Page 88 of Death on a Scottish Train

“You fainted,” I said. “I need to know if you’ve taken anything.”

“Like drugs? No. Of course not. I can’t.”

This time it was me who frowned. “Are you diabetic?”

“No. It’s—uh—” she glanced at her husband.

“Please, tell me,” I said. “I want to help you, but I can’t if you don’t explain what is going on.”

“I’m pregnant,” she whispered.

There was a gasp behind me. I turned to find her husband wide-eyed and as pale as she had been.

“You’re what?” he asked.

“Pregnant,” she sniffed. “It was what I’d come to tell you in Sea Isle. I went in to find a gift that might help me explain the news. We’ve been trying so long that we’d both given up. But then that harpy of yours told me what you’d been doing …”

I wanted to ask why she had come to the gala with him tonight, but it wasn’t the time.

“I’m so sorry, luv. So sorry.” He seemed genuine, as he sat on the floor next to her and took her hand. “I will do whatever you want. Tell me how to make it up to you.”

“That’s why I was so excited, but then all of this happened, and I heard that you might have killed Donald, and I didn’t know what to think.”

“You what? How could you think I would hurt Donald?”

They seemed to have forgotten they had an audience. I glanced up at Ewan, who shook his head.

I didn’t say a word.

“You were so angry with him about work. You never told me why. And I didn’t want the father of my child to be a murderer.”

“Of course, I didn’t kill him,” he said. “Yes, I was furious with him, but I couldn’t have hurt him. It’s because of him our accounts are being pawed over by the government. You know me better than anyone, how could you think such a thing?”

“Do I? I knew about the other affairs. But this one seemed much more serious.”

He shoved a hand through his hair. “Yes, I’ve been an idiot. But I’m not a murderer, and she meant nothing to me. I swear to you, luv. I’ve been a complete idiot.”

She sighed, and a tear fell down her cheek. “Yes, you have.”

“I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to you. Where is that ambulance? She needs the hospital.”

As he spoke, the EMTs arrived. I explained what was going on and suggested they test her for dehydration, and gestational diabetes. My guess it was the former. Morning sickness quickly dehydrated pregnant mothers without them realizing how important it was to put those electrolytes back in.

I considered going with them, but the bus, as they called ambulances here, was already crowded with the husband and EMTs who had arrived. That, and her doctor had already agreed to meet them at the hospital.

“Wow,” David said as they carried her out through the kitchen. “You are amazing.”

I could feel the heat on my cheeks. “It’s what I do.”

“Do you believe what he said about Jacks?” Mara asked.

I shrugged. “That’s for Ewan to decide. He did seem sincere, though.”

“Well, one thing was clear,” Jasper said.

“What’s that?” Ewan asked.

“He had no idea he was about to be a father. Did you see the shock on his face? This was like our ownCoronation Streetor something. Affairs, pregnancies, murders.”