Murder in House by Veronica Heley Page A

Mia and of course I told her what you said, and she said that was rubbish, and she went on and on at me and said I had to choose, which was ridiculous as I told her, so I rang off. And the next day when I tried to phone her—’
    â€˜Her mobile got broken.’
    â€˜She wouldn’t answer the landline and when I went round there, she wouldn’t come to the door. That went on all week and now she’s gone back to Portsmouth and sent her ring back and I feel like getting drunk.’
    â€˜Why not? Come round this evening and we’ll sink a few.’
    â€˜I suppose I might. What else is there to do?’

FOUR
    E llie put Ursula’s ring in her coin purse for safe keeping and made her way across the park to the house that her architect cousin Roy had revamped for his wife Felicity and their baby Mel.
    The weather wasn’t improving, but Ellie stopped on the way to buy some bits and pieces for supper. Her new grey skirt was getting decidedly tight around the middle, and as for Thomas, he’d always had an ample frontage, and the sooner he went on a diet the better. It was no good pretending that one could lose weight without dieting, but Thomas wouldn’t eat a plain salad without a lot of dressing on it, so she must make a salad dish appetizing with red, yellow and green peppers, chicory, and tiny red tomatoes to add to the usual lettuce and cucumber. He might well enjoy that with some good balsamic vinegar over all.
    He’d probably want a good solid soup, beforehand. He really ought to have a non-fattening soup made without potatoes or cornflour, but the weather was awful and he must have something starchy to keep him going. She found a soya ice cream that would do for afters; tasty but not fattening.
    It started to rain again as she reached Felicity’s. She’d done more walking than usual, which might be good for her but was somewhat tiring, so she looked forward to a good sit-down and perhaps a bite of lunch.
    Only, Felicity was not alone. She had recently made friends with Caroline Topping, a neighbour who’d also come late to childbearing, and they often popped into one another’s houses for a coffee. Felicity, ripely blonde with a figure that was filling out in response to a happy marriage and her own love of cooking, let Ellie in while jiggling little Mel in her arms.
    â€˜Come on in. What filthy weather. I’d forgotten you were coming, but I’ve just made a mushroom risotto that can easily do for three. You know Caroline, don’t you?’
    Ellie did. She blew her nose. Coming in from the cold always started her sneezing. Caroline’s toddler held up his arms for Ellie to pick him up, which she did with only the slightest of groans. Her back was twinging again. This cold weather . . .
    A chaotic lunchtime passed with the three women fielding food and toddlers, spooning in food here, supplying drink, mopping faces and hands, and managing to eat a few mouthfuls themselves between whiles. Ellie enjoyed it, but she had to admit it was blissful when Caroline took Duncan away and Mel was settled down for her afternoon nap. Felicity wiped down surfaces while Ellie stacked the dishwasher.
    Felicity sighed. ‘It’s so dark. I hate January.’
    Ellie said, ‘Buy some daffodils, or one of those sun-effect lamps. Don’t you want a rest when Mel’s asleep? It was the only way I could make both ends of the day meet when Diana was young.’
    â€˜I would normally, but I wanted to talk to you before Roy gets home. It’s a something and a nothing. Probably a nothing.’ She made some coffee and sat at the table, stirring the coffee in her cup but not adding any sugar. ‘What do you think about jinxes, Ellie?’
    Ellie tried not to smile, because Felicity was looking so serious. ‘What sort?’
    â€˜Prior’s Place.’
    Ellie refrained from comment. She’d a bad feeling about it too. ‘Roy