When the waiter returned with their soft drinks, both women ordered the spaghetti Bolognese. Bessie also asked for a plate of garlic bread.
“You’ll love it,” she told Laura. “I’ve never met anyone who didn’t.”
“Is everything at the castle ready for tomorrow night, then?” Laura asked as they sipped their drinks.
“I think so. We’re all going to spend the afternoon there tomorrow making sure of it, anyway, though.”
Laura laughed. “You are such a dedicated group of volunteers,” she said. “Most of the volunteers I’ve worked with in the past were more interested in being seen to be helping than actually doing anything.”
“I enjoy a bit of hard work,” Bessie told her. “Especially when the outcome is so gratifying.”
“I understand the event has already exceeded expectations in terms of money raised,” Laura said. “And the auction should bring in quite a bit more, shouldn’t it?”
“I certainly hope so. We’ve a lot of really wonderful prizes available.”
“Including the contents of each room, right?”
“That’s right. Did you want to bid on any of them?”
“I do like the rainbow room,” Laura told her. “But I can’t imagine what I’d do with all of those trees and their decorations. I have a one bedroom flat with just barely enough room for the small tree I put up last week.”
“Yes, I think the room contents will all have to go to very wealthy people with huge houses to decorate. I know I don’t have the space for any more decorations than what I already have,” Bessie said. “ Anyway, did you do something similar in the UK for work?” Bessie changed the subject.
“Yes, I worked for one of the stately homes in Derbyshire. I did all of their fundraising and special event planning.”
“I’m always curious what makes people consider moving to the island,” Bessie said. “It seems like a rather large lifestyle change.”
“It has been,” Laura agreed. “But I needed a change.”
Bessie nodded. She was grateful that the garlic bread was delivered then, as Laura seemed to be somewhat upset with the way the conversation was going.
“So what do you like to do, aside from work?” Bessie asked after they’d both eaten their first slice of hot bread dripping in melted butter and garlic. “I’m not being nosy, I’m trying to think who you might enjoy meeting that might have similar interests,” she added.
“I don’t do much, outside of work,” Laura said apologetically. “I like to read when I have the time and sometimes I do a bit of cross-stitch, but mostly I work and then sit and watch telly, aside from when I’m spending time with Henry, of course.”
Bessie kept the conversation light and general as they finished off the bread and then ate their spaghetti. While she found herself liking the other woman, she felt as if Laura was deliberately keeping the conversation superficial. Bessie didn’t want to push her, as they barely knew one another, but she also wanted to help the woman if she could.
“I’m sorry you were upset by the situation at Castle Rushen,” she said after she’d insisted that they order pudding.
“I’m fine, really. I just felt like I needed a change of scenery,” Laura said, staring into space.
“I hope it hasn’t ruined the castle for you. It’s a really beautiful place.”
“It’s one of the finest medieval castles I’ve ever seen,” Laura replied. “It’s beautiful, but I don’t think I’ll go back until after ‘Christmas at the Castle’ is all cleared away.”
Bessie reached across the table and patted the other woman’s hand. “I’m sorry that you were upset,” she said softly.
Laura looked at her and then blinked back tears. “Thank you,” she whispered.
Two decadent slices of chocolate cake, Laura’s with ice cream and Bessie’s with cream, arrived.
“Oh, this is too much,” Laura exclaimed as the plate was placed in front of her. “I’ve been eating mince pies and all manner of lovely treats lately. I should have said no to this.”
“Chocolate is good for the soul,” Bessie told her firmly.
Laura took a bite. After she swallowed, she smiled at Bessie. “It’s so good,” she said. “And just what I needed.”
Bessie nodded. “If you ever want to talk about whatever’s upsetting you, I’m happy to listen, but only if you need a sympathetic ear.”
Laura flushed and then bent her head over her plate. Bessie ate her own cake slowly, watching the other diners and leaving Laura alone with her thoughts. As the waiter cleared the plates, Bessie ordered coffee for them both.
