brightly. She
couldn’t think of anything else to ask, so she turned and walked out of the
shop with Joan following.
“We didn’t
learn anything,” she complained to Joan when they reached the car. “I’m terrible at this. I couldn’t work out what to ask.”
“You did better
than I did,” Joan told her. “I
didn’t say a word the whole time.”
“We’ll have to
work out what we want to ask George and Owen before we see them,” Janet said as
they began their drive home.
“I thought we
were going to have lunch in Little Burton,” Joan said a moment later.
Janet
laughed. “I forgot,” she
exclaimed. “But I’m sure there will
be a pub or something between here and home.”
Joan muttered
something under her breath, but Janet ignored it. She knew her sister didn’t really like
eating in pubs, but Janet preferred them to the little tea
rooms that Joan favoured . She’d genuinely forgotten about their
plans to have lunch in Little Burton, but she wasn’t sorry if it meant a nice
pub lunch rather than sandwiches at a tea shop in
Little Burton.
Even with
their pub lunch, they were back at Doveby House
before they’d expected to be. “I
suppose we should finish getting the house ready if we’re going into Derby
tomorrow,” Joan said as Janet parked the car.
“I suppose,”
Janet said without enthusiasm.
“What shall we
do for lunch tomorrow?” Joan asked. “I’m not sure I want to eat in another pub.”
“Maybe we
could try that American chain that just opened a branch in Derby,” Janet
suggested. “I understand the
restaurant is quite near the hospital.”
Joan looked as
if she might object, but then she smiled “If that’s what sounds good to you, then I suggest we go there,” she
said. “It’s the least I can do for
you since you’re snooping on Michael’s behalf.”
Janet
grinned. She wasn’t going to argue
with Joan, not when Joan was going out of her way to be agreeable.
The pair
worked their way through the house, tidying and cleaning the entire thing. It was time for their evening meal when
they’d finished.
“After that
big lunch, I’m not very hungry,” Joan said as she and
Janet stood in the middle of their kitchen.
“Me, either,”
Janet agreed. “But we should have a
little something. Do we have to go
grocery shopping tonight?”
Joan
frowned. “I forgot about the
shopping,” she said. “I suppose we
should, though I hate going out this late.”
Janet
laughed. “Let’s have something
light and then I’ll go into town and get the shopping. You can relax. You’ve had a long day.”
“If you do the
shopping, I’ll finish in the guest rooms,” Joan countered. “They could both do with a little bit
more polishing.”
“They’re
perfect,” Janet disagreed. “You’ll
wear yourself out trying to make them any better. Just relax.”
“I can’t
relax,” Joan told her. “I’m too
worried about Michael. It’s better
I keep busy.”
Janet thought
about arguing, but her sister’s frown kept her from speaking. Joan obviously had deeper feelings for
their troubled neighbour than Janet had realised . Janet
could only hope that she could do something to help.
After a meal
of bread and soup, Janet headed to the nearby grocery store with a short
list. After Monday or Tuesday, when
they had a better idea of what their guests would prefer, Janet would drive
over to the larger and less expensive store on the outskirts of the
village. She could stock up then on
all of the things they needed.
When she
returned to Doveby House with the shopping, Joan was
vacuuming the guest rooms for the third time.
“I think
that’s enough vacuuming,” Janet said, taking the machine away from her
sister. “It’s time for bed.”
“I’m not
tired,” Joan complained.
“Then read a
book,” Janet suggested. “Grab
something at random from the library and
couldn’t think of anything else to ask, so she turned and walked out of the
shop with Joan following.
“We didn’t
learn anything,” she complained to Joan when they reached the car. “I’m terrible at this. I couldn’t work out what to ask.”
“You did better
than I did,” Joan told her. “I
didn’t say a word the whole time.”
“We’ll have to
work out what we want to ask George and Owen before we see them,” Janet said as
they began their drive home.
“I thought we
were going to have lunch in Little Burton,” Joan said a moment later.
Janet
laughed. “I forgot,” she
exclaimed. “But I’m sure there will
be a pub or something between here and home.”
Joan muttered
something under her breath, but Janet ignored it. She knew her sister didn’t really like
eating in pubs, but Janet preferred them to the little tea
rooms that Joan favoured . She’d genuinely forgotten about their
plans to have lunch in Little Burton, but she wasn’t sorry if it meant a nice
pub lunch rather than sandwiches at a tea shop in
Little Burton.
Even with
their pub lunch, they were back at Doveby House
before they’d expected to be. “I
suppose we should finish getting the house ready if we’re going into Derby
tomorrow,” Joan said as Janet parked the car.
“I suppose,”
Janet said without enthusiasm.
“What shall we
do for lunch tomorrow?” Joan asked. “I’m not sure I want to eat in another pub.”
“Maybe we
could try that American chain that just opened a branch in Derby,” Janet
suggested. “I understand the
restaurant is quite near the hospital.”
Joan looked as
if she might object, but then she smiled “If that’s what sounds good to you, then I suggest we go there,” she
said. “It’s the least I can do for
you since you’re snooping on Michael’s behalf.”
Janet
grinned. She wasn’t going to argue
with Joan, not when Joan was going out of her way to be agreeable.
The pair
worked their way through the house, tidying and cleaning the entire thing. It was time for their evening meal when
they’d finished.
“After that
big lunch, I’m not very hungry,” Joan said as she and
Janet stood in the middle of their kitchen.
“Me, either,”
Janet agreed. “But we should have a
little something. Do we have to go
grocery shopping tonight?”
Joan
frowned. “I forgot about the
shopping,” she said. “I suppose we
should, though I hate going out this late.”
Janet
laughed. “Let’s have something
light and then I’ll go into town and get the shopping. You can relax. You’ve had a long day.”
“If you do the
shopping, I’ll finish in the guest rooms,” Joan countered. “They could both do with a little bit
more polishing.”
“They’re
perfect,” Janet disagreed. “You’ll
wear yourself out trying to make them any better. Just relax.”
“I can’t
relax,” Joan told her. “I’m too
worried about Michael. It’s better
I keep busy.”
Janet thought
about arguing, but her sister’s frown kept her from speaking. Joan obviously had deeper feelings for
their troubled neighbour than Janet had realised . Janet
could only hope that she could do something to help.
After a meal
of bread and soup, Janet headed to the nearby grocery store with a short
list. After Monday or Tuesday, when
they had a better idea of what their guests would prefer, Janet would drive
over to the larger and less expensive store on the outskirts of the
village. She could stock up then on
all of the things they needed.
When she
returned to Doveby House with the shopping, Joan was
vacuuming the guest rooms for the third time.
“I think
that’s enough vacuuming,” Janet said, taking the machine away from her
sister. “It’s time for bed.”
“I’m not
tired,” Joan complained.
“Then read a
book,” Janet suggested. “Grab
something at random from the library and
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