Page 30 of Trust in Truth
Katherine grinned. “I’m going to ask her tonight during the fireworks.”
“Romantic.”
Katherine hung up with Rebecca’s well wishes and on the promise she would ring back tomorrow with news of the event and proposal. She extracted the rings from the back of her underwear drawer and placed them in the inside pocket of her long coat — along with Margaret’s necklace.
By the time she arrived onsite, the first visitors were already arriving. Anna must have already briefed Carrie about the leaflets as she held a bundle out to Katherine as she passed. She found Margaret in the VIP tent and split the bundle with her. She needn’t have because Margaret spent the entire time glued to her side. This did bring the advantage that Margaret could introduce her to the trustees she hadn’t yet met in person and some of the more important abbey members.
Two such people were a local couple, Gerald and Susan, who were silent trustees. From what Katherine could gather they seemed to have an unhealthy obsession with caravanning, which was why she hadn’t yet met them. After their chat, Margaret advised her against attending any party they invited her to. She had once made the mistake of going to one of their summer parties only to find out they were nudists.
For all her potential faults, Margaret was good company and had been a good friend. It was regrettable the way things had turned out. Katherine had hoped she had misinterpreted Margaret’s behaviour on Christmas Day due to her emotional state. The little touches and level of attention she gave Katherine throughout the evening told her she hadn’t misinterpreted anything; Margaret was clearly being flirtatious. She seemed almost possessive of her, occasionally clinging on to her arm. Now her eyes were finally open it was blindingly obvious the woman had feelings for her.
During a moment of respite from her clingy colleague, Katherine managed to take a breather outside the gazebo. Due to the cold weather, Anna had decided to put four walls on the gazebos and with all the bodies crowded in there it was starting to resemble an oven.
Katherine drank in the busy site for the first time since everyone’s arrival. It was jam packed with young families and groups of friends, no doubt exchanging stories of their Christmas and making promises to meet up in the new year. A large group were even dancing around the band on a make-shift stage. Everyone certainly seemed to be enjoying themselves.
She felt a sense of pride in Anna for pulling off a remarkable job, but then Anna was a remarkable woman, she’d expect no less from her. Katherine smiled at her thought and checked her pocket for the rings. They were safe. Now it was just a matter of getting one on Anna’s finger.
A figure appeared through the darkness, illuminated only at their feet by the lights on the path. There was a familiarity to the walk that Katherine recognised.
“Anna, is that you?” Katherine called out.
“Yes, can you help me with these trays?”
Katherine stepped forward to meet her on the path and took a tray of canapés from her.
“How’s it all going?”
“I’m exhausted; I haven’t stopped.”
Katherine looked at her watch. “Not much longer now. How’s it going over at the visitor centre?”
“Great. There’s a constant stream of people coming to the bar and to stock up on food, which I’m hearing great things about. The caricature artist has a long line of people waiting. Before I left, the magician had stepped in to entertain them, I think he’s trying to warm up before coming back out here.”
“Who can blame him.” Katherine laughed.
They took the canapés into the gazebo and placed them on the fold out tables beside the bar. Anna cleared up the empty trays, straightened the tablecloths and gave the bar a quick stock check.
“I better get back; I’ve got a list of jobs before the fireworks are set off.” Anna turned to leave.
“Anna.”
Anna stopped and looked at Katherine. “Yes?”
Katherine placed her hands on Anna’s shoulders and looked her in the eye. “Breathe. You’re doing a great job. I’ll come find you at midnight.”
A smile washed over Anna’s face, and she rushed from the gazebo in a frazzled blur with the empty trays.
As the evening drew closer to midnight, Katherine knew she couldn’t put off confronting Margaret much longer. She didn’t have a lot of confidence in the only plan she’d managed to come up with. The first part, to get her tipsy, Margaret had managed herself much to Katherine’s relief. The second, to seduce her into a confession, was now down to Katherine. If Margaret thought she might get somewhere with Katherine, then she might be looser lipped. She knew she’d have to play the seductress carefully. She unbuttoned her coat. Even though it was a chilly evening, she felt like a boil-in-the-bag meal. Perhaps she was more nervous than she realised.
She waited for the right moment to approach Margaret, leaving it as late in the evening as she could before lightly touching her elbow to signal for her to follow her. A quiet corner of the gazebo beside the bar was the best place for this type of conversation. Her phone was in her hand and recording.
Margaret was eager to follow Katherine as she hoped she would be, and the sway in her movements indicated she’d had more than enough to drink, perhaps too much.
“So, did you have a good Christmas? Got everything you wanted and more I hope,” Margaret slurred, taking a sip from her newly refilled glass of Prosecco.
Katherine wondered if she was referring to her gift.
“I didn't quite get everything I wanted, no, Margaret.” Katherine gave her the eyes; a look Rebecca had said no woman could resist.
