Foxden Hotel (The Dudley Sisters Saga Book 5) by Madalyn Morgan (ebook reader ink txt) 📕

down the pony, but Aimee wanted to see it, so he’s gone back with her.’

‘At Aimee’s age children are lovely,’ Maeve sighed.

‘Especially little girls, don’t you think?’ Ena hoped her response would lead Maeve to talk about the child she saw her with in Kirby Marlow. It didn’t.

They walked into the hotel together. Ena said, ‘Do you have any children, Maeve?’

‘No. When I was young I hoped that one day, if I found Mr Right, I would marry and have a family, but it wasn’t to be. Do you want children, Mrs Green?’

‘Yes, one day. Henry’s older than me, so I expect it ought to be sooner rather than later.’ Ena caught Maeve glancing at her sideways. ‘I know the man’s age doesn’t make a lot of difference - to a woman conceiving, I mean, but Henry said he wants to be young enough to kick a football about on Sunday mornings.’

‘It’s going to be a boy then?’

Leaning back, Ena feigned a look of surprise. ‘Of course, Henry has a plan. What about you? Girl or boy when you find Mr Right?’

‘Boy. The world is too cruel to girls.’

This was the opportunity Ena had been waiting for. She would ask Maeve why she thought the world was cruel to girls, which would lead her into asking about the little girl she saw her with in Kirby Marlow. But when she turned, Ena saw such a depth of sadness in Maeve’s eyes that her voice faltered, and she could only think to say, ‘I’d like a girl.’

‘One of you will be happy then.’ Maeve opened the door of the staff cloakroom. ‘If you’ll excuse me, Mrs Green, I must hang up my coat and tidy my hair before I start work.’

‘Yes, of course. I’ll see you later.’ Feeling guilty that she had awoken some deep rooted sadness in Maeve, Ena blurted out, ‘I’m sorry.’ The receptionist looked back at her. She had tears in her eyes. ‘If I said something that upset you.’

‘You didn’t Mrs Green. I’m just a little tired. My niece hasn’t been well.’

‘Your niece?’ Ena repeated, as she felt the heat of embarrassment develop in her cheeks.

‘Yes. The child you saw me with earlier. Today was her first day back at school after being off with a summer cold. I thought she looked pale and was worried that I may have sent her back too soon. Was there anything else?’

‘No. Except, if you ever want to talk, you know where I am.’

‘Thank you.’ Maeve turned and went into the cloakroom, closing the door firmly behind her. Ena’s smile changed to a worried frown. There was something not right. She could feel it, sense that Maeve was deeply unhappy. But there was nothing she could do to help unless Maeve opened up to her - and Ena didn’t think she would do that.

‘Henry?’ Ena called, as her husband entered the hotel. They walked towards each other, meeting in the middle of the marble hall. ‘How did you get on at the Vicarage?’

Henry looked around. ‘Come into the office, I’ll tell Bess and Frank at the same time.’

‘Claire’s in there with Bess. She was near to tears earlier, so I expect Bess is giving her sisterly advice - and Frank’s showing Aimee the animals.’

‘Oh well, what I found out can wait. It isn’t that important.’

‘What I found out is,’ Ena said. At that moment, Maeve appeared from the direction of the cloakroom. ‘I know you’re a married man,’ Ena whispered, ‘but would you like to come up to my room?’

Henry laughed. ‘Are you inviting me to your room for a secret assignation?’

‘Perhaps,’ Ena teased. She caught her husband by the hand and led him upstairs.

There were two single beds in Ena’s room, Henry sat on one and Ena on the other, facing him. ‘Right,’ she said, ‘what did you find out at the vicarage?’

‘That Maeve O’Leary is staying there. The vicar’s wife told me that Maeve was billeted at the Vicarage during the war and they had become good friends.’

‘What did she do in the war?’

‘Communications.’ Ena knew from experience how all-embracing that word had been during the war. ‘The vicar’s wife said the facility where Maeve worked was just outside the village, and she had visited them regularly since the war ended.’

‘Do you think she worked for one of the subsidiaries of Bletchley Park?’

‘I don’t know. Thousands of people all over the country worked in communications. It was the standard job description for any secret work. And there wasn’t only Bletchley, there were other facilities. I’ll try and find out more.’

‘Why? I mean, why does it matter if Maeve worked in communications during the war?’ Ena took a sharp breath. ‘You don’t think she’s a spy, do you?’

‘No…’

‘What then?’

‘I told you I had to cover David Sutherland’s funeral.’

‘Yes, and you saw Bess there. So?’

‘I saw Miss O’Leary there too.’

‘What? Maeve was at Sutherland’s funeral? Have you told Bess?’

Henry shook his head. ‘No. And I’d rather you didn’t. I mentioned the funeral to the vicar’s wife. I said it was a sad affair when someone dies and there were so few mourners in the church. She said, if it hadn’t been for herself, Miss O’Leary and old Dolly Hinson, two women who worshiped at St. Peter’s, Mr Sutherland wouldn’t have had anyone at all to bear witness to his passing.’

‘He had Sir Gerald and Katherine Hawksley.’

‘Did you talk to Katherine Hawksley today?’

‘No. Her father was there. They left almost immediately I arrived, so I didn’t get the chance. I do have something to tell you. Though it isn’t as surprising as Maeve going to David Sutherland’s funeral.’

‘What is it?’

‘Maeve has a niece.’

Ena waited for her husband to react, but he only said, ‘Nothing unusual in that.’

‘I