‘The worst? Surely you get the quarterly statements, Mrs Gandell?’
‘Of course.’
‘Then what makes you think you’re in the red?’
Mrs Gandell laughed. ‘I’m hardly ever out of the red,’ she said.
‘Some mistake. Your account is here,’ and he handed it to her.
‘Well!’ she said. ‘How extraordinary, Mr Griffith.’
‘You’ve had your black days, we know that. But nothing to worry about, and it was hardly that that I had in mind. No. Something quite different.’
She sat erect in the chair.
‘Really?’
‘Really,’ Griffith said. And then more slowly, studying her. ‘I heard the other day that The Palms, you know the house, may be started up as an hotel, Mrs Gandell. A guest house before you came here. Might make it difficult for you if that happened.’
‘It might indeed, Mr Griffith, and I would not like that.’
‘The position at Cartref could only be described as precarious, Mrs Gandell .…’
‘Precarious?’
‘Thought I’d let you know,’ he said.
‘Thank you.’
‘Have you ever thought of selling?’ he asked.
It astounded her, and she was half out of the chair. ‘Selling?’
‘Selling,’ Mr Griffith said. ‘Facts are facts. Might be worth thinking about.’
Mrs Gandell thought only of Jones. ‘I wouldn’t sell, Mr Griffith,’ she replied and sat back in the chair. ‘What on earth makes you think I would?’
Mr Griffith didn’t appear to know, and remained silent. She came to the desk. ‘I would never dream of selling Cartref,’ she said.
‘Nobody has been killed,’ he said, and gave her a smile.
‘But I am glad about the account. I was certain I was overdrawn, Mr Griffith. I’ll never know why. There’s been a lot of worry lately, and I’ve had the worst winter .…’
Mr Griffith, too, knew about the winter, but made no comment.
She took out her cheque book. ‘I would like to draw twenty pounds,’ she said.
‘Certainly, Mrs Gandell.’
He took the cheque, called Hughes, and told him to do the usual. He saw her to the door, shook hands, said quietly, ‘All the same, I should think about it.’
‘I shall,’ she replied, and walked out, her thoughts a ferment. Sell? Why? All very sudden. What did it mean? Perhaps there was something behind it? Totally unexpected. A surprising morning. Half way down the High Street she stopped, turned back and made her way to the back door of The Lion, and knocked.
‘Oh! Well indeed! Mrs Gandell!’ exclaimed a surprised Mrs Hughes.
‘Your husband in?’
Mrs Hughes seemed to gulp as she replied, ‘Yes, he is. I’ll call him. Tegid!’
Hughes came, was even more surprised, and Mrs Gandell pushed her way into the bar.
‘Your account,’ she said, and placed some notes on the counter.
‘Oh! Thank you, thank .…’
‘Hardly necessary,’ said Mrs Gandell, and hurriedly left, leaving husband and wife staring each other out.
‘Well!’ said Sarah. ‘Just think of that.’
‘She’s actually paid up,’ Tegid said.
‘Tell you something,’ she said.
‘What?’
‘He won’t come here again.’
‘Who?’
