On a Midnight Clear by Lily Morton

Author:Lily Morton [Morton , Lily]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-12-16T18:30:00+00:00

Eight

BARNABY

I close the front door behind the departing courier and lean back against it, looking unseeingly up at the painted ceiling. A footstep sounds, and I see Michael approaching.

“Alright, my lord? Did it get off alright?”

I smile at him. “Yes. It’ll be with the museum in a few hours. Geoff promised to ring me as soon as there’s news.”

“Having a friend who works in that business is lucky.”

I shrug. “I trust him.” My best friend is a renowned archaeologist, and I’d been prepared to take the crown to him, but he insisted on sending his man for it. “They’re going to start tests on it this evening.”

He purses his lips. “Hard to believe there’s some old bloke buried in the garden. The last time I heard of that happening, it was Fred West doing the digging. No wonder our marigolds never took.”

I laugh and shake my head. “Michael, the last few days are hard to believe.”

“That Mister Cosmo has certainly shaken things up around here. I’ve just come past the kitchen, and Mrs Cooper is singing.” He shakes his head. “Singing,” he says in a tone of wonder. I laugh, and he looks around a little warily as if expecting Cosmo to jump out on him. “Where is he, then?”

“He’s upstairs having a rest.”

He tuts. “Young thing like him needing a rest.”

“Ah, but he’s been making ma—” I stop abruptly. “He’s been making snowballs,” I add quickly.

He rolls his eyes. “You young people have no stamina. Why, in my youth, I could work a full day, have a snowball fight on the way home, and still have the energy to tup the missus.”

“Good heavens,” I say faintly. “I’m not quite sure what to do with that information.”

He chuckles. “So, that crown. It’s worth a bob or two, then?”

“It might be. I won’t get the results for a few weeks, but Geoff reckons he’ll be able to give me an answer sooner.” I bite my lip. “God, I hope it’s worth something. I know there are strict laws around who owns found treasure but even a little money would help.”

He pats me on the back. “Reckon it’ll all work out, Lord Greenwood. Cosmo seems to think so, and if I were a betting man, I’d have one on him.”

“You are a betting man. I don’t think I’ve ever heard you speak during Cheltenham races.”

He chuckles. “Ah, but I reckon Ladbrokes haven’t got the capacity for calculating the odds on Mister Cosmo. Go and spend some time with him. Emme and I were just saying how lovely it is to see you happy again. Not that you’ve had a lot to smile about lately with all the bloody money problems and that old tosspot builder trying to throw his cash about.” He tuts. “Camel coat. I should have known.”

I narrow my eyes. “How do you know about the money problems?”

“We’ve been here since before you were born, and we’ve watched you grow. There’s not much that can get past Emme and me.”

“I’m so sorry.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.