Read Fire When Ready (Manor House Mystery) for Free Online Page B

George."
    Martin was still in the process of struggling to his feetonce more. Elizabeth reached across the table and took hold of the gun. He showed no resistance as she gently drew it out of his hand. Alarmed by the old gentleman's pallor, she motioned to Violet. "We must get him back to bed at once. All this has been a great shock to him."
    "To all of us," Violet muttered as she hurried to take Martin's arm. "God help us all. Give us a hand, Sadie. Look sharp about it."
    Sadie tossed the remains of her tea down her throat and smacked her lips. "It was worth getting up in the middle of the night for that," she said, putting her cup down on the table. "That's a good drop of brandy."
    "For medicinal purposes, my girl, and don't you forget it." Violet glared at her. "Take hold of his other arm. It will take two of us to get him in bed."
    Sadie hurried over to Martin's side. "Poor old bugger. Wonder what he'd do if we really did get bombed out of here. The shock'd kill him, I'm sure."
    "Bite your tongue, missy," Violet snapped. "We've got enough trouble without you dreaming up more."
    The door closed behind the three of them, leaving Elizabeth alone in the kitchen with the dogs. She went over to them and, much to their delight, knelt down beside them. Wrapping her arms around their thick necks, she murmured, "Dear George and Gracie. I never thought the war would come to Sitting Marsh. But now that it has, I promise I won't let anything happen to either of you."
    The dogs thanked her with a sloppy slap of their tongues on her cheeks.
    "I miss him so," she whispered in Gracie's soft ear. "He would have been such a tower of strength at a time like this." Tears slid down her cheeks. She rarely cried, but now she let the tears fall. For Douglas McNally and the lovedones he'd left behind. For the unfortunate charlady, and her grieving family.
    She didn't know Jessie Bandini personally, but she knew the name. The middle-aged woman had lived with her daughter and baby granddaughter in a caravan not far from the village. There were rumors that they were gypsies, cast out by their tribe because the child had no apparent father.
    She cried for them all. And she cried for herself, for her broken heart, and her own personal loss, made all the harder because she could not share her sorrow with anyone. No one except her beloved dogs.
    Elizabeth slept late the next morning, and when she entered the office Polly was already at her desk. She looked up, her eyes filled with worry when Elizabeth greeted her. "They bombed the factory last night, m'm," she said.
    "Yes, I know."
    Elizabeth was still wondering if she should mention the deaths when Polly blurted out, "When I heard two people were killed, I thought it might be Ray. He sometimes works late at the factory. But then Sadie said as how it was Mr. McNally and Jessie Bandini. It's just awful. What are we going to do if they come back to bomb us again? We'll all be killed. I knew they should never have put up that factory." Her voice ended on a wail and she burst into tears.
    Hurrying over to her, Elizabeth said soothingly, "Polly, there's no reason for the Germans to come back now. They've got what they wanted. It's over." She was repeating George's sentiments, and she hoped fervently that he was right.
    Polly nodded tearfully. "That's what Sadie said, and Violet. It's just the shock, that's all. Everything's going wrong, m'm. Everything. What with me dad off fighting thewar, and Sam gone back to America, and Marlene driving an ambulance at the front." She looked up at Elizabeth, her eyes wide with fear. "What if Marlene gets bombed, too? I couldn't bear it. I really couldn't." The tears started falling again.
    Elizabeth gave the girl's thin shoulders a hug. "Now, now, this won't do. We can't let the enemy get us down like this. Where's that British stiff upper lip? Everything's going to be all right, you'll see. The war will be over soon, and your father will be home, and Marlene, too.