Elsie's Wartime Wish by Carol MacLean

Author:Carol MacLean
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Hera
Published: 2023-03-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

Was she really going to do this? Elsie’s heart hammered as she climbed the stone stairs to the top floor. She was nervous but had a sense of anticipation too. Finally, she was going to get an answer after all the lies and deception. She went inside quietly, hoping to tiptoe across the carpeted hall and into Isobel’s bedroom without being seen. But as she took her first step, the parlour door opened. Elsie held her breath. Sarah came out, closing the door behind her and Elsie let out a sigh of relief.

‘Thank goodness it’s you. I thought you were Grandmother.’

‘You have every right to be here but you’ve got a guilty expression. Try to remain calm,’ Sarah whispered. ‘If Mother does come out, you say that you left your hat here and need it for attending the sale as the rain’s coming down. As far as she knows, everyone is out. Ada left a while ago and Leo and Alice are visiting but wanted to see the sale first. You haven’t got much time; you’ll have to hurry.’

‘And Grandmother?’ Elsie asked, dreading being caught out.

Sarah smiled mischievously. ‘We’re playing Gin Rummy for matchsticks. Mother can’t abide gambling as it’s a sin but, strangely, matchsticks don’t count. I’m winning but I’m letting her win enough that she wants to keep on going. She won’t want to leave the parlour until she’s victorious.’

‘Thank you, Aunt Sarah. I don’t know what I’d do without you,’ Elsie said, and meant it wholeheartedly.

‘You and Jessie mean a lot to me too,’ Sarah said, her eyes moist. She frowned as a clattering noise came from behind the closed door of the parlour. ‘I’d better go, Mother has dropped something. Hurry, Elsie. Find what you need and get out before Leo and Ada return.’

Sarah slipped back into the parlour and Elsie heard her asking what had happened and her grandmother’s querulous voice replying, although she couldn’t make out the words. It didn’t matter. What did matter was that she was wasting precious minutes standing frozen on the spot in the hall.

Her fingers pressed against Isobel’s bedroom door handle. She couldn’t quite believe she was going to do this and for a moment she hesitated. Then an image of Ma and Jessie came to her and her jaw tightened. Elsie turned the handle and went inside.

She’d never been in this room before. It was out of bounds to her and Jessie. She’d never seen Aunt Ada go in, either. Only Aunt Sarah went in with Grandmother, helping her into bed, bringing her treats to tempt her appetite and taking away trays, dishes and laundry as needed. She glanced around. It was fussily decorated and clearly no expense had been spared. The bed was solid oak piled with a dark maroon quilt, a soft blanket was folded at the bottom of the bed and there were several pillows. The curtains were maroon velvet, dark and thick enough without the blackout frame inside.

There was a bedside cabinet, its surface covered in medicine bottles and a silver spoon lying beside them.

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