Page 52 of Watch For Me By Candlelight

Kate’s stomach knotted. ‘What did she look like?’ If she had come back to Kate and said “you” she thought she might very well have freaked and run away, wide-legged trousers notwithstanding.

The girl turned back to Kate. ‘She had sort of light reddish hair.’

‘Strawberry blonde?’ she asked carefully.

‘That’s it. Lighter than yours. And she had dimples, because she smiled. And she was wearing a gorgeous dress. Like a really bright blue. She was over that side of the gardens, by that lovely bridge. She just appeared and disappeared. I thought it was one of the staff, but then she was gone so quickly, I wondered if I should ask you.’

Kate felt a little faint. ‘Hmm. It sounds like Lady Amelia,’ she said, trying to sound authoritative. But it did sound just like Millie, in her peacock blue ballgown.

‘What a lovely name! So are there any pictures of her?’

Kate couldn’t answer her. She didn’t know.

She shook her head. ‘If there are any, Cassie might know. I’ll radio through to her. She’s around, she should be able to tell us, if you can hang on a minute?’

The girl nodded and Kate switched the walkie-talkie on again. ‘Cassie, I’ve got a lady here asking a question, and I thought you might know the answer.’

Cassie sounded amused. ‘I might know what?’

‘If there are any pictures of Lady Amelia around?’

‘Amelia?’ There was a crackly sort of silence for a moment. ‘Oh! Amelia. As in Millie. From the eighteen-hundreds.’

Kate’s stomach did that knot again. ‘That’s her.’ No need to check that she existed then.

‘Sure,’ said Cassie. ‘Can the lady hear me if I speak up loud enough?’

Kate raised her eyebrows and the girl nodded.

‘Yes, she can hear you.’ Kate moved the walkie-talkie between them. ‘Fire away.’

‘Okay. If you go through to the main dining room, there’s a miniature of her on the wall by the fireplace. The girl in the blue dress. You’d never see her if you weren’t looking for her.’

The blonde girl looked at Kate and smiled gratefully, then leaned over and shouted into the radio. ‘Thank you, thanks so much!’

‘You’re welcome!’ came Cassie’s voice.

‘Thanks Cass.’ Kate switched off the radio and smiled at the girl, her own heart racing as she wondered how soon she would be able to escape into the Hall to look for the picture herself.

‘Good luck!’ she told the girl.

‘Thank you! I’m so excited! I’ll have to eat this really fast now!’ She held the ice-cream up and grinned, then hurried away.

Kate couldn’t wait to get into the Hall and find the portrait — but unfortunately she had an event to deal with first; which might take a bit longer than simply scoffing an ice-cream.

Soon after that, Kate heard the clip-clop of hooves and saw Hughie approaching as he came around the corner. The children in the pool stopped splashing and screamed with delight — Horace, Margaret’s spaniel and the ‘official’ Hartsford estate dog, was balanced on Hughie’s back, looking for all the world as if he belonged there.

Kate couldn’t help laughing. Margaret drew the caravan up to the poolside and Kate waved at her.

‘Can I interest you in a sandwich?’ she shouted. ‘I don’t have many left, but you’re welcome to cheese, cheese or tuna.’

‘I’ll have cheese, please!’ Kate dismounted and walked over to the caravan. Margaret looked slightly flustered, and a little red in the face, but she produced a sandwich, along with a bottle of cloudy lemonade and a packet of crisps. ‘You might as well take these as well, just in case the cheese is a bit warm.’ Margaret frowned and looked up as three families headed towards her, rummaging for purses and wallets. ‘Oh dear, I hope they don’t mind cheese either!’

‘It’ll be fine,’ Kate said. ‘Have you got enough ice-lollies and choc bars in your freezer? Or do you want my ice-box until I come back?’

‘No, sweetheart, I’m fine,’ she said with a smile. ‘You get yourself off for a break.’

‘You know, I think I’ll push the bicycle into a corner on my way, instead of leaving it here. Otherwise you’ll be getting people asking for ices anyway.’