It was pitch dark, and Julia used a small map torch held in her mouth to force open the door of the old coal chute. It had been painted as the cottage was now centrally heated but the chute was wide enough to take a coal bag and long enough for the bags to be rammed against each other. The other end of the coal chute was blocked off, bricked over down in the cellar. All they had to do was stuff the bags down the hole and replace the covering. Julia had brought some blackened putty to replace any dislodged from the wall as the door had not been opened for years. It was painted black, with design and date picked out in white and red — a feature of the old cottage wall. Now it was more of a feature to them because it held all their money. They had to shove hard to get the door to shut when they’d finished.
Dolly had now joined Connie, who was on her hands and knees searching the ground. The shotguns had been ditched in the lake, the mail-bags were hopefully rotting, but still it was not over — not until Dolly was satisfied they were in the clear. One note and they’d be screwed. They found four or five but kept on searching as Gloria raked over the deep tracks left by the skip. She brought stones and branches and stamped them down to disguise any movement around the pit.
They did not stop until Julia and Ester returned. Then they parked the Mini and headed into the kitchen. Dolly set light to the black book in front of them and threw the ashes into the waste-disposal unit. All their equipment had already been dumped in the local tip but still they checked that there was no incriminating evidence around the house. It was almost seven o’clock before Dolly ordered them to change and get into their beds. They’ll be coming and they’ll be around for a long time. We just sit tight, stay calm, and keep on here as if nothing ever happened. This is the most difficult part. Any one of you can blow it so it’s up to you all now, and I dunno about you lot but I’m totally knackered.’
She walked slowly up the stairs and they saw her going to her room. No one congratulated anyone, Connie broke down crying and Gloria gave her a squeeze, telling her to hold it together. They then went their separate ways to bed.
Julia hugged her pillow tightly, the exhaustion still held at bay by adrenalin. She watched as Ester flopped back on the pillows. ‘Well, so far so good. We did it.’
Ester drew up the sheets around her chin and turned away. Julia leaned over her. Ester was crying and Julia kissed her shoulder, but didn’t say anything because she felt like weeping herself.
Connie cried herself to sleep.
Gloria lay wide awake, waiting for the knock on the door. She was still waiting when she fell into a deep sleep of exhaustion like the rest of them.
Dolly, in her room, couldn’t stop smiling. It felt so good — she felt so good. She couldn’t think of sleeping and she had one eye on the clock, waiting to hear if Mike had made it home without any trouble. In the end she felt her eyes drooping and couldn’t stay awake. She slept with her arms clutching her pillow like a lover.
Mike let himself into the house. He emptied the money bags, putting the cash into two big suitcases and covering them with clothes he’d already got prepared. He then sat in the dining room, watching the mail-bags burn. It took a long time and a whole packet of firelighters as the canvas was supposed to be fire resistant. He even poured some white spirit on top of them but it was a hard job for them to catch alight. Then he took the ashes outside and tipped them into the dustbin, went back in and emptied two rubbish bins full of junk Susan had chucked out while she had been packing. It was a while before he was satisfied the ashes could not be found.
Angela was fast asleep in his bed. He stood watching her from the doorway. She looked so young and innocent that he couldn’t resist kissing her just one last time. She woke with a start.
‘Will you call home and tell Dolly you and the kids are okay? Do it now, so she’s not worried about you.’
She yawned and sat up as he walked to the door. ‘I’ll get the girls dressed and start breakfast.’
Dolly could hardly raise her head. Her whole body felt stiff all over as if she’d been in a boxing match. She blinked as the phone cut through her brain and eventually reached out for it. It was Angela, just to say they were fine and would get the first train back.
‘Good.’ Dolly leaned back on her pillow. ‘Get a cab from the station, will you? And some fresh bread from that little corner shop.’ She hung up and looked at her bedside clock. Mike was home safe. He’d made it. She closed her eyes, wondering if they all would. Any moment she knew the scream would go up and she would bet any of the cash they’d got stashed away that the manor would be one of the first places they started at. ‘Well, let them come,’ she whispered to herself. We’re ready and waiting.’
Chapter 20
Angela, as instructed by Dolly, had caught the first train back to the manor. She had not used the local station but the mainline station, again as instructed by Dolly, who didn’t want Angela getting off the train into a swarm of cops. She simply used the excuse that, as it would be so early, Angela wouldn’t be able to get a cab at the local station so it was better to use the main-line one.
Angela arrived back at the manor at eight o’clock. The girls were about to run upstairs but she told them to stay quiet and not to wake up the house. She set about preparing breakfast, the girls laying the table and helping her.
Angela hadn’t known any of the women to sleep in so late and she asked one of the girls to check if Helen of Troy was in the stable, wondering if they had all gone out for an early ride. The girls remained outside, calling back that Helen was in the stable. Angela fried eggs and bacon, sausages and some cold potatoes. It was all keeping warm in the oven when the women came down, bleary-eyed and still wearing their dressing gowns.
‘Hi! Had a late night, did you?’ Angela asked, as she started getting out the plates.
‘Yeah, we had a bit of a night,’ Gloria muttered.
‘Aren’t you going riding today?’ Angela asked. It was unusual for them not to be up and out by now.
‘No. Stables have got some kids’ party so we can’t,’ Ester said as she creaked into her chair.
‘There was something going on at the station,’ Angela said as she served the eggs and bacon.
‘Oh, yeah, what?’ Gloria asked, as she poured the tea.
‘I dunno, but there were loads of police and all along the lanes were more patrol cars. They even stopped us in the taxi.’
‘You don’t say,’ said Julia, as she buttered her toast, and then asked casually if the morning paper had arrived.
She passed it over. ‘It’s got nothing in it.’
Dolly walked in, her hair in pin curls. Unlike the others she was dressed. ‘Angela love, go and get the girls inside. They’re getting filthy out there in the yard.’
Angela went out without argument and Dolly sat down. She reached for the teapot, was just about to pour a cup when the sirens wailed. ‘Well, here they come,’ she said quietly.
They all watched her as she continued to pour the tea. The front door bell echoed through the house, and Angela opened the back door. ‘There’s police all over the place! They’re up in the woods.’
Dolly looked at Ester, jerking her head. ‘Go see what they want.’
Ester hesitated only a moment before she pulled her dressing gown closer and they could hear her flip-flop slippers as she went into the hall.