Free Secrets and Lies by Janet Woods Page A

see.’
    ‘Well, yes, as one would imagine.’
    ‘I’ve put a hot water bottle between the sheets, and the blankets and eiderdown are warm and cosy; straight from the top of the airing cupboard. If you’d prefer, you can sleep in my bed, but Shadow has learned how to open the door and sometimes he makes himself comfortable on the bed and wakes me up. He’s jolly clever.’
    ‘No . . . this room will do,’ Grandmother Elliot said hastily. ‘Besides you’ve been sniffing all evening and your bed will be filled with cold germs.’
    ‘My cold is nearly better.’
    Grandmother Elliot ignored the snippet of information. ‘We’d better make sure the windows and doors are locked, and the fireguards are in place. There are too many people wandering about the countryside these days.’
    ‘Daddy said they’re looking for work. It’s the Depression.’
    ‘Some people use it as an excuse. Our hen house was raided the other day and two of my best layers were stolen.’
    ‘We lost some cabbages and potatoes from the garden; they were probably taken by someone with children to feed. If they’d knocked at the door Mummy said she would have given them something. Daddy agreed with her.’
    Grandmother Elliot snorted. ‘Goodness. Thieves are thieves, whatever the circumstances. Livia would be better off making them work for it. The windows need cleaning, and the garden gate is hanging off its hinge.’
    ‘All the same—’
    ‘If these people are encouraged you’ll wake up one morning to discover you’ve been murdered in your bed.’
    Meggie giggled, because Grandmother Elliot must surely have meant it as a joke.
    But she hadn’t, for she said quite severely, ‘What’s so funny?’
    ‘Well . . . how can you wake up if you’ve already been murdered?’
    ‘Ah . . . yes . . . well of course, it goes without saying, doesn’t it. I was making a joke, and you’re being too clever by far. Off to bed with you, now.’
    The thought of intruders kept Meggie awake and alert to every crack and creak until after midnight. When the clock in the hall chimed midnight she pulled the eiderdown up around her ears, so if someone sneaked in to murder her she wouldn’t hear them coming. Even so she jumped when Shadow pushed the door open and settled on the end of the bed with a heavy sigh.
    ‘Pest.’ Drawing her knees up to give him the room he required, she felt thankful she had someone to guard her. She just wished her bed was bigger . . . or that Shadow was smaller!

Five
    Meggie got the opportunity to visit her father the following weekend.
    Grandmother Elliot had upset the cleaning lady by insisting that the house be cleaned from top to bottom. The cleaner worked sullenly, making aggrieved little remarks when Grandmother Elliot was out of earshot.
    ‘I’m only staying because your mother’s sick, poor lady. Very polite, Mrs Elliot the younger is, and she never criticizes my work. That old biddy says, “Clean this, scrub that, iron this, polish that,” as though I don’t know how to do my own job. She’s an old fusspot, and I don’t get a moment’s peace from her.’
    Meggie sympathized, since she got the same treatment, but she didn’t think it wise to encourage the cleaning lady by agreeing out loud. Just as well because Grandmother Elliot appeared.
    ‘Make your bed, dear. And don’t leave the sheets all creased. I must teach you how to do neat hospital corners. When you’ve finished you can make the boys’ beds and pick up their clothes.’
    ‘My mother wants the boys to learn to keep their own room tidy.’
    ‘Boys aren’t very good at domestic chores.’
    ‘Mother said that’s an excuse, and they’ll never be good at anything domestic if they don’t practise it.’
    ‘Did she now? As far as I’m concerned the men are the breadwinners, and the women stay at home and provide a comfortable environment for them to relax in.’
    ‘Times are changing, Grandmother Elliot.’
    Meggie was subjected to a long