“Nothing at all. I just thought I’d like to do something to help Mrs. Wells with her work at the mission. Places like that always need money, and my mother knows lots of rich people.”

“Does you mother know she’s giving a party for the mission?” he asked suspiciously.

“Of course she does!” Sarah replied huffily. “She was only too happy to do it.”

“What about Richard Dennis?”

“What about him?”

“Does he know about this party, too?”

Sarah knew Malloy had no love for Richard Dennis, but the expression in his voice when he said the man’s name went far beyond simple dislike. She remembered her suspicion that Malloy was jealous of Richard, but she didn’t dwell on it. She didn’t need to, because now she was certain of it. “Mr. Dennis’s wife worked as a volunteer at the mission before her death. He is also very interested in helping them.”

“Was he with you on Sunday when you visited the mission?”

He was acting as if he had a right to question her like this! She could, of course, point out that it was none of his business, but she said, “Mr. Dennis asked me to accompany him so he could see what kind of work they do there.”

She gave him a moment to digest this, but before he could come up with another intrusive question, she said, “Would you like some coffee?” Without waiting for his answer, she turned and walked off toward the kitchen, perfectly confident that he would follow.

He did.

“Have a seat,” she offered, busying herself with finding some cups. The pot was still warm from breakfast, so she poured them each a cup and set them on the kitchen table. Only then did he deign to sit, and once again she spoke before he could.

“Mrs. Wells told me that Emilia was very proud of her new outfit. The one I’d donated to the mission,” she added, knowing full well he already knew which outfit Emilia had been wearing. “One of the other girls heard Emilia say that she wished Ugo could see her. Ugo was her lover, the one who beat her and threw her out.”