More tea?

Back at the Wee Hoose, Adam wasn't the slightest bit surprised that the new arrival meant it was time for a new tea ceremony to begin.

Once the formalities had been observed, Edith had quite a tale to tell.

"So," said Alice, when she seemed to have finished, "if they'd got their way, we would've been opening the door to them just now?"

Edith nodded.

"Hah!" crowed Margaret. "Like to see 'em try getting in here."

Alice tried to give her a disapproving look, but her heart wasn't really in it.

"You're sure they didn't follow you here?" she asked.

"Positive," replied Edith. "I mean, after they let me go, a couple of them tried, but it was dead easy to lose them. I don't reckon they were up to much, Alice."

"Hmmm. Never judge a book by the cover, Edith - you know that. Maybe they're not the best, or maybe they just weren't trying very hard. Remember what Molly said before she went away?"

My mind had been wandering - I think I was struggling to take it all in - but at the mention of my gran's name, Alice had all my attention again.

"I do, Alice," replied Ethel emphatically. "And she was absolutely right. They've got complete faith in that machine of hers. And she was right about the other thing too - the key works a treat."



Story starts here.