Berdie helped raise the woman to her feet. The poor lamb still gripped her carrier bags. She turned her mournful eyes to Berdie. “Criswell, I live in Criswell.”
Her sad face, quite plain with little makeup, was thin, like the rest of her forty-something body. The mousey brown hair fell just past her shoulders making her deep set blue eyes seem quite small.
A bell chimed in Berdie’s memory. “Have we met?”
“Is all OK?” Lillie shouted and continued her struggle forward as best she could. She stopped, lifted a crutch and pointed it down the road. “The bus is coming. Look.”
“What?” Berdie looked up to see the giant vehicle zooming towards them.
“Oh no.” The woman’s eyes flared.
“The funeral,” Berdie said aloud as her memory rang true.
“Funeral? It could be if I have to walk all the way to Criswell with this lot.”
Berdie opened her bag. “I’m sure I’ve got enough for both of our fares.” She would have happily paid twenty pounds each to ride the bus if only to spend the time in conversation with her new acquaintance. This, indeed, was a Divine encounter.
“Hey, driver,” Lillie yelled, “don’t forget me. I’m over here.”
Berdie glanced at Lillie who balanced on one crutch, and waved the other one high in the air.
“What are you doing, Lillie?” Berdie rummaged her bag for the elusive coin purse. “He can see us. He’s not going to pass you up.”
“He’s not slowing,” the distressed lady croaked. “He’s not going to stop.”
“What?” Berdie raised her head in time to see the bus steaming toward them full speed ahead with no apparent intention to stop for them.
Lillie continued to wave her crutch from left to right. “Hey.”
Berdie eyed the bus, then Lillie. She took in what was happening. “Stop, Lillie,” she shrieked. “You’re waving the wrong way. It looks as if you’re waving him on.”
Just as the words left her mouth, the large coach whizzed past. Berdie watched the rear of the vehicle course its way down the road.
“Oh, that’s just grand.” The woman kicked the drain cover. “Now what?”
9
“Well, we’ve got at least forty minutes until the next bus.” Lillie leaned back in the garden chair supplied by the owner of the ice cream kiosk in whose shadow they sat. “And wasn’t it a treat that the sun’s out today? Besides which, the ice cream stand was just a few yards from the bus stop. When life hands you lemons and all that.”
Berdie licked her cornet with delight whilst seated on another garden chair. Unlike Lillie, she had left a good deal of her breakfast behind and found a cornet quite tasty. And what could she do about the missed bus now? “Ice cream always helps to calm frayed nerves.” She turned her attention to the seated female they had just rescued. “Wouldn’t you agree?”
“I s’pose it’s quite nice, except that I’ll be late to work.” She was obviously relieved to be off her feet in a garden chair, but still a bit steamed despite her ice cream. She eyed Lillie’s crutches with an irritable squint.
Berdie was letting her new acquaintance get somewhat more comfortable. She was certain she knew who the woman was.
“I’m Berdie, by the way, and this is Lillie.”
“I’m Ruby,” she said between licks of ice cream.
Lillie nearly gasped. She stared at the woman. “And you live in Criswell, Ruby?”
“Yes.”
“We’re temporary Criswell residents, staying at the Bell Tower Inn.” Berdie smiled.
“Temporary?”
“My husband is vicar in the village of Aidan Kirkwood, and he’s attending the church conference here in Bridgeford along with Lillie’s intended.”
Lillie’s head snapped to attention.
“Sorry. I mean, Lillie’s boyfriend,” Berdie quickly corrected.
Lillie resumed consuming her cornet.
“You know, Ruby, I believe I saw you yesterday afternoon.” Berdie trod softly. “If I may ask, how well did you know Neville Oakes?”
Ruby swallowed. Her brows rose in apparent surprise. “You were at his funeral yesterday?”
“Lillie and I both were.”
“We’re friends of the Cavendish family,” Lillie threw in between licks.
Ruby’s eyes darted from Lillie to Berdie. “My sister and her husband work for them. Jack and Carol Slade. They call my sister by her maiden name, Turner.”
“We’ve met your sister,” Berdie replied.
