Mrs Cuff nodded. ‘She’s fine.’ She looked again at Miss Herriot. ‘You go on, I’ll be along in amoment.’ Then she faced Edward. ‘Come into my room for a moment.’
At Mrs Cuff’s request, Edward sat down ather oak writing desk. She took a seat opposite him and sat with a solemnface. He was really worrying about whatever he was about to be told and athin bead of sweat broke out on his forehead. ‘What is it, MrsCuff? Please, tell me.’
‘I’m afraid that Miss Mercer has left theemploy of Blackfriars,’ she began.
‘What do you mean?’ Edward asked.
‘I mean that Miss Mercer no longer workshere.’
‘Why? What did she do?’ Edwarddemanded, straightening defensively in his chair.
Mrs Cuff paused for a moment. ‘It’sa delicate matter, the details of which should probably be left to thediscretion of Miss Mercer. Suffice it to say, something occurred lastWednesday which could not be tolerated at Blackfriars.’
‘Where did she go?’
‘Home, I would have thought.’
Edward stood, mumbled his thanks anddashed from the room. He bolted along the corridor, through the kitchenand out the door. ‘What have you done, Mary?’ he said to himself as heran at full pelt up the back path. He briefly left the path at theorchard and stuck his head in the old abbey ruins, but she was not there.
When he reached his aunt and uncle’shouse, Edward kept pounding on the door until somebody answered it. ‘Comeon, come on!’ he yelled breathlessly. ‘Mary!’
Finally, the door was unbolted andCaroline’s face snarled through the narrow gap that she had allowed. ‘Edward,’ she said, her voice finely laced with disgust.
‘Caroline, open the door. I need tosee Mary,’ Edward said, taking a step closer to the house.
Caroline held the door firm. ‘You’vegot a nerve showing up here after what you and Mary did to Edith. Judas.’
Edward began to lose his temper and raisedhis voice. ‘It’s none of your business, just open the door. I needto see Mary.’
Caroline frowned but said nothing forseveral seconds. ‘Why would Mary be here on a Saturday?’ When she saw Edward’s confusion she widened the gap in the door. ‘Whereis she?’ she demanded. ‘She owes us her wages from last week.’
‘Who is it?’ a voice called from behind Caroline.
Edward recognised it as his aunt’s voice.‘It’s me, Edward. Can you come to the door, please?’
Caroline sneered and stepped back to allowher mother to come forward.
‘Oh hello, Edward. Do you want tocome in?’
Edward nodded and followed his aunt insideand through to the kitchen.
‘Sit down. I’ve just made a pot oftea. What are you doing up here on a Saturday, then?’ his auntasked. ‘Oh, have you just got back from Scotland? How was it?’’
‘It was okay, thanks. Listen, I’vecome looking for Mary. Have you seen her since Wednesday?’
His aunt laughed, as she poured two cupsof tea. ‘What, do you mean she’s disappeared? She should be atwork. It is Saturday, isn’t it?’ she said, sounding slightly confused.
Caroline had followed them into thekitchen and stood with her arms folded in the doorway. Edward glanced ather then back to his aunt. ‘I don’t really know what’s happened, but theylet her go on Wednesday last week. They’ve not seen her at Blackfriars since.’
His aunt frowned at him and set down theteapot. ‘Well where the devil is she, then?’ She turned toCaroline. ‘Do you know where she is?’
Caroline shrugged. ‘Don’t ask mewhere she’s gone. Probably somewhere of ill-repute, knowing Mary.’
‘Caroline!’ her mother snapped. ‘That’s enough. I really don’t know why you’ve got it in for her.’ She turned back to Edward with an apologetic look on her face.
Edward ignored the nasty comment fromCaroline and addressed his aunt. ‘We need to find her. All theother servants are off today so I could get some help searching for her.’
‘Isn’t that all a bit dramatic and overthe top?’ Caroline asked.
Edward stared at her cold, uncaringface. ‘Is it? Your sister has been missing since Wednesday—aren’tyou a little bit bothered.’
‘She’s old enough to look afterherself. What did she do at work to get sacked anyway?’
‘I don’t know,’ Edward said quietly. ‘It doesn’t really matter to me. The point is that she’s nowhere to befound.’
‘Where are you going to look for her?’Caroline asked derisively.
Edward hadn’t thought that far aheadyet. He just knew that he needed to look for her. ‘I don’t know… wecould ask around the village. Search around the Blackfriars estate. Maybe she slipped and banged her head or hurt herself somehow.’
With trembling hands, his aunt picked upher cup and saucer and took a sip of tea to steady her nerves. ‘Edward’sright. This is out of character for Mary. She does do some sillythings but she’s never run off like this. When’s Edie home? Maybeshe’s heard from her.’
‘I think if Edie had heard from her we’dsoon know about it,’ Caroline said. ‘She’s livid with her. Understandably, she feels totally betrayed.’
‘Caroline, just stop with your harsh words,’her mother instructed in a soft but direct tone. ‘Why don’t you go andget yourself ready to help look for Mary?’
Caroline exhaled, then silently left theroom.
‘Just ignore her, she’s still veryemotional following William’s death. She’s taken it hard, poor girl,’ shesaid, taking a seat opposite Edward.
Edward looked into his aunt’s eyes and adesperate biting feeling overtook him and he began to sob. Something hadhappened to Mary. He knew that it was something bad. His auntreached across the table and took his hand.
‘We’ll find her, don’t you worry. You know what she’s like—always getting herself into mischief.’
Edward wiped his eyes with the back of hishand. ‘But where can she be? This is so not like her. Shewouldn’t have just left like this, not without telling me.’
His aunt breathed in and out heavily forseveral seconds. ‘I must admit, when she didn’t come with Edie to collectme from the sanatorium last week I was a bit worried, but then Edie said Maryhardly ever comes home now on her half day’s leave, so I didn’t think any moreof it.’
‘Can you think of anyone she might havegone to?’ Edward asked.
She thought for a time, then shook herhead. ‘Nobody that comes to mind. You probably should get someoneto check with your mum and dad—make