“I don’t have to rush away anywhere,” she explained to Laura. “If you have somewhere else you need to be, though, don’t feel that you need to stay.”
“No, I’m fine for a bit longer,” Laura said. “Coffee sounds perfect to wash down that rich cake.”
“Are you spending Christmas with Henry?” Bessie asked.
“Yes, and all of his family,” Laura told her. “He has an astonishing number of nieces and nephews, at least that’s how it seems to me. I was an only child.”
“Henry comes from a large family,” Bessie recalled. “I hope they don’t overwhelm you.”
Laura nodded. “I’ve warned Henry that I’m used to very quiet Christmas celebrations. I’ve told him I might have to leave early if it all gets to be too much.”
“They’re all wonderful people,” Bessie told her. “I’m sure they’ll try to make you feel welcome, which might actually be worse than if they ignored you.”
Laura laughed. “You could be right about that,” she said. “The thing is, well, you see, my ex-husband, he didn’t like crowds or family so we always spent Christmas just the two of us.”
“Sometimes that’s nice, too,” Bessie said. “Just some quiet time together.”
“But it wasn’t nice,” Laura blurted out. “He was, he, that is, he wasn’t a very nice man.”
Bessie patted Laura’s hand. “I’m sorry,” she murmured.
Laura blinked hard several times. “When Mr. Hart started yelling and screaming it just reminded me so much of him,” she said softly. “It took me ten years to finally walk away from being treated so badly and then I only managed it because he hit me so hard that I ended up in hospital. After they patched me up, they made me talk to someone about what was happening at home and I finally realised that I needed to leave.”
“Good for you,” Bessie said.
“It wasn’t easy, but the divorce was final a few months ago.”
“And you decided that you needed a change,” Bessie said.
“I did,” Laura agreed. “He’d moved a few miles away from the flat we’d shared, but I used to run into him once in a while, and everywhere I went I saw people who knew us as a couple. It was really difficult. Many of them thought I was making things up. He was the perfect gentleman in public, you see.”
“Well, I’m glad you got away and I’m glad you ended up here,” Bessie told her. “The island is lucky to have you.”
Laura flushed. “Thank you,” she said. “I hope you’re right.”
While they sipped their coffee, they talked more about Christmas and other neutral topics.
“I suppose I must get home and do something useful like laundry,” Laura said eventually, after glancing at her watch.
“Yes, I have lots of little chores to get through today, as tomorrow is going to be busy and the next day is Christmas,” Bessie replied. “But I’ve thoroughly enjoyed our lunch and I’d like to do it again sometime soon.”
“I’d really like that,” Laura told her. “You’re the only person I’ve talked with about my ex-husband, well, aside from Natasha.”
“Natasha?” Bessie said in surprise.
Laura flushed. “We had a chat one day at Castle Rushen,” she said. “I was upset about everything that was happening and Natasha found me crying in one of the back rooms. She was so sympathetic that I ended up telling her all about my ex.”
“Yes, and she really understood as well,” Laura told her. “She and Michael had just had a fight and, well, she told me that he’d swung at her.”
“She must have been very upset,” Bessie said.
“Yes, she was,” Laura agreed. “It was that day when she’d gone for a walk with him, before he disappeared for the afternoon.”
“Can you remember what she said happened?” Bessie asked.
“I probably shouldn’t be repeating it,” Laura replied anxiously.
“I’m just surprised, that’s all. Michael seemed like a nice man.”
“But he punched Mr. Hart. He had a bad temper. Natasha said that he tried to kiss her and she told him to stop and that’s when, well, he lost his temper. Luckily he missed when he swung at her.”
Bessie nodded. “I hope she’s told the police about the incident,” she said.
Laura shrugged. “I’m not sure why she would. It isn’t like she’s going to press charges against Michael now.”
“No, but the more they know about the man, the more quickly they can work out exactly what happened to him,” Bessie explained. “It sounds as if his temper was getting the best of him just before he died.”
