Day 111: 26 February 2026

 Short Story -- Monkshood Manor: Part 27

Mr Millings returned shortly with some boards and a tool box. He immediately set to work, in spite of the fact that there was still broken glass out.

‘Is something bothering you?’ Teddy asked tentatively.

‘What?’ Mr Millings asked absentmindedly. ‘Oh, no,’ he added with more assurance.

‘It’s just…’ Teddy started and left off.

After all, how well did she really know Charles Millings? Yes, he’d come recommended by Mr Reed. True, Mrs Winter seemed to like him. Or like him for Teddy, that is. Monkshood hadn’t shown any signs of distrust or dislike. But she’d only known him for a handful of days. Her gut was telling her something was off.

‘You can wait to fix it until the glass has been cleaned up,’ Teddy said, softly adding, ‘if you have the time and want to.’

But Mr Millings steadily continued measuring and sawing and nailing the boarding place. He was a repairing machine!

‘Well, perhaps,’ Teddy thought, ‘at least we can clean up the whole mess in one go.’

About fifteen minutes later, Mr Millings was testing the door, complete with its temporary boards. The door swung smoothly on the hinges and appeared to lock and unlock as usual.

Teddy had watched the process quietly from between the pages of a book she was now only half reading. It was more to give her hands something to do and an excuse to stay in the room, observe and think.

‘That should do it,’ Mr Millings said. ‘I’ll just brush the sawdust aside.’

‘Charles,’ Teddy said.

He turned.

‘What is it? Something has happened and I don’t understand what.’

He stopped. Looked at his shoes. Looked at Teddy.

She waited. Eyes expectant.

‘The Inspector is going to look at the records at the church,’ he finally said quietly.

‘And why is that… bad?’ Teddy finally settled on.

‘It’s not bad, per se,’ said Charles rubbing his neck. ‘It’s just… this village isn’t huge. There’s a lot of history people know. And there’s some history they don’t so much anymore or they overlook.’

Teddy looked at him, staying quiet but willing him to add something.

‘He just might find more than he bargained for is all,’ Charles concluded.

Teddy let that settle for a moment before asking, ‘How so?’

At that moment, Mrs Winter bustled back in to collect the tea tray.

‘I’ll be in touch about when we can start the renovation work,’ Charles said. Then he picked up his tool box and stepped out through the now boarded up doors.