Page 39 of A Curious Ending

Sarah didn’t say anything.

‘You know something, don’t you?’ Lara said intuitively.

Abby nodded approvingly and wondered if Lara was developing a knack for things too. It did happen.

‘It’s just a bit awkward,’ Sarah responded.

‘Out with it!’ Kate demanded without hesitation.

Lara realised this must be what Mrs M had been referring to when she said Sarah could tell her something.

Sarah sighed. ‘I suppose it doesn’t matter now. It’s just it was a phone conversation I overheard when I was dropping in an order to Lady Porter. I did tell Mrs M a bit about it, but I wasn’t sure about repeating it again.’

‘I suggest we do not tell Sarah about stealing into Richard Porter’s office and rifling through his drawers then,’ was Abby’s observation from the empty table.

‘I don’t know who Lady Porter was speaking to, it was Richard or possibly Penny I think. She was not happy. She said she’d had enough of them and they’d tricked her into signing… something…’ Sarah looked up. ‘I’m not sure what… but Lady Porter said she could do something about that and would.’ Sarah shrugged her incomprehension. ‘It didn’t really make much sense, I did wonder if it was a new will. Anyway, I told Mrs M.’

‘Oh, I believe that makes perfect sense,’ Abby commented. Lara thought it did too. It would certainly explain the power of attorney. She had never really believed Lady Porter would have voluntarily signed that.

Sarah added, ‘It was only afterwards I remembered she had said something really strange before she hung up. She said: “You can’t stop me taking care of my real family” – well, it was something like that,’ Sarah recalled.

‘Mother Mary and Joseph and all the sweet little fishes,’ Kate said comprehensively.

‘All that, and some,’ Lara agreed.

The four women sat in silence for some moments.

‘What did Mrs M say when you told her?’ Kate eventually asked.

‘She said that she wouldn’t put anything past “Master Richard”, but she didn’t know what we could do about it. As to the “real” family she just thought I must have misheard as she was adamant that there had been no scandal associated with her Ladyship, Richard was her only child,’ Sarah replied.

‘But would she have known?’ Kate mused.

The women relapsed into silence until Sarah rose from the table. ‘Look, we need to think more about this, but I’ve got to get back to Rory.’ She glanced at the oversized railway clock that hung on the wall behind the till, adding by way of explanation to Lara, ‘Rory’s my son, he’s six. I’m no longer with his dad, but Mum’s great about helping. She’s looking after him at the moment, but she’s got work tomorrow.’ Lara and Kate rose with her and helped her tidy up. ‘I have an idea though,’ Sarah said, as she led them to the door. ‘I’m doing an event at the theatre on Saturday night to mark its centenary. They won some lottery funding to celebrate, I think the building is some sort of architectural heritage site. Anyway, I’m doing the catering. It’s drinks and canapés in the Dress Circle Bar and then there are little vignettes each representing a different decade, taking place around the theatre. Well, most of the people we’ve been talking about are going. I’ve seen the guest list. Why don’t you both come and waitress for me. It’s a great chance to mingle, and who knows what we could overhear. You know what it’s like, once you’re dressed in black with a white apron on, you’re invisible.’

Kate and Lara looked at each other with, ‘I will if you will,’ expressions.

‘And of course I would pay you,’ Sarah confirmed.

‘Then you can definitely count me in,’ Kate said.

‘What a marvellous suggestion. I shall dress accordingly,’ Abby proclaimed.

Chapter 20

Before Lara opened the shop the following morning she left a posy of red parrot tulips, red chillies, and ranunculus on Sarah’s doorstep with a note of thanks. She had found some red and white gingham ribbon that reminded her of the tea towel Sarah often wore in her hair, and she had tied the stems with this. The gesture brought a painful memory – a large bunch of freesias tied with a sage-green ribbon that had once been left on her back doorstep.

As Lara walked back through the silent streets to her shop, Abby kept step beside her. For once equally silent. At the shop door Abby broke the silence, ‘Kate very much reminds me of someone and it has just come to me. It was my dear friend Emma. Not in looks perhaps but Emma had the same zest for life and the same vulnerability.’

‘Do you know what happened to Emma?’ Lara asked, opening the door.

‘After overcoming a difficulty early on in her life she went on to marry an excellent young man and I believe was very happy. She certainly had a large and vigorous family.’ Abby stood for a moment looking up at the sky. ‘Friendship is a very precious thing and it should never be taken for granted.’

Lara looked around to reply, but Abby was gone. The only indication that she had been there was the slight scent of gardenias that lingered in the cold winter air.

The morning went by in a flurry of phone orders, Lara occasionally glancing towards the empty chair where Abby usually sat. As irritating as she found her Kindred Spirit, Lara realised she missed her when she wasn’t there. The fact she was thinking this of a ghost made her suddenly laugh out loud, causing Becky to enquire what was funny. Lara used the ploy of ‘just remembering an old joke’ and turned the discussion towards Christmas plans for the shop. Becky had put together a list of her own ideas, and though she began self-consciously, her confidence appeared to grow the more she spoke of them. Becky suggested keeping things simple with white lights and garlands in one window, but in the other window she proposed placing a small Christmas tree. On the tree she wanted to hang glass test tubes, displaying one of every type of flower they had in the shop. ‘We can always use them in arrangements later and put new ones in each day, so there isn’t any wastage,’ she said hesitantly, looking anxiously at Lara.

‘I love it.’ Lara smiled. ‘I think I’ll make a start decorating the shop on Sunday when no one’s in.’