Wishing Well by Anne Lown

Author:Anne Lown [Lown, Anne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Junobe Publishing
Published: 2019-04-02T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

The gates to the manor were now closed. Jenny stopped at the intercom and pressed the buzzer.

“Can I help you?” the housekeeper’s dulcet tones echoed from the speaker on the wall.

“Hi, Dawn, it’s Jenny. I’d like to see Sarah if she’s well enough.”

A click sounded when the gate was released. Jenny pushed it open, then got back in her car and drove through. The scattering of vehicles that had blocked the driveway were nowhere to be seen, leaving her to park near the house.

The woman was waiting on the doorstep, ready to usher her inside. Jenny glanced behind Dawn. Ellie-Mae was not with her mother.

“How’s your daughter? Excited about Christmas?” Jenny smiled. She was making small talk more to calm her nerves than anything else.

“Like you wouldn’t believe.” Dawn set off in front, her cheerful voice filling the hallway. “They’re all in the living room.”

“Thanks for letting me visit.” She cleared her throat, her dry mouth making it hard to swallow. She glanced at the stairs. It was the second time she’d seen that black cat and stretched her hand out to stroke it while she walked past.

Come on, girl, you can do this.

Dawn turned the handle and swung the door ajar, not bothering to go in herself and announce her. Without the woman shielding the way, Jenny felt exposed. She edged inside the room, wide-eyed and vulnerable.

“Lovely to see you. Do come in.”

Sarah’s greeting drew Jenny’s attention, but she wasn’t alone. Giles sat in his usual armchair, a broadsheet newspaper discarded on the floor by his legs. To her dismay, Colette was on the sofa, and alongside her, Mary.

“Sorry to intrude,” Jenny said, her voice timid, “but I was hoping to have a word with you.” Her gaze flitted from one face to another. It would’ve been better if she could’ve caught her hostess alone.

Giles motioned with his arm, indicating the vacant third sofa cushion. “Do take a seat. Would you like a drink?”

“Um, no, thank you.” She’d had enough already and still had to be able to drive herself home. Jenny took another deep breath and forced herself to carry on. “I received a letter, and it seems to have been written on your stationary.”

Her statement was met with a blank expression from Sarah and Giles. Jenny pulled the item from her pocket and passed it to his expectant grasp. He slid the page from the envelope and inspected both sides. He appeared bemused, but not like he’d seen the note before. As for the others, she couldn’t tell.

So much for catching a reaction. I should’ve sat somewhere else.

“It looks like it’s ours. Where did you get it?” he asked.

“Someone posted it through the café letterbox when the shop was closed. They must’ve been up very early to do so.”

“Or out very late,” Giles said, “but then they could’ve done it anytime from when the place shut.”

He had a point. The window of opportunity for the author was huge. There was no way she’d be able to find them on the likely time it had been delivered.

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