Jenny Telfer Chaplin Read Online Free Page A

the world’s greatest cook are you?”
    Uncertain how she should reply, Mary stayed silent.
    “What really disappoints me is that you felt you had to be so secretive about it. Why didn’t you just ask me? After all, although I had realised from day one that, like myself, you were already in tune with the other side, I had no measure of the extent of your spiritual knowledge.”
    Mary thought back to the events in Glasgow which had made her flee to Dunoon. The strange feelings she had been desperate to hide from others. Was this what Miss Patten was talking about?
    “Why not just come right out and ask me? After all I am something of an expert in the supernatural.”
    “The supernatural ...?” Mary repeated in a daze.
    Miss Patten nodded. “I see now you might not be as advanced as I thought. I am very tired, so we’ll talk further in the morning. I do believe my spirit friends have sent you here not only to be enlightened about your own gifts but also to help me in my work. I believe I did say as much when we first met. But for now, goodnight, Gregg ... er ... Mary. That is your first name, my dear, is it not?”
    Dumbly, Mary nodded. On her way to the quiet of her cosy room she thought: Spiritual knowledge ... spirit friends? If my feelings and foreknowledge in Glasgow came from spirit friends they didn’t help me much did they?
     

 
     
    Chapter Seven
     
    Next morning it was a hollow-eyed and weary cook-housekeeper who made her way to the kitchen to greet the daily girl.
    The events of the previous evening now seemed like a dream and after a sleepless night Mary was no nearer to understanding the situation. Should she stay in her present employment? Was the choice hers? Would Miss Patten cast her out into an uncertain future with no money, no hope or prospects of betterment? There would be no helpful Mrs Wright to offer advice. Peter’s mother had died.
    As Mary started to clear the breakfast table, Miss Patten said: “Leave that for now, Mary. Better, tell Jane to clear up. Join me in the drawing room. If you are to continue in this house there are things we must discuss. And I must be sure of your loyalty.”
    Miss Patten seated herself then without further preamble said: “Mary, I have a woman here with a message for you.”
    Mary cast a furtive glance around the room. There was not another soul to be seen.
    At her housekeeper’s puzzled frown Miss Patten gave her a kindly smile.
    “Sorry! I don’t mean the woman is here physically as real flesh and blood. No, my dear, but she is in this room with us, calling me from the spirit world ... and as I said she has a message for you.”
    Feeling like a not-very-bright schoolchild and aware she was standing with her mouth open Mary tried to gather her wits.
    “Ah’m sorry, Miss Patten. Ah don’t understand any of this. Ah know nothin about dead folk deliverin messages. Ah did once seem to be told to see a friend home safely. But it was just a feelin I got. Nobody actually said anythin to me.”
    Miss Patten waved Mary to a chair.
    “Sit down, Mary. I can see you have a great deal to learn about the supernatural. I should say at once that when I get messages for other people the words often make little or no sense to me. They do however convey something of value, interest or importance to the person for whom they are intended. Can you understand that concept?”
    Without giving Mary a chance to agree or disagree Miss Patten went on: “Now then, my spirit friend is not giving me a minute’s peace until I give you her message. She says your sixpence was well spent and that you should not turn away from its harvesting.”
    Was it ... could it be possible that Mrs Wright was still giving her good advice from beyond the grave? Anyway, she now had the answer to her dilemma. Ivylea House was to be her fate.
     
    In the days that followed, now that the ice had been broken, Miss Patten would invite Mary into the drawing room and talk to Mary about her spiritual