‘What are you doing here?’ he asked.
‘After what you said about Miss Casey, I came up here to see if I could find any evidence of what you’d hinted at between her and Arthur.’
‘I’m sorry I did that in front of you and Charles. I should have waited until I had my father on his own.’
‘I don’t care about that. But look what I’ve found.’
Standing in front of a dressing table, she pointed to an opened drawer. Going over to take a look, he frowned at what he saw. ‘Is that what I think it is?’ he said.
‘Yes,’ Julia murmured. ‘And it all makes sense now.’
He had no idea what she meant, but he quickly told her what she had to do next.
Chapter Eighty
Island House, Melstead St Mary
December 1962
Evelyn
Evelyn had had half a mind to feign sickness and back out of Christmas lunch at Island House, but she knew it would have raised too many questions. In particular from Kit, who would have worried what had brought on the sudden illness.
So after they had tramped through the snow on foot to attend that morning’s brief Christmas Day service at church, they had arrived at Island House where Evelyn was forced to make an enormous effort to behave as normally as possible.
The shock she had experienced on hearing Max’s voice on the telephone yesterday explaining about him and Isabella had now been compounded by something even more unbelievable. With something of a dramatic flourish, Isabella had revealed over a glass of champagne in the drawing room that she and Max were to be married. The announcement had caused Evelyn very nearly to choke on her champagne. While everybody else had greeted the news with astonished delight, Evelyn had caught Romily’s eye and detected a wary look of apprehension. And rightly so. What did Isabella think she was doing? And what was Max up to? Marriage? Him?
Thank God for Romily’s other house guest. With a naturally affable way of chatting to everybody, Red St Clair brought a breath of fresh air to the proceedings. Now as they ate lunch, which apparently Red had helped Romily prepare, he and Kit were engaged in a conversation about Kit’s time spent in Canada learning to fly. It turned out that they had a mutual friend who had trained at the same flying school. What were the chances?
And what were the chances of Max being a faithful husband? Evelyn looked across the dining table to where he was sitting between Isabella and Em. He was amusing them with some tale about a puppy he’d been given as a child, and how the dog had been utterly devoted to him. It was on the tip of Evelyn’s razor-sharp tongue to interrupt the conversation and say, ‘Well, that’s Max for you, he always could instil slavish devotion.’ She wisely said nothing.
‘You’ve always had a wonderful way with dogs, haven’t you?’ said Isabella to Stanley.
Before he could reply, Em said, ‘I’d have loved to have a dog, but Mum wouldn’t let me.’
‘And with good reason,’ responded Evelyn. ‘It would have been left to me to house-train and take care of it while you were away at school.’
‘But wouldn’t you like a dog now?’ continued Em.
‘Why now?’
‘Well, because it won’t be long before Pip and I won’t be spending anywhere near as much time at home and it would be nice for you and Dad to have one. You know, for company. Don’t you think?’
Evelyn frowned, but Kit laughed. ‘Careful, Em, you’re making us sound as if we’re dangerously close to slipping into our dotage.’
Glancing further down the table, Evelyn thought how tired Annelise looked. Like Edmund, she was unusually quiet. The most Edmund had said since arriving was to say how awful he felt at not being at the hospital with Hope.
More food was passed around, and then Kit brought up a subject Evelyn would have preferred he hadn’t. Not with Max at the table.
‘Edmund,’ said Kit, ‘have you discovered if anyone else has received an anonymous letter like the ones Hope and Evelyn have been sent?’
Before he had a chance to reply, Isabella let out a hoot of laughter. ‘Anonymous letters,’ she repeated, ‘what’s all this about?’
Pip laughed too. ‘Don’t tell me there’s some frustrated old biddy in the village with nothing better to do than write poison pen letters!’
‘Who’s the suspect?’ joined in Em. ‘And why didn’t you say anything, Mum? Oh, this is straight out of a murder mystery novel, isn’t it, Romily? What a lark!’
‘Hardly a lark, I’m afraid,’ replied Romily.
‘No,’ agreed Evelyn. ‘I’m afraid it’s not as funny as you youngsters seem to think it is.’ Across the table she felt Max’s eyes on her. She hoped to goodness he would keep his mouth shut and not let on that she had already spoken to him about the first letter she received.
‘Evelyn’s right,’ asserted Edmund. ‘I’m convinced that if it weren’t for the letter Hope was sent, she wouldn’t be where she is now.’
‘You mean the two things are connected?’ asked Red. ‘Her accident and the letter? Hell, what kind of village is this?’
‘The same as any other,’ said Romily with a sigh. She was about to say something else, when from the hall came the sound of the telephone ringing.
She was gone no more than a few seconds before she returned. ‘Edmund,’ she said. ‘That was the hospital. They’ve been trying to ring you at Fairview for the last hour.’
The colour drained from his face. ‘But I rang them to say I’d be here.’
‘Somehow the message was mislaid. But it’s wonderful news. Hope is awake and asking for you.’
Chapter Eighty-One
Chelstead Cottage Hospital, Chelstead
December 1962
Romily
It was anybody’s guess how long it would take them to reach the hospital, but nothing was going to stop Romily from making the journey.
Firstly, she telephoned her nearest neighbour, Reggie Potters of Holmewood Farm, to ask if she could borrow his Land Rover. As soon as he knew the reason why, he was only too keen to agree. She gave Edmund no choice in the matter as to who would drive, telling him he would be too agitated to get them to the hospital safely. It was better that she be the one to do it.
The Land Rover had three seats and a rear canvas hood, under which Kit and Evelyn, along with Red, and wrapped in blankets to keep warm, were hunkered down as best they could. Twisting her head round to check that they were okay, Romily saw Red grinning back at her through the smudged glass. He gave her a thumbs-up sign.