“Isn’t it kismet that we should bump into one another today like this?” Ruby lowered her ice cream and stared at Berdie.
“Isn’t it just?” Berdie made an attempt to put the somewhat tense Ruby at ease. “Well, Criswell’s not a large community, is it? And Mr. Oakes had many friends from the area.”
“Well, really, I didn’t know him well,” Ruby confessed. “I just wanted to offer my condolences to his wife because I understand.”
“Understand?” Lillie asked.
Berdie dipped her chin and glanced at Lillie.
“You see, I lost a very dear friend.” Ruby fingered her cornet. “A very dear friend, indeed, who wrote me poetry. They went in the same way as Mrs. Oakes’s husband.”
Berdie wanted to tell Ruby that they knew her whole story. They knew she had a child out of wedlock and were aware of the father. She needn’t pour out the made up version of her life events like she did for the sake of Criswell’s inhabitants. Berdie wanted Ruby to be free of the lies and know she was accepted as she was. But she couldn’t. Not at the moment, not until the whole matter of this intrigue was resolved.
“Your friend was electrocuted?” Lillie asked.
“It’s that dreadful St. Baldred’s.” Ruby shook her head. “My friend wasn’t an electrician, but he died doing renovation work there, just like Neville Oakes. It’s that horrible Trustyn.”
Berdie wanted to tell her straight out that the Brother Trustyn fable was utter nonsense and she would prove it. “We’ve heard tales. They’re quite unbelievable,” was all she said. “You must have cared deeply. I’m sorry for the loss of your friend, Ruby.”
A terse nod was followed by a downward glance. “If you please, I’d rather not talk about it.”
Berdie hesitated to push her on the matter. She seemed somehow fragile. “Looks like you’ve done a week’s shopping.”
“What?” Ruby eyed her carrier bags. “Yes, but I also bought my son his birthday present.”
“That must have added some fun to your day out,” Lillie chimed in.
“Yes,” Ruby said, noticeably understated. Drips began to make their way down her cornet. “Whatever fun it may have been, I’m going to be late to work. I know I won’t have time to post his gift to him.”
“He doesn’t live with you?” Berdie asked.
“No. Edinburgh.” Ruby huffed. “My boss will be irritated. Again. But what’s worse, I wanted Anthony’s gift to be in his hands for his special day.” She sounded almost anguished. “I can’t believe I dropped my bus fare. I should have gotten his gift weeks ago,” she admonished herself.
“Your ice cream, Ruby,” Lillie cautioned. “It’s melting.”
The woman swung her cornet away from her body causing white drops to land on her clothes. She clucked, then bent forward and made several licks.
Berdie pulled a tissue from her bag and gave it to Ruby who wiped her trousers, then her hand.
Berdie wondered what this son of Ruby’s might be like. As Dennison’s child, would he have information that could help Berdie along in the case? It was worth a try. “My son, Nick, is in the Navy, so I have to post his birthday gifts as well. He’s so disappointed if he doesn’t get his parcel on time, though he’d hardly tell me so.”
“I know.” Ruby sighed. “My Anthony, too. And this year is special. He’s finally purchasing his dream car. It’s a classic, formerly owned. My brother-in-law knows all the details. Anthony’s present from me is the repair manual f
or that model.”
“Oh, he’ll love it. Yes, I see how timing is especially important. What about a special delivery service?”
“That’s so dear, too expensive,” Ruby countered. “And I just lost my money…” Her voice had the ring of defeat.
“Edinburgh’s not far, forty minutes away?” Lillie said rather flippantly. “Why not just take it to your Anthony?”
The woman straightened. “It’s not that simple.” Her words had a bite to them. “Some of us aren’t vicar’s wives or girlfriends on holiday. We have to work at jobs where time off doesn’t come at the drop of a hat.”
Lillie bristled, but Berdie saw an opportunity.
“As it happens, Ruby,” Berdie said in a honeyed tone, “Lillie and I were hoping to go and spend the morning in Edinburgh tomorrow.”
Lillie nearly dropped her cornet.
“We’d be glad to take your son’s gift with us, wouldn’t we, Lillie?”
“Oh…Yes. Since,” Lillie stumbled, “we’re going there anyway.”
