The Death of the Old Lady

“I have found a letter in Nora’s desk, in a secret compartment, when sorting all her paperwork etc.” “Who from?” David poured milk into his coffee. “From a man who we don’t know and who she never mentioned.” “A love letter?” Stella looked up from the floor, where she was sitting with Damon in her lap. “Yes, I suppose you could call it that. I will read it out to you.” Anna took an envelope from the pocket of her dress. It was addressed to Nora Simps, but showed no sender. However there was a foreign stamp on it and it looked really aged. “It was not easy to read, as the ink is somewhat faded. The date is unreadable, but it must be quite old.” “So the good old girl did have her secrets after all!” “Looks like it. Listen: >Delhi, the…. My beloved Nora, Never before in my life has it been harder to fulfil a wish. But as you can see, I have left. I am sure I will never in my life be as happy again as I was in your arms. And I will love you for as long as this British heart will beat! I cannot go back to her – not yet anyhow, and maybe never. She is a good woman, and she always was a good wife to me – but I love you, and I cannot deny that anymore. She will get over it, believe me. She, too, will have to learn that life is not simple and straight-forward, is no walk in the park, no guaranteed happiness. I still maintain that you and me should not have separated – the sacrifice is too big! However I do accept your decision and will try to live with the fact that your sense of responsibility is bigger….or not? My one and only love, I will never ever forget your….Whatever….you have made me strong. You have given us love and freedom….will always be there for you…not write anymore. I could not bear to stay in touch with you, but not be allowed to hold and kiss you…hence farewell….yours always Nick, As you will have noticed, there are parts where the ink is totally unreadable.” “Wow, Anna, that is so romantic!” Stella had wet eyes and quickly hugged Damon. “Yes good old Miss Simps after all knew what true love felt like!” David took Anna’s hand. “Yes it looks like it. But unfortunately it looks like dear old Nick was otherwise tied.” “And actually by the sound of it to someone who on the other hand was very close to Miss Simps.” Stella had got up and was pacing through the room with her coffee mug in her hands. “But you did say that she had no close relatives?!” “Well, that is what she made us believe. However it could be that this love story was a reason for a break up. I always thought her to be so open….and when I told her about my divorce etc, she would normally then have told me about her experiences, don’t you think?” “You would think so…or however….” “…the wounds never healed and the pain was too deep!” Stella turned round and looked at the other two expectantly. In the next second they all started laughing. “We are acting like the writers of a soap opera!!” Anna put the envelope back in her pocket and gathered the coffee mugs together. “Two Thistles”, Anna swallowed the piece of toast in her mouth and instinctively looked for a pencil and pad, while securing the receiver between her ear and shoulder. “Miss Petersen, this is Mr Nickelby from St Ives.” “Good morning Mr Nickelby.” “I wondered, if you could come back to my office for a brief meeting.” “Are there any problems?” Anna tried to free her all of a sudden very dry throat, and Stella appeared in the door with a questioning look. “No problems really, just some interesting news with regards to the legacy that Miss Simps determined in her will. This month’s sum was returned. So I contacted Rose Manor. I would prefer to talk to you over a cup of tea about what I found out. Also I am expecting delivery of some hopefully also enlightening papers in the course of this morning. Do you have time?” “Of course. Shall we say around 16:00?”