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‘No. No, you go,’ Norma offered. ‘I am sure the journey will do you good. Is Morgan not taking you?’
‘You and I both know that Morgan hasn’t been around here since the picnic last week. Why should you assume that I have spoken with him? You are here all the time. You know he hasn’t called at the house,’ Sissy snapped.
‘I wasn’t questioning you,’ Norma soothed.
‘Really? Because that is how it sounds,’ Sissy countered. Because she could feel herself losing her temper with her aunt, Sissy picked her basket back up and turned to the door.
‘How long will you be?’
Sissy paused with her hand on the door and turned to glare at her aunt. ‘As long as it takes,’ she growled before slamming out of the house.
She marched down the street toward the main road in more turmoil than she could remember experiencing in her entire life. She barely even saw the curtains twitch anymore. She did nothing more than glare at the young women who hurried past her, still whispering and giggling as they slid sly looks at her. They blinked as if not expecting to be challenged and stopped their malice completely while they hurried past. Sissy tipped her chin up and sailed right past them.
At the door to the grocery shop, Sissy slid the envelope containing the money she owed grocer under the door. She was just turning to leave for the ticketing office when a large, highly polished carriage pulled alongside her. Alicia slid a window down and peered out at her from within its roomy d
epths.
‘Good morning, my dear. How are you today?’ she called with a ready smile.
Sissy smiled at the woman’s good humour. It was a welcome relief that Alicia was pleased to see her and didn’t seem to regard her as having done something wrong.
‘I am well, thank you,’ Sissy replied politely. ‘Yourself?’
She doubted Alicia had heard her because she was busy peering at the shop behind her. Sissy looked over her shoulder and saw the grocer moving about behind the shop door. Behind him she could see his wife, hovering in the window, trying to catch a glimpse of who Sissy was talking to.
Alicia suddenly pushed open the door and elegantly descended the carriage with all the grace of royalty. She looked up and down the street as if having never been there before and turned another ready smile on Sissy. ‘I have been meaning to come and have a word with you. I have just returned from visiting a sick relation and am about to depart for Scotland.’
‘Are you going to stay with relatives as well?’
‘God, no,’ Alicia huffed so quickly that Sissy smiled. ‘I wouldn’t be seen dead anywhere as remote as my cousin’s house. It is out in the middle of nowhere, which is why it is so perfect for Mariette.’
Sissy coughed to hide her grin and nodded sagely but Alicia hadn’t finished taking her into her confidence.
‘I am going to escort her to make sure that she actually completes the journey. Mariette is so headstrong that I don’t put it past her not to end the journey and spent her time living a life of luxury in a hotel, expecting Morgan to pay her bills,’ Alicia sighed. ‘I don’t know where it all went wrong with that girl, I really don’t.’
Before Sissy could reply, the grocery shop door was suddenly yanked open, and the grocer stumbled out. He threw a dark look at his wife who hovered in the doorway and dipped into a curtsey, but Alicia’s cold look made it clear she wasn’t prepared to exchange pleasantries.
‘It is a wonderful morning, ma’am,’ the grocer cried, barely giving Sissy a second look.
‘It is indeed,’ Alicia murmured, frowning a little at the direct snub Sissy had just received.
‘Is there something I can help you with, ma’am? We have a good selection of stock in today,’ the grocer offered. ‘Of course, I am due to make my delivery as usual on Friday.’
‘Yes, about that delivery,’ Alicia murmured, reluctantly tearing her gaze away from an uncomfortable looking Sissy. She speared the grocer with a condemning look. ‘Cancel our order.’
The grocer froze and slid a worried look at Sissy. ‘C-cancel it, ma’am? Would you not be wanting as big an order, ma’am? You are quite welcome to come in and order whatever you like.’
Alicia eyed the doorway as if going inside was something she found quite offensive. She suspected it was the way the spiteful grocer’s wife was looking spitefully at Sissy. Alicia, hating to see someone being treated so appallingly, used all her experience of moving about in high society to put the arrogant grocer and wife in their places.
‘No, thank you. I wish to cancel the order permanently. We shall be getting our groceries from somewhere else from now on,’ Alicia announced. She turned her back on the man and offered Sissy a smile. ‘Climb aboard, my dear. We have much to discuss. We are going to do our shopping in-’ She lifted delicately arched brows in Sissy’s direction, silently asking her where Sissy intended to get her groceries from.
‘Conley Bridge,’ Sissy murmured.
‘Come on then. Hargreaves, Conley Bridge grocery store if you would.’ Alicia climbed into the carriage and busied herself with draping her knee blanket over her legs. When she looked up she saw the grocer and his wife whispering to each other looking shocked and somewhat horrified. As far as she was concerned they got everything they deserved. She knew that Morgan’s order was huge and delivered to the estate every Friday. Losing the business was going to have a heavy financial impact on the grocer but as far as Alicia was concerned it was a lesson the man needed. He had to learn not to offend the family.
Sissy had no choice but to climb aboard the carriage. She took a seat opposite Alicia and accepted the knee blanket Morgan’s mother held out to her with a nod of thanks. The footman folded the step and closed the door but, before the carriage could depart, Alicia turned to lean out of the carriage.
‘Oh, by the way, you should cancel all of the orders from our estate workers from now on as well. Everyone is going to do their shopping in Conley Bridge.’
