A Terrible Misunderstanding (A New Adventure Begins - Star Elite 6)

Flo looked about to say something but at the last moment changed her mind and shook her head. Clara took this as her cue to leave. She needed a few minutes to steady herself. The guilt that had plagued her since Edith had arrived had grown considerably heavier until it started to feel like an insufferable burden. Unfortunately, Clara couldn’t seem to find the right words that would explain her actions to either Flo or Edith in a way that wouldn’t upset them, or make her look like some foolish, wayward child.

“I don’t know what to do,” Clara whispered. “Except tell the truth, and I don’t know how.”

“What was that, dear?”

Clara squealed and spun around in surprise when she heard that voice directly behind her. “Edith. I didn’t know you were there.”

Her guilty eyes flickered to Flo, who stood just a few feet behind her.

“Care to tell us what is going on?” Flo demanded.

“I was just going to put a pot on to boil. I think we need to then have a chat about Niall,” Clara began warily.

“Yes, I think she has to know the truth, don’t you, dear?” Flo replied firmly.

Clara nodded but before she could speak, Edith jerked and craned her neck to peer at something out in the garden.

“What is it?” Clara asked, turning around to look.

Edith frowned at their reflection for a moment or two before she seemed to realise what Clara had just asked.

“What, dear? Oh, I thought I just saw someone outside,” she murmured with a heavy frown. “I could have sworn I saw someone dart around the corner of the outbuilding just now.”

“Really?” Clara immediately wondered if it was Erasmus.

“Are you sure? Did you see who it was?” Flo demanded.

Rather than move to the window, Flo yanked the back door open so she could see the garden.

“Aunt Flo, it is going to do no good to stand in the doorway like that. What do you intend to do if someone appears in the garden?” Clara chided.

“At least he knows he has been seen. I hope that whatever blackguard is out there knows that he isn’t as good at hiding as he thought he was,” Flo retorted. With that, she stepped back into the room and slammed the back door with a resounding thud.

Clara shook her head chidingly at her but didn’t take her to task for her bravery not least because she hoped it was Erasmus Boyle out there. If there was one person Erasmus didn’t like or seem inclined to want to annoy it was Aunt Flo.

“I think it might be Erasmus again,” Clara sighed. “He is a pest. If it hadn’t been for Niall, God only knows what would have happened to me.”

Clara met her aunt’s curious look and briefly explained what had happened and how Niall had saved her from being seriously assaulted.

“Well, thank heaven your Niall was around,” Flo announced with no small measure of satisfaction.

“I don’t know where he is now,” Clara whispered.

“I am sure that snake has slithered off home,” Edith replied.

“I am sure he will reappear sooner rather than later,” Flo assured them.

“Well, whoever it was out there has most probably gone by now so I shall get off home,” Edith announced to them both.

“Are you sure you will be all right going home by yourself? You are welcome to stay, you know,” Clara offered even though Edith and Flo were already making their way through the house to the front door.

“I shall be fine but thank you anyway. It is not far to go,” Edith assured them with a merry twinkle in her eye.

“Care to tell me what is going on?” Flo demanded once the door was closed behind Edith and she was alone with her niece.

“I lied.”

“Of course, you did,” Flo said firmly.