by Trisha Kelly
In contrast, Albert ate his food and chucked the dirty plate in the sink. He picked up the book and placed it in his pocket. Patting down the other pocket he felt the small, solid bottle of poison. It was only a shame he wouldn’t personally be administering it, though he was in no doubt he was the chosen one to mastermind the task. It was meant to be, the poison for the chalice had been presented to him after he could no longer use his plants.
“Do you know The Kings Arms?” The stranger asked.
“Yes, it’s a few miles away from here.”
“Good. We are going to leave now via the back-garden fence. Be there at 7 o’clock this evening. This is important, stay hidden in the grounds behind the conservatory dining room. When the time is right, I will come out and find you and collect the bottle. Understood? I can’t take it in with me, the waiter will hang my suit jacket in the cloakroom.”
“And I will be able to see the death?”
“You will have a ringside seat. I will wait until you are out of this garden and then I will follow. You go your way and I’ll go mine.”
Albert dragged a ladder from behind the summerhouse, and climbed up, hung onto a tree branch and dropped down the other side. Ten minutes later, the stranger did the same. He smiled when he saw Albert’s belongings in the summerhouse and he knocked the ladder back down over the fence before he jumped. He could scale back up the fence if he had to, he doubted the old man could.
~
“What’s the matter, Boo-boo? And don’t tell me nothing. You look as white as a sheet.” Anna pulled her dear friend in for a big hug. “What is it?” she whispered.
“Oh, Anna. I’ve hardly slept. I had to come up and see you.”
“Shush now, whatever it is, Rosie, we can work it out, it can’t be that bad.” Anna grabbed her big crotcheted blanket and led her best friend over to the couch, wrapping it tight around her shoulders. “Here, sit down.” She plumped up the big, soft cushions, lifting Rosie’s tired legs up as she did. Let me get you a melt-in-the-mouth marshmallow hot chocolate special and some of mum’s home-made cookies and you can tell me all about it.”
Rosie felt safe, warm and loved all over again. There was never a more sympathetic ear than her Anna’s. Matt didn’t have quite the same gentle listening ability.
“She was here.”
“Who was, Boo-boo?”
“Mother. Not only her, Michael as well.”
Anna gasped in horror. “No! Why? What did she want?”
“She didn’t want anything, nothing at all. She’s changed. He didn’t want anything either. She was different somehow, small, frail, old, tired, pale. Oh, just so many things. Old person things.”
“So why did they come?”
“I think she came to say goodbye, to make her peace. I couldn’t turn her away, Anna.” Rosie felt weak, she sounded weak, defeated, childlike. All the strength she’d garnered had disappeared, overnight.
Anna placed the hot drink in her friend’s hand and a large, oatmeal cookie in the other. “Drink it all, eat up, come on.”
Rosie couldn’t resist even if she wanted to, both were far too nice. She rambled for a few minutes longer. Her tired eyes began to close, and Anna gently took her red curls in her fingers, sweeping them away from her face. Within minutes she had fallen into a peaceful slumber. With a little bit of help, from a herbal sleeping tablet stirred into the whipped cream.
Anna covered her over with two warm blankets and shut the door behind her. Someone was going to have to look after little Bear and take him for his morning walk. Rosie could sleep for a good-few hours, and she’d wake her up in plenty of time to get ready for this evening. One thought crossed Anna’s mind. How much had Rosie given away?
Jane heard her daughter’s footsteps out in the hallway.
“Psst, Anna, come in here quick.”
“Mum, what is it? Can we talk downstairs, or why not come for a walk with me? I’ve left Rosie upstairs and there’s something I need to tell you. First, I need to feed Bumble and get Bear.”
“Bumble’s fine she’s curled up on my bed and she’s eaten.”
“Well, grab your shoes and bag and we’ll go out for a walk,” Anna urged.
“Meet you downstairs, give me five minutes.” Jane scooped up the heavy notepad.
“Hello, Bear, who’s a good boy then. Show me that big, fluffy head!” Anna soothed. The young dog ran around and around her ankles, barking and wagging his tail. He’d obviously been out through the flap, his nose was covered in dirt and a stuck leaf.
