Free The Empty Frame by Ann Pilling

world is very, very thin. Those are the people who see things.”
    â€œOr think they do,” Sam muttered.
    â€œI see. That’s very well put. I think I’m not one of those people, Magnus. My feet are very firmly planted on the earth, you could say. I’m not a person who ‘sees things’, or picks up special atmospheres.”
    â€œI just wish somebody would take me seriously,” Magnus said. His voice had become rather petulant and complaining but, even as the words came out, he felt ashamed of himself. The Colonel’s only son, David,who would have inherited the Abbey, was missing, presumed dead. That in itself was a truly terrible thing. No wonder he wandered about at night and brooded by the fire. The missing son felt like a curse in itself; you didn’t need ghosts as well.
    â€œDoes Wilf know anything?” asked Floss. The small lean-looking man frying bacon in his khaki shorts had seemed quite friendly.
    â€œI don’t know what Wilf knows,” Maude told her. “But he’s a real no-nonsense type. I wouldn’t think he’d have much time for spooks. He was in the war, with the Colonel. He was his batman.”
    Sam, visualising Batman and Robin flying off on some dangerous mission, smiled to himself, not able to square this picture with Wilf and the Colonel.
    Cousin Maude saw the smile. “Oh, it just means he was his aide ,” she explained. “He did the practical things, when they were on military manoeuvres. Wilf’s my cousin’s best friend – but I’m not sure how much he knows about the Abbey.”
    She stared across the vegetable plot, spotted more unofficial greenery, frowned and prepared to do battle. “Japanese Knot Weed… whatever next? It’s lethal !” Then, as she picked up her trowel again, her face suddenly cleared. “There is somebody who knows a lot about the Abbey,” she said, “but I’m not sure. I imagine you wouldn’t really want to go visiting the sick.”
    â€œWho is it?” asked Floss.
    â€œEverybody calls her Miss Adeline,” explained Cousin M. “She’s over ninety, but she’s certainly in her right mind. She’s got a wonderful memory and she’s as sharp as a needle. She’s very frail though, and she’s going blind. She loves having visitors and she’s quite a talker, if she’s got someone who’ll listen. I call in most days, but of course it’s only boring old me. She’d love it if someone young were to drop by, I know she would. She was born in the Abbey and she’s never lived anywhere else.”
    â€œWhere’s her house?” asked Magnus. This ancient lady sounded the most promising thing so far. He felt very warm towards Cousin M. She may not believe in ghosts but she’d just given him the opportunity to do some serious research.
    â€œIt’s the Lodge by the front gates. You passed it last night, in the dark. If you’d like to go I’ll make her up a few goodies. She has those rather boring meals in tins delivered most days. I think a bit of home cooking wouldn’t go amiss. Would you like to go after lunch? I’ve got quite a bit more to do here.”
    â€œâ€˜Luncheon is at twelve-thirty’,” quoted Magnus, in a flat voice. “‘It will be a light repast’.” Maude stared at him quizzically. Did he have a very subtle sense of humour or was he poking sly fun at Colonel Stickley?
    â€œWilf said it was only going to be cheese and picklesandwiches,” Sam explained solidly. Then he added, “I’m going to see if I can get into the swimming pool first. I’m melting.”
    They found the pool quite near the front gates, near Miss Adeline’s house, which turned out to be a beautiful old cottage with brick and flint walls, a sagging roof of crumbling red tiles and a messy, tangled garden. Cousin Maude no doubt would have whipped out