Meanwhile Gardens by Charles Caselton Read Free Book Online Page A

James’ things Oliver, I was early so thought I’d better let myself in. I hope you don’t mind,” she smiled sweetly, immediately putting Ollie on edge. “I’ll get right to it. James was given a miniature by great Aunt Wilhemina before she died. It’s a portrait of a young woman in a silvery fur wrap – you haven’t seen it by chance?”
    “No Candida,” Ollie lied.
    “James didn’t leave it here or – ”
    “No.”
    “It’s just the portrait is of one of my ancestors. It’s worthless and is only of value to us, the family. We’re anxious to keep it as a historical reminder and – ”
    Ollie cut her short, “If I see it I’ll let you know.”
    “The funny thing is I’m sure James said he gave – lent it to you?” Candida looked Ollie straight in the eye.
    Ollie tried not to blink but couldn’t. To ease his nerves he again whistled a few bars of
Bewitched
.
    “Oliver,” Candida’s voice returned to its normal coldness, “I know you have it.”
    “Listen Miss La-di-da Nose-In-The-Air,” Nicky moved between them. “Ollie said he doesn’t have it, and besides, ifyour brother gave this painting to him, he obviously wanted Ollie to have it didn’t he?”
    Excited by Nicky’s raised voice Hum emerged, tail wagging, from under the table.
    Ollie gestured for Nicky to calm down, “It’s ok Nicks.”
    “No it’s not ok! She lets herself in, snoops around, practically accuses you of theft. It’s not ok.”
    “There’s an easy way of doing this, Oliver, and a hard way.”
    “Candida, if I see this miniature – ”
    “If?” Candida repeated scornfully. “I can see you’re going to choose the hard way.” She grabbed her Bill Amberg bag of soft tan leather and made to leave. “I never did understand your relationship with my brother. You loved him and he didn’t love you – wasn’t that it? That’s not a relationship Oliver, that’s pathetic.”
    Ollie felt his eyes welling up.
    Candida turned at the top of the stairs and gestured to Hum who began to bark and snarl. “You know if it wasn’t for me you wouldn’t have the damn dog. I could have had him put in a home, I could have had him put down.”
    Hum took this opportunity to deliver a light nip to Candida’s ankles.
    “And if that’s drawn blood, he will be.”
    Nicky had to restrain the snarling, snapping Hum.
    “Candida?” Nicky pronounced it ‘Candeeder’ knowing it would annoy the hell out of her. “Haven’t you forgotten something?” Nicky held out her hand palm up and gestured to James’ sister.
    Candida grimaced. She unballed her fist, threw the front door key at Nicky’s feet and stomped down the stairs.
    As the door slammed Nicky put an arm around her friend, “It’s no wonder they named an ailment after her.”
    Ollie pulled Nicky to him and began to cry.
    “You got the key back I hope?”
    Ollie nodded to Auntie Em’s question. He sipped the Bloody Mary that he was so fond of and she was so good at making.
    “Well, Nicky did actually. She was great. You would have been proud Auntie Em,” Ollie raised his glass in salute to the photographer. “Candida had obviously planned this. I told her I’d be out until twelve.”
    “Maybe she
was
just early – “
    “Half an hour early?”
    “Well, it is Sunday afterall, perhaps the traffic might have been easier than she thought?”
    “She lives in Holland Park Auntie Em.”
    “So it wouldn’t take her more than – ”
    “Even with the road works on Ladbroke Grove it wouldn’t take more than five minutes.”
    “And you got back at?”
    “About 11:40 wasn’t it Nicks?”
    The photographer nodded, “She must have been there for a while already. She’d even been through the bedroom.”
    “And the studio,” Ollie added.
    “The little sneak. If I catch her snooping around again she’ll regret it.” Auntie Em went to her bedroom. When she returned she had in her hands the miniature of the girl in the silvery fur wrap.
    Auntie Em turned the