local social services, just to see about the possibilities of opening this place up as a home.’
‘You don’t waste much time, do you?’
‘Nor do you, Ester. You certainly hustled me into this place.’
‘What? Look, it was up to you, love. I mean, I’m not forcing you into anything you don’t want to do.’
Dolly raised an eyebrow. ‘Fine, just don’t bank the cheque yet. I’m not too sure about this.’
Ester moved into action, instructing the women to get the breakfast on the table and to look as if they loved the place. By the time Dolly joined them, the kitchen was filled
with the smell of sizzling bacon and eggs, hot toast and coffee, all laid out ready and waiting. Their smiling faces greeted Dolly warmly as she sat down.
‘I been all round the grounds. Place is in a terrible state.’
‘Get a few locals to clear the gardens. It used to be beautiful, in the summer especially.’ Ester continued to sell the manor, hinting time and again what a wonderful place it would
be for children.
Angela gave Dolly the number for the social services but it was almost nine thirty when Dolly put in a call and arranged for a meeting at the town hall. She was still unsure and not giving much
away. She had only the few things she had brought with her so she would need to do some shopping. Good opportunity to see what the local village was like.
The other women looked at Ester to know what they should or shouldn’t do, exchanging furtive glances and nudges. As soon as Dolly was out of earshot, they whispered questions to each
other: Was Dolly serious? How long was she going to keep them all waiting? When would she go for the diamonds? Ester hissed at them to keep their mouths shut, no one was to mention diamonds.
‘Yeah, well, that’s why we’re all here, Ester, and so far she’s not said a dickie about them. All that’s gone down is you’re two hundred grand up. What if
they don’t exist?’ Gloria was irritable.
‘They exist,’ snapped Ester. She crossed the kitchen and looked out into the hallway, drawing the door shut. ‘Make her think we’re all behind the project, right? Offer to
stay and help out, start clearing the place up. She’s gonna need hard cash to get this place up and rolling so we watch her like a hawk and—’
Dolly called from the stairs, asking if the boiler was working as she wanted to have a bath before she left. Ester opened the door and shouted that the water was on and hot. She waited until she
could hear the thud of the old pipes before she went to give the women more instructions. She then paid off Angela and said that when they went into the village she could catch the next train
home.
‘I got to go and see Eddie,’ Gloria said tetchily.
‘Fine, you go,’ said Ester.
‘I need my gear.’ Connie pouted.
Ester sighed. ‘Look, all do what you have to but, whatever you do, keep your mouths shut about being here. You don’t say a word to anyone about us being holed up here and especially
not about the diamonds. Is that clear?’
By eleven they were all waiting for Dolly, Ester out in the yard in her Range Rover. Julia was looking into the stables. ‘You know, this place must have been something,’ she
said.
‘It was. What the hell is she doing in there?’
Ester paced up and down, impatient to go into the village to bank the cheque.
Julia came close. ‘You going to be okay?’
Ester nodded. ‘Yeah. Nobody knows I’m here and besides, I got to bank the cheque to get her the deeds of the house.’
Julia cocked her head to one side. ‘Well, you take care.’
Gloria teetered out with Connie behind her. ‘I’m off, see Eddie. I’m givin’ Connie a lift in. Can you take us to the garage see if me car’s ready?’
Connie put her bag into the back of the Range Rover. ‘I won’t even see Lennie. He always leaves by twelve so I’ll just get my stuff and come straight back.’
Kathleen wandered out. ‘Where you all going?’
Ester sighed.
‘You don’t waste much time, do you?’
‘Nor do you, Ester. You certainly hustled me into this place.’
‘What? Look, it was up to you, love. I mean, I’m not forcing you into anything you don’t want to do.’
Dolly raised an eyebrow. ‘Fine, just don’t bank the cheque yet. I’m not too sure about this.’
Ester moved into action, instructing the women to get the breakfast on the table and to look as if they loved the place. By the time Dolly joined them, the kitchen was filled
with the smell of sizzling bacon and eggs, hot toast and coffee, all laid out ready and waiting. Their smiling faces greeted Dolly warmly as she sat down.
‘I been all round the grounds. Place is in a terrible state.’
‘Get a few locals to clear the gardens. It used to be beautiful, in the summer especially.’ Ester continued to sell the manor, hinting time and again what a wonderful place it would
be for children.
Angela gave Dolly the number for the social services but it was almost nine thirty when Dolly put in a call and arranged for a meeting at the town hall. She was still unsure and not giving much
away. She had only the few things she had brought with her so she would need to do some shopping. Good opportunity to see what the local village was like.
The other women looked at Ester to know what they should or shouldn’t do, exchanging furtive glances and nudges. As soon as Dolly was out of earshot, they whispered questions to each
other: Was Dolly serious? How long was she going to keep them all waiting? When would she go for the diamonds? Ester hissed at them to keep their mouths shut, no one was to mention diamonds.
‘Yeah, well, that’s why we’re all here, Ester, and so far she’s not said a dickie about them. All that’s gone down is you’re two hundred grand up. What if
they don’t exist?’ Gloria was irritable.
‘They exist,’ snapped Ester. She crossed the kitchen and looked out into the hallway, drawing the door shut. ‘Make her think we’re all behind the project, right? Offer to
stay and help out, start clearing the place up. She’s gonna need hard cash to get this place up and rolling so we watch her like a hawk and—’
Dolly called from the stairs, asking if the boiler was working as she wanted to have a bath before she left. Ester opened the door and shouted that the water was on and hot. She waited until she
could hear the thud of the old pipes before she went to give the women more instructions. She then paid off Angela and said that when they went into the village she could catch the next train
home.
‘I got to go and see Eddie,’ Gloria said tetchily.
‘Fine, you go,’ said Ester.
‘I need my gear.’ Connie pouted.
Ester sighed. ‘Look, all do what you have to but, whatever you do, keep your mouths shut about being here. You don’t say a word to anyone about us being holed up here and especially
not about the diamonds. Is that clear?’
By eleven they were all waiting for Dolly, Ester out in the yard in her Range Rover. Julia was looking into the stables. ‘You know, this place must have been something,’ she
said.
‘It was. What the hell is she doing in there?’
Ester paced up and down, impatient to go into the village to bank the cheque.
Julia came close. ‘You going to be okay?’
Ester nodded. ‘Yeah. Nobody knows I’m here and besides, I got to bank the cheque to get her the deeds of the house.’
Julia cocked her head to one side. ‘Well, you take care.’
Gloria teetered out with Connie behind her. ‘I’m off, see Eddie. I’m givin’ Connie a lift in. Can you take us to the garage see if me car’s ready?’
Connie put her bag into the back of the Range Rover. ‘I won’t even see Lennie. He always leaves by twelve so I’ll just get my stuff and come straight back.’
Kathleen wandered out. ‘Where you all going?’
Ester sighed.
Similar Books