Ruby hesitated. “I couldn’t ask you to do that.”
“You haven’t. I’ve offered.” Berdie smiled.
“Really? We just met.”
“I wouldn’t suggest it if I didn’t mean it. And being friends of the Cavendish family, it seems only right to help out.” Investigation or not, Berdie knew that doing someone a kindness was a good thing to do.
Ruby’s narrow lips formed a smile.
Berdie took the bull by the horns. “That’s it, then. We’ll personally give your Anthony his present from you.”
“Oh, that would be brilliant.”
“And it can be arranged?”
“Yes. Yes. Oh, but I must wrap his gift.”
“Of course.” Berdie retrieved a church business card from her bag and gave it to Ruby. “This is my mobile phone number. Ring when you’re ready for me to fetch the package.”
Without warning, several short car beeps were followed by a prolonged honk from a car that had pulled up onto the verge. “Ruby,” a female voice rang out from the opened driver’s side window.
Ruby started, stared at the woman, and smiled. “Sheila,” she yelled back, “what are you doing in Bridgeford?”
“Need a lift home?” the female driver queried.
“Sheila lives on my road opposite me,” Ruby informed Berdie and Lillie.
Lillie’s eyes took on a hopeful shine.
“My two grandchildren are in their baby seats in back, but there’s room up front,” Sheila offered in a voice that transcended traffic noise.
Ruby had her cornet in the rubbish before the expectant glow in Lillie’s eyes faded. Without a moment’s hesitation, she gathered her carrier bags. “I might make it to work on time after all. I really must go.”
“I’d say it’s a Godsend,” Berdie cheered.
“Coming, Sheila.” Ruby began a fair sprint toward the vehicle. “Thanks for the cornet, for everything,” she called over her shoulder to Berdie. “I’ll ring you this evening.”
“I’ll be expecting your call.” Berdie watched Ruby dodge traffic and squeeze her way into the car, settle her bags, and get seated.
And the timely Sheila whisked Ruby, plus her two grandchildren, down the busy road in the direction of Criswell.
“She didn’t even offer a lift to us,” Lillie snipped.
“How could she? There was no room.”
“Courtesy demands.”
“Lillie, you’re just irked because Ruby cut you off a bit sharpish.”
“A bit? ‘Some of us aren’t girlfriends on holiday.’ Really.”
“Well, she seems to have had a difficult start to her day. I’d say she’s unhappy, generally, as well.”
“Are we really going to Edinburgh tomorrow morning?” Lillie’s eyes began to dance.
“I am. You are, too, if you rest that leg for what’s left of today.”
“The way I’m feeling, relaxing is no problem.”
“Good. If Ruby follows through with passing the gift on to me, and I’m almost certain she will, yes, we’re going. An opportunity could be there with her son. Perhaps he can tell us something that may help with the case.”
“What could he offer?” Lillie had a zip in her voice.
Berdie’s half eaten cornet joined Ruby’s in the rubbish. “Stick with me, Leonardo Watson, and we’ll soon find out.”
****
By the time Berdie and Lillie arrived in Criswell via the lumbering bus, the sun hid behind greying clouds and most of the morning was spent, but the conversation and developing situation with Ruby was well worth it. The bus lurched to a stop near Watergate Alehouse where Berdie and Lillie disembarked.
Berdie walked closly to Lillie who hobbled forward. “Since bumping into Ruby, especially after Edward’s information, I’ve some thinking to sort. And you need a little sit down back in your room.”
“Oh, yes, please.”
Berdie launched into conversation that was a part of her sorting process and would, hopefully, engage Lillie as they walked down the High Street toward the little close that led to the inn. “I certainly hope Ruby got to work on time.”
“Poor thing,” Lillie reflected as they moved along. “She does seem dismal.”
“You’d be too if you were living under the weight of a pack of lies. Her relationship with the community is built on falsehood that started years ago and, apparently, has been sustained.”
“Do you think it has affected the relationship with her son?”
“Is rain wet? Through the years he had to have asked questions about his father. Did she tell him the truth or more lies?”
“Do you think Aggie or her brothers may be aware of Ruby’s secret: that Dennison fathered Ruby’s child?”
