Chapter 20
TWENTY
Morag was strangely quiet the following morning, other than muttering, ‘That bloody Canadian boy got his just deserts!’
Ally’s guests appeared for breakfast and picked at cereals and coffee, but not much else. It was Julie who asked, ‘Is it OK if I go out in the garden for a while?’ as she drained her coffee. ‘I just need some fresh air.’
It wasn’t a particularly warm day, so Ally was a little mystified, and it wasn’t until she was hanging out washing that she became aware of voices in the garden – one male, one female.
Immediately alert and, by now, well practised in eavesdropping, Ally made her way silently to the dividing wall.
‘Tom!’ she heard Julie exclaiming. ‘What are you doing over there?’ She was obviously referring to the wall that sheltered the back of the garden.
‘I can’t be seen,’ he said, ‘because I’m not supposed to go anywhere, but I wanted to see you.’
‘Well, I got your message…’
‘I wanted to ask you why the hell you told that detective about what I told you.’
‘Because he kept asking me…’ Julie protested.
‘You promised not to tell anyone,’ said Tom. ‘Why did you tell them anything, for God’s sake? I’m not allowed to go anywhere now, and neither is Angus – not that Angus goes anywhere anyway,’ he whined.
‘Well, that’s too bad!’ Julie sounded increasingly exasperated. ‘And because of what you said, my mom isn’t allowed to go anywhere either!’
There was silence for a minute.
‘It’s that cop,’ Tom said eventually. ‘He worms stuff out of you. I shouldn’t have told you – or him.’
‘So, if you’re not allowed to go anywhere, what are you doing here?’ Julie asked.
‘I told you – I sneaked out cos I wanted to see you, Julie.’
‘Why?’
‘Because I like you, and I’m really sorry about the other day in the barn.’
‘So am I, but there it is,’ said Julie. ‘And I really don’t want to see you again!’
‘Well fine, I’m off!’ Tom was obviously moving away, and just before Ally returned to her washing line, she heard him mutter to himself, ‘Plenty more fish in the sea!’
By late morning, Joel had appeared in a smart little Jeep and ensconced himself in the sitting room with his mother and Patti. The girls had escaped to their bedroom, and Ally could only hope that Julie hadn’t been cajoled into telling her younger sister what Tom had said.
Ross had gone home for a few hours, and Ally was just about to make herself a cup of coffee when Desdemona arrived.
Desdemona wasn’t exactly a neighbour because she lived a good five miles away, but their paths had crossed on several occasions, and a vague sort of friendship had taken place.
She lived, with an assortment of dogs, in an old stone house beside Loch Trioch, a couple of miles from the nearest point of civilisation, The Bothy Inn.
Rumour had it that her father, a professor of English, and his actress wife had arrived out of the blue from London many years ago, with their two young daughters, Desdemona and Ophelia.
They’d taken themselves to this remote spot where the father had built a walled garden, into which he planted all manner of flora, many types which would not normally survive this far north.
Her parents and sibling now gone, Desdemona carried on the gardening tradition, as well as being a talented artist. It was her beautiful watercolours which really provided her with a living.
She had also been the earl’s lover for years, or so Ally had been told, and her younger sister, Ophelia, had been the earl’s first wife.
Desdemona, around seventy, was still a colourful character.
She parked her ancient mud-splattered Land Rover outside and strode in, wearing a couple of mismatched jumpers under an emerald-green kaftan and black leggings.
This whole outfit was further adorned with some red wooden beads which rattled as she walked.
‘Oh, glad you’re in,’ she said to Ally as she plonked herself in an armchair in the kitchen, ‘because I’ve brought you some apples. I’ve just been selling some fruit and vegetables to the Craigmonie so thought I’d drop in.’
‘Oh, thank you. Have you time for a coffee?’ Ally asked.
‘I shall make time for a coffee.’ Desdemona sighed loudly. ‘There’s a load of media people down there, milling around. Ugh! Is it any wonder I wouldn’t want to live in Locharran!’
‘They’re becoming part of the furniture round here,’ Ally agreed.
‘I understand that someone out there is killing off your Canadians,’ Desdemona said.
Ally brought her up to date with the latest events without going into too much detail.
‘I guess you’ll be glad to see the back of them all,’ Desdemona said. ‘It’s been an eventful year one way or the other.’
