Crime at Christmas by Noreen Wainwright

Author:Noreen Wainwright
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: detective, cozy mystery, women sleuth, english mystery, cosy mystery, british mystery, post war mystery, british women sleuth
Publisher: Tirgearr Publishing

Chapter Seventeen

I really could do with leaving this until after Christmas, now, Edith thought as she answered the door to Ruth yet again. She should have told her so, but it would be like kicking a puppy. She was so keen to learn and so grateful that is was cruel to put her off. They had settled on two afternoons a week for the time being.

“If the weather’s bad, I’ll run you home,” Edith said. “You can’t be bringing your brothers out, away from their work.”

Her father’s funeral was next week and this was, an odd, out of time, period. “How’s your mother coping, Ruth?”

“She’s terrible, Miss Horton…I’m sorry. I’m here to work, not be telling you my troubles.”

That was only half-true, of course. The need to talk to someone was very obvious in the girl. “Look, I don’t mind. Is there anyone who can help? Do you have an aunt or other relative, a grandparent?”

Ruth shook her head. “My grandparents are dead and my Aunty Joan doesn’t have anything to do with us, anymore.”

Edith hesitated. “Is your mother one of my brother’s patients?”

“I think she is, but, thing is, Miss Horton, they don’t really hold with doctors. It’s in the Lord’s hands whether you live or die. Anyway, I don’t think there’s medicine for what’s ailing Mother, not really, though she does have to take summat.”

The child was wrong on so many levels. If her mother was depressed, she needed help, and God helps those who help themselves. But, she wasn’t going to start a religious debate with the girl.

This time, she gave her some work to do and left her to it while she went to the telephone to have a complicated conversation with Aunt Alicia about a guest list; this eightieth birthday party was coming closer, and she wasn’t getting on with the various things that needed doing. She hadn’t seen Henry since the awkward walk, and neither had she heard from Julia.

Ruth had followed instructions to the letter and was quick and efficient. Three o’ clock came, and she showed no signs of going. Instead, she seemed to be looking for more jobs and it didn’t take a genius to see that she was putting off going home.

“Is one of your brothers coming to fetch you, or do you want a lift?”

Ruth closed the bottom drawer of the filing cabinet. The desk she’d been working on was neater than ever either she or Archie left it. Where did this come from? Pear Tree had been untidy, the kitchen especially. This girl had an orderly way of working. “It’s all right, Miss Horton, honestly I’ll walk. I could do with the fresh air and the exercise.”

Edith looked at her. Surely, fresh air and exercise were the last thing she needed. She lived on a farm and whether she wanted to or not, she probably had to do some outdoor work. The weather decided her. “Ruth, I’m taking you home. Come on, no arguments. I’m not letting you go out on a two-mile walk on a cold December afternoon.

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