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‘The driver. He can make a good cup of tea and polish her cars, but he can’t do Nettie’s duties.’
A silence on the other end, then: ‘Emmie, please come home for Christmas. I can’t bear the festivities without you, you know that. Tell the harpy to hire more help. It’s not right that you spend the holidays as her captive down there.’
‘Oh, but I’m not her captive,’ I defend. ‘She wants me to believe she’s this tower of strength, but between her nagging and her sudden silences, I can tell she’s aching for her husband. And yes, I’ll be home just in time for our engagement party on the 24th.’
‘Oh,that. Have you seen Jago Moon?’
‘Jago Moon? What’s that got to do with anything?’
‘No reason – just curious. I think he’s a real character. And maybe that’s the real reason you’re staying.’
‘Maisie, you’ve got it all wrong. I barely know the bloke. Besides, apparently he’s the family enemy number one.’
‘Oh?’
‘Yeah. My grandma kicked him out of the funeral service. In front of everyone.’
‘You’re joking! The poor, poor bloke.’
The image of his hurt face as he turned the corner comes back to me.
‘You sound fond of him,’ I observe. ‘But then you were going to spend the night with him at the inn, had I not been there.’
‘Oh, Emmie, it wasn’t like that. I’ve already explained it to you. He was a complete gentleman with me that night. All he wanted was to get me home safe. Besides, you know I always side with the outsiders.’
‘Well, you’re right about that. There are lots of people who seem to hold a grudge against him. And yet others, not so much.’
‘I wonder why. What could he possibly have done to divide the village like that?’
‘Haven’t got a clue. No one actually says anything round here. They’ll gossip about silly stuff, as they do in small communities. But I have a feeling that when it comes to the serious stuff, they come together.’
‘So you think it was something serious?’
‘Well, for my grandmother to have seen him off, it can’t just have been a fight for a parking spot.’
‘Guess not,’ Maisie agrees. ‘Why don’t you ask him? Go straight to the source.’
‘Why would I? It’s none of my business.’
‘But you’re dying to know. Why don’t you ask that girl you were telling me about, the one with the pottery shop?’
‘Rosie? I don’t know. I wouldn’t want to seem that I’m prying into his life. Besides, why would I want to know, anyway?’
‘I don’t know, Emmie. Why would you want to know?’ Maisie quizzes.
I sigh. Maisie and her mind games.
‘Look, I’ve got to go. My grandmother will be up any minute wanting her tea.’
‘OK, Little Dorrit, off you go.’
‘Thanks for that. And no one is in prison, by the way.’
‘Think of what I said.’
‘You said a lot of silly things, which I’m trying to forget.’
‘Yeah, well don’t forget my advice. If you’re going to stay in Starry Cove a few more days, you should make it worthwhile, if you know what I mean.’
