Aunt Bessie Understands Read online

  Aunt Bessie Understands

  An Isle of Man Cozy Mystery

  Diana Xarissa

  Contents

  Author’s Note

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Glossary of Terms

  Other Notes

  Acknowledgments

  Aunt Bessie Volunteers

  Also by Diana Xarissa

  About the Author

  Text Copyright © 2019 DX Dunn, LLC

  Cover Photo Copyright © 2019 Kevin Moughtin

  All Rights Reserved

  Created with Vellum

  For Denise.

  Author’s Note

  Welcome to book twenty-one in this series. I’m surprised and delighted to still be writing about Bessie and her friends. I expect, when I get to the end of the alphabet, to take things in a different direction, but I don’t intend to stop writing about Bessie! I always suggest that readers start with the first book in the series and read through them in order. They progress alphabetically by the last word in the title. If you choose, you can read them in any order, but the characters do change and develop as the series goes along.

  Bessie made her first appearance in my romance novel Island Inheritance. She’d just passed away and left her estate to her family in America. In the process of developing Bessie’s character for that book, I found that I wanted to write more about her. This series came out of that desire. Because Bessie had passed away in the romance, the first cozy mystery was set about fifteen years before the romance novel. This series began, therefore, in spring, 1998, and the stories have progressed from month to month since that first book.

  This is a work of fiction. All characters are fictional creations. Any resemblance they may bear to any real person, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. The businesses on the island are also fictional, and again, if they resemble any real businesses, that is also coincidental. The historical sites on the island are all real, but the events that take place at them in these stories are fictional.

  Having set the books in the Isle of Man, a British crown dependency, I’ve used English (and Manx) terminology and spelling throughout the book. There is a short glossary and some other notes at the back for anyone who may be unfamiliar with any of the words used. I’ve been living in the US for over ten years now, however, so I’m certain that an increasing number of Americanisms are sneaking into my writing. If you notice any, let me know and I’ll try to correct them.

  I’d love to hear from you and have included all of my contact information at the back of the book. I have a monthly newsletter about new releases that you can sign up for on my website. There is also a free Bessie short story available there, if you are interested. Otherwise, find me on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

  Chapter 1

  “I’m sorry to bother you, especially when you’re so busy with Christmas at the Castle,” Hugh Watterson said to Bessie when she answered her phone.

  “Christmas at the Castle is going much better this year,” Bessie told him. “We’ve a year’s worth of experience and a better committee. It isn’t nearly as much work now that certain people aren’t helping.”

  Hugh laughed. “That’s good to hear, because I need a small favour.”

  Elizabeth Cubbon, known as Bessie to nearly everyone, smiled. She’d known Hugh since his childhood, which had been a difficult one. His parents hadn’t approved of his desire to join the police, and Hugh had spent many nights during his teen years in Bessie’s spare bedroom. Having never married or had children of her own, Bessie had been happy to act as a sort of honourary aunt to the children of Laxey. Disgruntled teenagers always knew they could spend a night at Bessie’s cottage on Laxey Beach, where they’d be given biscuits or cake and some very sensible advice.

  Now Hugh was in his twenties, but Bessie often still thought of him as a small child. That was bound to change, as Hugh’s pretty and vivacious wife, Grace, was expecting their first child in the next fortnight. Grace was a primary-school teacher. She’d been working in Laxey and neighbouring Lonan as a supply teacher since September, but Bessie knew that she’d stopped working about a week earlier. No doubt Hugh’s favour had something to do with Grace.

  “What do you need?” she asked.

  Hugh sighed. “I keep having this dream. Grace is home alone and she goes into labour. The power goes out and she can’t find her mobile. She can’t drive herself to Noble’s, not when she’s in labour, but she can’t find her phone and the phone in the house won’t work without power.”

  “What a horrible nightmare.”

  “It’s awful. Grace just laughs at me when I tell her about it, but I can’t get it out of my mind.”

  “I’m sorry. How can I help?”

  “I’m trying to find people who can check on Grace,” Hugh said, sounding slightly sheepish. “I don’t want her to know what I’m doing, because she doesn’t want me fussing over her, but I was wondering if you could have lunch with her one day next week?”

  “I’d love to have lunch with Grace. Which day?”

  “What works for you? When won’t you be in Castletown?”

  Bessie looked at the calendar next to her phone. It was unusually full due to the event at Castle Rushen. This was the second year in a row that she was helping Manx National Heritage with the fundraiser. After someone had been murdered during the planning stages of the first event, Manx National Heritage had almost decided not to continue with it, but Christmas at the Castle itself had been a huge success, raising a good deal of money for MNH and the other charities that had taken part. Bessie was spending a lot of her days in the lead-up to Christmas in Castletown, at Castle Rushen, helping with everything from planning to decorating as opening day for this year’s event grew closer.

