The Lady and the Lake (11 page)

‘Hello
Emily,’
I
greeted
the
child.

‘Miss
Sinclair,
it’s
my
birthday
next
week
and
I
always
have
a
party
and
as
I’m
to
be
ten,
Papa
says
I
can
have
it
in
the
evening,
will
you
come?’
she
asked
enthusiastically.

‘I
doubt
it,
Emily,
for
one
thing
I
haven’t
got
an
invitation,’
I
replied.

‘Well,
I
invite
you,
Miss
Sinclair.
So
please
come.’
I
had
no
time
to
reply
as Emily
ran
off
bowling
her
hoop
again.

‘Yes
you
must
come,
Abbey.’
Alice’s
voice
broke
into
my
thoughts.
It’s
only
us
grown-ups
with
Emily
and
she
likes
us
to
dress
up.’

‘How
delightful,
what
day
does
it
fall
on?’
I
asked
with
some
interest,
for
no
doubt
Thomas
would
be
there.

‘Next
Thursday.
It
will
be
more
fun
with
you
there,
I
feel
quite
lost
sometimes
among
the
family,
I
only
wish
Emily
had
some
friends,
but
it
appears
no-one
from
the
village
will
come
to
the
Hall,’
Alice
said
and
I
could
see
she
was
slipping
back
into
her
daydreaming
again.
‘I
must
get
back
for
the
child’s
afternoon
tea.
Emily,’
she
called
and
the
child
ran
obediently
to
her.

After
they’d
gone
I
thought
about
what
Alice
had
said
during
her
conversation.
The
party
was
of
interest,
but
uppermost
in
my
mind
were
the
words,
‘What
worries
me
is
who
will
be
next.’
I
had
to
admit
that
the
thought
had
not
crossed
my
mind
before,
but
I vowed
now
to
be
vigilant
at
all
times.

It
was
getting
hot,
but
unlike
Alice
I
was
without
a
sunshade
and
I
felt
lost
as
to
what
to
do.
If
I
could
seek
out
Antony
Kershaw,
maybe
he
would
be
kind
enough
to
allow
me
to
make
use
of
the
library
if
indeed
there
was
a
library
at
Kerslake
Hall.

I
decided
to
throw
caution
to
the
wind
and
enter
by
the
side
door,
praying
as
I
did
so
that
the
daunting
figure
of
Mrs
Grafton
would
not
be
around.
As
I
stepped
into
the
hall
once
more
I
needn’t
have
feared
and
I
was
in
luck,
for
Mr
Kershaw
was
crossing
the
hall,
his
step
resounding
on
the
black
and
white
tiles.

‘Mr
Kershaw,’
I
approached
him,
‘please
don’t
think
me
forward,
but
please
could
I
make
use
of
your
library
and
find
something
to
read?’

‘But
of
course,
Miss
Sinclair.
The
library
here
is
hardly
used
except
by
myself
which
is
quite
a
sad
state
of
affairs.
Please
feel
free
to
sit
there
whenever
you
wish.’
He
spoke
the words
quite
kindly
and
I
really
could
not
make
out
what
kind
of
person
he
was.

‘Thank
you
so
much,
there
is
just
one
thing,
I
don’t
know
where
to
locate
it.’
At
this
he
laughed,
the
laughter
not
quite
reaching
his
eyes.

‘Mrs
Grafton,’
my
heart
sank
for
the
housekeeper
had
just
stepped
into
the
hall,
I
could
hear
the
keys
jangling
at
her
waist,
‘please
be
kind
enough
to
show
Miss
Sinclair
to
the
library.
I
have
given
my
permission
for
her
to
use
the
room
whenever
she
desires,’
he
instructed.

‘Yes,
Sir,’
Mrs
Grafton
said
pleasantly
enough,
and
so
once
more
I
followed
the
silent
figure
in
grey
along
another
corridor.
She
did
not
speak
or
open
the
door,
but
indicated
the
room
with
her
hand
and
gave
me
such
a
venomous
look
before
she
retraced
her
steps
that
I
felt
as
though
she
had
slapped
me
in
the
face.

***

The
library
was
cool
and
out
of
the
sun
for
which
I
was
thankful.
It
was
a
large
room
with
books
lining
the
walls
from
top
to
bottom.
Under
the
long
window
was
a
small
square
table
with
a
large
book
placed
on
top
of
it,
I
was
intrigued
by
the
size
of
the
book
more
than
anything
hence
I
went
over
to
take
a
closer
look.

It
was
a
family
bible,
with
the
most
unusual
cover
I
had
ever
seen.
It
had
been
embroidered
in
bright
colours
of
red,
green,
yellow
and
blue,
whoever
had
stitched
it
had
worked
on
it
beautifully.
I
deliberated
as
to
whether
to
open
it
or
not
as
I
thought
it
may
hold
details
of
the
Kershaw
family.
I
was
more
than
curious
to
know
how
old
Thomas
Craddock
was.