Read Online Lois Meade 14 - Suspicion at Seven by Ann Purser - Free Book Online

behind a great palm tree in a pot, I saw Donald himself, cosying up to a redhead who looked as if she wouldn’t be seen dead at an agricultural show, wouldn’t know one end of a cow from the other. She was familiar, and might have been the model who was at the jewellery party, but I couldn’t see her very well.”
    “Where was Aurora? Wasn’t she at the show?”
    “I don’t think so,” said Lois. “The bakery is open until half past five as usual. Oh dear, that Donald Black is even more of a fool than I thought. Obviously, we say nothing.”
    “What do we say nothing about?” said Gran, appearing at the door with her hair in a hairnet and her face shining with moisturising cream. “Have you seen my book? Barbara Taylor Bradford’s best. I want to read it again.”
    Lois found the book and wished her mother a good night’s sleep. “You’ll know how it ends, won’t you?”
    “Perhaps this time she goes off with the rogue and lives happily ever after?” said Derek.
    “And goodnight to you two, too!” said Gran crossly, and disappeared.
    The truth was that she was sure she would not be able to get to sleep, her mind whizzing round the afternoon’s events. She settled back into bed and opened her book. Five minutes later, she was fast asleep and snoring contentedly.
    *   *   *
    “We’re nearly out of bread,” said Gran, as Lois and Derek appeared for breakfast. “We had a bit of a run on it for sandwiches yesterday. We could get a loaf from Josie. She’s open until twelve. I shall be going to the morning service with Joan. It’s a shortened matins, so I could go straight down after, if you like?”
    “I thought of going over to Brigham this morning,” said Lois. “I need to chat to Aurora about a New Brooms client, so I can get bread at the same time. Her shop opens for a couple of hours, and I’m sure she will have a spare loaf for me. Lunch at the usual time?”
    “One o’clock prompt.” Gran was uneasy. Would Lois be going to pump Aurora about the jewellery? She had asked Donald if they could both keep quiet until she was ready to tell the family herself. She knew Lois and Aurora were good friends.
    *   *   *
    Six miles away, in the warm kitchen of the bakery, Aurora was listening to an account from Donald of yesterday’s show. He seemed very pleased at the result of the day’s takings.
    “Our stall,” he said, “was the only decent one in the craft marquee. And Elsie Weedon and her friend Joan were amazing! I had chosen fairly unglitzy stuff, guessing they would attract the older women, and they shifted a very respectable lot. Of course, they knew a lot of the farmers’ wives and so on. I should think they are in for a good career! And they won’t want to do it forever, so we won’t have any difficulties, with luck.”
    “I’m not so happy about it, as you know, Donald. Lois Meade is a good friend of mine, and I wouldn’t want to cause her any worries. They must be in their early seventies at least. And you know as well as I do that there is a lot of work in organising a jewellery party.”
    “But I shall be there, helping them all the way, and once into the swing of it, I am sure they’ll be fine. After all, they can recruit younger people to help.”
    After that, they did not talk for an hour or so. Aurora was busy in the bakery, and Donald disappeared into his office to work. When the phone rang, Donald picked up the house phone.
    “Good morning! Can I help you?”
    “Ah, Lois here, Donald. Is it okay if I pop over this morning for a couple of loaves? We seem to have run out earlier than usual. But do say if it’s not convenient.”
    “It’ll be fine, Lois. Never turn away customers; that’s my motto. How’s your mother this morning? Oops, I forgot! You’re not supposed to know. But anyway, she and Joan did a brilliant job yesterday. They offered to help, and in no time at all, they had taken over, and I left them to it.”
    And I hope that’s all there was