Star Gazey

Chapter Four

I took a deep, slightly shuddering breath as I watched the shadow move across the window of my apparently empty house once more and then retreat. Running a hand across my eyes, I half hesitated to lift them to the window once more, but any evidence of the apparition was no more.

Courage, Rose, I thought to myself. You are better than this. It's nothing but nonsense created for show by a gossipy old hen.

With this little bit of steel injected once more into my veins, I took a step forward and reached out to open the door, only to have my heart leap into my throat once more as it suddenly swung open right before my eyes.

"Good heavens!" cried a pleasant, matronly voice. "My dear, you've frightened me half to death!"

"I've frightened you?" I said rather indignantly, raising an eyebrow at the speaker. Tidy and somewhat plump, she had iron grey hair swept back into a simple coif and a neatly pressed apron over her dress. A pair of glasses perched upon her nose, and although she currently clutched a hand over her slightly heaving chest with an astonished expression, she looked like a woman inclined towards contentment.

She paused and seemed to recollect herself, then stepped forward to clutch my hand apologetically.

"Oh I am terribly sorry, of course I must have given you quite a turn myself. You must be Miss Grantham? They said you would be here by now but I confess I've been rather busy and hadn't stopped into the office today to check before heading over." This explanation did something to calm my nerves, but little to solve my confusion.

"Yes, I am Rose Grantham. Pleased to meet you, I'm sure, Mrs...?"

"My goodness, look at my manners today! My mind is scattered all over from that shock, my dear. It seems as though you're wondering just what I am doing here?"

I tilted my head somewhat noncommittally, not wanting to appear rude. Her eyes twinkled kindly.

"It's alright, dear, who could blame you? This isn't the first time the Messrs have neglected to tell their tenants about me. I am Mrs. Fanny Locke, and I work for the estate agents as a housekeeper for their properties. Today I came by just to make sure that everything was as it should be for your arrival, and I thought I might take the liberty of bringing you about a steak and kidney pie, in case you hadn't had time to sort out a bite for your supper."

This was certainly a better surprise than meeting Mick in the garden shed, and one without any feeling of disingenuity about it. I determined that I liked Mrs. Locke decidedly. She had the kindly appearance and efficient manner of the housekeeper at home and somehow gave me a better sense of belonging to this place. I smiled at her for the first time.

"Thank you, Mrs. Locke. That was very kind of you, and I certainly appreciate it. Will you be coming by again while I'm here?"

She looked gratified by the question. "Yes, if you'd like it. I just live a short ways away in the village, so it would be no problem for me to nip in whenever you need and change beds or do a tidy of the house. There's a telephone in the house now, as the agents thought it would be a rental incentive, so you can always ring them any time and ask them to send me over. Their number is on a note by the telephone."

"That would be marvelous. I'm sure I will call them as soon as I need to. Thank you, again, Mrs. Locke."

She smiled widely, "Lovely. It has been a real pleasure to meet you. This village hasn't seen such a presence since the Youngs themselves. You are rather like your gran, you know," she said with a comfortable air quite unlike Mrs. Donnelly's.

"Yes, I fear that reputation has spread like wildfire now," I laughed.

"You are the talk of the village already I'm sure, my dear," she answered warmly. As she looked at me, I noticed her eyes flick over my shoulder to look at something behind me, and she smiled once more. "Ah, well this is a surprise. Here comes my daughter, Agnes. I'm sure she'd be delighted to meet such a fine lady of quality as yourself, Miss Grantham. That is, if you're so inclined?"

I turned to look at the approaching young woman, who was indeed climbing the hill towards us. It seemed as though she stepped rather heavily, if not sullenly. She was wearing rubber boots over trousers, a blouse and a somewhat faded cardigan and as she came closer, her expression was not entirely welcoming.

This did not particularly concern me, for I had dealt with my fair share of unpleasant people. I turned back to Mrs. Locke and smiled. "Yes of course, I would be glad to meet her."

When she arrived at the doorstep, Agnes Locke gave me an appraising glance before turning to her mother. "The agents need you to go to the Welling house immediately. They've apparently had a last minute booking for tomorrow, so the house needs to be ready. Apparently they tried ringing you and there was no answer, but they saw me walking past and sent me to slog up the hill for you," she said somewhat ruefully.

"Alright dear, thank you," said Mrs. Locke with an apologetic side glance towards me. "But you must say hello to Miss Grantham. She's from London and has just let the Big House here. She's a granddaughter of Clara Young," she added significantly.

Agnes finally looked my way again. "Hello," she said brusquely. I looked her over again now that she was closer, and found that she was not unattractive, but I had been right about her slightly sullen air. She wore chin length brown hair curled under, bright red lipstick and a dark shadow over her brown eyes, which made them seem a little sunken. I wondered how much of the sullenness was sour nature and how much may have been an attempt to seem fashionably indifferent.

It would not defeat me. "Hello, Miss Locke. Lovely to meet you. This is a wonderful place, and I really am delighted to be here," I said brightly.

"Yes, it must be lovely to have a holiday," she replied bluntly. I caught the edge of the words and let the ensuing silence hang for a moment.

"Well, I would imagine anything is especially pleasing when it is different, is it not?" I said sweetly.

"I wouldn't know," she said tartly.

Whether adroitly or not, Mrs. Locke then determined that it was time for her and her daughter to depart, lest she not have enough time to ready the house for the agents, and I had no more to exchange with the unpleasant daughter beyond a brief goodbye. I shook Mrs. Locke's hand warmly and thanked her once more for the pie, watching them disappear down the hill before finally taking a deep breath and retiring to my house for the first evening.

I was exhausted by the day's events and in little mood for anything much beyond devouring a helping of Mrs. Locke's excellent pie and indulging in a hot bath and a cup of tea before bed.

I will tell you I slept soundly, and if my ears listened sharply for creaks in the floorboards or banging shed doors, I will not say. My eyes, anyhow, remained firmly shut to any notion of shadows passing by my windows.