Read Online Who's Afraid of Mr Wolfe? by Hazel Osmond - Free Book Online

You’re embarrassed at being paid a compliment. You never could take them. You know exactly what I meant – lovely on the outside, clever on the inside.’ Edith raised her teacup in a toast. ‘Here’s to you.’
    They chinked teacups, Edith sloshing a lot of tea over her hand.
    ‘It was a bit hairy, though, Edith, presenting the idea. Jack wasn’t very nice to the other two teams.’
    ‘Well, I don’t suppose they pay him to be nice. I expect he can be quite a scary prospect with all that height and those dark, brooding looks.’ Edith gave a little shiver.
    ‘Tall with dark looks? I don’t think so, Edith. He’s tiny with a bald head and wears thick, thick glasses.’ Ellie laughed a little at her own joke.
    ‘Oh, I’d presumed with a name like that he’d be a bit more imposing. A bit of a knickers-flutterer.’ Edith looked disappointed. ‘I’d imagined he was the kind of man who could walk past you and make you want to rip his clothes off, closely followed by your own.’ She grabbed anothersandwich. ‘Well, that’s a blow. I was picturing some Heathcliff-type figure and you’ve given me Mr Magoo. Most, most … underwhelming.’
    Ellie was tempted to put Edith right, but she resisted. It was comforting that in one person’s mind at least, Jack was not Heathcliff.
    ‘No Sam tonight, then?’ Edith said when she had finally finished the sandwiches.
    ‘Out entertaining Germans again, I’m afraid.’
    Ellie braced herself for what she knew was coming next – those eight little words that she didn’t want to hear, particularly tonight when her bed was calling out to her to come and sleep in it.
    ‘Well, how about a game of Scrabble, then?’ Edith said with a manic look in her eye.
    Ellie groaned but got the board out anyway. Every game with Edith followed the same pattern. A few minutes of normality and then she would start to put down filthy, blush-making, paint-stripping words and pretend that she didn’t know what they meant.
    Most opponents faced with the prospect of having to explain them to her simply gave in. Not long after that Edith usually won. When Ellie’s parents had been alive, her obscene Scrabble had become so bad that they had banned her from playing it with the children.
    Half an hour into the game and Ellie knew that if the vice squad raided her flat tonight, both she and Edithwould be hauled off to prison, no questions asked. Ellie wasn’t even sure what one of the words meant.
    After having pulverised Ellie in three successive games, Edith started to yawn alarmingly.
    ‘Come on, you,’ Ellie said. ‘Let’s call it a day.’
    Edith did not object and sat quietly while Ellie slid the letters back into the box, folded up the Scrabble board and went to put it away. When Ellie returned, Edith was getting carefully to her feet. Ellie put her arm out for her to lean on and they walked slowly to the door of the spare bedroom.
    ‘Have a lie-in tomorrow, Edith. You can stay here all day if you like. Take it easy.’ She was careful not to sound as if she was fussing.
    ‘Oh, there’s no need for that, Ellie dear. A few hours’ sleep and I’ll be ready for anything.’
    Ellie was not fooled. As Edith leaned on her arm, she could feel how light she was, how frail she had become beneath all that bluster and bizarre clothing.
    ‘A little lie-in, eh?’ Ellie cajoled. ‘Just for me. You know I think you do too much.’
    Edith patted her hand. ‘I know you do, dear, and it’s very sweet of you, but I like to keep busy.’
    That was something of an understatement; Edith was rarely still, and Ellie had noticed that every time one of her great-aunt’s ageing circle of friends dropped off their perch, she redoubled her efforts to make the most of every hour of every day.
    ‘I understand all that, Edith,’ Ellie said gently, ‘but sitting here with your feet up would recharge your batteries. Put the telly on, get the heating toasty. I could make you something to have for your lunch