Page 61 of Betrayal from Beyond
“Is the cottage here in the village?” asked Gyda.
“Just outside. A pretty spot, right on the river. She would come in once a week when she was here. Her orders were always modest, but she always paid in full.” His lip curled. “Until recently.”
“Miss Prentice made an order without paying for it?”
“Two, in fact, and both deuced odd, if you ask me. The first appeared normal enough. She made her selections, but didn’t carry them away or pay me right then, as was her custom. It was market day, and I was busy, so I didn’t press her. But didn’t she come in a few hours later, acting as if the first visit had never happened? I gave her the chance to pay for the earlier order, but she refused and practically ran out of the shop.” He heaved a sigh of disapproval.
“And the second?” Niall prompted him.
“Well. That one was odd. She wanted canned salmon and tinned vegetables. Oh, yes, and dried meat.” Norrey straightened. “I ask you, is this the sort of product a village general store would carry, in the normal course of things? No, indeed. I told her I was not in the way of outfitting jungle expeditions or filling the galleys of the ships in the Royal Navy. But she insisted. I had to make special orders to get everythingshe requested. She wanted enough of them to fill a trunk. I know, because that’s how I sent it out to her.”
Kara frowned at the others. “What could she have intended to do with it?”
“She didn’t intend to pay for it, that much I can tell you,” said Norrey. “When I arranged delivery, she told my man she would be in early the next morning to make payment for it.”
“But she did not?”
“No, she did not. In the afternoon, I sent the man back and told him not to return without her payment. And what do you think he found? The cottage left open, with Miss Prentice gone, along with her supplies and everything of value in the place!”
Kara was still stuck on the strange order. “Canned, tinned, and dried foodstuffs?” she mused.
“She did tell Tom she meant to change hiding spots,” Gyda reminded her. “Perhaps the new spot is remote?”
“No, she told him she wanted to move closer to Town,” Niall said.
“Perhaps she didn’t want to be seen?” Kara guessed. “With those sorts of supplies, she could hide away for a good while without venturing out.”
“Or she might be planning to feed more than just herself,” Niall offered.
“Did anything she said give you an idea of where she meant to go with all those supplies?” Gyda asked the shopkeeper.
“No. I just assumed she returned to her teaching position. In the usual way.”
“Petra did say her sister was a teacher,” Kara said.
“Do you know where she taught?” asked Niall.
The man stilled. Kara thought he must have noticed Niall’s use of the past tense.
“I… Well, now that you ask, I suppose I do not.”
“Come, man, surely you can recall something?” Gyda was growing impatient. “Listen, we need to find this woman. If you tell us something to help us find her, we’ll settle her accounts.” She glanced askance at Niall, who nodded.
“I can’t recall… Well, she once did remark upon the quieter nature of the village,” Norrey said. “I took that to mean she normally resided somewhere closer to London.”
“We cannot stop in to enquire at every school between here and London,” Niall said, exasperated.
“We will, if we must,” Gyda declared.
“Perhaps her uncle will know the name of the particular school, if you can locate him?” Norrey suggested.
“Uncle?” they all said in unison, staring at the shopkeeper.
“Yes, well, I’ve never met the man, to be sure. But I am not the only merchant Miss Prentice left with unpaid bills. Mr. Hartford, the tailor, has been engaged to make something for Miss Prentice’s uncle. I don’t believe he has finished yet. I told him to stop and give it up for a lost cause, but he believes Miss Prentice will honor her order. He told me himself that he expects he will be paid.”
“Why does he think so?” Gyda asked. “Has he reason to?”
“I very much doubt it.” Norrey leaned in as if making a confession. “Mr. Hartford, I fear, is anoptimist.”
