‘Thanks, but I’d better get back for Bruno. The dog-walker brings him home at six. Michelle’s away.’
In that case, thinks Ruth, there’s nothing to stop Nelson coming back later. He could even bring Bruno with him (sorry, Flint). She wonders if Nelson is thinking the same thing. But neither of them says anything and, after admiring Kate’s art extravagantly, Nelson gets up to leave.
Cathbad has also cooked pasta although, in his case, it comes adorned with courgette spirals and broccoli florets. The children eat quickly, they are used to their father’s culinary prowess, but Judy savours each mouthful. She finds cooking very tedious and she knows that preparing meals every day would soon drive her to distraction. But Cathbad actually seems to enjoy it. Thing is leaning against Judy’s legs, looking up at her lovingly, although he’s not much of a broccoli fan. It’s dark outside but there are signs that spring is returning; a bunch of daffodils on the table, a school newsletter trumpeting about Easter bonnet competitions.
When Michael and Miranda have drifted away, Cathbad pours Judy a glass of wine and asks about her day.
‘It was OK. I had to tell the boss that I thought his potential murder was probably still a suicide. And Ruth excavated a skeleton in Tombland.’
‘Really? A medieval skeleton?’
‘I think so. I just saw the report. I’m pretty sure Nelson will follow it up.’
‘I’m certain he will,’ says Cathbad.
There’s a short silence while they both think about Nelson and the reasons why he will be interested in this particular archaeological discovery.
‘It’s a very haunted place, Tombland,’ says Cathbad. ‘Very spiritual but also very troubled.’
‘I know about the Grey Lady,’ says Judy. ‘And the ghost that haunts the Maid’s Head. Is that grey too? The Grey Maid?’
‘I had a friend who worked at the Maid’s Head,’ says Cathbad. ‘And he says the Maid is a friendly presence. There’s a former mayor who’s more troublesome. The Grey Lady is a sad spirit though. I saw her once.’
Judy isn’t surprised by this sort of thing any more.
‘When was that?’
‘It was when I was first in Norfolk. I took a shortcut through Tombland Alley on my way back from the pub. It was autumn and there were leaves on the ground. A woman in a long, grey dress was walking in front of me. I assumed she was in fancy dress– it was near Hallowe’en– but then she turned and seemed to go through a door. When I got to the place, there was no door there, just a brick wall. Then I realised that her long skirt hadn’t made any noise as she walked through the fallen leaves.’
The detail in this story makes it unexpectedly chilling: the pub, the leaves, the door that wasn’t there. Judy says, ‘Maybe there was another door that you didn’t see.’
‘Maybe,’ says Cathbad equably. ‘But there isn’t always a rational explanation, you know.’
Judy secretly disagrees. ‘Didn’t the Grey Lady live in a house that was boarded up because of the plague?’ she says. ‘That’s a horrible story. Thank God things like that don’t happen any more.’
But Cathbad doesn’t answer this. He changes the subject and starts to talk about Thing. After a few minutes’ dog chat, they clear the table and go to join the children.
Nelson can hear Bruno barking as soon as he turns into the cul-de-sac. The wretched animal has been on his own for barely more than an hour. He hopes the neighbours won’t start to complain.
Bruno gives him a hero’s welcome, whining ecstatically and running upstairs to find a suitable gift. He comes back with one of Michelle’s bras. Nelson thanks him and extracts the garment, which he hangs on the banister. Then he goes in search of food.
Michelle went to Blackpool two days after George’s fourth birthday on February the fifteenth. She left Nelson with enough ready meals to last two weeks. As he extracts a chilli con carne from the freezer, he thinks of Samantha Wilson putting her Weight Watchers’ meal in the microwave. What was she thinking when she pierced the plastic wrapping? ‘Ensure food is piping hot before eating.’ Piping hot. A curiously old-fashioned phrase, like something Nelson’s mother might say. Why didn’t Samantha eat her hot food? Why did she go upstairs, lie down on her bed and take an overdose of sleeping pills?
Nelson thinks of Ruth inviting him to supper. ‘Pasta. Or something.’ He doesn’t get the impression that Ruth is much of a cook. Has he ever eaten a meal prepared by her? He doesn’t think so. What would he have done if Ruth had invited him, not just to eat, but to stay the night? There’s nothing stopping him. Except Bruno, who is still looking at him expectantly. Nelson lets the dog out into the garden, which will satisfy him for a few minutes. He could have taken Bruno to Ruth’s. That grumpy cat would get used to him eventually. But it still doesn’t seem right. Not until he has hadthatconversation. Is it the thought of the complications ahead that is making him feel uneasy tonight? No, he thinks it’s something else. Something connected to his conversation with Ruth. Nelson broods, watching the container revolving under the electronic spotlight.
It’s a few minutes before he realises that his phone is buzzing. Michelle.
‘Hallo, love,’ says Nelson. ‘Is everything OK?’
‘Why do you always think something’s wrong? We’re all fine. We took George for a donkey ride on the sands today.’
Katie had loved the donkeys in Blackpool, thinks Nelson. But, of course, he can’t say this.
Michelle talks about George for a while and then says, ‘Harry? Are you worried about coronavirus?’
‘Not really,’ says Nelson, wondering if this is true. ‘It’s just the flu, after all.’
‘I’m a bit worried about Mum.’
