Free The Lady and the Lake by Rosemary Smith

smiled at each other. I felt at that moment we had forged a bond and I was thankful for it.
    ***
    Reaching my room I felt quite elated, my blue dress still lay across the bed, the silk flowers strewn across it, all I had to do now was stitch them in place and look my best. But for whom? Certainly not Thomas Craddock and what about the master?
    I felt now that I knew him better and quite warmed to him, but I must not be too hasty with my affections or see into things which did not exist.
    As Antony Kershaw so rightly said, Thomas was a lesson in my pursuit of love. How astute he had been and not at all judgmental.
    Snuggling down in the covers I went to sleep quite quickly only to be awoken a short time later by the piercing scream. I sat up in bed debating whether to go to the tower, but I decided against it as I was too weary, another night would have to suffice when I could unlock the mystery of the woman in white and I prayed also that the mystery surrounding Annie and Gladys’s death would be resolved soon.
    With these thoughts I drifted into a peaceful sleep, Antony Kershaw’s words running through my mind. ‘You look quite lovely when you are angry.’ I smiled contentedly, not a thought of Thomas in my head.
    Next day, I spent all afternoon stitching the flowers on the shoulders and waist of my blue dress. It was a painstaking task but the end result was worth it.
    When I finished I hung the dress on the outside of the wardrobe so that any creases would have a chance to fall out. While sewing I thought how quickly my first week at the Hall had passed and of the many things that had happened since my arrival. The mystery woman in the tower, the demise of poor Gladys, teaching in the schoolroom and my unfortunate association with Thomas Craddock.
    In view of what I’d learned of him the thought crossed my mind that he could after all be the man the police were searching for, but I dismissed the thought quickly from my mind, after all who was I to judge anyone?
    ‘What have you been doing today, Miss?’ asked Maggie at supper. On telling her of my dress for Emily’s party she was keen to see it, ‘Will you show me tomorrow afternoon please Miss as it’s my day off?’ she asked with some excitement in her voice as I’d built up quite a rapport with Maggie.
    ‘But of course. I have to go to the village in the morning, but I shall seek you out on my return.’ Maggie seemed more than pleased about this.
    That night all was quiet in the tower and I enjoyed an uninterrupted sleep. The next morning looking out of the window I could see that the good weather was still with us. I was a little apprehensive about calling at the Whites’ cottage, but none-the-less felt I must go as I didn’t wish to let anyone else down and Clara was probably looking forward to attending a party.
    I decided to walk to the village and so set off after breakfast, no-one else was in sight on the road which cut its way through the moorland to the village. The cottage door was answered by Mrs White who stepped to one side so I could cross the brass doorstep.
    ‘You’ve come to ask about Clara,’ she said as I followed her into the small kitchen-come-living-room.
    ‘I promised I would, Mrs White,’ I said, ‘how are you today?’
    ‘I’m beginning to feel better.’ As she spoke the words I could see that her cheeks looked pinker today replacing the pallor of last week.
    ‘And have you reached a decision about Clara coming to the Hall with me on Thursday?’ I asked gently, noting the bed made up under the large scrubbed table in one corner.
    ‘Aye, we have,’ said Mrs White, sitting on a kitchen chair by the table. ‘Took my husband some persuading I can tell you, but Clara can come on the understanding that you won’t let the child out of your sight.’
    ‘That’s splendid,’ I enthused, ‘and I give you my promise that I shall keep Clara safely with me. I’ll collect her after school if that’s all right with