The Secrets of Whitelea

|Chapter Six|

Chapter Six

"I don't know what you're talking about." Douglas said, slamming the door shut as he got out. Bella scrambled out of the car, racing to the boot where Douglas was headed.

"Yes, you do." Bella said. Douglas opened up the boot and picked up two shopping bags.

"You can either stand out here all day or you can help. Mary might be nicer to you if you do help." Douglas began to walk towards the house. "Just thought I'd give you a hint."

Bella sighed and picked up another two shopping bags. She hurried after Douglas, hoping to catch him up in case he let slip anything. She was determined to get answers out of him – even if it took the rest of the day. Douglas was just coming back out of the kitchen when Bella approached. He didn't even acknowledge her as he walked past, back outside towards the car. She dumped the bags unceremoniously on the table before jogging back out again. "That's the last of the bags." Douglas said, kicking the front door shut.

Back in the kitchen, Bella perched herself on the table and watched as Douglas began unpacking the bags. "Are you going to help?" He asked.

"Not until you tell me what I want to know."

"I've already prepared for me to do this by myself anyway." Douglas muttered, slamming a cupboard door shut.

"Why won't you tell me about the letters?" Bella asked.

"Because there's nothing to tell!" Douglas exclaimed, spinning around to face her. "There is absolutely nothing to tell!"

"Then why keep it a secret? If it's nothing, why keep it hidden from everyone."

"I just...I don't want to talk about it, okay?"

"But-"

"Don't make me talk about it. Please?" Douglas said. A door opened from somewhere upstairs and Bella slid off the table. She grabbed the nearest item from the bag, as though she'd been helping all along. She paused in the middle of the room and looked over at Douglas who was shoving tins of something into another cupboard.

"Er," Bella began. Douglas looked over at her, tin still in hand. "where does this go?" She asked.

"Over there." Douglas gestured with his free hand towards yet another cupboard at the opposite side of the room. Bella hurried over as Mariam walked into the kitchen.

"Ah, you're back. Thank you so much for this." She smiled at Douglas and went to the nearest bag.

"Anything for you, Mare." Douglas grinned back. Mariam passed him a couple more tins and he placed them in the same cupboard before shutting the door. Mariam folded an empty bag.

"I thought Lasagne for dinner, tonight?" She said, pointing her suggestion towards Bella.

"That's fine." She said. Mariam began to hum as she began unpacking another bag. Douglas and Bella started on another one with Douglas telling Bella where things went.

Five minutes later they were finished. Bella decided that if Douglas wasn't going to tell her anything now, she'd just have to wait. Isabelle left the kitchen and headed towards the stairs leading to the first floor. "Where are you going?" Douglas shouted after her.

"Well you aren't going to tell me anything so I may as well just get on with my day. I have things to do." Bella shouted down without even turning her head. She heard Douglas sigh but he didn't follow her. She continued her climb up the staircase anyway, slowing slightly so it gave him chance to change his mind. When she reached the top of the stairs she turned to see if Douglas was still there. The entrance hall was empty. He'd either left or gone back into the kitchen and she hadn't even heard him.