Free The Appleton Case (A Markham Sisters Cozy Mystery Novella Book 1) by Diana Xarissa Page A

last year
and shut the shop.”
    “We’re both
retired as well,” Janet told him.   “We were both primary schoolteachers.”
    “And now
you’re going to start a bed and breakfast,” Michael said.   “Are you fulfilling a lifelong dream?”
    “Yes, rather,”
Joan answered, earning a surprised look from Janet.
    “Well, if
there’s anything I can do to help, just ask,” he said.   “I’m usually home and often bored.   Being retired is rather dull.   This last week I was filling in at one
of the chemists in Derby.   I do that
from time to time.”
    “That’s very
good of you,” Joan said.  
    “I was
thinking that I should find a part-time job,” he told them.   “Just a few hours here and there, but
something to get me out of the house.   I don’t suppose you’ll need someone to help with serving breakfast and
the like?”
    Janet and Joan
exchanged glances.   “I don’t think
so,” Janet said after an awkward pause.   “I mean , we haven’t actually given the business
side of things any real thought.”
    “I’ve given it
quite a bit of thought,” Joan said sharply.   “But we have some way to go before we’re
ready to start taking on guests.   We
will certainly keep you in mind if we find that we’re needing additional staff,
as we go on.”
    Michael
smiled.   “Good, well, I suppose I
should be getting home.   It’s
getting rather late.”
    The sisters
walked him to the door, where he paused.
    “I don’t
suppose, that is, well, I was wondering, that is, Joan, would you like to have
dinner with me tomorrow night?” he asked.
    Joan
flushed.   “I don’t know, that is, um,
we’re just getting settled in and….”
    Janet held up
a hand.   “She’d love to,” she told
Michael.   “You can pick her up at
seven.”
    “Smashing,”
Michael replied.   He thanked them
for the tea and biscuits and disappeared down the steps towards his home.  
    Janet shut the
door behind him and turned to her sister.   “Well, he’s very nice, isn’t he?”
    “He asked me
to have dinner with him,” Joan said in a weak voice.
    “I’m sure
you’ll have a lovely time,” Janet said brightly.
    “I’m not,”
Joan answered.   She grabbed Janet’s
hands.   “I’ve never been on a date,”
she reminded her.   “I don’t know how
it works.”
    “It’s just
like having dinner with a friend,” Janet told her.   “You eat, you talk, you laugh, that’s all.”
    “But he isn’t
a friend,” Joan snapped back.  
    “Not yet, but
I think he will be,” Janet told her.   She looked at her sister’s face and sighed.   Joan looked halfway between terrified
and furious.   “Let’s have some more
tea,” she muttered.
    Back in the
kitchen, Janet pushed Joan into a chair and then refilled the kettle.   She busied herself with meaningless
tasks until the kettle boiled and she could make the tea.   She put a great deal of extra sugar in
her sister’s drink before she handed it to her.   Anything that might help sweeten her
sister’s mood was worth trying.
    “I’m sorry,”
Janet began with after she sat down across from Joan.   “I shouldn’t have just agreed on your
behalf like that, but you were babbling and I thought the poor man needed an
answer.”
    “You should
have said no,” Joan told her quietly.
    “Why?   He seems very nice and he must be smart
if he was a chemist.   What’s wrong
with him?”
    “I don’t know,
but there must be something or he would have asked you out and not me,” Joan
said sulkily.
    Janet shook
her head.   “Don’t start with that,”
she told her sister sternly.   “You
could have had lots of dates when you were younger, but you never gave anyone a
chance.”
    “It was more
fun watching you go out with every man you met,” Joan shot back.
    Janet
laughed.   “I had lots of fun, but
never got serious about anyone,” she replied.   “I didn’t want to get married and be
expected to give up teaching to raise a