“How do you fancy a walk on the beach and a treat from the ladies at the hairdressers?”
Bear barked and jumped up and down and up and down again, his excitement was overflowing.
“Yes, yes, I know. And a little something from the bakers, a nice warm sausage, how about that?”
Now Bear was actually smiling, a big, proper smile. Anna scooped up his lead, felt in her pocket for her purse and locked Rosie’s room as a precaution. Not before checking the windows were locked too.
“You first, Anna.” Jane linked arms with her daughter as they cut through the footpath heading down towards the harbour. “What’s wrong with Rosie?”
“Her mother turned up and her brother. Turned up here last night as bold as brass.”
“What?” Jane exclaimed. “Walter warned her what he’d do if he ever clapped eyes on her again. What did she want, money?”
“Rosie said they didn’t want anything. The poor thing was exhausted, she’d been up all night. Her mother has really gotten under her skin again. Just like she used to, poor Boo-boo. I’ve slipped her a mild sleeper and she’s zonked out on my sofa.”
“Did she tell Matthew?”
“I don’t think so, if she had he would surely have consoled her, calmed her down. Perhaps she was too ashamed to say she’d entertained them. They stayed for a while, when they were going to leave, she offered them more tea and cake. I think she was torn between her sick mother and admitting, even after all they’d done, that she’s helped them. She never said that, but I don’t trust them an inch. You can bet your bottom dollar Rosie has given them a lot of money.”
“I don’t doubt it for a minute. I’d be very surprised if they came here for any other reason. Have they gone?”
“I think they were here for a day or two more, staying somewhere or another. Rosie was just muttering bits and pieces before she nodded off, and about murder stuff.”
“Let’s hope they don’t know about the wedding. They may have fooled Rosie, but I don’t believe for one minute they have come all this way just for a friendly visit.”
“Me neither. Now what did you want to tell me?”
“Oh, my goodness. You are never going to believe what happened last night.”
Just then they spotted Izzy coming out of the bakers with a paper bag full of goodies. “Great timing, ladies. Popping along for a cuppa?”
“Give us a minute, Izzy, we just have to take Bear on the beach and get him a treat or two,” Anna replied.
“I’ll put the kettle on. Don’t buy cakes, I have plenty! Our first booking isn’t due for half an hour.” Izzy was sporting a blue, green and mauve mohican hairstyle today. It suited her.
Jane smiled. “I’ll have to tell you afterwards now. It’s something for your ears only.”
“Oh, dear. Don’t tell me James was untoward in his behaviour.”
“Don’t be silly, Anna. I think without a doubt he would much prefer a strapping, dashing man friend.”
“Oh.” Anna shrugged. “Sausage? Bear,” she laughed.
Jane gave her a dig and the two of them headed off for a nice pot of tea. “We’ll avoid the jumble and head straight along the harbour afterwards. I promise to tell all when we’re alone and Bear’s ready for a rest.
“Okay, Mum. Sounds intriguing.”
Cakes, gossip and concerns
Now it was Sandra’s turn to turn a whiter shade of pale. “I never thought for a moment that Walter didn’
t have a stepsister. Why, the lying old witch. She certainly fooled me! Well, if she wasn’t his sister, who was she then? She knew about the Will, the B & B, the Garden Centre. The meal tonight, the wedding. Oh, hold on, did she tell me or did I tell her? She even said she’d had a payment from the estate.”
“If you hadn’t just told me you’d met Walter’s ‘sister’ we’d never have been any the wiser you’d had this ‘visitor’ in your shop. It was all quite innocent, Sandra. You mustn’t blame yourself.” Jane reassured her.
“What did she look like?” Anna spluttered, with her mouth crammed full of a fresh cream apple turnover.
Izzy laughed. There was no delicate way of eating pastries, and why should there be? “Enjoy!” she grinned.
“Don’t talk with your mouth full, Anna!” Jane laughed.
“Thin, short, shapeless hair, I couldn’t do anything with it.” Sandra answered.
