A Pretty Pickle: A Mulbury Mystery by Juno Harvey

Author:Juno Harvey [Harvey, Juno]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mandurang Press

FOURTEEN

Unusually for the season Mulbury was having, it rained for two days straight. It wasn’t a drought-breaking, sodden type of rain but more of a drizzly, useless sort. Mrs Lionel stepped out on Wednesday morning intending to rake the Square back to neatness after the council men’s work in restoring the barricade around The Exceptional Tree, but the drizzle soaked through the scarf she’d placed around her head and left an uncomfortable drip down her neck. ‘Let’s leave it, Percy,’ she said.

The little dog didn’t appear to notice the rain but followed her happily enough back to the veranda over The Green Mulbury.

Under shelter, Mrs Lionel took a moment to study the Square. The rain made the leaves on the Tree darken, and it cast a gloomy shadow over the entire area. The new barricade was a solid vintage-green painted wood which was better than the previous one but gave the impression that the Tree was an animal in a pen. Branches hung wet and low over the top rail. ‘It looks ashamed,’ said Mrs Lionel to Percy, who wagged his tail at her voice. ‘Very undignified.’

‘What is?’

‘Oh, hello, Hannah, dear. Heading to work?’

‘Yeah, making sure the shed is organised before we get more deliveries.’ Hannah scanned the footpath. ‘Was someone here?’

‘Pardon, dear?’

‘You were talking to someone.’

‘Was I?’ Mrs Lionel was careful not to look down. ‘I was lamenting the new fence around The Exceptional Tree.’

Hannah stared across the Square. ‘It looks weird.’

‘Weird, indeed.’

Hannah nodded to the older woman and strode off to work, pulling her hair back into a short, messy pigtail as she went.

Mrs Lionel paused for a moment before going to The Preserved Mulbury and jangling in the door. ‘Rosemary?’

‘In here.’

Rosemary stood behind the kitchen counter, Aunt Lilibeth’s recipe book spread out before her.

‘Looking for something in particular?’

‘Yes.’ Rosemary tapped the book. ‘Every now and then, Lilibeth scribbled a note about cures and remedies, mainly related to the produce she was preserving. See?’ She swivelled the book so that Mrs Lionel could read a sentence that said Honey, lemon and ginger infusion soothes the sore throat.

‘Oh, yes. My mother used to make the same drink whenever we were sick.’

Rosemary turned the page.

‘You seem to be looking for other things.’

‘I am certain that I’ve seen some more unusual remedies in here, ones that didn’t relate to lemons or apples or potatoes.’

‘What did she use potatoes for?’

‘Burns. Somewhere in here she says to rub a slice of raw potato on a burn.’

‘Now that one I haven’t heard.’ Mrs Lionel watched as Rosemary flicked through more pages. ‘But you’re looking for something specific. Why would that be?’

Rosemary pulled out the bottle she’d borrowed from Eliza. ‘I’ve been thinking about where I’ve seen this before.’

‘Can I have a look?’ Mrs Lionel took the bottle and turned it over in her hands. ‘You know we’re talking about a time when lots of things went into bottles, and the bottles themselves were generally very similar.’

‘Yes.’

‘Why have you taken an interest in this one?

‘I’m not sure.

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