There was a loud knock at the door, and Sadie, dozing by the radio, jumped. She stood to go and answer the door, but fell back onto the chair. She stood again, but fell back once more. Puzzled, she stood, more carefully this time, and turned, holding on to the back of the chair so that she could not fall again, then stepped to one side so that she could go and answer the door. The visitor knocked again, firmly, and Sadie reached for the door handle, but it had now disappeared, and there seemed to be no way of letting the visitor in. Sadie knew that house was up to mischief.
“Sorry,” she shouted through the door, “I’ll be with you in a minute.”
“You need to let me open the door,” she scolded the house. “Stop playing games!”
“SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS” a whisper resonated throughout the house, and Sadie scolded again.
“Stop that!” she said.
“Sorry, what?” came the voice from outside.
“Not you,” Sadie said, then looking down at the door again realised that the door handle was back in place. She reached for it, and pulled at the door, which refused to open. She scolded the house again. She reached for the door handle once more, this time turning it quickly and forcefully and pulled open the door, startling her visitor in the process.
“Hello?” she enquired, to a tall slim young lady with hair a similar colour to her own, dressed in a pale blue long coat and with gloves in her hand, and being, Sadie speculated, probably somewhere in her late twenties to early thirties.
“Hello,” the visitor said, “I’m sorry to trouble you. I’m looking for Sadie. Sadie Pickersgill.”
“Who are you?” Sadie asked her, rather curious about the woman asking after her.
“I would rather speak to her personally if you don’t mind,” the stranger said.
“You had better come in then,” Sadie invited. “I am Sadie.” The stranger looked at her.
“I have been looking for you for quite a while” she said.
“Do you mind telling me why? And who you are?” Sadie enquired. They went to sit in the kitchen, and Sadie busied herself making tea, whilst the stranger sat fidgeting with her gloves.
“It’s a rather delicate situation” the lady responded. “I need to speak to you about a rather, shall we say, uncomfortable state of affairs.”
“I don’t know what delicate or uncomfortable state of affairs could involve me?” Sadie told her, “I am actually not that interesting. I haven’t been anywhere, or done anything.” She faltered. Could this be something to do with Albie? Was this the woman Albie had been going to marry when he lived in the city? She became uncomfortable, and she instinctively knew that the woman did not have good news.
“Perhaps we could sit in the….sitting room? Parlour?” she asked, “it’s imperative that I speak with you.”
“I think I might prefer you to come back when my husband is here….” She began. The other woman stood her ground.
“I really need to speak to you now. I have come a long way,” she added. Sadie led the ways to the sitting room and made the lady comfortable on the sofa, asking to take her coat and if she required sugar in her tea. She knew that she was delaying, but something told her that she did not want to hear what this lady had to say. Sitting comfortably in the front room of the little house, the woman began her story.
Half an hour later, Sadie was frozen to the spot. The colour had drained out of her face and she felt that the life had left her body. How could her life change in the space of just a few minutes? And having seen all the evidence presented before her, she knew that the woman was telling the truth. It was beyond terrible. She could not speak, could not cry, and could not move.
“I’m so sorry,” the stranger told her, “but I’m sure you understand why I had to come to see you.”
“I……I…..of course,” Sadie faltered, but could not say any more. Her mind was racing, and she could not find words that would make sense.
“I’m sure you will need to discuss this with your husband,” the lady continued. “I can come back another time if you have more questions. I will leave you my card.” She stood, clinging tightly, as if for comfort, to her gloves. “It’s taken me so long to find you,” she said, and Sadie looked up at her, still rooted to the spot. “I hope we can meet again soon. I know that you will have questions. I’m so sorry.” She stepped to one side, wondering if she had indeed done the right thing, and sensing that the younger woman was in shock. “I’ll see myself out, I….” but she had run out of things to say, and she left.
Sadie's House-The Secrets
Coming soon
