Thursday, 21 July 1994
The Cenaculum was emptier than usual. Gwen, balancing her tray laden with grilled chicken, chips, tomato salad, and a glass of pumpkin juice, looked around, thinking that probably a lot of the DoM staff had departed into the summer holidays. Isabelle wasn't there, since she was still in France. Yet Timothy and Roberta were sitting in a far corner, side by side, engrossed in conversation.
Whatever Isabelle may say, Gwen thought, I can nearly see a sparkling between them. Isn't this a flirt? She looked away. Eleanor wasn't there either. But Vivi, Evelyn, and Honoria were enjoying their meal on one of the – today – yellow tables. The windows showed a beautiful palm-lined beach with deck-chairs, an azure-blue sky, and a radiant sun.
She joined the three, putting down her tray on the table. Evelyn looked at her somewhat sourly, but Vivi and Honoria greeted her with enthusiasm.
"As I was saying," the plump Evelyn said with a side-glance to Gwen, "I'm not so much into Quidditch. I'm keeping up with the coverage, of course, because I think it is important to know the results of an international event like this, but I won't go to the World Cup." She shook her long brown hair. "I've got a lot of important work to do." She now positively glared at Gwen.
Gwen dug into her tomato salad. "You don't like Quidditch either, do you?" Honoria turned to Gwen and laughed. "I remember you telling me once."
Gwen blushed deep-crimson. "Erm…"
"But aren't you going to the World Cup with Roberta and Isabelle?" Vivi asked her, astonished.
"How do you know?" Gwen raised her eyebrows.
Vivi laughed, stroking her platinum-blonde shock of hair: "You know I know a lot of things." Her eyes sparkled. "So what about your interest in Quidditch."
"Oh," Gwen fidgeted, slightly embarrassed, "I'm certainly not an expert, but I'll go to see the World Cup with Isabelle. I think it'll be fun." She hastily swallowed a bite of grilled chicken.
Honoria looked at her, astounded. "You are full of surprises, Gwen. Well, I won't go to see the matches, I hope I'll be in Armenia at that time. I've always wanted to see that country."
"Armenia?" Evelyn asked. "Why's that?"
"I've always loved the music and the folkloric dances. I'd like to learn to know the country and its people." Honoria took a forkful of chicory salad. "My Armenia," she said dreamily.
"Oh, perhaps you'll find Bertha Jorkins, I've heard she has gone there and is missing by now." Evelyn informed Honoria, always avoiding to look at Gwen.
Vivi gave a tinkling laugh. "Not Armenia, Evelyn, Bertha's gone to Albania."
"Oh," Evelyn mumbled something under her breath, which Gwen was glad not to hear.
Honoria suppressed a grin, and Vivi continued, rather unaffected: "She's gone there on a holiday, but you're right, she should be back by now. Well, I hope she's all right. She seemed rather muddled in recent times. Perhaps she simply takes a longer time-out."
Evelyn nodded sympathetically, obviously trying to regain her composure.
"I, too, would like to have some time to relax," Gwen sighed, "but the way things are going…"
Suddenly they all looked straight at her, obviously expectantly, and with baited breath.
"Erm… I mean, well, you know, erm… it's only – with practically two jobs at the same time…"
Honoria looked at her with sympathy: "Poor bunny. I know how you…"
"No!"
There was a commotion at the door of the Cenaculum, and everyone looked around. Mabel Tancock was the one who had given the shout. It hadn't been a shout really, but her clear voice carried far. She had obviously collided with Eleanor, who was standing before her now, her face crimson, trying to look as if she wasn't there. She started whispering urgently, obviously trying to calm Mabel down. Mabel replied something in a very angry voice. Gwen caught herself trying to understand what Mabel was saying, even trying to read her mind, but she didn't succeed. Archie's ex-wife was too far away, and there was no eye contact.
Mabel left the Cenaculum, banging the door. Eleanor, who obviously had just entered, looked forlorn and embarrassed, as nearly the entire staff turned hastily back to their meal. Honoria got up and rushed towards the widow.
Good idea, thought Gwen, feeling slightly ashamed that she hadn't even thought of it. She observed under her lashes how Honoria engaged Eleanor in a conversation, leading her to the counter, whilst Eleanor looked at her gratefully, choosing a dish.
~ooOOooOOooOOooOOoo~
Friday, 29 July 1994
"A bit lower perhaps," Miss Carthew ordered, craning her head back. Hugh was mounted astride an old Cleansweep broom, secateurs in hand.
Gwen looked up at Hugh, and smiled: "Good afternoon, Miss Carthew, hi, Hugh, how're you?"
He grinned and waved back. "Fine. Pruning Miss Carthew's apple tree. And you?"
