Aurelia’s smile widened at the smile she could hear in his voice.He reminded her that he’d be coming down to London later in the week and they made plans to meet for dinner.They soon rang off, leaving Aurelia to think about whether what she’d seen in the shop was one of those unanswerable mysteries he’d mentioned.
When she still couldn’t come up with a good answer, she decided to sound out Antonia.She dialed her number and Antonia picked up after the first ring.
“I was just about to call.How’re you doing?”Antonia asked, unfazed by the apparent coincidence.
“Oh, good.”Aurelia tried for a casual tone but failed.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong,” Aurelia fibbed.“I was just thinking about Aunt Marigold this morning.”
Antonia made a vague noise that suggested she was growing distracted, so Aurelia forged ahead.
“Do you remember… Did she ever… I mean—”
Aurelia couldn’t make up her mind how to casually ask her sister about ghosts.It had been easier with her father, somehow.
“Spit it out, Relia.”
Aurelia closed her eyes—nothing for it now.
“Did Aunt Marigold ever mention seeing or hearing anything strange in the shop?”
That had got Antonia’s attention; Aurelia could hear her growing still.
“Strange like what?”
“Just… strange.Unusual.”
“Like noises?Did you hear something again last night?”
Antonia was a bloodhound for intrigue and seemed to sense there was more to Aurelia’s question.Of course, Aureliahadheard something again last night, but it was what she hadseenthat concerned her.
“I did, but it wasn’t like someone had broken in.It was more like there was… a presence.”
“What, like ghosts?”
“Something like that.”
“Um… I remember her saying she thought there were mice in the walls.”
“I can confirm—there are,” Aurelia groaned.
“Other than that, no.I don’t think she ever talked about feeling a ‘presence’ or seeing a ghost.”Antonia grew serious.“Is it too much, Aurelia?Living there and running the shop?You were out of sorts yesterday, and now—”
“No, I’m fine.Really.I was just curious, that’s all.”
“You’re sure?”
“The shop, the flat—everything’s fine.”Aurelia hoped she sounded convincing.
“The shop’s closed today, right?Can you get out for a bit?You said you went for a walk the other day—are you doing your ‘idea walks’ again?”
“No,” Aurelia said with a sigh.She hadn’t been writing, so she hadn’t needed to go out wandering the city in search of ideas and inspiration like she used to do.After her mum died, Aunt Marigold had joined her for a while, insisting that she keep up with her walks—and her writing.Now, with Marigold gone too, Aurelia had lost the habit of it.“But I could probably do with some fresh air.”
“Go.Maybe you’ll see something out in the world that’ll inspire you to start writing again.Orsomeone.”
Trust Antonia to seamlessly shift from concern over Aurelia’s well-being to concern over her stagnant love life.
