Read Online A Cotswold Ordeal by Rebecca Tope - Free Book Online Page A

encouraging him to reminisce about his own early life, and had read books under his guidance. Jocelyn, the youngest, had inevitably been kept close to her mother for longer than the others. They boasted a telepathic bond which did at times seem impressive. Jocelyn wanted to do what her mother had done – produce a family of apparently healthy happy children. She was brilliant at nursery rhymes, fairytales, knitting, first aid. She had passed her exams half-heartedly, and taken an unambitious degree in Fine Arts, which, as far as Thea could see, never taught her anything at all.
    Where Jocelyn scored the highest points was in her maternity, and she had always made much of it. All of which meant that, in her unexpected abandonment of the role, Thea was left in floundering confusion as to just who her sister now was.
       
    By two thirty all the police had left. Feeling jangled and restless, Thea felt impelled to seek out some ordinary human contact. There must be neighbours she could call on, besides the scatterbrainedFrannie. But she hesitated, mindful of the policeman’s injunction not to discuss the events of the morning. Could she simply stroll up to somebody’s front door and engage in idle chatter, given what had happened? What if the person turned out to be the parent or sibling of the dead boy?
    But she couldn’t bear to stay in the house, or the surrounding yard. Without Jocelyn’s providential arrival, she wondered what she would have done. The loneliness was suddenly acute, a feeling of cold emptiness, a chill wind blowing. She could get in the car now, and drive to Minchinhampton, and visit some shops before Jocelyn turned up. The dog could come too, and Juniper Court could take its chances for a couple of hours.
    She dithered, wrestling with conflicting urges. Was it responsible of her to abandon the place, when she might be needed again by the police and the pony might require attention? But she wanted to regain a sense of normality. The car and a small country town would give her that. ‘Come on,’ she said to the dog. ‘We’ll go for a drive.’
    But they didn’t get far. Having locked the house securely, and got out of the car to close the yard gate behind her, she heard a woman’s voice calling from somewhere up the lane. Turning, she was confronted by a vision of some impact.
    The woman wore a bright red skirt that reachedto mid-calf, and a maroon crushed velvet jacket. Her hair was short, but vivid, dyed with expensive-looking golden highlights. At first glance she looked youngish – well under forty. With each successive minute, Thea revised this estimate upwards until it passed fifty.
    ‘Just caught you, I see. Lucky me.’ The voice was metallic, with London roots.
    Thea was still trying to accommodate the arrival of this apparition, the car engine running and driver’s door open. ‘Er…’ she said.
    ‘I’m Valerie Innes. I live at the Manor. You must have noticed it.’ Leaving no time for Thea to demur, she sailed on. ‘We saw the palaver here and thought you might need some help.’ She peered voraciously into the yard of Juniper Court, observing the police tape and car tyre marks. ‘What on earth’s going on?’
    ‘Well,’ Thea tried. ‘Actually—’
    Valerie Innes stepped up to Thea’s car and reached in to quell the engine. Taking her for a new friend, Hepzie leaped at her, all smiles and wags. With a cry of disgust the woman backed away, slamming the car door almost on the animal’s face.
    ‘Careful!’ Thea cried, furiously. ‘What do you think you’re doing?’
    ‘Can’t bear dogs,’ said Valerie, as if this were the default position for any normal person. ‘Now, areyou going to tell me what’s the matter here?’
    ‘No I’m not,’ said Thea, recognising that rudeness was the only way to deal with this person. ‘I’ve been asked not to talk about it.’
    ‘Nonsense. You can talk to me .’ Thea heard the additional Don’t you know who I am? that never