DAISY’S SECRET

The dilapidated house seemed to harbour a skeleton or two in the closet . . .

ILOOKED up at the chimneys on Achtorn House, and was glad all but two had been blocked. Sweeping them all would be a big job by today’s standards. I couldn’t imagine how difficult it would have been in the house’s heyday. As I dropped my gaze, an unsmiling child peeked out from a window. I waved, but the child darted out of sight. “Miss Smart?” A man stood at the top of the steps. “Laura. Mr Cathorne?” I asked, going up to meet him.

“Angus,” he replied, shaking my hand. He was dark-haired with warm blue eyes.

“Delighted to meet you. My aunt doesn’t come downstairs much, but when she does she insists on open fires, and she’s concerned the place will go up in flames. Which wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing. It’s had its day, as you can see. I jest, of course. Do come in.”

He gestured to a door on the left of the large hallway. “This is the lounge.”

It was a tired yet cosy room, filled with saggy couches and faded watercolours. There was a damp patch on the far left of the ceiling and the carpet was worn.

“The other chimney is in the drawing room across the hall. I’ll leave you to get on. Oh, and Daisy may come looking for you. She’s fascinated by the idea of a female chimney sweep.” He rolled his eyes.

I smiled, recalling the solemn face at the window. “That’s fine.”

I fetched my equipment from the van and examined both chimneys. I lay some dust sheets on the floor, then looked up. Daisy was watching me from the doorway, her face and ragged clothes dirty.

“Oh goodness, wherever did you find that soot?” She turned and fled. “Wait! Daisy!” She’d probably wanted to help, and I’d scared her off.

I looked into the hallway; no sign of her or sooty footprints. The soot worried me. It was messy and I couldn’t understand where she’d got it from. Surely she hadn’t tried to climb up a chimney?

“Daisy? Please come back. I’d love for you to help.”

There was no sign of her. I hoped her parents wouldn’t think I’d covered her in the soot.

BY THE time I moved on to the drawing room Daisy hadn’t reappeared. Angus popped his head round the door. “Everything all right?” “Yes, thanks, but have you seen Daisy?” “Not since earlier. She’s probably in her room. Has she been to see you?” “Yes, but I think I upset her.” “Really? It takes a lot to upset Daisy. What happened?”

“She was covered in soot; goodness knows how. I got such a shock when I saw her, and she took off.” Angus looked aghast. “Covered in soot? Are you sure?” “Definitely.” “I’ll find out what’s going on. Please, don’t worry. I’m sure you haven’t upset her.”

I was almost finished when she came back. Tear tracks ran down her dirty cheeks.

“There you are, Daisy! Sorry I scared you earlier. I was just worried you’d make a mess. Did Angus find you? Would you like to help?”

She stared, unsmiling. “I don’t want to get told off again.”

I knelt down. Her thin frame and the soot made her look urchin-like. Her eyes were wide, hands clenched in tiny fists.

“I’m sure he won’t tell you off. You only wanted to help.”

She shook her head. “David said I broke the big vase in the lounge but I was just looking at the horses on it. David broke it but they believed him when he said it was me.” She wiped her eyes. “I’m sure it will be fine, if you explain that David did it.”

“Someone’s coming,” she said, darting out the door.

Angus came in moments later, grinning. “Daisy’s in her room as I suspected, not a hint of soot on her. She denied having seen you, denied it all.” “How did she . . . She was here . . . ” Angus leaned towards me. “Between you and I, she’s going senile.” “Senile?” “No surprise considering her age, but upsetting all the same.” “Her age? She’s only a child!” He laughed. “I know she’s small, but a child? Aunt Daisy’s 81!” “Oh! I thought the young girl was Daisy.” Angus looked puzzled. “Girl?” “About 10, short haired and thin?” “There are no children here. Unless Daisy’s nurse brought one of her children to work.” Angus looked around. “How

peculiar! I’ll see if I can track her down.”

AWOMAN came into the room, just as I finished. “Miss Smart?” she asked, smiling. “Daisy would like to see you. I’m her carer, Sophia. I’ll take you to her.” I followed Sophia up the wide threadbare staircase, looking around for a glimpse of the girl, and wondering whether to mention her to Sophia. I decided to leave that to Angus.

Daisy was a frail yet elegant woman, propped up on thick pillows in an airy bedroom fragranced by fresh bouquets.

“Lovely to meet you, dear.” She gestured to a chair as Sophia left the room.

“And you. You’ll be pleased to hear your chimneys are in great shape.”

“Oh, good. We have them swept twice a year, but our last sweep retired. And when I heard there was a woman chimney sweep I just had to hire you! How did you come upon this profession?”

“I worked in finance, was made redundant, then retrained. My grandfather was a chimney sweep.”

“Wonderful. But tell me, why did you think I was running around covered in soot? Angus was most bewildered.”

“I’m sorry, I assumed the young girl was Daisy.” “Young girl?” I told her about the girl and the vase. Daisy leant back, closing her eyes. I waited a few moments then touched her hand. “Are you okay?”

She opened her eyes. “Yes, dear. Just thinking. David was my grandfather. Only son, spoilt rotten.”

I frowned. She seemed confused, but Angus had said she was going senile.

“My family once owned many wonderful items – there aren’t many left now,” she went on. “The story was that David saw the chimney sweep break a priceless vase. She got an awful beating from her employer. My family were one of his biggest customers.” A chill ran the length of my spine. “I wouldn’t be surprised if David broke it himself,” Daisy went on. “My grandfather was, by all accounts, a sneaky child who became a sneaky man.” “What happened to the girl?” “I don’t believe she was seen here again.” She looked at me. “Until now.”

“But why me? Because we’re both chimney sweeps?”

Daisy bowed her head. “Both chimney sweeps my family are trying to frame.”

S“What? Who’s trying to frame me?” “I’m sure my nephew told you I’m losing my marbles. He’s spent the past year trying to convince me of that, but my marbles are exactly where they should be.” She tapped her left temple. “Today, Angus will tell me you stole a pair of silver goblets from the drawing room.” “What?” I sat back, heart racing. “I didn’t even see any goblets.” “He’s removed them already. Didn’t think I’d notice. He said you’d seen me covered in soot, that you must have been trying to distract him as you seemed awfully interested in those goblets.”

I put my hands over my mouth. Angus had been so nice. “What will you do?” “Nothing. Yet. He’s starting small, taking things he thinks I won’t notice. But I knew this would happen. A sneaky streak runs through our family. He’s a rogue, just like David.”

“Surely he can’t keep stealing from you?”

She smiled. “He won’t. I inherited the sneaky streak too. Sophia is cataloguing everything for me. Not only that, but Angus believes she speaks only broken English. But she understands English perfectly, including every word of his telephone conversations with auction houses and dealers.”

“But will he go to the police? About the goblets?”

“No. He’ll just use you as a cover story to me. Angus is money-hungry, you see. We don’t have the wealth we did.” She gestured around. “This place needs much work but Angus is only interested in lining his own pocket. He’s foolish. But he’s on borrowed time, so don’t worry.”

“Maybe we’ll see you again,” Angus said, ushering me out. Those warm blue eyes now seemed devious. Daisy had asked me not to mention our conversation to him, and promised she’d invite me back.

“Angus won’t be here by then,” she’d said firmly.

I felt for her but she seemed to be handling it, and I was glad she had her undercover nurse. Angus never mentioned the mysterious child. Perhaps he thought I’d made it up. Maybe, in his mind, I’d indeed been after the goblets. I’d never know. I looked around at the drawing room window, and a pale, dirty face appeared. This time, she smiled. I’d cleared her name. She waved. I waved back as she faded.