  “I’m not in Castletown at all on Wednesday,” Bessied told Hugh. “I could manage lunch on Thursday, as well, if that would be better. The committee isn’t meeting until two on Thursday.”

  “Wednesday would be great,” Hugh said, sounding relieved. “Doona is taking Grace out for the day on Monday, as she has a day off work. Grace is spending much of Tuesday with some of her teacher friends. You’ll see her on Wednesday. I’m sure I can find someone to do something with her on Thursday. Her mum is coming to stay with her for the weekend. She’ll drive up some time on Friday and stay until Monday. I’ll worry about next week later.”

  “Maybe the baby will come this week.”

  “He or she isn’t due until next week. I’m not ready for the baby to arrive, although I doubt I’ll feel any more ready next week, or the week after, or ever.”

  Bessie chuckled. “You’re probably correct. You’ll never feel ready, but the baby will arrive when he or she is ready, and you and Grace will make it work.”

  “I hope so.”

  “You can’t change your mind now.”

  “Yes, I’m all too aware of that,” Hugh said. “Anyway, if you could ring Grace and invite her for lunch on Wednesday, I’d really appreciate it. Just don’t tell her that I suggested the invitation, please.”

  “I’ll ring her this morning. Was there anything else?”

  “No, but thank you. I’ll pay for your lunch, wherever you go.”

  “Don’t be silly. I’m quite happy to have lunch with Grace and pay for my own meal. I may even pay for hers, as a treat before the baby arrives. It will be a nice break from everything
else I’m busy doing at the moment.”

  Bessie put the phone down and then glanced at the clock. It was only seven, and probably too early to ring Grace. Her internal alarm nearly always woke her at six. She’d done nothing more than shower and get dressed before the phone had rung. Grace had mentioned some time back that she was having trouble sleeping, especially as she worried about keeping Hugh awake. If Hugh was up and out of the house already, hopefully Grace was sleeping late.

  After a quick breakfast of cereal with milk, Bessie took herself out for her morning walk. It was a cold and crisp December morning and Bessie found herself walking briskly to try to keep herself warm. She’d pulled on a heavy coat, but perhaps it was time to get her heaviest coat out of the back of the wardrobe.

  Once she’d begun to feel warmer, she didn’t want to stop walking. Having the entire beach to herself made her feel as if she should walk for as long as possible. The row of holiday cottages that stretched along the sand next to Bessie’s small cottage were always crowded during the spring and summer. This year they’d had guests staying in them into the autumn as well. While Bessie didn’t really mind the holiday cottages, she did love having the beach to herself again.

  Bessie often turned around at the stairs to Thie yn Traie, the large mansion that was perched on the cliff above the beach. Today she barely glanced at them as she continued her march along the water’s edge. It didn’t seem long before she spotted the new houses in the distance. This was the first December since the houses had been built and Bessie found herself wondering how the new residents had decorated for Christmas. Taking a look was as good an excuse as any for continuing her walk, she decided.

  A few minutes later, she laughed at herself as she turned around past the last house. It was far too early on a Saturday morning for anyone in the houses to be awake. Curtains were tightly drawn in every single house, meaning Bessie hadn’t been able to spot a single decoration. There were no signs of movement at Hugh and Grace’s house along the row. Feeling relieved that she hadn’t rung Grace before her walk, Bessie slowly made her way home. She waited until eleven to ring.

  “Grace? It’s Elizabeth Cubbon.”

  “Where has Hugh put you on the rota, then?” Grace asked with a sigh.

  “The rota?”

  “Oh, I’m sure he didn’t call it that, but that’s how I feel about the whole thing. He’s rather obsessed with this idea that I’m going to go into labour and be unable to get help. I think he believes that my labour will only last about ten minutes and then I’ll be all alone with the baby and no medical attention.”

  Bessie laughed. “I’m sure he knows better than that, but you should be grateful that he’s so concerned about you and the baby.”

  “I am grateful. It’s just odd, being so popular at the moment. People I haven’t spoken to in years have rung to ask me to lunch. My social calendar has never been so full.”

  “Enjoy it while you can. Once the baby arrives, I understand everything will suddenly revolve around him or her.”

  “Yes, I know. It’s nice, it’s just exhausting. I don’t have enough energy to keep going out every day.”

  “You’re more than welcome to come here one day,” Bessie suggested.

  “You must have been assigned either Wednesday or Thursday. Maybe you could come here and I won’t even have to move off the couch all day.”

  Bessie chuckled. “It is Wednesday that I was ringing about. Why don’t I bring something with me when I come? Chinese? Pizza? What sounds good?”

  “Everything sounds good right now. I feel as if I’m eating for myself and maybe triplets. I know babies grow a lot in the last few months, but if I’m not careful I’m going to gain far too much weight.”

  “I’ll bring Chinese. I’ll get lots of healthy choices with vegetables and not too much rice.”

  “Perfect. But how will you manage without a car?”

