‘Mmm.’ Florrie nodded enthusiastically, grateful for the change of subject. She finished her mouthful before answering. ‘I have. She called as I was on my way back from my mum and dad’s, told me everything went really well, which is great. She said Amery was very understanding and kind, didn’t blame her for any of it. She sounded like she was back on cloud nine. I was so relieved for her, bless her.’
Ed sat back in his seat, a smile spreading across his face. ‘Ah, that’s so good to hear. I was sure he’d be okay about it, but I can totally get why Jean was anxious to tell him.’
‘Mm, me too. It was a big thing for her, and not exactly something you can just throw into a conversation.’
‘Well, she’s done it, and it sounds like everything’s going to be fine. She’ll be glad she’s got it off her chest.’
‘That’s definitely how she sounded.’ Florrie wasn’t so sure she was going to feel as relieved as Jean when she got her own worries off her chest, but, like Jean, she knew she needed to bite the bullet.
Here goes.
Florrie set her fork down, dread pooling in her stomach, the prospect of upsetting Ed overriding her annoyance at the thought of Dawn creeping around their home. Florrie would prefer it if he’d been the one looking around the spare room and rearranging her bowl of crystals, but she knew, deep down, it wasn’t Ed. Adopting a light-hearted, jokey tone, she said, ‘You haven’t been looking for anything in the spare room recently by any chance, have you?’
Ed looked up from his lasagne wearing a puzzled expression. ‘’Course not, I know your wedding dress and other wedding stuff’s in there. I haven’t been in since we had a conversation about it a couple of months ago. Why?’
‘Um…’ She took a moment, choosing words that wouldn’t sound picky. ‘And you know the little bowl of crystals on the dressing table?’
‘The ones Lark gave you?’
‘Yeah, those.’
‘What about them?’
‘This is going to sound daft, but you didn’t knock them over when you got back earlier, did you?’
‘Is this a trick question, or something?’ He searched her face as if trying to read her expression. ‘But, no, I haven’t touched them. I just got changed and came straight back downstairs. Why d’you ask?’
Florrie drew in a deep breath. ‘It’s just yesterday and today, I found the door to the spare room ajar when, as you know, we’ve recently been keeping it shut – and I know for a fact that it was properly closed this morning cos I double-checked before we left. And when I was getting changed tonight, I noticed the crystals weren’t how I usually arrange them in the bowl.’ She cringed inwardly, knowing how petty that sounded.
‘You think someone’s been in the house while we’ve been out?’
She nodded, hoping Ed would join the dots and save her from having to put her suspicions into words.
‘Have you noticed anything else?’
Florrie nodded again as she told him about the drawer in the spare room.
‘Right…’ Realisation flickered across his face. ‘My mother. It must be her. But wouldn’t you think she’d have had a poke around yesterday, rather than coming back today?’
‘You’d think so, but I’m pretty sure those crystals were how I usually have them when we left this morning; I would’ve noticed if they weren’t. I know my eyesight’s not the sharpest, but that’s the sort of thing that draws my eye.’
‘Yeah,’ Ed said in agreement. ‘I wonder what she was looking for?’
‘Well, she was pretty keen for me to show her my wedding dress the other day. Maybe, cos I was reluctant, she thought there’dbe no harm taking a peek while she was here.’ She was mindful to word it as softly as she could even though the thought made her hopping mad.
Ed puffed out his cheeks. ‘If she has, then she’s well out of order, and I daresay she didn’t know where you keep it so she’d have had to snoop around to find it. It’s not as if I can defend her and say it’s not the sort of thing she’d do, because, in all honesty, I wouldn’t put it past her.’ He slumped back in his seat, raking his fingers through his hair. ‘All I can say is I’m really sorry for being such an idiot and giving her the key. It was an on-the-spot decision, and I couldn’t come up with a reason to refuse quickly enough, but if I could turn the clock back I would’ve been firm with her. Told her Mrs Fergus would pop in and wait for the flaming kettle for us like she’s done with other stuff.’
Florrie’s heart ached for him. She reached across and took his hand, wrapping her fingers around his. ‘It’s not your fault, Ed, and you’re definitely not an idiot, so please don’t say that; you were under pressure of time. Your mum’s the one who’s in the wrong here, not you. You can’t be held responsible for her actions, and I know how forceful she can be when she sets her mind to it.’ Florrie had heard Dawn’s voice in the background plenty of times when Ed had been on the phone to his parents. Forceful was an understatement; overbearing more like, and just the sort of person Florrie did her best to avoid. ‘And at least you’ve got your key back now so it’s not as if she’ll be able to do it again.’
‘True.’ He nodded wearily. ‘It wouldn’t be so bad, but she’s never shown an interest in where we live, or getting to know you. I just don’t get it. And I know she’s my mum, but I really wish she’d stayed down in London with my dad and only come up for the wedding. I can’t shake the feeling she’s up to something, but I can’t work out what it is.’
His words sent a shiver running up Florrie’s spine.
FIFTEEN
WEDNESDAY 15TH APRIL
Despite Ed having his key back, Florrie still felt the need to check around the house before they left for work that morning. She made sure to do it discreetly so as not to attract his attention and make him feel worse about his mum. The thought that someone had been snooping around their home had unsettled her sufficiently that she’d even used her phone to take a photo of the desk in the spare room, with its drawers closed and the notebooks, pot of pens and faux plant all neatly arranged on top. That done, she took a couple of shots of her wedding dress in its garment bag – after checking it last night, the only thing she’d found untoward was that the zipper hadn’t been closed properly, something she always made sure to do – as well as the box of wedding accessories – which included her shoes – she’d set beside the bookcase. Logic told her no one else had sneaked into their home and that it had been Dawn taking advantage of having Ed’s key, but all the same, she felt better for having done it.
