Free The Ellsworth Case (A Markham Sisters Cozy Mystery Novella Book 5) by Diana Xarissa Page B

sounded as Janet was taking her last bite.   Joan was eating more slowly, so Janet
got up.  
    “I’ll go; you still have half your breakfast
to finish,” she told her sister.  
    Stuart Long, the neighbour from the other side of the semi-detached house across the street was standing
at the door.
    “I just wanted to ask if I could store a few
things in the carriage house,” he told Janet.   “Mary wants to do a big clear out when
she gets back.”
    “Is she away?” Janet asked.
    “Yes, she visiting her oldest and his family
for a few days.   When she gets back,
she’ll want to start cleaning and decorating for Christmas, and she’s
determined to do things differently this year.   She wants me to get rid of a bunch of
boxes of my things from years ago, but, well, it’s difficult.”
    Janet nodded, even though she wasn’t sure
she understood.   “I suppose you can
store some boxes in the carriage house,” she said.   “You already use it for the gardening
things, anyway.”
    Stuart was a retired gardener who had loved
his job.   Now he looked after the
extensive gardens at Doveby House for the sisters in
exchange for a small salary and a great many biscuits.  
    “Just make sure your boxes are clearly
marked,” Janet told him.   “I want to
start going through the boxes in the carriage house soon.”
    Stuart nodded.   “I’ll label them,” he told her.   “And I’ll stack them all in one place,
as out of the way as I can.   Thank
you.”
    “It’s no problem,” Janet told him.
    “It’s just, well, some things I think my
daughter might like one day,” he said as he turned away.   “Things from her mother and the
like.   Mary doesn’t, that is, she’s
not, I mean...” he trailed off.   “Thank you again,” he said after a moment.
    Before Janet could reply, he was walking
away.   She shook her head and
returned to the kitchen, wondering again about how people made their marriages
work, and why they bothered.
    “You don’t mind if Stuart stores a few boxes
in the carriage house, do you?” she asked Joan.
    “I suppose not,” Joan replied.   “We aren’t using the space at the
moment.   As long as we can tell his
things from ours, I guess I don’t care.”
    Janet nodded.   “I told him to label everything,” she
assured her sister.
    With their breakfast out of the way and no
guests to cater for, Janet decided to spend some more time in the library.   She was heading there when she stopped
short.  
    “Joan,” she called as she watched the scene
in the garden.   “You might want to
see this.”
    Joan had been working on her Christmas
puddings, but she quickly joined Janet.   “What on earth...” she exclaimed.
    Stuart was pushing a wheelbarrow laden down
with boxes and bags.   Every time he
moved forward a few feet, something fell off and he had to stop, and every time
he stopped, the entire wheelbarrow looked as if it might topple over.  
    “I think I might give him a hand,” Janet
said, heading for the door.  
    “Do let me help,” she said as she reached
Stuart.   He was picking up a bag and
struggling to balance everything else at the same time.
    “Maybe you could just follow me and pick up
the things that fall off,” he suggested.
    Janet smiled and fell into step behind
him.   By the time they reached the
carriage house, her arms were full with several bags that she’d collected on
the short journey.   “But what’s in these?”
she asked.   “They’re big and
awkward, but not very heavy.”
    Stuart shrugged.   “My wife, that is, my first wife did
lots of crafts and sewing and things.   There are bags and bags of fabric and knitting wool and the like.   I think my daughter might want it all
one day, once she’s ready to settle down.”
    Janet watched as Stuart carefully stacked
several boxes against one wall of the building.   Then he piled the bags on top of the
stacks.   “Just the screen printer to
go and I’m done,” he told