“Beady-eyed?” Jane prompted.
“She was that all right,” Izzy interrupted. “Kept giving me evils at thirty paces.”
“About five foot three, slim build, prominent nose,” Jane continued.
Sandra nodded, holding her napkin under the jam doughnut she’d opted for. Thick all the way through with raspberry jam. Liz Jackson certainly knew how to fill a doughnut. “Long fingers. No wedding ring.”
Sounds very much like Rosie’s mother… Mildred.”
Sandra spat out her tea. “You’ve got to be kidding me; Jane, tell me you’re joking.”
“No, why?”
“Oh, my dear God. I said something about how horrible she was, and the trick played on her, you know, with the cottage and the stock room, all of that. Come to think of it, it was me who asked her if she was down for the wedding too. Not only that I’m pretty sure I asked her if she was going to the meal tonight, you know, your special meal. Oh, goodness. What have I done?”
“Stop it, shush now. She tricked you, it’s what she does. You weren’t to know. Now then, pass me a fork for this delicious lemon meringue pie and tell me as much as you can remember.” Jane wasn’t angry with Sandra in the slightest. It wasn’t in her nature. What was done was done, now they had to stay one step ahead.
Bear settled down with the large, tasty sausage and bowl of water left under the table for him. The ladies could be some time. A few minutes later, his soft, round head rested on Anna’s bare feet, knocking off her flip-flops.
“I’ll do the first appointment, Sandra. You better sit and work out the muddle you’ve caused.” Izzy thought it all rather amusing and was pretty sure Rosie’s mother wouldn’t get off lightly. She licked her fingers clean having wolfed down a king-size sausage roll and a custard tart. Izzy didn’t really have hips for the treats to sit on, she was a straight up and down kind of shape and could eat whatever she wanted without putting on an ounce.
“Before you tell us, Sandra. How did she look? I mean, was she ill-looking, frail, walking with a stick, all that sort of thing?” Anna could feel her wild getting up before Sandra even answered.
“No. None of that. Really? I saw her strutting along the harbour looking for us, she was walking at a fast pace. Marching, would be more accurate.”
“Uh-huh. Well there’s no surprises there then.” Jane said. Rosie had been taken in, hook, line and sinker. It hurt her to think how happy she was now and how that woman had waltzed back in and taken her for a fool. Played on her kind nature.
“Mum, you have your evil eye sort of look on your face,” Anna observed.
“Rosie’s like another daughter to me now, you know that. She’s like the sister you never had. And I’ll be damned if that woman will hurt her anymore. Neither will she disrupt our wedding plans.”
Sandra and Anna exchanged glances. Jane wasn’t a spiteful woman, nor was she aggressive. But she wasn’t someone you would cross if you hurt her or one of hers.
“What do you have in mind?” Sandra asked, almost fearfully.
“Something fitting. Did she happen to say if she was attending the Kings Arms tonight?” Jane asked.
“Yes. She said she was invited, and I feel so awful now for telling her.”
“I’m so glad you did. Somebody needs to stop her once and for all and if she did get a little of the inheritance as you said earlier then I think she’s also played Walter for a fool along the way. Enough is enough.”
“Well, please do try and enjoy your lovely meal out, won’t you? No handbags at dawn or anything like that!” Sandra collected the plates from their outside table. “I have to go now; my first appointment will be here in a few minutes.”
“Thank you for the lovely tea, Sandra. Cakes are on us next time. Please don’t give any of this another thought. In a roundabout way you’ve done us all a big favour.” Jane rubbed her hairdresser’s arm lightly to reassure her all was well between them.
“I have? Oh, that’s wonderful. I was a bit worried; you know. Me and my big mouth. Better dash. See you soon?”
“You surely will.” Anna unwrapped Bear’s lead and the lazy dog sleepily got up, yawned and promptly sat.
“Come on boy, let’s go for a walk.” What a day this was turning out to be and there was plenty more to come. “Let’s get going then. I want to hear your news too.”
Jane and Anna walked off arm in arm. Izzy raised her eyebrow. “Is everything okay?”
