Private Sorrow, A Read Online Free Page A

was forever wading in with her constant chatter. Now look what she had done.
    Maisie, who had been putting on her coat, hurried through with the water. She took in the dramatic scene but had no idea what had caused it. Surely they hadn’t fallen out over a game of cards, she thought. ‘I’ve put the kettle on and the tea won’t be a minute,’ she said, glancing over at the woman who was still crying, before scurrying back to the kitchen.
    Vera had been helped to a chair by the fire and Maria was trying to comfort her by rubbing her hands and making soothing noises. Then Maisie arrived with the tea. ‘I’ve put three spoonfuls of sugar into it, Mrs Jankowski.’ She handed over the cup to Maria who tried to get Vera to take a sip. ‘Just a few sips, Vera. It’ll calm you down.’ Vera looked at Maisie who nodded encouragingly. ‘Drink up, love. You’ll feel better after it.’
    After drinking the tea, Vera felt so embarrassed. ‘I’m so sorry about spoiling the bridge afternoon but I want to go home.’
    Maria and Anita jumped up and went to get their coats but Vera said she could manage. Maisie said she was going down the Hilltown and if Vera wanted, she could walk with her until she reached home. Vera nodded. ‘That will be fine.’ She turned to Mrs Jankowski. ‘I’ll see you next week, Gina, and I’m sorry for this awful scene.’ She said goodbye to the other two women and left with Maisie.
    Anita, who had said sorry to Vera ten times, was now silent. Mrs Jankowski said, ‘Please get bottle of sherry out of sideboard cupboard, Maria. I think we all need a wee drink.’
    Anita suddenly said, ‘What did I say that upset her so much?’
    ‘Vera’s husband Dave was killed in accident in 1930 but that’s not what brought on crying. It was mention of daughter Etta, who disappeared day after accident and not seen since,’ said Mrs Jankowski. ‘Vera spend years trying to trace her but there is no word. Not from that day till this.’ Anita and Maria were saddened but as Mrs Jankowski said, ‘It was all so long ago and you not know anything about it so not to feel upset.’
    Anita twisted the stem of her sherry glass and felt more than upset. She felt devastated as she recalled Etta who would have been fifteen in 1929 – the year she and her husband had left 96 Hilltown to go to Glasgow.

    Maisie saw Vera to the end of her close but she had said she was feeling better and would manage fine. Later, as Vera sat in the darkness of her kitchen, she racked her brains to remember where she had seen the logo on Maisie’s overalls. McQueen’s Agency. Then, at two o’clock in the morning, she remembered. It was that case in the papers last year when Molly McQueen had been involved in that mystery. Before she fell asleep, she made a mental note to visit the agency the next morning.

5
    Vera was waiting for the office to open. Molly came downstairs and was surprised to have a customer so early in the morning.
    ‘I want to thank Maisie for helping me yesterday,’ said Vera. She explained the incident and Molly was pleased that one of her staff had made such a good impression, especially on her first job.
    Vera sat in Molly’s chair, quietly twisting the handle of her handbag. The office door opened and Jean arrived. She glanced at Molly and Vera but made straight for her desk just as the phone rang. Vera seemed ill at ease as Jean quietly dealt with the inquiry.
    ‘I wonder if you can come to see me later today at my house?’ She wrote down her address and Molly said she would come at one o’clock.
    ‘I have work to do this morning but I’ll see you then.’
    Vera made her way home. Her mind was so totally confused that she passed a couple of her neighbours without noticing them or hearing their greeting.
    Later, Molly made her way to the house. Maisie had put her in the picture when she had turned up for work but Molly had no idea what Vera wanted her to do. 96 Hilltown was more of a pend than a close and