The Quiet Woman by Priscilla Masters

Author:Priscilla Masters [Masters, Priscilla]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Severn House
Published: 2024-03-19T00:00:00+00:00

THIRTY-ONE

11.20 a.m.

When one is burning to discover a truth a solution can sometimes come from an unexpected source.

To me Jalissa O’Sullivan was the supplier of Stone’s most excellent sandwiches which she brought round to the practice every day, without fail, in a wicker basket which she carried over her forearm. In fact, she supplied many businesses around the town but always assured me that her trip into the doctors’ practice was her favourite because she and I had developed quite a close friendship. I know it’s a rather meaningless, overused cliché, but her sandwiches were not only made with the very best of ingredients but they were also handled with love. They seemed to contain the sweetest of tomatoes, the crispiest of salad ingredients and there would often be an added sprig of fresh parsley or a slice of lemon if one chose the smoked salmon. Her talents were as artistic as one of the best celebrity chef’s.

And since Petronella, and now Charles, had started school, my champion sandwich supplier had some spare time on her hands. And so she had found a way to fill it. What I hadn’t known until that day was how.

As I heard Richard Clay’s footsteps heading away from my room and down the corridor, I heard him stop and then voices. Moments later Jalissa was waltzing into my room and I quizzed her.

‘You met Mr Clay in the corridor?’

‘Yes, the poor man.’ And then she said something that really surprised me. ‘He my employer now.’

‘What?’

‘Yeah, since his wife die his daughter suggest poor Mr Clay have a lady in to help clean up the house. So, knowing I was after a way to fill up my time now my two small angels have to attend school, someone suggest me. He interview me on Wednesday and …’ She looked justifiably pleased with herself. ‘He hire me.’

I contained my amazement, which was quickly followed by pleasure. Serendipitous, I thought, even though I hadn’t quite filled in the small detail: how? I clung to the conviction that handled carefully, sensitively, maybe Jalissa could find something out. I felt my eyes narrow. Possibly the bottle of fatal pills? I guessed the police would have searched for them but Jalissa’s idea of cleaning would be every bit as thorough as a forensic search if not more so. But Jalissa was both honest and loyal. And as an employee to Richard Clay, she would not betray his trust. Which meant that unless I handled her very delicately she wouldn’t ‘spy’ for me at ‘poor Mr Clay’s house’. And there was no way I was going to share my suspicions with anyone just yet. She would be horrified. Obviously unable to read my mind, she held her basket of sandwiches out in front of her, chuckling. ‘You lose your appetite today, Florence?’ Her chuckle grew louder. ‘You in love or somethin’, girl?’

I reached out and helped myself but maybe I hadn’t spent enough time choosing because she followed that up with:

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