Chapter 17
The next day there was no sign of rain. The sky was a bright blue backdrop to small white clouds that appeared to be racing each other across the rooftops. The flying clouds made Lara think of Penny Porter’s painting and she wondered what had prompted her to paint in this new style.
As she approached her friend’s grave she expected to find Lady Porter’s flowers scattered all around the churchyard after the previous day’s wind and rain.
But as she got closer it became clear that someone had been there before her.
The ground around the grave had been tidied and there was a new display of flowers.
The yellow roses were gone and in their stead were greeny-white ranunculus.
Her mimosa had been arranged in between the rounded heads of the flowers and there was a fresh card beside the posy.
It read simply, ‘Forgive me. M.’ Lara was intrigued; she couldn’t for the life of her think what Mrs M would have to be sorry for.
She also wondered why Mrs M hadn’t bought the flowers from her shop.
She worried that Mrs M might not have much money for flowers and wondered how she might say to Mrs M (without causing offence) that she would always give her a good discount.
In the end she decided that with such a proud woman there were no such words.
Lara placed the creamy hellebores that she had brought with her on a neighbouring grave that did not have any flowers. She silently explained this to Lady Porter, who didn’t seem to mind at all.
‘No, that’s fine,’ Lara said. A Billie Holiday fan, she smiled, who’d have thought it.
Maybe she would try Becky on Classic FM after all.
Five minutes later Lara was not in the least surprised to see Abby dancing around the central display of lilies.
This morning she had chosen a cream sprig muslin dress, decorated with small peach rosebuds and green leaves.
Over it she had decided on one of Lara’s ‘Miss McGregor’s Garden’ aprons.
‘Now do apply yourself, Lara, you must not leave all the work to Becky,’ Abby said, spinning slowly on the spot.
She decided she really did like feeling part of Miss McGregor’s team.
And, glancing in her direction, she revisited the thought that Becky would look quite magnificent in scarlet.
Miss McGregor on the other hand was wishing her new team member elsewhere. Preferably a long way away.
Once the main orders had been completed, Lara started gathering the flowers that she was going to present to Jason Honeybourne in the hope that this would give Abby the opportunity to explore his premises.
‘Ready?’ she said out of the side of her mouth to Abby.
‘I think you will find I am always ready,’ Abby assured her.
Lara found she was grinding her teeth.
Jason was delighted to welcome Lara to his shop, especially when he realised the reason for her errand.
‘I noticed you had a new jug in the window and I wondered if you would like some flowers to put in it? I over-ordered some varieties and I thought these might complement it,’ Lara said, holding out a large bunch of aubergine snapdragons and heathery-lilac roses.
Jason beamed at her, stroking the front of his primrose waistcoat with one small, white manicured hand.
‘Would you like me to arrange them for you? It would be no bother,’ Lara offered.
‘Why that’s most kind of you. I think they might need the feminine touch.’ He smirked and ran a long fingernail around the button of his waistcoat.
Lara tried to hide her distaste. Abby watched this exchange with revulsion, which she took no pains at all to hide.
‘Is the kitchen through here?’ Lara asked, picking up the jug from the window and carefully carrying it towards the back of the shop.
Her plan was to open as many doors as possible in the shop and back rooms to allow Abby to investigate while she arranged the flowers.
Before she had taken two steps Jason had risen smartly from his seat.
He moved surprisingly quickly for a man in such tight corduroys.
‘No, no, let me,’ he insisted, firmly manoeuvring her out of the way and taking the jug from her hands. It seemed that the proprietor of Honeybourne Antiques was reluctant to let Lara invade his inner sanctum.
‘What do I do now?’ Lara mouthed helplessly to Abby who was left behind with her in the main body of the shop. Beyond the closed door they could hear the sound of a running tap.
Abby looked at Lara appraisingly. ‘You will think of something,’ she said with apparent unconcern and started to study some of Jason’s merchandise.
The small shop was packed with several spindle legged tables and two pedestal desks.
On each piece of furniture were displayed pottery figurines, vases, lamps and small bowls.
Around the wall were hung several interesting oil paintings.
Whatever his taste in clothes – today Jason was wearing bright butterscotch trousers – Abby thought you could not fault Jason’s eye when it came to antiques and art.
In a few moments he had returned to the shop, the door to the back rooms firmly shut behind him. He handed the jug to Lara who began to slowly arrange the flowers. The shop felt unnaturally quiet and Lara realised she was holding her breath and her hand was trembling.
Jason sidled up to her. ‘Do I make you nervous, Miss McGregor?’
Lara started. ‘No, not at all, and do please call me Lara. It’s just that I suddenly wondered if this was an expensive jug?’ she tried to make her voice sound light and normal.
‘It’s a Dresden piece, not a particularly fine example and later than the key period, but never the less I would expect it to sell for around ￡250.’
‘Oh my goodness,’ Lara said, feigning admiration. ‘You used to buy and sell pieces for Lady Porter, didn’t you?’ Lara said, trying to find something useful to chat about while she thought of a new way to get into the back of the shop. As soon as the words were out she knew she had made a mistake.
Jason turned his cold, calculating eyes upon her and she felt the tension in the room.
‘Indeed,’ was all he eventually said.
