"If you are fortunate enough to be able to do so," I added.
"Now have some more of these potatoes, Miss Grant. It was a good crop this year, and I will say this for Jane, she knows how to cook. I used to be a bit slapdash myself. Jane will have none of that. She's a bit of an old tartar, ain't she pet?"
She had a habit of seeking confirmation from Miranda to which the child responded with a wise nod.
Miranda was seated in a high chair enveloped in a huge bib and was feeding herself with results which were not too disastrous. When food failed to reach her mouth, Ada would laugh and shovel it in. "This little bit lost its way. He didn't know he had to go down the red Jane, did he, pet?"
"He didn't know, did he?" said Miranda with glee.
In due course the meal was over and Miranda was whisked off for her nap. Ada tactfully said she wanted to have a look at the greenhouses and that left me alone with Jane Gittings.
I said: "I hope you don't mind my coming like this. It seems something of an imposition."
"It's been a pleasure. Ada likes visitors. It's a treat for her to see people enjoy what she grows."
"She is a wonderful person, I can see. Mrs. Gittings, there is a great deal of gossip in Colby. People are saying the most extraordinary things."
"It's that post woman."
"I think she is at the heart of it. It was mysterious, wasn't it? I want to put a stop to the gossip, but I don't know how to. If I could discover what really happened ... or where Mrs. Martindale is and get her to come back and show herself or something ..."
"It's difficult for me to say, Miss Grant, as I know no more than you do where she is."
"But there is the child."
"Sir Jason takes care of that."
"Sir Jason then ..."
"He always did. He asked if I would take the child to my sister and look after her. He'd pay me for looking after her and the child's keep ... only he wanted us to go to my sister. Well, I knew what Ada would say to that. She's always wanted me to leave and go in with her and she loves Miranda. I said to Sir Jason that there'd be no troubles about that as far as Ada was concerned."
"So he asked you to take her away. That would be a few days before Mrs. Martindale left."
"That would be it. When she went away I always took Miranda to Ada's. It was understood like. It was the day after Maisie went."
"Alter Maisie went ...?" I repeated.
"Yes, she left. There was a terrible to-do ... and the next day Maisie was off. She took most of Mrs. Martindale's things with her, dresses and things like that. There wasn't much left when she went. I never knew the rights of it and I'm not one to have my ears glued to keyholes. All I knew was that they were going on at each other. Then Maisie goes off and Sir Jason asked me to take Miranda to Ada's."
I was filled with a horrible apprehension. "So Maisie went ... and then you left."
"That's right. So you see I can't tell you what happened after that. I was right glad to get away. Mrs. Martindale and that Maisie used to go for one another something shocking. I used to think Miranda would hear. Oh, I was glad to get away.
Mrs. Martindale never minded my going. She'd get a girl in from the village to do the rough. I never did none of that, anyway. It was the child who was my concern, though I did give a hand in the house, not being the sort to stand by and do nothing when there's things to be done."
I wasn't listening. One thought was going round and round in my head. Maisie had gone, and after that he had asked Mrs. Gittings to take the child away.
I heard myself say: "The Coverdales ... you remember them ... they are living at Rooks' Rest, so it is obvious ... she is not coming back."
"Oh, I thought it might be something like that because Sir Jason said I was to take Miranda and the money would be paid to me here, and when she was five, which wouldn't be for some time yet, he'd make arrangements for her schooling. But she was to be in my sole care. Oh, I thought, so Madam is moving out. That means he'd done with her. Well, funny things always did go on there, and right glad I am to be out of it. Sir Jason said to me, `I know you're to be trusted, Mrs. Gittings. There is no one who can look after the child as you do.' A slap at her, if you ask me. Not that she cared. She never showed a blind bit of interest in the child. She didn't want her. Only wanted to show him that she could have them. There was all that talk about him not having an heir and all that. It's no way to bring children into the world, Miss Grant."
"I'm not in the least concerned about Miranda's welfare," I said. "I agree that she is in good hands and I am sure Sir Jason is right. She is happiest with you and your sister loves her. I can see that."
"I'm glad you think so, Miss Grant. I was afraid when I saw you that you had come with a message for me to take Miranda back. You'll tell Sir Jason how happy she is here, won't you?"
"If I see him, I certainly will. I really came to know if you had any ides why Mrs. Martindale left so suddenly."
"You could never tell with her ... and after Maisie had gone off in a huff with all her fine dresses, I reckon she couldn't stand the country any more. She was always talking about London."
I decided to be absolutely Frank.
"There are rumours ... hints. They aren't true, of course, but people do wonder why she went so suddenly. Did she say anything about leaving Rooks' Rest?"
"She was always talking about leaving. There was nothing more than usual."
"Did she have any visitors?"
"Sir Jason came. Oh, I remember. There was a terrible scene. It was a few days before Maisie went off. Mrs. Martindale was shouting and he was telling her to be quiet. Maisie was listening at the door. I caught her at it. I said, `You oughtn't by rights to be doing that."Don't be silly,' she said. `How am I going to know what's what, if I don't.' She was laughing. Then she said, `I reckon this cosy little nook won't be ours much longer.' I went away. It was soon after that I saw Sir Jason. He was riding by as if by chance and I was taking Miranda for her walk. He called to me and said, `Mrs. Gittings, would you be prepared to take Miranda to your sister and stay there indefinitely.' I was so shook up I couldn't take it in. And there he was seated on his horse looking down at me and making all those plans. I was to make my arrangements immediately; the money would be sent to me regularly every month and it would be paid in advance. If there was anything Miranda needed, I should tell him direct. Did I think my sister would be agreeable? I told him my sister would be jumping with joy. He looked very pleased and said, `I'm grateful to you, Mrs. Gittings. You've solved a big problem.'
"What did Mrs. Martindale say when you told her?"
"She shrugged her shoulders and made no objections. So I set about packing and we went. You should have seen Ada's face-because I hadn't had time to tell her. She kept saying, `Well, I never' over and over again. Then she hugged Miranda and said, `Wonders will never cease, will they, pet?' And she was half crying with joy. Ada did feel it, being on her own since our father died."
"I think Miranda is very fortunate to have you both. I know. I myself have a beloved aunt who gave me the love a child needs when she is growing up. But what I really wanted to know is what happened to Mrs. Martindale."
"She must have gone away soon after we left."
"Didn't she say she was going? Didn't she make arrangements?"
"She never told me she was going. She didn't say anything about plans."
I began to feel sick with fear. My meeting with Mrs. Gittings had only increased my suspicions.
"I can't tell you how happy I am to be here, Miss Grant," she went on. "It was no bed of roses with Mrs. Martindale. She was a very wild sort of lady at some times. We were all rather nervous of her, even Maisie who could stand up to her. The times she told Maisie to get out! But Maisie seemed to have some hold over her. I'm surprised she went because, however much they quarrelled, they always made it up. I suppose that last time was just too much. Maisie always used to say they were on to a good thing. Sir Jason and all that ..."