Page 50 of A Very Bookish Murder
Morwenna pulled a face. ‘She insisted on having her own room, and I don’t know why because she’s never there. I’ve no idea what she does or where she goes because she’s not very communicative and never invites me along. It would be nice to have some company in the evenings and at breakfast in the morning.’
Ally handed her a mug of tea. ‘Well, both Millie and Penelope have occupancy of twin-bedded rooms so you could ask them if they’d be prepared to share, I suppose. They’ve paid individually for the rest of this week so you’d have to settle that with them.’ Ally paused. ‘So you’ve no idea where Laura goes to?’
Morwenna shook her head. ‘None at all. Normally I’d just pack up, leave early and go home, but, like the others, I want to stay for the funeral.’ She sipped her tea. ‘I think I told you that Jodi stole my then-husband years ago?’
‘Yes, you did.’
‘And she soon got rid of him. He’s never got over it, but I did. I left him and went on to find happiness again, but we kept in touch. Sadly, he’s now in a hospice in Swansea with only a short time to live, and I called in to see him on my way up here. What he really wanted was a visit from Jodi before he died, and that’s one of the reasons I came to Locharran, to try to persuade her to visit him one last time.’
Ally sat down opposite her. ‘I did wonder why you had chosen to come on a course run by a woman who broke up your marriage.’
‘I promised Tom I’d do everything I could. I tried writing to her but never got any reply. I thought that if I got to know her a bit on the course, and talked to her face to face, then maybe she’d agree.’
‘Well, that’s not going to happen now, is it?’ Ally replied. ‘But it was very kind-hearted of you to try.’
‘No, it won’t happen now, but, as you say, at least I tried,’ Morwenna said. ‘Anyway, Tom heard all about her death via the media, of course, and now he wants me to video the funeral, so he can say his farewells in private, he says.’ She raised her eyes to heaven. ‘I know that sounds a bit strange and creepy, but that’s what he wants. We were happy for the years we had together, and he’s the father of my only child, and he’s generously supported her every inch of the way over the years. I’m still fond of the old fool and can hardly deny him this last request, so I’m here until Sunday.’
Ally had no reason to doubt her. Morwenna was a pleasant, friendly woman and incredibly loyal to her stupid, straying ex-husband. She wondered briefly who Morwenna might end up sharing with for the last three nights – Penelope or Millie? If they agreed.
As she got up to leave, Ally wondered if she should have warned her about Penelope’s snoring.
Ally wished fervently that she didn’t have to visit the shop this particular morning, knowing full well that the place would be buzzing with the news and she was likely to be interrogated. But she did need several items, and so there was nothing else for it but to wander down there and face Queenie.
She finally got there after she’d cleared everything away and Morag had finished the cleaning, had had more tea and made more remarks such as ‘My, my!’ and ‘Well, I never!’
As she pushed open the door of the shop, Ally was aware that the place really was buzzing, with groups of women gossiping in the aisles, and they all looked round with great interest when Ally appeared.
‘We’ve beenhearin’about you!’ Queenie greeted her.
‘Yes, I daresay you have,’ Ally said.
‘Ye saw them two wee lads born then,’ Queenie added. ‘With thevet!’
Ally nodded as she delved into the chiller cabinet for some bacon.
‘Aye well, the vet would’ve seen a few births in his time!’ said an elderly woman with a red coat and a red nose who Ally hadn’t seen before. ‘He was awful good with our Betty when she had her twins, ye know?’
Ally wondered who on earth Betty could be? This woman’s daughter? ‘Who’s Betty?’ Ally asked. ‘Your daughter?’
‘No, no, thecow!’ said the woman with the red nose. ‘Betty had an awful bad time calving that year, but Mr Patterson was bloody marvellous! The first one, Bella, was breech. The earl’s babies weren’t breech, were they?’
‘No, they came out head first, just like they’re supposed to,’ Ally replied with a grin.
‘Mrs Fraser said they were awful big,’ Queenie put in.
‘Big for twins,’ Ally confirmed. ‘And the fact they were early.’
‘Mrs Fraser wiz sayin’ that the earl’s missus needed stitching,’ Queenie added.
‘Aye, well,’ said Mrs Red Nose, ‘she’ll no likely be wantin’ his lordship anywhere near her for a bit, will she?’
A tiny elderly woman, with a crocheted green beret perched jauntily on top of her golden curls, had emerged from behind the aisle of tins. ‘Aye,’ she agreed, ‘and the earl’s no goin’ to be likin’ that, is he? Randy old bugger!’
‘He’ll be off back to that Englishwoman with the funny name, up at Loch Trioch,’ said Queenie, ‘and you mark my words!’
‘I think you’re being very unkind,’ Ally said. ‘The earl has finally met his match, and he and his wife are very happy together.’
There was silence as Ally paid for her groceries.
