Murder at the Priory Hotel: A totally gripping cozy historical mystery (A Flora Steele Mystery Book 4) by Merryn Allingham

Author:Merryn Allingham [Allingham, Merryn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781803145129
Publisher: Bookouture
Published: 2022-07-07T16:00:00+00:00

17

Flora was up early the next morning, dragging Betty from her newly secured home and pedalling quickly to the doctor’s surgery on the corner of Greenway Lane and the high street. It would be a quick visit before she opened the bookshop for the day’s business and she was hopeful of seeing Maggie at the receptionist’s desk.

There were several patients already in the waiting area when Flora arrived, each one being careful to monitor who had walked in before them and who after. When Dr Randall opened his door and called for the next patient, a young mother jumped to her feet, baby in arms, ready to claim her turn. Maggie was at her desk explaining to an elderly villager in as kind a manner as she could that if the woman was well enough to walk to the surgery, a home call was unnecessary.

As soon as the uncooperative patient had huffed her way out of the building, Flora approached the desk. She was shocked to see how ill Maggie looked. The girl’s face never held much colour but this morning it was as white as the surgery walls, and her eyes were swollen and red. It looked as though she had been crying, and crying a lot.

‘Hello, Maggie,’ she began, ‘I was hoping to speak to you for a few minutes.’

The girl looked up and, to Flora’s horror, tears began to dribble slowly down her face. ‘Whatever’s wrong?’ she asked, appalled. ‘Are you unwell?’

Maggie reached into her uniform pocket for a handkerchief, dabbing at her cheeks and blowing her nose.

‘Sorry, it’s just… it’s just…’ She couldn’t seem to finish what she wanted to say and Flora walked round the desk and took her by the arm.

‘Come outside for a minute,’ she said. ‘You’ll feel better in the fresh air.’

‘I can’t.’ The girl gestured at the waiting patients.

‘Mrs Harris will be with the doctor a while. You’ve time for a short break,’ Flora urged.

Maggie allowed herself to be led through a side door into a small courtyard in which Dr Randall’s car took up most of the space. At least, Flora presumed it was his.

‘I hate to see you so upset,’ she said tentatively, once Maggie had taken several deep breaths. ‘Can I be of any help?’

The girl shook her head dumbly. ‘It’s over,’ she murmured, ‘that’s all. But I can’t seem to believe it.’

Flora thought quickly. ‘Your… friendship… with Dr Randall… is over?’

Maggie nodded. ‘It was wrong, Flora, I know. I did a wicked thing but…’ She trailed off hopelessly.

‘More unwise than wicked,’ Flora soothed. ‘It sounds as if you made the right decision in the end.’

‘I didn’t make it,’ the girl said miserably. ‘Brian did.’

‘Then he made the right choice for both of you.’

Why had he done it now? was the question at the back of Flora’s mind. By the look of it, their so-called ‘friendship’ had been going on for several months, possibly since Dr Hanson left on his sabbatical, so why choose this moment to finish what must always have been a doomed relationship?

‘I’m sorry,’ she said gently.

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