It’s Jasmine, I realized.It’s because she looks so much like Elizabeth.
The three siblings and Jasmine found a table in the corner. I went up to the bar to order.
Brenda tipped wine into two glasses, for Holly and Lewis, and started pouring my pint of Guinness. Jasmine and Miranda had both asked for Diet Coke. Brenda looked shaken. ‘I thought an actual ghost had walked into my pub. Morag told me the new girlfriend looks like the old wife, but I didn’t realize she was her double. I’ve got goose pimples. Look.’ She showed me her arms. ‘Poor Elizabeth must be rolling in her grave.’
‘Do you think?’
‘Of course I bloody think. No woman wants to think she’s replaceable. How would you feel if you croaked it and young Holly took up with another boy who was the spit of you? I hope Elizabeth’s there on their wedding night, rattling saucepans and hiding his Viagra.’
I tried to keep a straight face.
‘Did you know her well? Elizabeth?’
‘A wee bit. She spent the whole summer here on her own once, just her and the bairns. And the kids all hung out together when they were teenagers. Holly and Lewis, and my Morag and Jimmy. Charles came back and forth, being an important businessman.’ She emphasized the last syllable, her voice dripping with sarcasm. ‘I remember once I said something to him about how I know what it’s like to run a business– I’vebeen the landlady of this pub as long as he’s been flogging microchips– and he was a patronizing bastard. “Selling beer to drunks,” he said. “It’s not exactly brain surgery.”’
She was clearly still annoyed by this historical exchange.
‘Elizabeth was bonnie, though. No idea what she saw in him. And now he’s managed to snare one who’s young enough to be his daughter.’
My pint of Guinness was still settling, so– remembering what she’d said last night– I had time to ask, ‘Do you dislike the whole family, or is it just Charles?’
‘I have a very good reason to hate them. Has Holly not told you—?’ She winced, pained by some memory, before her voice came back stronger. ‘Have you made a start with your film?’
‘I’ve made some preliminary enquiries.’
‘You sound like the police. They’re useless, too.’ She narrowed her eyes in the direction of our table. ‘Ask them about Jimmy. Ask them what happened that night.’
But before I could question her more, another customer called to Brenda, asking if he was ever going to get served, and I carried the drinks over to our table on a tray.
‘What were you talking to Brenda about?’ Holly asked.
I didn’t want to ask her about Jimmy in front of the others so said, ‘Oh, not much. The weather.’
‘It’s going to snow,’ Miranda said.
Lewis turned his head towards the window, frowning. ‘When?’
‘Later this afternoon, according to the forecast.’
It was noon now and it got dark here at around four. ‘We’d better head to the caves immediately after this,’ Lewis said to Jasmine. ‘I was starting to think perhaps we should wait till tomorrow, but if it’s going to snow this is going to be our best chance.’
‘That’s cool,’ Jasmine said. ‘But I’m not dressed for it now.’ She had put her own coat and boots on over her jeans and sweater, along with a furry hat that she’d brought with her. Elizabeth’s outdoor clothes were back at the house. Opposite her, Miranda glowered at Jasmine’s pointed comment but kept quiet.
Lewis gave her a reassuring smile. ‘You’ll be fine. When we were kids we used to go in there wearing jeans and trainers. It’s not like we’re climbing a mountain.’
‘Well. Let’s wait and see if you still want to go with me after I’ve told you what I have to say.’
‘Spit it out, then,’ Miranda said.
‘Are you all ready to order?’ It was Morag, appearing at the table with a pen and pad.
‘Hey.’ Jasmine spoke to her like they were old friends.
‘We’re not hungry,’ Lewis said. The mention of snow had clearly rattled him. ‘We’re just going to have these drinks. Okay, everyone?’
We all shrugged and said, ‘Sure.’ It was a rare moment of harmony.
Morag hesitated.
