“I’ll set a pot brewing,” Joan told them. “You can take seats in the dining room and I’ll bring you some toast and jam while you’re waiting.”
“We don’t need to sit down,” Mildred told her. “Just pour some coffee in a couple of take-away containers and we’ll be on our way.”
“I don’t have take-away containers,” Joan told her. “This isn’t a take-away.”
Mildred opened her mouth to argue, but Harold interrupted before she managed to speak.
“Let’s just get something on our way to the shop,” he said. “I don’t want to wait for the pot to brew anyway.”
“But breakfast is included,” Mildred argued.
“I don’t care,” he snapped at her. “I need coffee now.”
He stormed out of the room with Mildred following somewhat more slowly. Janet walked behind the pair, happily pushing the door shut behind them and locking it tightly. She leaned against it for a moment, savouring the feeling of having the house to themselves again, if only for a short while.
Deciding that it must be time for some lunch, she turned and headed towards the kitchen. She hadn’t gone more than a few steps when someone knocked on the door.
I wonder what they forgot, she thought to herself as she turned back, expecting to find the Stones on the porch. Instead, when she pulled the door open, she found a pair of strangers smiling brightly at her.
“Good afternoon,” the man said, giving Janet a slight bow.
“Hello,” the woman with him said.
“Um, good afternoon,” Janet replied, studying the pair.
They were neatly dressed in clothes that looked well made but weren’t new. The man appeared a little bit older than the woman, maybe in his late sixties to her early sixties. They both had grey hair and glasses and looked thoroughly respectable.
“We’re awfully sorry to just turn up on your doorstep like this,” the man said. “But we used to stay here once in a while when Margaret Appleton owned the house, and, well, we have such pleasant memories of our stays. We were driving though the area, planning to stay in Little Burton, and we thought we might just stop and try our luck with you.”
“Oh, I, well, that is,” Janet took a deep breath and started again. “We aren’t really taking guests yet,” she told the couple. “My sister and I just bought the house a few months ago and we’re still getting settled in.”
“I quite understand,” the woman said in a kindly tone. “I mean, taking over a bed and breakfast must be a huge undertaking. Perhaps you’d be so good as to take our details and then, when you are ready for guests, you can let us know? We’d love a chance to stay in Doveby House again. As George says, it has very fond memories for us both.”
“Of course,” Janet said, feeling flustered. She wasn’t sure if she should turn them away or not. “Do come in,” she offered. “Let me get my sister.”
“Oh, you’ve done such lovely things in here,” the woman said, turning slowly to study the whole room. “I love the colour on the walls.”
“Thank you,” Janet replied. “We had the entire house painted.”
“Except the large bedroom on the first floor, I hope,” the man said. “Margaret always told us that it was haunted and that she had to leave the walls purple or the ghost carried on dreadfully.”
Janet smiled. “I’ve heard the same thing,” she told them. “Luckily for us, that’s my room now and I love the soft lilac shade.”
“Janet?” Joan was standing in the doorway, looking confused.
“Oh, Joan, there you are,” Janet said. “This is, well, um, I’m sorry, I didn’t get your names.”
The woman laughed lightly. “We’re George and Nancy Harrison,” she said. “We were just telling your sister how much we love what you’ve done with the house.”
“You’ve stayed here before?” Joan asked.
“Oh, yes, many times,” George answered. “Mrs. Appleton, well, Maggie, ran an excellent establishment, even if she was a bit, um, well, different,” he concluded with a shrug.
“Different?” Janet had to ask.
Nancy laughed. “Did you know her?” she asked the sisters.
“No, not at all. We bought the house from her estate,” Janet replied.
“Well, I think what George is trying to say is that Maggie was much more adventurous than we are. She nearly always had a different man living with her, for example. We didn’t really approve, but we’d fallen in love with the house, you see, and Maggie was certainly fun to be around. I think we’ll enjoy staying here even more with you two here, though.”
“Are they staying?” Joan asked Janet in a surprised voice.
“I was just going to get their contact details so that we could let them know when we’re open for business,” Janet replied. “Unless you had another idea?”
Joan looked at the pair for a moment and then took a deep breath. “The east bedroom is available, if you’d be interested,” she said. “Unfortunately it’s the smaller of the guest rooms, but the other room is occupied. How long were you thinking of staying?”
“Oh, maybe three nights?” George said, looking at his wife for confirmation.
“Yes, I think that would be about right,” she agreed. “And we really don’t care which room we’re in. We’ve stayed in them all in the past and they’re all lovely.”
“Our other guests are having their evening meal here,” Joan told them. She quoted them rates for their room, including dinner or with just breakfast. The couple exchanged a look.
“I think we’d rather visit some of the local restaurants for our evening meals,” George said after a moment. “If that’s okay with you.”
“It’s fine,” Joan said with relief in her voice.
“Let me show you to your room, then,” Janet offered.
Joan quickly found the keys to the east room and the pair followed Janet up the stairs.
“You’ve done a lot of work in here as well,” Nancy said happily.
“We have,” Janet agreed. “The only thing we haven’t done is put up any pictures, but we’re working on that.”
