The Osborne Case by Diana Xarissa

Author:Diana Xarissa
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Published: 2018-12-14T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 7

It only took them a few more steps to confirm Janet’s words. Harriet was standing in the centre of what had once been the living quarters of the monastery. Another woman was with her, looking around with a frown on her face.

“I do wish there was a way to tell what everything is,” the other woman sighed.

“I thought the museum did a good job of explaining everything,” Bessie said.

“Oh, yes, well, we didn’t go around the museum,” the woman told her.

“It was too dear,” Harriet said sharply. “It’s bad enough they charge people to walk around all these old ruins. They’re barely interesting.”

“I think they’re fascinating,” Doona told her, “but then, we went through the museum, so we have a good idea of what everything was back in the day.”

“What was this room, then?” Harriet’s friend asked.

“It was the kitchen,” Harriet said. “I already told you that.”

“Actually, it was the abbot’s room,” Bessie told them both. “Here, you can see it on this drawing.” She held out the guidebook for them.

Harriet glanced at it and then shrugged. “They may have made a mistake there,” she said.

Janet bit her tongue to stop herself from laughing or saying something rude. Bessie caught her eye and raised an eyebrow. She wants me to ask her about Gretchen Falkirk, Janet thought. I don’t want her to remember who I am, though.

“Aren’t you even going to say hello?” Harriet demanded. “I’m sure you remember me. It isn’t as if you get many visitors to Doveby House, I’m sure.”

Janet counted to ten before she forced herself to smile at the woman. “Actually, we were booked with guests all summer long,” she said in the most pleasant tone she could muster. “Now we have friends visiting.”

“How nice,” Harriet sneered.

“I’m Clara Hastings,” the other woman said quickly.

“It’s nice to meet you,” Janet told her. “I’m Janet Markham and this is my sister Joan. We own Doveby House.”

“Oh, my, how lovely for you. Is it as wonderful inside as it looks from the outside?” Clara asked.

“It’s very nice,” Janet told her. “We were fortunate to receive an unexpected inheritance that allowed us to buy it.”

“You run it as a bed and breakfast, don’t you?” Clara asked. “I keep thinking one day I might ring up and book myself a one-night stay, just so I can see inside.”

“You’re welcome to come and have a look around one day, just to see the house,” Janet told her. “I’ll show you the public rooms, anyway. It’s fairly quiet right now, or it will be once our friends have gone. Ring me. I’m sure we can arrange something.”

“Oh, I’d hate to impose,” the woman replied.

“You’d be welcome,” Janet assured her, wincing slightly as she heard herself emphasise the first word. She had to hope that Harriet wouldn’t notice the slight.

“And these are our friends,” Joan stepped in. “Bessie Cubbon and Doona Moore are visiting from the Isle of Man.”

“What a ghastly place,” Harriet said.

Bessie and Doona exchanged glances, and Janet was sure she could see them both biting their tongues.

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