and she put it in her pocket. Then she gathered her luggage and without a backward glance walked out to where a taxi waited. She hoped he’d enjoy dealing with the dishes. Her grief was for the loss of her friend, but seeing the last of Samuel was nothing but a relief and that thought helped to hold back tears.
She walked into her new, temporary home and determinedly concentrated on her future. As usual at such times she wished she had a family, or even a distant relation, someone to talk to. She felt like a pea popping about in a colander, dreadfully, sadly alone.
She was still making enquiries about her lost sister, Joy, even though her optimism was fading. So she wrote to the various organizations and gave them her new address, just in case something turned up. Then she began the delightful task of getting to know her new charges, Menna Gardener’s three boys.
She arrived at their house each morning at eight o’clock and left at four after setting out their tea. She enjoyed looking after them and knowing it was temporary made her more determined to enjoy the pleasant interlude. They were happy boys, easy to entertain and she began to get more and more involved with cooking for the family when she had the opportunity.
Menna was delighted with the extra help. Getting close to the children was something that Faith tried to avoid, aware that the appointment was temporary, but they charmed their way into her heart.
Two weeks after the funeral she received a letter from Mrs Thomas’s solicitor asking her to phone and make an appointment to see him. She went the following day at 4.30 and was surprised to see Samuel there.
‘My client, Mrs Rebecca Thomas, mentioned you in her will,’ Faith was surprised and alarmed to hear. From the expression on Samuel’s face it was not something that pleased him. He was staring at her with obvious dislike and suspicion.
‘Oh? That surprises me. I didn’t know her for very long,’ she said, aware of the rising colour in her cheeks uneasy under Samuel’s continuing glare. ‘How very kind. A small memento perhaps?’
‘I am instructed to give you a payment of one hundred pounds, Miss Pryor.’
‘But – that’s too much. Why would she be so generous?’ she muttered.
‘That’s what I want to know,’ Samuel said. ‘She said nothing of this to me and I wonder how she had been persuaded.’
‘Slander, Mr Thomas,’ the solicitor warned in a whisper.
‘I had no idea she was going to do this. She certainly didn’t mention anything.’ Faith looked from the benign face of the solicitor to the now angry face of Samuel. ‘Are you suggesting I put pressure on her?’ she demanded, rising to her feet. ‘I can assure you I did not.’ The solicitor shook his head, wearing a half-smile as he looked at Samuel, warning him to say nothing more.
She remembered the visit of the solicitor, the doctor and others whom she presumed to be witnesses to a will shortly before the old lady’s death. Turning to the solicitor she asked, ‘Did this happen recently? Was that why you came to see her in the week before her death?’
‘No, it was added to her will several weeks before, on Monday 28 March to be precise. She told me she was delighted to have found you, said you were a dear friend. More recently, Mrs Thomas arranged a meeting with a doctor and others to be reassured that her wishes would not be overturned.’ It was his turn to glare at Samuel. ‘Now, if there is nothing further, Mr Thomas?’ Rising, clearly dismissing them, he added, ‘It will be a few weeks before everything is settled, Mr Thomas. My secretary will be in touch to arrangeanother appointment.’ Then he smiled as he handed Faith a cheque. ‘Thank you for coming. I wish you joy of it, Miss Pryor. Whatever you chose to do with it, I hope it will give you great pleasure.’ He walked behind them to the door and after closing it he muttered, ‘I wish it had been more!’
Faith went out holding the
She walked into her new, temporary home and determinedly concentrated on her future. As usual at such times she wished she had a family, or even a distant relation, someone to talk to. She felt like a pea popping about in a colander, dreadfully, sadly alone.
She was still making enquiries about her lost sister, Joy, even though her optimism was fading. So she wrote to the various organizations and gave them her new address, just in case something turned up. Then she began the delightful task of getting to know her new charges, Menna Gardener’s three boys.
She arrived at their house each morning at eight o’clock and left at four after setting out their tea. She enjoyed looking after them and knowing it was temporary made her more determined to enjoy the pleasant interlude. They were happy boys, easy to entertain and she began to get more and more involved with cooking for the family when she had the opportunity.
Menna was delighted with the extra help. Getting close to the children was something that Faith tried to avoid, aware that the appointment was temporary, but they charmed their way into her heart.
Two weeks after the funeral she received a letter from Mrs Thomas’s solicitor asking her to phone and make an appointment to see him. She went the following day at 4.30 and was surprised to see Samuel there.
‘My client, Mrs Rebecca Thomas, mentioned you in her will,’ Faith was surprised and alarmed to hear. From the expression on Samuel’s face it was not something that pleased him. He was staring at her with obvious dislike and suspicion.
‘Oh? That surprises me. I didn’t know her for very long,’ she said, aware of the rising colour in her cheeks uneasy under Samuel’s continuing glare. ‘How very kind. A small memento perhaps?’
‘I am instructed to give you a payment of one hundred pounds, Miss Pryor.’
‘But – that’s too much. Why would she be so generous?’ she muttered.
‘That’s what I want to know,’ Samuel said. ‘She said nothing of this to me and I wonder how she had been persuaded.’
‘Slander, Mr Thomas,’ the solicitor warned in a whisper.
‘I had no idea she was going to do this. She certainly didn’t mention anything.’ Faith looked from the benign face of the solicitor to the now angry face of Samuel. ‘Are you suggesting I put pressure on her?’ she demanded, rising to her feet. ‘I can assure you I did not.’ The solicitor shook his head, wearing a half-smile as he looked at Samuel, warning him to say nothing more.
She remembered the visit of the solicitor, the doctor and others whom she presumed to be witnesses to a will shortly before the old lady’s death. Turning to the solicitor she asked, ‘Did this happen recently? Was that why you came to see her in the week before her death?’
‘No, it was added to her will several weeks before, on Monday 28 March to be precise. She told me she was delighted to have found you, said you were a dear friend. More recently, Mrs Thomas arranged a meeting with a doctor and others to be reassured that her wishes would not be overturned.’ It was his turn to glare at Samuel. ‘Now, if there is nothing further, Mr Thomas?’ Rising, clearly dismissing them, he added, ‘It will be a few weeks before everything is settled, Mr Thomas. My secretary will be in touch to arrangeanother appointment.’ Then he smiled as he handed Faith a cheque. ‘Thank you for coming. I wish you joy of it, Miss Pryor. Whatever you chose to do with it, I hope it will give you great pleasure.’ He walked behind them to the door and after closing it he muttered, ‘I wish it had been more!’
Faith went out holding the
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