‘It certainly has,’ Ally said, passing her a mug of coffee.
Desdemona refused the offer of shortbread and knocked the coffee back quickly. ‘I’ve got to be on my way because I’ve got this new puppy, and I’ve had to shut him in the barn because he’s not house-trained yet. Dear little fellow!’ She stood up.
‘Thank you for these lovely apples,’ Ally said as she accompanied her visitor to the front door – at the exact time that Wendy and Joel came out of the sitting room.
She introduced them to each other. ‘Desdemona,’ she said, ‘is a wonderful painter. She painted the beautiful landscapes hanging on the bedroom walls, and some in the dining room. She’s a lady of many talents because she’s also an ardent gardener. ’
Desdemona smiled modestly. ‘I’m really sorry about your loss.’ She paused. ‘Losses.’
‘Thank you,’ they both murmured.
‘You been in a fight?’ Desdemona asked, studying Joel’s swollen eye.
‘Oh, just a little misunderstanding,’ Joel said dismissively.
‘Looks like the other guy won,’ Desdemona said cheerfully.
Then Wendy asked, ‘So you’re a gardener? I guess it must be difficult to get things growing in this climate?’
‘Not at all,’ Desdemona replied airily, ‘if you know what you’re doing.’
‘I love gardening,’ Wendy said, ‘and I’m longing to get home to my own little patch and get it all tidied up before the winter. But I’d so love to see your garden! I guess our climates are very similar, and I’d really like to see what you’re able to grow.’
‘Well, I live right off the beaten track,’ Desdemona said, heading rapidly towards the door. ‘But if you happen to be passing, do pop in!’
Then, with a wave, she was off, confident in her isolation.
‘Where exactly does she live?’ Wendy asked Ally as they waved her off.
‘Oh, a couple of miles further on from The Bothy Inn,’ Ally replied. ‘Have you eaten there yet?’
Wendy shook her head. ‘Is it good?’
‘Yes, very good,’ Ally confirmed.
‘You hear that, Joel?’ Wendy shouted to her son, who had stayed in the hallway. ‘We must try this restaurant tomorrow. Maybe take Patti and the girls? And then we can go on to have a look at Ally’s friend’s garden.’
‘I have to warn you that it’s a rough old track from the inn onwards,’ Ally said, ‘so you don’t want to be in a low-slung car.’
‘Just as well I’ve got the Jeep then,’ Joel said cheerfully. ‘It’ll do us good to get away from here for a while. Let’s do lunch at this place and go on from there to see your new friend. I thought she was interesting – if a little eccentric perhaps.’
Ally was trying to imagine Desdemona’s reaction if Wendy and Joel turned up out of the blue and smiled to herself.
‘We’ll go tomorrow,’ Joel said firmly, ‘after I’ve had another chat with that detective. I swear he knows something he hasn’t told me…’
When Ross returned in the early evening, he brought with him two rump steaks. ‘I thought maybe jacket potatoes and a salad?’ he suggested as he laid them on the kitchen table.
‘Wonderful,’ Ally replied. ‘And I’ve made an apple crumble to follow.’
‘Did you actually manage to coax a couple of apples from that ancient tree in the garden?’ Ross asked.
‘No, I had a visit from Desdemona.’
Ross’s eyes widened. ‘To what do you owe that honour?’
‘She was just being nice. She’d flogged some stuff down at the Craigmonie and called in on her way back, so we had coffee and a brief chat.’
‘So what’s she been up to?’ Ross asked. ‘Not that there’s a great deal to get up to where she lives!’
‘She seems to be living a quiet life at the moment and has a new puppy of some sort. But just as she was leaving, who should come out of the sitting room but Wendy and Joel.’
‘Oh yes. How’s his eye?’
‘Still very swollen. When I introduced them to each other, Wendy said how much she adored gardening and that she’d love to see Desdemona’s garden because the Nova Scotia climate is very similar to the Scottish one.
I was a little put out, to tell the truth, because she’s never shown the slightest interest in the garden here.
Anyway, Joel is now going to take his mother to eat at The Bothy tomorrow lunchtime, and then they’re going to visit Desdemona. ’
Ross pulled a face. ‘Is Desdemona aware of this?’