Sandra smiled and nodded. She hoped at least it would all work out well in the end.
“She’s communicating, Anna. And not just using a whisper into our minds.”
“Dorothea? How do you mean exactly, communicating how?”
“I’m sure she’s zapping up energy levels from somewhere. Last night she hovered in full view when James called her and she is not just using her mind to move things, she can pick them up in her spiritual form. Before we went out yesterday and I went back to check the satin posy bags… well, it was her who delayed me, James knew it too.”
“How so, what did she do?” Anna was all ears, staring intently into Jane’s eyes.
“She had the bags in her hands, to keep them away from Bumble. Then she spoke in a whisper, telling me to put them in a safe place. But, anyway, this was nothing to what happened last night. I could never have told you in front of Rosie. She is in danger. James is in danger too. But we still don’t know how it will happen. All Dorothea kept repeating was the masked stranger, beware the stranger.”
“Hmm. Did James ask her if she meant Albert Winston?”
“Well, here’s the thing. She actually laughed, a real laugh. Then she said he was a simpleton. Beware, Bromington Heights and then… she just faded away. I think all her energy was zapped away.”
“What does James think?” Anna asked.
“He’s already told us there is a portal there, but he didn’t get the impression he or Rosie were in any danger from those on ‘the other side’. I don’t think Mildred or her son, Michael, could be counted as masked strangers somehow.”
“What will we do, Mum? Rosie is already suspicious that we know something she doesn’t. I can see it in her eyes. Seems Dorothea is sort of giving you an update. Did she give you this notebook?” Anna skimmed over the notes.
Jane nodded after a moment and plucked at pieces of long reed growing beside the sea front bench, staring thoughtfully towards the calm waters. Then she looked at her watch. “Let’s get your car and take Bear to the Garden Centre. Rosie needs her sleep and we need to tell Walter what is going on; besides, I think he may have a small confession to make. Not that I mind so much if he did send Mildred some money, what I do mind is he never thought to tell me what he’d done. Marriage must be based on honesty. Don’t you agree?”
The two of them sauntered home with their fluffy companion who was barking at the wind and the seagulls all the way back to the B & B. Anna, quite rightly thought now was one of those times it was probably best to say nothing at all.
Time to come clean
Bear was in his element. Anna knew she’d be in big trouble later on that
day when he had a case of bad wind. He was tucking into a medium bowl of stewed steak and loving every juicy mouthful.
“Pre-wedding jitters is it, dear?” Sybil enquired. Jane hadn’t looked too happy, when she beckoned Walter out of the café a short while ago.
“No, nothing like that.” Anna lowered her head and whispered. “She’s back, his ex-wife. Not only that, she tricked Sandra into giving her information. She knows Walter never lived here in the stock room, and she also said she’d had a payment. Mum isn’t too happy.”
“Oh, dear. Well, don’t worry dear, I shan’t say anything. Though I’m afraid we did know letters had come here, addressed to the Garden Centre. One for Walter a while back and one for Rosie. Couldn’t help but see them as I empty the post-box.”
“Best to stay out of it, Sybil. Let Mum and Walter sort it all out between themselves. Don’t worry, I’m sure the meal will still be on for tonight and you can wear your lovely new navy two-piece!”
“Oh, no, lovey. I decided to keep hold of that for the wedding. Found myself a lovely summery dress at the jumble a couple of weeks ago. It matches my bag and shoes a treat. I had it dry-cleaned, mind!”
“Sounds wonderful. Thanks for the coffee, Sybil. I’m going to take a wander outside for a while. I think Bear’s worn himself out, he looks ready for his mid-morning nap. Just beware of hurled rolling-pins for the next half an hour or so!” Anna was only joking; it wasn’t her mum’s style. But she did have a churning feeling inside. What if things couldn’t be resolved? What if the wedding was called off? Mum didn’t take kindly to lies, she never had.
“Leave him here with me dearie, he knows where to find his warm bed out the back. Off you go, it’s a beautiful day and try not to worry. I’m sure it’ll all come out in the wash as they say.”
