by Evelyn James
“Then, as we shall soon say goodbye, I extend an invitation to you and your sister. Please feel free to come and visit myself and my brother in Brighton. Perhaps the sea air will agree with your sister?”
Dr Masters seemed pleased with the suggestion.
“Yes, perhaps it will,” he said, then he pointed at her foot. “I insist you rest. Doctor’s orders.”
“And I shall obey,” Clara rolled her eyes. “But only because it hurts too much to walk!”
~~~*~~~
They boarded the charabanc to return home the following Sunday. There were two noticeable absences – Mrs Hunt and Captain Blake. A pall was cast over the return trip at the memory of what had occurred. For some this holiday had been full of heartache.
Bill Ayres was to come before the magistrates shortly and would probably be committed to trial, he had, after all, murdered a woman in cold blood. It was not hard to feel sympathy for him, and Clara knew that the Wignells had offered to pay his expenses out of their own pocket, even to go so far as to offer to hire a good lawyer to represent him. But, whichever angle you looked at it, he had killed a person and that made him a criminal.
Clara did not precisely feel sympathy for Mrs Hunt, that was somewhat challenging, but she did believe in the system of justice and she served it as best she could. Even so, she hoped the courts would be lenient on Bill Ayres.
The countryside rolled by as they began their lengthy return trip. Tommy dozed. Annie fussed about with a packed lunch she had insisted the hotel prepare for them. Little Bramble was thoroughly exhausted by the change of scenery and stretched out on the charabanc floor, joining his master in quiet snoring.
Clara reflected that, although the holiday had been somewhat eventful, she had found it rather restorative. Just the change of scenery had been refreshing. And she had not been bored at all, as she had feared. It was ironic, naturally, that Clara required a murder to enjoy her holiday, but she was not going to dwell on that fact. She was just satisfied that the affair had been wrapped up tidily.
Clara leaned back in her seat and risked wriggling her toes. They were sore, but not as bad as before. She thought she might join Tommy and Bramble in catching forty winks. After all, when she reached Brighton she would be expected to report to Inspector Park-Coombs all that occurred. Best to rest now while she had the chance. Clara took another long look out of the window before she closed her eyes. The Lake District had certainly been interesting. Now it was time to get back to business proper.
Clara shut her eyes and joined the gentle snores of her brother and his dog, as the charabanc wound its way home, minus two passengers and a conductor.
