The Victory Garden(104)
“Then I’d like to come and visit you, but I’m going to stay on here,” Emily said.
“Why would you want to do that? You have a comfortable home waiting for you.”
She looked around the garden to the cottage and out to the lane beyond. “Because I’m needed here. I’m useful.”
“Not making more of your damned herbal potions, I hope.”
“Not exactly. At least not heart tonics for the time being.” She smiled, and he returned her smile. She bent to pick up the child and carried her inside. As they came back into the cottage, she glanced through the front window. “Oh goodness,” she said. “What on earth is this?”
A group of people was coming up the lane towards the cottage. At its head was Alice, closely followed by Mr Patterson and Mrs Soper. Emily opened the door.
“Where is he?” Alice demanded. “Where is this policeman? We’ve got a bone to pick with him.” She pushed past Emily into the cottage and stepped up to Emily’s father.
“We’ve come about Emily here,” Alice said. “We’re not going to let you arrest her. Anyone who could believe she was capable of harming anyone needs his ruddy head examining, if you ask me. Anyway, we’ve got signatures here from everyone in the village thanking Emily for all she’s done for them. She saved them all, you know. Not a single person died of the flu because of the medicine she made for them. They all recovered, and you can’t say that for most places, can you?”
“Indeed you can’t,” Emily’s father said, looking at Alice as if she were a dangerous dog that might bite at any second. “But I have to inform you that I am not with the police. I am Emily’s father.”
“You are? Blimey,” Alice said. “I’ve just got back from delivering a letter to you. Someone saw that motor car come into the village, so we thought you were the police come to take her away, and we weren’t going to let you.”
Mr Patterson stepped forwards to join Alice. “We consider Mrs Kerr a great asset to our community,” he added. “And we are all prepared to testify on her behalf in court, if it comes to that.”
Emily’s father turned to her. “Well, you’ve certainly enough character references, young lady.”
“It seems so,” Emily replied, smiling.
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
The police did not return, and she heard no more about the mixture she had sent for testing. But at the end of the week, Justin Charlton appeared at her front door.
“My grandmother has rallied against all odds,” he said. “I always knew she was a tough old bird. She is making good progress and keeps asking for you. I have borrowed a friend’s motor car, if you have time to come with me now.”
“I’d love to,” Emily said. “I’m so happy to hear this news. Just let me fetch Daisy to look after the baby.”
She hurried up the path to the house. The first person she saw was Mrs Trelawney, who looked at her with surprise. “You’re still here?” she asked.
“Yes, why not?” Emily replied calmly.
“But I thought that potion you gave the old lady . . .”
“Was quite harmless. And she’s rallying. She’ll be home in no time at all. So make sure the house is shipshape for her.”
Emily concealed her sense of triumph as she left. During the drive into Exeter, she told Justin about what had just transpired with the police.
“Lucky the old lady pulled through then,” he said. “That old witch, Trelawney, will have to go. I never liked her. Always sneaky, you know.” He grinned. “I’ve an idea. We’ll send her to live in the cottage and you move to the big house.”
Emily grinned. “Actually, I like my cottage. It feels like home now.”
“But you won’t want to stay there forever?”
“Probably not, but at this moment, it’s my safe haven. And your grandmother likes having me around. She’s lonely, Justin. Will you consider moving back home some day? It is your house now, you know. Lord of the manor and all that.”
He chuckled. “It’s hard to picture myself as lord of the manor. Viscount Charlton. Ridiculous. The war made nonsense of all that stuff we used to take seriously. Lords and blacksmiths died side by side in those trenches. But if my grandmother really needs me . . .” He didn’t finish the sentence.
As they approached the hospital, Emily hesitated. “Justin, does your grandmother know about that incident with the police? I wouldn’t like to worry her unnecessarily, nor to hint that Mrs Trelawney tried to accuse me of murder.”
“You’re too kind. She did try to accuse you of murder. And I’m sure she was dancing around happily, thinking of you swinging on the gallows. She’s a horrid old bat. She was the one who took great delight in informing my grandmother of my misdeeds—which took place quite often, I’m sorry to say.”
“I agree she’s not very nice,” Emily said. “And I think she did want to get rid of me because she was jealous. But she’s been loyal to your grandmother, and I don’t want to be the cause of concern to her now.”
“Very well. I won’t say anything to Grandmama at this moment. As for Trelawney . . . we’ll see.”
Lady Charlton was sitting up in bed, a cup of tea in her hand. She looked very pale and fragile, but her eyes lit up when she saw Emily come into the room. “I’m so glad to see you, my dear,” she said, holding out a white hand on which the blue veins stood out.