Page 100 of A Spell of Midlife Mayhem

I hugged her. ‘Thanks, Penny. I’m sorry for scaring you.’

Our time prior to opening the house was back to normal, or so it seemed. We ate pastries and chocolates, shared gossip and anecdotes, and laughed a lot.

But I hadn’t put aside my suspicions. I merely concealed them. In my mind, one of these women was a malicious criminal.

And I had a plan to figure out who it was.

***

IN MY LUNCH BREAK, I went outside for a gentle walk. I’d been on my feet all morning. They would ache by the time I’d finished work, but a stroll would help improve my fitness. The gardens were filled with topiaries in the shapes of griffins, unicorns and dragons. A maze of hedges with a sundial in the middle sounded like fun, but I avoided it in case I got lost and was late back from my break.

Inspector Pentecost phoned me while I strolled through the gardens.

‘Ms Nicholls, do you remember me telling you not to leave the Surrey area until I conclude my investigation?’

‘I remember now, but I’d actually forgotten. Why are you calling? I’m still here.’

‘Yes, well, your name popped up on a screen when you checked in last night to fly to New Zealand. We had officers waiting to apprehend you in the departures area, but you must have changed your mind. Wisely, I would say.’

‘I was seeing my ex-husband off. He wanted me to go with him, but I wouldn’t. He checked me in.’

The inspector was silent for a while. ‘That sounds complicated.’

‘It is.’

‘All right. Thanks for clearing that up, and let me be clear—don’t leave the area.’

‘I won’t. I promise.’

She hung up without saying goodbye. I strolled around a corner and stopped. Maisey sat on the ground in my path. She looked up at me with a melancholic expression.

‘Are you okay, Maisey?’ I asked. She didn’t look it.

‘Miserable. T’wouldst be a sorrowful affair if it be true we do not venture forth anon. I’d most heartily like to wend out.’

‘I hope we can go soon.’ I scrutinised her. ‘What’s making you sad, other than that?’

She sighed and stared at the ground. ‘Simply musing on my miserable life. T’weren’t proper, poor me. I wast born into wretched servitude and toiled from the age of six. From sun up to sun down, t’wast. Until the spotted fever took me at twelve.’

‘Measles, it’s called now.’ Unfortunate girl. What a miserable existence. ‘I’m so sorry, Maisey, that happened to you. Your life was sadly too short.’ A thought occurred to me. ‘Is that why you haven’t moved on? You wanted to experience more?’

‘I suppose so. ’Tis a whole new world now. Ye hast healing potions that work like spells of the ancient druids.’ She stood and strode towards the house without looking back.

***

I HAD A PLAN. IT WASN’T much of a plan, and I didn’t know if it would work, but it was all I had, and I eagerly waited for the day at Chirtlewood to end before I could put it into action.

Melissa gave me a long sideways glance when she left Chirtlewood. Maybe she wondered what I was up to. All day, I’d been restless, hopping from foot to foot, pacing up and down the passageway upstairs and popping in and out of the library. If nothing else, I was getting fitter.

I drove into Kingston and went to the Apothecary’s Potions and Scrolls shop before it closed.

Herbert approached me. ‘Heather. How are you getting on with your witchy studies?’

‘I received the correspondence course yesterday, but I’ve already started.’

‘Wonderful.’ Herbert brought his hands together in a quiet celebration. ‘So, you want to talk to me about that stolen witch’s spell book, do you?’

‘I do. Are we alone?’ I asked.

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