The Thankless Child by Lexie Conyngham

Author:Lexie Conyngham [Conyngham, Lexie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781910926482
Publisher: The Kellas Cat Press
Published: 2018-12-21T05:00:00+00:00

The girls were willing enough to walk up the hill to Dinnet House unaccompanied, particularly as they knew Johnnie Boy Jo was racing across the countryside some distance away, with the reliable Mr. Durris in hot pursuit. Hippolyta rather wondered how long such a pursuit could be kept up, on such a warm day. She found herself sending up a swift prayer for both of them.

Until dinner time, she kept herself busy catching up on domestic chores, particularly as Johanna seemed still to be absent. Hippolyta, stitching quietly at Patrick’s pocket edges, which had a tendency to fray from the pressure of constant use, wondered if she had decided to make a bid for freedom, and hoped that she would not run into any kind of danger. She toyed with the idea of reporting her absence to Mr. Durris, especially when another young woman had been killed in the neighbourhood, but she had not even been missing for a whole day and a night yet. Durris might be concerned, courteous as he was, but he would hardly have the time at the moment to run around looking for Johanna.

Patrick arrived back from his round of patients about half an hour before dinner time, for a wonder, and they were both washed and changed and seated at the dinner table before the meal was served. Just as they were leaving for the parlour together afterwards, attendant cats flowing across the flagged hall, there came a knock on the door and Patrick, who was not above such things, opened it himself. It was Durris.

‘Dr. Napier, good evening. I apologise for intruding once more upon your hospitality, but I believe Mrs. Napier may still have the item she found this afternoon.’

‘Oh, the reticule! Come in, Durris, please, and make yourself at home. Our maid is missing, but no doubt Ishbel or Wullie will bring some tea in a moment, and would you care for a glass of brandy?’

‘Your maid is missing?’ Durris queried, as they processed into the parlour.

‘Only since this morning,’ said Hippolyta. ‘And she has been thrawn recently, resenting her employment here, so we are not too worried: she might only be taking a little time to herself, to make a point.’

‘What does she look like?’ Durris took out that elusive notebook of his. ‘Just in case I should happen to come across her – no doubt there is no reason to worry as yet.’

‘Small – about this height,’ said Hippolyta, waving a hand. ‘Flat black hair, that will not stay up when it is pinned. A pale face – surly, I was about to say, but that may only be when she is in this house. Outside she might be perfectly cheerful.’

‘Her name?’

‘Johanna Murdoch.’

Durris nodded.

‘I don’t know anyone of that name locally. Has she family anywhere?’

‘She has not mentioned any. She came to us from the Strachans, for they were having great difficulty with her. She is not really cut out for service, I think, but at the moment she has no other option if she wants to better herself, and she does.

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