“The will was hidden in this drawer,” she mused. “I feel confident of it. And it must have been drawn up in Rosanna’s favor or Mrs. Leeds never would have destroyed it.”
Penny closed the desk and carefully placed the charred bit of paper in her dress pocket. She was deeply disturbed over the discovery, realizing that Mrs. Leeds, by destroying the document, had gained a great advantage. However, she had no intention of abandoning the fight.
“I’ll keep this strictly to myself,” she decided. “For the present I’ll not even tell Rosanna. It would only disappoint her to learn that the will has been burned.”
Since Mrs. Leeds’ arrival at Raven Ridge, Penny had done everything in her power to avoid a break with the arrogant society woman. She had ignored snubs and many unkind remarks. Now she felt that if Rosanna’s interests were to be safeguarded, she no longer could afford to play a waiting game.
“Mrs. Leeds and Max Laponi have shown their hand,” she reflected. “They mean to gain their ends by any possible means. But since they’re stooping to underhanded tricks, I may have a few little schemes of my own!”
Penny was unusually silent that evening. Rosanna noticed it at once but thinking that her friend was absorbed in her own thoughts, refrained from questioning her.
At six o’clock the girls motored to Andover for dinner. To their chagrin, Mrs. Leeds and her daughter Alicia chanced to select the same cafe. All during the meal, Penny noticed the woman’s eyes upon her. As she and Rosanna arose to leave, Mrs. Leeds hastily followed them.
“Miss Winters, may I speak with you a moment?” she began coldly.
“Why, yes, of course,” Rosanna responded.
“I mean alone.”