“I think he killed Mr. Hart,” Laura confided in Bessie. “He was really angry when he punched him, and then after Mr. Hart was killed, Michael started drinking all the time. I think he was trying to forget about the murder. It wouldn’t surprise me if he committed suicide in remorse.”
“It’s all very sad,” Bessie said neutrally. “I just hope the police can work it all out soon.”
“I know I’ll sleep better once they’ve closed the case,” Laura said emphatically. “Even though I’m not still working at the castle, I still find the whole matter very upsetting.”
“I’d better get home and finish up my pre-Christmas chores,” Bessie said reluctantly. “I’ll ring you in the new year and we’ll do this again.”
“Next time is my treat,” Laura replied.
“Oh, and Happy Christmas,” Bessie said, handing the woman the small wrapped box from her handbag. “I have something for Henry as well, but I’ll give it to him at the castle tomorrow night.”
“Oh, you shouldn’t have,” Laura exclaimed. “I didn’t get you anything, and you bought lunch as well.”
“It’s only a little something,” Bessie told her. “I bought the same little thing for everyone who worked on ‘Christmas at the Castle.’ I just hope it won’t bring up bad memories when you see what it is.”
“I’m sure I’ll love it. Thank you so very much.”
Bessie gave the woman a small hug and then they both headed out of the restaurant. Outside a cold wind was blowing and Bessie quickly buttoned her coat while she walked to the nearest taxi rank. Laura walked that far with her.
“Thank you again,” she told Bessie.
“You’re welcome. I’m so glad everything has worked out for you and that life brought you to the island.”
“I am, as well.”
With that, Laura continued on her way. Bessie was about to climb into a taxi when she remembered that she was meant to try to speak to Carolyn. With a sigh, she turned and headed for the nearest boutique. Half an hour later, she’d visited nearly all of Carolyn favourite shops without any luck. As she pushed open the door to the last possibility, she heard a familiar voice.
“I’d like it better in green,” Carolyn was saying to a harassed-looking shop assistant. “Or maybe blue would be better.”
Carolyn turned slowly in front of the large mirror. She was wearing a red sequined dress that tightly hugged her slender figure. “No, the red is just all wrong.”
“It’s very festive,” Bessie commented.
“Ah, Bessie Cubbon, how delightful to see you,” Carolyn said. “But what brings you here? I can’t imagine this is your sort of shop.”
Bessie glanced around at the designer dresses and shoes that were elegantly displayed around her. “No, it really isn’t,” she agreed. “But I was walking past and I saw you and thought I’d stop and see how you are.”
She hadn’t seen Carolyn from outside the shop, but she hadn’t tried looking in the window either. It didn’t really matter, as Carolyn didn’t question her words. “I’m fine, I suppose,” Carolyn replied. “Just trying to find something suitable for tomorrow night.”
“I’m really looking forward to tomorrow,” Bessie told her. “And, dare I say it, I’m really looking forward to ‘Christmas at the Castle’ being over.”
“Yes, I know what you mean,” Carolyn replied. “It’s been such hard work, and so upsetting at times. Losing dear Christo was so difficult.”
“I know you two were good friends,” Bessie said, hoping her emphasis on the word friend would spark a reaction.
“We were twin souls,” Carolyn said, taking a tissue from the counter behind her and touching it to her eyes. “We understood each other perfectly. If I’d been a few years younger, we might have been lovers as well, but it’s better that we weren’t, I suppose. Taking our relationship further might have spoiled things between us.”
“It’s a shame you had that falling out just before he died,” Bessie said, feeling mean as she did so.
“We didn’t have a falling out,” Carolyn snapped. “Richard and Christo had a disagreement, that’s all. I had to pretend to take Richard’s side, of course, but Christo knew I didn’t mean it.”
“The vandalism of the room you were decorating in his honour must have been a huge shock,” Bessie suggested.
