles for the rest of her life. But that was not something he would bring up right now.
The waiter appeared and placed the tea things and small sandwiches in front of them. When Pamela’s hand shook as she tried to pour the tea, he stopped her and did the pouring for them both.
Pamela took a hefty swallow of her tea and closed her eyes.
“Tea does help, does it not?” As much as tea was never his favorite drink, he was more than happy to indulge if it helped Pamela.
She placed her teacup carefully in the saucer and placed her hands in her lap. “A f-f-few nights ago, I th-thought s-s-someone entered m-m-my room in the m-m-middle of the n-n-night.”
Without a doubt, she had gained his attention. Deciding to keep quiet and let her tell her story without jumping in since that might make it more difficult, he merely nodded.
“It was st-strange, b-b-because I always l-l-lock my door, but when th-this happened, the d-d-door was unlocked.”
“Do you know who it was?”
She shook her head. “No. B-b-because someone sp-spoke outside the d-d-door and whoever was in my r-r-room left. B-b-but when I checked the c-c-corridor all was quiet and n-n-no one was about.”
Nick frowned. “Did you speak to your landlady about it?”
“Y-y-yes, but she d-d-dismissed it as pr-probably a b-b-bad dream.”
He sat for a moment and studied her. “Do you think it was a bad dream?”
“I w-wasn’t sure. It s-e-seemed like it could have b-b-been, but then this m-m-morning something else h-h-happened that made me think of s-something very evil g-g-going on and it s-scared me.”
Nick leaned forward. “What happened this morning?”
“Th-there is one r-r-room in the b-b-boarding house that I called ‘jinxed’ b-b-because no one who r-r-rents it stays very long, even th-though the r-rest of us have been th-th-there for quite a wh-while.” She stopped and took a sip of tea.
“I made fr-friends with the m-m-most recent tenant, a Miss R-R-Lizbeth Davenport, a very n-nice young woman. An artist.” She stopped and her chin trembled, and she patted her eyes with the shredded handkerchief.
He was beginning to pick up her anxiety. His heart sped up as he nodded. “Go on.”
“She’s d-d-disappeared. Just like everyone else who st-st-stayed in that r-r-room.”
5
Nick said nothing for a minute. “What do you mean she’s disappeared?”
Pamela inhaled a shaky breath. “Th-there is a r-r-room down the corridor from m-m-mine in the boarding house. I’ve been living th-there f-f-for three years and in all that t-t-time more than a dozen women have occupied that r-r-room. Each time th-th-they leave it is always a s-s-surprise to everyone.
“Since I am always b-b-busy with g-g-giving lessons, and they l-l-leave so quickly, I n-never got friendly with any of the w-w-women. Until the one b-before R-r-Lizbeth—a Miss Sp-s-spencer—and then Lizbeth.”
“Take a sip of your tea, Pamela.” It was obvious from her speech that she was very upset. If she took her time it might help her.
“Yes. Th-thank you.” She lifted the cup and managed to take a sip without spilling it all over herself.
She closed her eyes and took another deep breath. “Miss Sp-sp-spencer n-n-never said a word to me about leaving, and sh-she suddenly was g-gone one morning after I sp-sp-spoke with her. I found Mrs. O’Leary p-p-packing up her b-b-belongings.”
Nick allowed her time to compose herself again and then said, “Go on.”
“This m-m-morning R-Lizbeth’s door w-w-was open and th-th-the r-room was em-empty. I asked Mrs. O’Leary—the landlady—wh-what happened to h-h-her and she said she m-moved out.” Pamela studied him. “I d-d-don’t believe her.”