  Bessie had never learned to drive. For many years she’d relied on a local car service. The service was now owned by a Douglas company, but they were still were happy to accommodate Bessie, who’d been one of their best customers for decades. “I can get a taxi to take me to the restaurant and then to your house,” Bessie told Grace. “I do similar things all the time.”

  “I hate for you to go to all the expense. Why don’t I collect you and the food?”

  “Because you’re meant to be resting. I have other things to do that morning, anyway. I’ll be booking a car for the entire morning and having them take me all over the island.”

  “If you’re sure it isn’t a bother, I’ll see you around midday on Wednesday.” Grace said.

  Bessie put down the phone and then picked it back up to ring the car company. She hadn’t had any other plans for Wednesday before she’d rung Grace, but now that she’d mentioned it, she did have a great many errands to run. Having a car and driver for the morning made sense. Christmas was rapidly approaching and that always meant lots of extra running around.

  By the time Bessie got to Hugh and Grace’s house on Wednesday, she was feeling worn out. The day was overcast and grey, with the threat of rain or even sleet in the air. The smells coming from the box on the seat beside her had Bessie’s mouth watering.

  “Let me help with the box,” the driver said as he parked in front of the house.

  Bessie climbed out and then waited while he picked up the box. Then he followed Bessie to the house’s front door. She knocked and then smiled as Grace pulled the door open. She gave Bessie a clumsy hug around her large tummy and then stepped back.

  “Come in, come in,” she said.

  The driver carried the food into the kitchen. “Did you want me to wait for you?” he asked Bessie.

  “Oh, no. I can walk home from here,” Bessie replied. “Thank you so much, though. You’ve been wonderful.” She handed him a large tip before he left.

  “Have you had a good morning, then?” Grace asked as Bessie began unpacking the box from the Chinese restaurant.

  “I had a very productive morning. I should have introduced you to Mike. He’s new to the taxi firm that I use and new to the island. He went out of his way to be helpful.”

  “That’s good to hear. As Hugh and I both have our own cars, we never use taxis, but it’s good to know you’re being well looked after.”

  Bessie spread all of the small boxes of food across the large counter. “This is a wonderful kitchen.”

  “Yes, we both love it. We’re so fortunate to have been able to buy this house.”

  They’d only been able to afford the large new home because someone had been murdered in the house’s dining room. The value of the property had plummeted after the murder, and Grace and Hugh had been delighted to get far more house than their budget would normally have allowed.

  “I should have asked you what you wanted,” Bessie said. “I got a little bit of everything.”

  “I’m not all that hungry,” Grace replied.

  Bessie raised an eyebrow. When they’d spoken on Saturday, Grace had said she was hungry all the time. As Grace passed Bessie a plate, she frowned and then put her hand out to hold onto the counter.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Just small contractions. I think they’re just the practice ones that I’ve been having for months, but they seem to be a bit stronger today.”

  “Maybe you should ring your midwife?”

  Grace shrugged. “Even if they are the real thing, they’re too far apart to worry about.”

  Bessie didn’t argue. She knew very little about pregnancy and childbirth. Grace was smart and sensible. If she thought she was in labour, she’d head for Noble’s, the island’s hospital in Douglas.

  After filling a plate, Bessie took a seat at the small table in the kitchen. Grace spooned up a few things and then joined her.

  “Did you want a drink?” she asked, starting to struggle back to her feet.

  “Sit down. I can get drinks,” Bessie told her. She got them each a cold drink from the refrigerat
or and then sat back down. Grace was frowning again and rubbing her tummy.

  “I’m fine,” she said when she looked up at Bessie. “Nothing is happening yet.”

  The sound of heavy rain on the roof startled them both. The large sliding door that opened onto the beach showcased the storm outside. Waves were crashing against the sand and the sky was nearly black. A moment later the power failed.

  “It’s Hugh’s dream,” Grace laughed.

  “Where’s your mobile?” Bessie asked.

  Grace glanced around the room. “I probably left it in the bedroom, charging. Hugh’s obsessed with my keeping it fully charged all the time.”

  “What about torches or candles?”

  “There’s a large torch on the counter next to the sink.”

  Bessie walked carefully across the dark room. There was enough light from the windows and sliding door to keep her from walking into anything, but it was very dark for midday. Switching on the torch helped a lot. Returning to her seat, she set the torch in the centre of the table and then resumed eating.

  “This is fun,” Grace laughed. Then she gasped and took a slow deep breath.

  “Pain?”

  “It isn’t pain exactly,” Grace replied a moment later. “It’s just a tight feeling around my tummy. It’s almost painful, but not quite. It does feel as if it’s the prelude to something, though, more so than what I’ve felt in the past, anyway.”

  “We should ring Hugh.”

  “Goodness, no. He’s working. I’ll ring him when I’m sure this is the real thing, once I’m at Noble’s and the midwives have told me I’m truly in labour. What’s happening now could go on for days.” As soon as she finished speaking, she made a face.