The shop assistant had been hovering around Carolyn with a bored look on her face, but now she looked interested. Carolyn noticed and waved her away. “I’m talking to my friend,” she said. “Go and see if you have anything else that might suit me while I do that.” She turned back to Bessie. “The vandalism was heartbreaking,” she said. “And it’s even worse thinking that Michael might have been responsible for it.”
“You and Michael were friends, too,” Bessie commented in her most innocent tone.
Carolyn frowned. “We were friends,” she agreed. “I’m on the board of the charity where he works, so we knew each other before ‘Christmas at the Castle.’ I was on the committee that hired him, actually. Then, working at Castle Rushen together naturally brought us even closer.”
“Did you think he had a violent temper?” Bessie asked.
“Because he punched Christo?” Carolyn laughed. “Christo was being difficult,” she explained. “And, dare I say it, I do think that Michael was just the teeniest bit jealous of my friendship with the man. Michael seemed to think that he and I could, well, be more than friends, if he played his cards right.”
“I see,” Bessie said.
“Of course I’d never cheat on Richard like that,” Carolyn added. “But it is such fun to flirt, just a little bit. I didn’t mean to give Michael the wrong idea.” She glanced around the tiny store and then leaned in close to Bessie.
“I do worry that I drove him to it,” she whispered.
“Drove him to what?” Bessie asked.
“Drove him to kill Christo and then himself,” Carolyn answered.
“I thought you thought Richard killed Christo,” Bessie replied.
“Oh, that was just a passing fancy,” Carolyn said with a wave of her hand. “Richard wouldn’t hurt a fly, really.”
The shop assistant returned from the back of the store with a huge pile of gowns in her arms. “This is all we have in your size,” she told Carolyn.
Carolyn yawned. “This is taking too long. Send them all to my house and I’ll pick one and send the rest back,” she said. The girl frowned but nodded.
“I must get changed and get back to the house,” Carolyn told Bessie. “Natasha is coming over to help me redesign a few rooms.”
“Really? I thought Mr. Hart did your whole house last year.”
“He did, but some of the rooms are ready for a change,” Carolyn
said. “See you tomorrow.”
She disappeared behind a curtain, leaving Bessie with the frazzled assistant.
“Did you need something?” the girl asked Bessie, her look clearly suggesting that she doubted they would have anything that might suit Bessie.
“No, thank you,” Bessie said politely. She headed out into the cold and made her way back to the taxi rank. There she climbed into the first cab in the queue. It wasn’t from her usual service and Bessie didn’t know the driver. She found herself giving the man directions, first to Laxey and then to her cottage.
“This sure is pretty,” he said when he pulled up in front of her home. “I didn’t even know this was here. Maybe I’ll bring the wife and kids over to play on the beach in the summer.”
“It’s a small beach and it can get quite crowded,” Bessie cautioned him. “But I think it’s the nicest beach on the island.”
“We’ve only just moved here from Cumbria. The kids are looking forward to splashing in the sea when it gets warmer.”
Bessie paid him, including a generous tip, and then headed into the cottage. Even though she was still quite full from lunch, she found herself nibbling on the mince pies that she’d intended to give to her morning taxi driver. She was just finishing off her ironing pile when someone knocked on her door.
“Hugh? This is a lovely surprise,” she said. “And Grace? What brings you two here?”
“We were driving by and we thought we’d stop and see how you are,” Hugh told her.
Bessie stood back and let the pair into the house. She smiled as Hugh stepped back to let Grace enter in front of him. His manners were certainly improving now that he was seeing the pretty blonde teacher.
“Happy Christmas,” Grace said happily. She handed Bessie a small bag.
Bessie looked inside, expecting to see cakes or biscuits, but instead she found several small wrapped parcels. “But what is all this?” she asked.
“Just a few little things to help make your Christmas,” Grace told her.
“You shouldn’t have,” Bessie replied.
“But we had such fun shopping for you,” Grace exclaimed. “Didn’t we?” she asked, turning her big blue eyes on Hugh.
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