“Maggie had a sort of still life on that wall,” George told her. “It wasn’t very attractive, but I suppose it looked better than the blank wall does.”
“We’ll have something in place by the next time you visit,” Janet told them.
“I’ll just go and get our bags,” George said. “And thank you so very much for letting us stay after all.”
“You can thank Joan for that,” Janet replied. “Do let either of us know if you need anything.”
“I can’t imagine that we will,” Nancy said happily. “We’ll just unpack and then do some sightseeing. We won’t be out late. What time is breakfast?”
“Whenever you like,” Janet replied. “Joan and I are early risers.”
They both laughed. “Maggie Appleton wasn’t,” George explained. “Breakfast was usually ready some time around ten, if she bothered to make it at all.”
“Oh, goodness, I can’t imagine,” Janet exclaimed. “Joan and I will be up and ready to serve any time after eight, and we can have breakfast ready earlier if you let us know in advance.”
“As we’re on holiday, I don’t think we’ll be looking for breakfast any time before nine,” Nancy replied. “What time do the other guests get their breakfast? Maybe we can all eat together and save you some effort.”
“Today they came down at half eleven,” Janet told her. “And all they wanted was coffee.”
“Or maybe not,” Nancy laughed.
Janet found herself smiling happily as she headed down the stairs. The Harrisons were exactly the sort of guests she’d been expecting them to host when they’d talked about buying a bed and breakfast.
Joan had lunch ready when she got back downstairs. They ate quickly, while talking quietly about nothing much.
“We’re just off to do some sightseeing,” Nancy said, sticking her head into the kitchen as the sisters were finishing their meal. “We
shouldn’t be out too late.”
“Have fun,” Janet called.
The sisters had the house to themselves for the rest of the afternoon. Janet spent a few minutes cleaning the library and then gave in to temptation and read her book instead. Joan fixed a roast chicken with all the trimmings for dinner, and the sisters ended up eating it on their own as their guests didn’t return.
After dinner they settled in front of the television. Janet found she wasn’t paying attention to the show, as she was too busy listening for their guests. After an hour, she gave up.
“I’m going up to bed,” she told Joan. “I’ll read up there for a while.”
“I don’t know what to do,” Joan replied. “It wouldn’t surprise me if Harold and Mildred turned up and demanded food.”
“You can’t sit up all night,” Janet pointed out.
“No, but I think I’ll give them another hour or so,” Joan replied.
“If you need me, please shout,” Janet told her. “I’ll come down and help without any complaints, I promise.”
Joan laughed. “I’ll hold you to that,” she said.
Janet got ready for bed and then curled up with her book. An interesting and unexpected plot twist kept her reading for longer than she’d intended. She couldn’t hear the front door from her room, but she heard the voices and footsteps as their guests headed up to their rooms.
George and Nancy were back around nine o’clock, and Janet could tell that they were nearly tiptoeing as they made their way past her door. She heard a whispered exchange, but couldn’t make out exactly what was being said. After a moment, their room door opened and then closed again quietly.
A few hours later, just as Janet finished the book, she heard Harold and Mildred noisily climbing the stairs. When they reached the top, they began to shout at one another.
“You have the key,” Mildred told Harold.
“No, you took it after I opened the front door,” Harold replied.
“I didn’t. You put it in your pocket,” Mildred snapped back. “And stop shouting or you’ll wake everyone up.”
“I don’t have the key,” Harold hissed loudly. “You put it in your bag.”
Janet sighed deeply. At least they didn’t sound drunk, just angry and loud. She headed towards the door, but stopped when she heard her sister’s voice.
“I believe you’re looking for these?” Joan’s tone was icy.
“Where did you find them?” Mildred asked.
“You left them in the front door,” Joan answered. “I’d appreciate it if you were more careful with them in the future.”
There was a short pause and then Mildred began to giggle. “We’re in trouble,” she told Harold.
“Good night,” Joan said sharply.
Janet listened to her sister’s footsteps going down the stairs as their guests made their way to their bedroom door. It seemed to take them several tries to get the key in the lock and Janet changed her mind about their sobriety. Eventually, she heard the door open and then, a moment later, slam shut.
Janet switched off her light and fell into a restless sleep. A buzzing noise next to her head woke her suddenly. She lay in the dark room feeling completely disoriented.
Chapter Six
Janet sat up slowly, her brain struggling to process the sound. She glanced at the clock and frowned. Two o’clock in the morning. For the past several months, whenever the moon was full, she’d been woken up by the screaming of one of the house’s resident ghosts, but the moon wasn’t full tonight. Switching on her bedside lamp, she looked around the room and then shook her head. On the bedside table, her mobile phone was buzzing insistently.
“You really should recognise your own ringtone,” she said loudly, hoping to wake up her vocal cords before she answered. She’d recognised the number immediately and she knew she was being silly with not wanting the caller to know she’d been asleep, but she was often silly when it came to dealing with Edward Bennett.
“Hello?”
“I’m sorry to disturb you so late,” Edward said in a soft voice. “But I just now found five spare minutes and I couldn’t think of anyone I’d rather spend them with.”
“It’s two in the morning,” Janet pointed out.
