The Woman In Blue: The Dr Ruth Galloway Mysteries 8 by Elly Griffiths Read Free Book Online Page A

Janet tried to persuade me that I’d seen a vision of the Virgin Mary.’
    ‘Like good old Richeldis de Faverches? It’s possible, I suppose.’
    Cathbad looks at his friend. ‘Have you ever seen anything in the graveyard? Or in the house?’
    Justin smiles and bends to stroke Chesterton, who has come back into the room. ‘This is a holy house, did you know that?’
    ‘What do you mean?’
    ‘It was once owned by a holy woman called Dame Judith de Hare. She was an anchoress, like Julian of Norwich. Dame Judith used to see regular visions of the Virgin Mary. She described her as being dressed in blue with a heavenly countenance. It’s documented in the parish records.’
    ‘Have you ever seen her?’
    ‘No.’ From his tone, Cathbad thinks Justin sounds disappointed.
    ‘I think Chesterton’s seen Dame Judith, though. Sometimes he’s sitting here with me in the evening and suddenly he stiffens and stands up, his hair standing on end, eyes staring.’
    Cathbad wouldn’t put it past Chesterton to be putting this on, but he doesn’t voice this thought. Instead he says, ‘So you haven’t seen any ghosts here?’
    ‘No I haven’t,’ says Justin. ‘And I don’t suppose even the ghosts will get any rest now with all these policemen flat-footing around.’
    ‘I’m sure they won’t bother you.’
    At that moment there’s a knock on the door. It’s Nelson, asking if he can look in the graveyard.
    *
    Nelson had intended to go straight into the churchyard via the lych-gate. But then he had seen Cathbad silhouetted in the window of the cottage and thought that he’d call in and ask a bit more about the events of Wednesday night. He hadn’t reckoned on the door being opened by a man in a tweed suit and a yellow waistcoat. He has a neat moustache and reminds Nelson of one of the animals in The Wind in the Willows, memories of a far-off school adaptation with Rebecca as Ratty.
    Nelson introduces himself. The man grins delightedly and says that his name is Justin something double-barrelled.
    ‘My friend and I were just discussing the case.’
    ‘Hi, Nelson.’ Cathbad appears at Ratty’s shoulder.
    ‘Hallo, Cathbad. Might have guessed that you’d be gossiping.’
    Justin Double-Barrelled looks from one to the other. ‘Do you two know each other?’
    ‘We’re old friends,’ says Cathbad. ‘We’ve even solved a few crimes together.’
    ‘Starsky and Hutch,’ says Nelson. ‘That’s us.’
    Justin stands aside to let Nelson into the house. ‘Can I offer you anything to drink, Detective Chief Inspector? I’ve just returned from a work trip so things are in a bit of a state.’ He gestures at the perfectly tidy room, which has a wheelie suitcase in the centre of it.
    ‘No, thank you very much. I’d just like to see the churchyard again.’ Nelson despises wheelie suitcases.
    The three of them walk through the graves. Although it’s only three in the afternoon, it’s already getting dark. A fine mist hovers in the air, making the tombstones and the trees merge into a hazy grey backdrop. The grave where Chloe Jenkins was seen stands out like a beacon. Nelson crosses over to examine the stone.
    ‘Doreen Westmondham,’ he reads, ‘1940 to 2002. Beloved wife, mother and grandmother.’
    He turns to Cathbad and Justin, who are watching him intently. ‘Do you know anything about this woman?’ he asks.
    ‘No,’ says Justin. ‘I only moved here in 2006. It’s one of the newest graves. Look how white it is.’
    ‘It’s white,’ says Nelson, ‘because it’s recently been cleaned.’
    And by the wall, hidden under a holly bush, he finds what he’s looking for. A cloth and a bottle of something called ‘Deluxe Stone Cleaner’.

Chapter 7
     
    Ruth is late for her meeting with Hilary. She took Kate to school, then had planned to spend a couple of hours at work before heading off to Walsingham for eleven o’clock. But at the university she got caught up first with one of her PhD students anxious