Again the shop fell silent. Lara appeared to study the jug trying to buy some more time so she could come up with an idea. Her mind was completely blank. When Jason spoke Lara jumped.
‘Are you thinking of purchasing it Miss… er, Lara?’ There was something very unpleasant about the way Jason asked this, as if he knew she had an ulterior motive for being in his shop.
Lara also noticed that he kept glancing uneasily in Abby’s direction.
She was sure he could not see her Kindred Spirit, but it did seem he got some sense of her presence. This suddenly gave her inspiration.
‘I didn’t know you had anyone to help you in the shop?’ she said pleasantly, snipping a snapdragon stem with her scissors.
‘No, it’s just me, Miss McGregor. A one man show I’m afraid.’ Jason said, continuing to study her.
‘Oh, I was just wondering who was out the back?’ Lara said, apparently puzzled.
‘What?’ Jason said, looking up sharply.
‘Can’t you hear someone moving around? I was sure I heard something. Maybe I’m imagining things,’ Lara said, placing the last rose in position.
‘Well, that’s me done…’ she started, but realised she was talking to Jason’s back as he headed swiftly through to the area behind the shop. He was closely followed by The Honourable Abigail Rossmore.
From her position by the open inner door, Lara could hear other doors being opened and shut and what sounded like a drawer being pulled or pushed to.
When Jason returned to the shop a few minutes later Lara was placing the jug, now filled with flowers, back into the window.
She noticed that Jason was eyeing her suspiciously.
‘Was there anyone there?’ she enquired casually.
‘No… Yes… No,’ Jason faltered, looking narrowly at her. ‘No,’ he repeated more firmly, ‘but it felt like someone had been there,’ he added under his breath.
‘Give me Monty any day,’ Abby declared, neatly side-stepping Jason’s bulky form. ‘Far more sensitive,’ she said dismissively.
With that the two women left the shop.
‘Tell me what you found,’ Lara urged, ‘and before we have to go back into the shop. I’m fed up with Becky looking at me oddly when she finds me talking to myself.’
‘I do not believe Mr Honeybourne is an honest man,’ Abby announced.
‘Well, that doesn’t surprise me,’ Lara replied, thinking of Jason’s reluctance to even let her into the kitchen area.
‘There was evidence in the storeroom that is highly suggestive. As I am sure you predicted, he immediately rushed to the things that he would not want anyone to see. I observed pieces that I believe have been tampered with in an attempt to give them an appearance of much greater age.’ Abby smiled mischievously.
‘Which is interesting since it appears Mr Honeybourne is going to some lengths to ensure that he looks younger than he is.’
Lara looked confused.
‘There was a box of Manly Shine Golden Russet hair dye in his office,’ Abby enlightened her. ‘And the smell of hair oil was almost over-powering.’
‘Oh, don’t,’ Lara laughed, ‘we shouldn’t.’
‘As to that, Mr Honeybourne should not try to cheat time. Or his customers,’ Abigail declared roundly. ‘However, I have no wish to dwell on Mr Honeybourne’s style of hairdressing. There is something far more important to discuss.’
Lara paused in front of her shop, pretending to adjust the street display, and waited expectantly.
‘In Mr Honeybourne’s office drawer I saw some very fine examples of Meissen china. Two saucers, one teacup and one small plate to be precise.’
‘And…?’ Lara said encouragingly.
‘He appeared most anxious to check on this which suggests to me he does not wish anyone else to know that he has them. I believe I have seen the same design in Gillmore House. It is very distinctive. Colourful birds encircling oriental scenes.’
‘Do you think he’s stolen them?’ Lara speculated.
‘A distinct possibility and I think it is very likely that he is trying to steal more,’ Abby replied.
‘One or two pieces would be of some interest to collectors, but I imagine a full service would be worth a vast amount. Even in my time Meissen was very much sought after. I still recall Aunt Augusta’s face when we were having tea on the lawn and Uncle Henry smashed one of her Meissen teacups with a cricket ball.
It really was the most marvellous shot. You would almost have imagined he had done it on purpose,’ Abby said smiling fondly.
‘But how could this be linked to Lady Porter’s death?’ Lara wanted to know.
‘It is too early to say. However, I think we should ask Mrs M about the service when we visit Gillmore House and we should explore Meissen tea services on the googley machine.’
Lara managed to turn her laugh into a cough.
Abby then tied her apron strings more securely around her. ‘But for now,’ she said in her high-handed way, ‘I really think it is time we did some work. These flowers won’t arrange themselves you know.’
Lara opened the door and ushered Abby in with a mock bow. Which did nothing to improve Mrs Sutton’s opinion of her, as it was at this moment she happened to emerge from the shop.
Abby thoroughly enjoyed her afternoon among the flowers.
It appeared that wearing the shop apron had gone to her head.
As Lara served customers, Abby butted in with her own suggestions and ideas.
At one point, Lara could not stop herself from exclaiming: ‘Will you sit down!’ which took Becky somewhat by surprise.
Lara only just managed to get away with it as there was a customer’s Jack Russell in the shop at the time.
Neither the customer nor the Jack Russell looked particularly impressed with her explanation.
When closing time came, Lara realised she was actually looking forward to seeing Sarah as she knew it would involve a glass of wine and it would at least get Abby out of her shop.