“It would surprise me if they didn’t somehow know.”
“That could give rise to all kinds of,” Lillie paused, “issues.”
“Now there’s an understatement.”
Lillie trudged onward. “It seems the Wells family could have good reason to get rid of our first church repairman. Married and having an affair?”
“Affairs, more likely.”
“Difficult for Gus and Keith I should think,” Lillie said between hobbles. “Getting a single woman with child and apparently lost in the bottle. That’s not my idea of the perfect brother-in-law.”
“Nor the perfect husband.”
Lillie smirked. “You think Aggie would do him in?”
“Maybe she snapped. Maybe he gave one too many made-up excuses. It happens. Never count anyone out.”
“So, dear old Aggie went into an obsessive rage, scrambled up the ladder, and pushed her husband off?” Lillie almost giggled. “Pull the other one.”
“Knocked him off.” Berdie considered the idea that spun into another thought which she tucked away in her brain. “Yes. How would doing in Neville Oakes fit into the Well’s family picture?”
Lillie gave a slight puff as she kept going. “Maybe the two deaths aren’t even related.”
“Possibly.” Berdie’s brow crinkled momentarily. “No. I’m almost certain they’re tied together. There’re too many comparable things going on to be coincidental. But, I have to say, it’s perplexing.”
Just as they were about to turn onto Bell Tower Close, a four-wheel drive vehicle, that looked like it had seen its share of hard work, came to an abrupt stop just ahead of them, barely missing the asters planted there.
“What’s this?” Lillie mumbled.
A man who appeared to have seen his share of hard work, as well, stuck his head out the open window on the driver’s side. The bill of his flat cap shaded his eyes.
“Excuse me,” he called to Berdie and Lillie. “Are you two the friends of Edward Cavendish?”
“Who’s asking?” Berdie raised with a firm edge.
“Sorry. Jack Slade.” He removed his cap revealing slightly matted brown hair. “I work for the Cavendish family. You’ve met my wife, Carol Slade. You know her as Turn
er.”
“Oh, yes. Hello, Mr. Slade.” Berdie eyed the sun-bronzed man. “Yes, we’re friends of Mr. Cavendish.”
“I was hoping I could take a moment of your time. Forgive me for not standing, I’m on an errand.”
Berdie approached the vehicle with a cautious eye, Lillie right behind. She wondered, like Lillie, just what this was all about.
“I wanted to say thank you.”
“May I ask for what?” Berdie stood a bit back from the open window.
“You being kind to our Ruby and all.” He nodded.
Berdie kept her jaw in place, though she had to work at it not going completely agog. She thought Aidan Kirkwood had lightning fast local communications, but this made her little village’s grapevine seem tortoise-like.
“It seems she often needs rescuing, our Ruby.”
“By God’s grace, Lillie and I were just in the right place to be of help, Mr. Slade. That’s all.”
“She told me you’d be getting off the bus here about now.” He smiled. “She was anxious you know that she made it to work on time.”
Now Berdie smiled. “I’m glad to hear it.”
“Oh, and you needn’t come fetch my nephew’s present. I’ll bring it to the front desk of the Bell Tower Inn this evening when Ruby’s off work.”
Berdie was disappointed she wouldn’t see Ruby but made her words cheerful anyway. “Thank you. Kind of you.”
“And thank you for giving me a moment of your time. Must get on. I’m meeting Mrs. Rhys-Kendrick and the verger at St. Baldred’s.”
“Is something special happening?” Berdie pried.
“The Diocese is sending their man to officially certify that the church electrics are in good nick.”
“Church electrics?” Berdie felt a sizzle of her own zip through her thinking. “Surely that would only require the verger.”
Mr. Slade looked round then leaned his head toward Berdie. “Well, you didn’t hear it from me,” he said in a low voice, “but Mrs. Rhys-Kendrick insisted she be there, despite Keith’s objections. She’s running the show at the moment and happens to be very knowledgeable, you know.”
“No, I didn’t know.”
“Truth be known, the whole Cavendish family knows electrics.”
All Hallows Dead (Berdie Elliott Mysteries) Page 13
