Wallflower Girl

Chapter 59

The woman who did the research-Ethel. Patricia's friend. The hippie woman who made jewellery and took photographs. There was a house set back beyond the hay field that had to be where this woman lived. Anne found the driveway and pulled up next to the four-wheeler parked by the front steps to a cottage set in a beautiful flower garden. The elderly couple appeared on the veranda, smiling a warm welcome.

"Hello," Anne offered. She had the most trouble with steps, lifting her injured leg to climb up. Going down was fine, but it was a slow trip with the need for the hand-rail to get up onto the veranda. "I'm Anne Thompson. I was hoping to ask a few questions about the burned house down by the road."

"Of course. Sit down, dear. Are you okay?" the woman asked kindly, brushing a mass of frizzy grey curls over her shoulder, motioning to Anne's limp.

Anne brushed at the question. "Pfft-it's nothing."

"Reg, keep company while I get the album. Would you like a cup of tea?" the woman asked Anne.

Reg beamed. "Happy to keep company."

"Tea would be nice, thank you," Anne replied.

The old man sat with her at a glass-top cane table with matching chairs. "We don't get a lot of company. Folks think we're weird and Ethel is a witch or some such nonsense."

"Oh? That's not very nice."

"It's mostly because of the old house down there. They say the old laundry and workshop are haunted."