A Tremarnock Secret by Emma Burstall

Author:Emma Burstall [Burstall, Emma]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781786698834
Publisher: Head of Zeus

11

Almost as soon as they arrived back at Esme’s flat, the phone rang. It was Philip again. This time, she passed the receiver across without speaking and went to hang her coat on the wooden stand near the door. She was so angry with him for hassling Caroline that she feared what might come out of her mouth.

‘I’m sorry about that,’ she heard Caroline say, and, ‘So, are they going to change your meds?’

Esme didn’t catch his response but was buoyed by the fact that she could, perhaps, detect something a little different in Caroline’s tone this time – a firmer, calmer quality; but she might have been imagining it.

To distract herself, she made sandwiches for lunch. Before long, Caroline finished the call and disappeared into her bedroom, re-emerging shortly after with a well-thumbed paperback.

‘It’s for you,’ she said, passing it to Esme. She settled on the sofa and took a sandwich from the plate that Esme had set on the little table in front of her. ‘I’ve finished it now. I’d like you to have it. It’s about the legend of the Lost Lady of Tremarnock. I think you’ll find it interesting.’

Esme glanced at the illustration on the cover of a beautiful young woman in a forest with a tumbling waterfall behind. She was wearing a flowing green dress and had long red hair; her pale, slender arms were outspread, and in one hand she was holding a leafy green branch while from the other, she appeared to be releasing a brilliantly coloured butterfly.

‘It’s Tremanthia,’ Caroline explained. ‘The branch, part of an evergreen tree, represents strength, healing and harmony, and the butterfly is a Celtic symbol of rebirth. That’s the purifying water behind, look.’ She pointed to the cascade. ‘The writer describes the spot in Tremarnock where the shrine is supposed to have been.’

Esme smiled. It was a lovely image, for sure. ‘I have a feeling if anything was still there it would have been discovered by now.’ She glanced at the blurb on the back. ‘But I’ll certainly read it. Thank you.’

Taking a sandwich herself, she nibbled on the corner before broaching the subject of Philip. ‘What did he say?’

‘He had a nasty turn a couple of hours ago. He said he couldn’t move – it was as if his feet were stuck to the floor. Apparently they’re called “freezing episodes” and he’s afraid it’s a sign his Parkinson’s is getting worse. Luckily it was over quite quickly, but he had a terrible fright. He went to the doctor straight away.’

‘So what did you say?’ Esme asked, eyeing her friend.

‘Nothing much. I just asked about the consultation.’

‘Good.’ Esme nodded, relieved. ‘Leave it to the experts. You mustn’t worry. It’s not your responsibility, you know.’

‘You’re right,’ said Caroline, sighing. But after they’d eaten, she decided to go to her room for a lie-down, and Esme was sure that behind closed doors she would be trawling the internet for information, trying to gain a better understanding of what the episode meant and what could be done.

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