She laughed merrily: "All right, I left work early today." She had been working the whole afternoon on two brains in her own office, and suddenly recognised how beautiful the day was. So she had hurried home. Miss Beresford had seen her leaving, but hadn't commented.
"Is now the time for pruning?" Gwen addressed Miss Carthew, surprised.
The old lady shook her wispy white hair rigorously: "No, certainly not. It's just an excessive water-shoot I wanted to get rid of."
Gwen looked admiringly around Miss Carthew's garden. At the end of July, a lot of roses were still in bloom (it's magic!). And the Hoheria, a shrub with large honey-scented white flowers, was combining wonderfully with the dark-blue giant Delphiniums.
Hugh returned to the ground, carrying a large branch, which Miss Carthew took from him.
"Thank you very much, Hugh. Let's go inside, Wookey'll make us a good cup a coffee. Or do you prefer tea, Gwendolyn?"
Gwen nodded and followed them over the carefully mown lawn inside. Wookey hurried in and laid the table. "Anyone wants a piece of fresh peach pie?"
Hugh and Gwen beamed. Wookey's pies were legendary.
Wookey returned proudly with a tray laden with a pot of aromatic coffee, a pot of steaming Darjeeling, and a large delicious-looking peach pie. She carried it with the help of a Locomotor spell, and set it gently onto the table. Miss Carthew served tea and coffee.
„We should plant a peach tree next year," Hugh suggested, taking a large gulp of coffee. „Then we could harvest our own peaches some day."
In Miss Carthew's garden there was an apple tree, and a cherry tree. And last autumn Gwen had planted a plum tree behind her cottage, but it was still small, and she hoped it would endure the climate. With Miss Carthew's help she had used some protective spells on it.
They discussed the idea enthusiastically while Wookey brought in a pot of whipped cream. Gwen groaned with delight, and put a good spoonful of it on her pie. I'll feel like a mountain troll in the Magic Gym, she thought ruefully.
„How's Jonathan?" Miss Carthew asked suddenly. „I haven't seen him for a while. Is he going to come this week-end?"
Hugh frowned, Gwen shrugged. „I don't know, he's so busy," she answered vaguely. „But Isabelle will return next week. She's sent me a card from France by owl, look." She handed them a magic postcard showing alternating views of a beautiful harbour, a waterway with a „coche d'eau", several charming little houses, a wonderful beach, and a colourful market.
Hugh grunted appreciatively, while Miss Carthew exclaimed: „This reminds me a bit of Venice."
Half an hour later, Hugh took his leave, as he wanted to help his brother Joshua in the Dew Drop Inn. Gwen and Miss Carthew returned to the garden. Wookey had put the white garden chairs under the shady cherry tree.
Miss Carthew looked at Gwen expectantly. "Any news regarding our case?" she asked in a low voice.
Gwen sighed deeply: "This case is jinxed, if you ask me. Did I tell you that Jonathan found out that an apothecary recognised one of the Death Chamber staff on his photos? He sold him daisies, sopophorous beans, and ginger."
Miss Carthew listened attentively, then shook her head in reply.
"It was Crow, Suplinius Crow."
"Isn't he the one you've been working with on the victim's brain?" Miss Carthew asked, astonished.
"Yep, the same. He usually works on the process of natural death, so this isn't exactly his area of expertise, but since I had had to cooperate with him before the murder happened, they chose him because there should obviously be someone from the Death Chamber involved."
"And now you think they set a fox to keep the geese, in a manner of speaking?" Miss Carthew commented, her blue eyes twinkling.
Gwen cocked her head. "I had the opportunity to talk to Jonathan in private, which is really getting more and more difficult. We think we shouldn't be seen together in public too often, you know, there's so much gossip and the atmosphere in the DoM is getting increasingly strained."
"I see." Miss Carthew knew by now of their relationship.
"Well, Jonathan told me," Gwen lowered her voice, "that the apothecary could give the exact date and time of the purchase since he keeps accurate records of his sales. And as it happens, Crow has an alibi for this time!"
"Really? What kind of alibi?"
"He says he was working with Mayfield in his own office at that time. And Mayfield confirms his statement."
"Do you believe them?"
"Me?" Gwen pressed her lips together. "I'm thoroughly confused." She took off her glasses, searching for her wand to clean them.
"I do believe Crow," Miss Carthew stated.
Gwen nearly dropped her wand and glasses. "Why?" He isn't exactly a very likeable or popular wizard, she thought.
"If he were guilty, then wouldn't his portrait have tried to escape in order to avoid being seen by the apothecary?"
"Well," Gwen said slowly. "That is true. Portraits do such things…"
~ooOOooOOooOOooOOoo~