‘I doubt it, but Joel seems determined to go anyway, and he does have a Jeep, so I expect that’ll cope with the bumpy track. I’d just love to see Desdemona’s face when they arrive on her doorstep!’
‘Oh well, at least he won’t be bothering anyone in Locharran if he’s up there studying horticulture,’ Ross exclaimed.
‘Let’s hope he doesn’t get another black eye from Desdemona.’
‘I wouldn’t put it past her,’ Ross said, laughing. ‘What’s the atmosphere been like here today?’
‘The girls keep to themselves, and God only knows what Patti does because, as you know, she’s housebound,’ Ally said, suddenly aware of raised voices in the hall.
‘I told you I didn’t want to see him again after the lies he told me about you!’ Julie was shouting. ‘I only wanted to go out to get you something to eat. I wasn’t planning on bloody eloping!’
‘Watch your language!’ Patti shouted back. ‘I’m sorry I doubted you, darling, but I don’t trust that boy, not after what he said.’
‘Well, we know he’s a liar,’ Janey piped in.
‘He certainly is,’ said Patti, ‘and the sooner that can be proved, the better, and the sooner we’re out of here.’
‘Where have Auntie Wendy and Joel gone?’ Julie asked.
‘They’ve gone to complain to the manager of that Craigmonie Hotel about Joel’s treatment last night, and they’re going to bring back some sandwiches and a bottle of wine, thank God!’
There was then a slamming of doors, followed by silence.
‘Did you hear that?’ Ally asked Ross.
‘I did. Do you think this Joel is determined to get himself another black eye?’
‘Probably, but it’s Callum I feel sorry for,’ Ally said.
They didn’t hear Wendy come back later, but Ally was given a full account at breakfast the next morning when Wendy was in full flow.
‘This village,’ she informed Ally, ‘is unbelievable. Un-be-lieve-able! No one takes responsibility for anything. I don’t feel safe here, and Joel insisted I took a taxi back last night because this is a lawless society with a useless police force and downright aggression to visitors.’
Ally placed a basket of croissants on the table. ‘I’ve never known any aggression to visitors,’ she said firmly. ‘We welcome visitors from all over the world.’
‘They’ve been saving their aggression up for my dear son then.’ Wendy sniffed loudly and dabbed her nose. ‘Even the hotel manager dismissed the incident in the bar as a “misunderstanding”. A misunderstanding when a gang of drinkers set about my son!’
‘Calm down,’ said Patti, ‘or you’ll give yourself a heart attack.’
‘I will not calm down,’ ranted Wendy. ‘The manager actually suggested that Joel was some sort of troublemaker! Joel! There never was a more peace-loving guy. You know that, don’t you, Patti?’
Patti refrained from commenting but concentrated on buttering a slice of toast.
Wendy hadn’t finished yet. ‘And to arrest poor Patti here – what are the police thinking of?’
‘They haven’t arrested me,’ Patti muttered.
‘Same thing. House arrest. They suspect you. And’ – Wendy turned to Ally – ‘I’ve just bumped into your grim-faced cleaner, who wouldn’t even say “good morning” to me!’
Ally took a deep breath. ‘Thing is, Wendy, your Joel landed on her doorstep yesterday and began asking questions about her son, and to be honest, I don’t think she was well pleased.’
Wendy frowned. ‘But she’s a mother, and I’m a mother, so I’d expect her to understand, don’t you think?’
Keen to avoid an argument, Ally said, ‘I’ll have a word with her. Now it’s today you’re lunching at The Bothy, isn’t it?’
Momentarily diverted, Wendy smiled broadly while helping herself to muesli. ‘And then we’re going to visit your gardening friend.’
When Ally got back into the kitchen, she found Morag, having finished the rooms, now filling the kettle. ‘Wendy Watson’s a little upset because you didn’t look too pleased to see her this morning,’ Ally said casually as she loaded some plates into the dishwasher.
‘That’s because I wasn’t,’ Morag replied.
‘Well, she’s my guest, Morag, so try not to let your personal feelings come into this. And don’t forget she’s grieving for her husband and so she’s naturally very sensitive.’
Morag grunted and continued making a pot of tea. Ally opened her mouth to say more and thought better of it. Best not to rock the boat, especially where Joel Watson’s new investigation was concerned.