“I know, and I am sorry,” Edward said, sounding not sorry at all. “But how are you?”
“I’m fine,” Janet replied automatically. “How are you?”
Edward chuckled. “You mustn’t just reply without thinking,” he told her. “I genuinely want to know how you are.”
Janet thought for a moment. “I’m rather tired,” she said.
“Oh, dear, and now I’ve woken you. I’ll let you go, shall I?”
“No,” Janet replied. “It’s nice to hear your voice.”
Edward had been their first paying guest, and Janet had been rather overwhelmed by his sophisticated charm. He’d only stayed a few days, telling her when he departed that he worked for the government in some secret capacity.
He’d told her he had been sent to Doveby House to find some paperwork relating to his ties to Maggie Appleton, who’d let him use the bed and breakfast as a safe house on occasion. Janet wasn’t entirely sure what to believe about the man, but she found herself attracted to him and she was enjoying their long-distance flirtation.
“Ah, thank you, my dear,” he said now. “But I’d rather hear yours. Tell me what’s going on in your world.”
“William Chalmers has opened his antique shop,” Janet began. She told him about the shop and the painting she quite liked. “It’s out of my budget, but it’s lovely,” she concluded. “But I have much more interesting news than that. We have guests. In fact, we’re full up with guests.”
“Do tell,” Edward encouraged her.
Janet spent several minutes telling Edward all about the disagreeable Harold and Mildred and the rather more charming George and Nancy. He asked several questions about both couples that left Janet curious.
“Did you know about our guests before you rang?” she demanded.
“Why would I?”
“I don’t know. You just seem very curious about them, that’s all.”
“I worry about you and Joan,” he explained. “This is all new to you and I worry that you’ll end up with the wrong sort of guests. There are a lot of unscrupulous people in the world and I don’t want any of them to take advantage of you and your sister. When do they all leave?”
“Soon, I think,” Janet replied. “Joan handled the bookings, so she knows better than I do. I think the Harrisons said they would be leaving on Sunday morning, and I’m sure William Chalmers said the Stones were only going to be here for a few days. It might feel as if they’ve been here forever, but I know they’ll be gone soon.”
“I’d love to say I’m coming to visit, but I’m rather tied up in Greece at the moment,” Edward told her. “But I’ll ring again soon, if I may.”
“Of course,” Janet agreed quickly. “Any time.”
After she disconnected, Janet lay back in bed and thought about what she’d said. Any time before midnight might have been a better response, she thought now. She switched off the light and eventually fell back to sleep.
The next morning was much like the previous one had been, with the two sisters ready to prepare breakfast well before it was needed. The Harrisons finally came down around ten, full of apologies.
“We meant to be down for breakfast by nine,” Nancy said. “But we both overslept. That never happens.”
“Would you like breakfast now, then?” Joan asked.
“Only if it isn’t too much bother,” George replied. “It’s close enough to lunchtime that we can wait if we must.”
“It’s no bother at all,” Joan told him.
She got busy in the kitchen while Janet headed out to the garden to cut some fresh flowers for the dining room table. She smiled at Stuart Long, their neighbour who looked after the gardens for them, when she bumped into him in one of the flowerbeds.
�
�Good morning, Janet. How are you?” he asked.
“I’m very well, thanks. How are you?” Janet replied.
“Oh, can’t complain,” he told her. “Or rather, I could, but it wouldn’t do any good.”
“And how is your lovely wife?”
“Mary’s good. She’s off visiting with her oldest son, Paul, and his wife for a fortnight.”
“So Mary’s children aren’t yours?” Janet asked, flushing when she realised that the question was somewhat rude.
Stuart just laughed. “No, this is a second marriage for both Mary and me. She has three sons and she loves spending time with them and all of the grandchildren. Their wives don’t necessary appreciate it as much as Mary does, but they put up with her once in a while.”
Janet grinned. “I can’t imagine having a mother-in-law. It must be strange.”
“Mary’s mother passed away a long time ago. I never met her, but my first mother-in-law was wonderful. She’s gone now, too, but we stayed close even after her daughter, my wife, died suddenly. My mother-in-law was a big help with my little girl. I don’t know what I would have done without her, really.”
“You have a daughter?”
“I do. Marie visits once in a while, when Mary’s out of town, like.”
Janet opened her mouth and then shut it quickly before another rude question could pop out. Stuart smiled at her.
“Anyway, with Mary gone, I’ve been spending extra time on your garden. I dug out that bed at the back that was always struggling and planted some new things that I hope will cope better with the amount of shade that bed gets.”
Janet nodded. She loved their beautiful garden, but she wasn’t especially interested in the details. “Joan is just making breakfast for some of our guests. If you haven’t eaten, I’m sure Joan could make something for you, too.”
“I made myself a huge breakfast,” the man confessed. “But I’ll stop by for tea and biscuits later, if I may.”
“You know you’re always welcome,” Janet assured him. While they paid him a nominal amount for taking care of the gardens, he mostly did it because he loved the work. The sisters always made sure to keep him supplied with biscuits and tea so that he knew how much his efforts were appreciated.
The Chalmers Case Page 5