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Contents ( 89)
  1. The Secret of Cold Hill
  2. Table of Contents
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
  15. 13
  16. 14
  17. 15
  18. 16
  19. 17
  20. 18
  21. 19
  22. 20
  23. 21
  24. 22
  25. 23
  26. 24
  27. 25
  28. 26
  29. 27
  30. 28
  31. 29
  32. 30
  33. 31
  34. 32
  35. 33
  36. 34
  37. 35
  38. 36
  39. 37
  40. 38
  41. 39
  42. 40
  43. 41
  44. 42
  45. 43
  46. 44
  47. 45
  48. 46
  49. 47
  50. 48
  51. 49
  52. 50
  53. 51
  54. 52
  55. 53
  56. 54
  57. 55
  58. 56
  59. 57
  60. 58
  61. 59
  62. 60
  63. 61
  64. 62
  65. 63
  66. 64
  67. 65
  68. 66
  69. 67
  70. 68
  71. 69
  72. 70
  73. 71
  74. 72
  75. 73
  76. 74
  77. 75
  78. 76
  79. 77
  80. 78
  81. 79
  82. 80
  83. 81
  84. 82
  85. 83
  86. 84
  87. Acknowledgments
  88. About the Author
  89. The Cold Hill Ghost Stories

‘What?’

Lowering his voice, he said, ‘Look who’s here.’

She turned and saw the Penze-Weedells, wrapped up the way they had been yesterday, following the waitress, who was striding across the room towards them. Mrs Penze-Weedell was striding equally determinedly, her husband trailing behind her, looking sheepish.

‘Well!’ Claudette greeted them. ‘What a lovely coincidence to see you!’

‘Very nice to see you too,’ Emily replied.

‘I don’t suppose you’d find it an imposition if we joined you?’ she asked. ‘You see it is completely full in here and there seems to have been a mix-up over our booking. But this very kind lady –’ she pointed a padded-gloved finger at the waitress – ‘said you were also from Cold Hill Park and you were at a table for four. We told her you are very dear friends.’ She peeled off her peaked hat and put it down in one of the spare places, freeing her mass of hair, which she prodded into position until it was about twelve inches tall, before moments later it collapsed, and long fair hair tumbled around her face. ‘You wouldn’t mind, would you?’

Jason took a deep breath.

‘Otherwise we’d have to walk all the way back and get in the car – but every pub around here is bound to be full, this being the last Sunday before Christmas.’

‘Only if you’re completely sure,’ mumbled Maurice, beginning to unbutton his coat.

Emily looked, helplessly, at Jason. He gave her a wide-eyed signal of desperation back.

‘Of course!’ Emily said, with a smile like a crack in a fine porcelain vase.

24

Sunday 16 December

The Penze-Weedells went for the full Christmas menus – with extra roast potatoes for Mrs P-W – while Jason and Emily ordered tuna salads and asked the waitress to bring them at the same time as the Penze-Weedells’ soup. Claudette pointedly ordered a bottle of prosecco, repeating the word several times in the process to ensure their new neighbours were in no doubt of her good taste. She also asked for four glasses, but Jason – who had now gone off the idea of the hair of the dog – and Emily politely declined, saying they had a working afternoon ahead.

The service was slow, taking almost half an hour for their food to arrive. It was mostly one-sided conversation, in which the Danes had to endure the biographies of all the relatives who would be coming to spend Christmas Day at 36 Lakeview Drive. These were accompanied by detailed family trees, with every relative, according to the boasts of Claudette, being immensely successful. Especially their two sons – one with a firm of City accountants and the other doing frightfully well in IT – and their daughter, who had now produced for them three adorable grandchildren.

‘We’ll go and pay at the bar, so we don’t disturb the rest of your meal,’ Jason said as soon as they had finished.

‘Sooooo lovely to see you again,’ Claudette said.