Just Like the Other Girls - Claire Douglas Page 0,96
of her drink.
‘Exactly,’ agrees Elspeth. ‘They were grown girls. Women, really. How they lived their lives when they weren’t at work was nothing to do with me. If they wanted to take unnecessary risks, or walk back home drunk late at night, or throw themselves off the bridge, then what could I do about it? I didn’t own them. They just worked for me, that’s all.’
Kathryn wonders if her mother can hear how insensitive she sounds. She notices Aggie flinch, then try to cover it up by sipping her coffee.
They fall silent. ‘It’s sad, though,’ says Aggie, eventually. ‘I was fond of them all. I suppose I got attached to each of them. Particularly Matilde, as she was here the longest. Even Una who was only here six weeks – I used to enjoy our chats. I feel like I don’t want to get too attached to Willow.’
Elspeth, who had been cutting her toast into tiny pieces, stops what she’s doing and her head snaps up. ‘What do you mean?’ Her tone is cold. ‘What do you think’s going to happen to Willow?’
‘Nothing. I didn’t mean anything by it. I just meant …’
‘That she’s going to die too?’
Aggie looks flustered. ‘No!’
‘That there’s some curse on my young staff? Or do you mean that Kathryn or I might –’ She drops her knife in her anger and it clatters onto the table ‘– be responsible somehow?’
Poor Aggie. Kathryn almost feels sorry for her. She can see Aggie doesn’t know what to do with herself. She starts flapping, gathering up the breakfast things even though they haven’t finished, whisking the plate from under Elspeth’s nose and taking it to the sink.
‘Come on, Mother, let’s go up to the sitting room,’ says Kathryn, in an effort to dispel the uncomfortable atmosphere.
But Elspeth is in no mood to be pacified today. She refuses to take Kathryn’s proffered arm, instead, forgetting how infirm she’s supposed to be, she strides over to where Aggie stands, thrusting her cup into Aggie’s face. ‘I’d like some more coffee, please,’ she says.
Aggie nods and takes the cup, filling it from the cafetière. Elspeth’s expression is scornful, mean. Kathryn recognizes it and remembers how quickly Elspeth’s moods turn. She looks as though she’s about to say more to Aggie when her attention is diverted by someone standing at the kitchen door. It’s Willow, still in her nightwear, her long hair hanging down her back. She looks childlike in her oversized pyjamas. Elspeth’s face instantly loses its sour expression and brightens at the sight of her. ‘Good morning, Willow,’ she says cheerily. ‘You’re up early.’ Kathryn and Aggie exchange knowing looks, their previous awkwardness dissipating. ‘Aggie, please can you prepare some breakfast for Willow?’ She walks over to her companion, places an arm around her slim shoulders and ushers her to the table, like she’s a princess on a royal visit.
Una used to look embarrassed by the attention Elspeth would occasionally lavish on her but Willow is positively glowing in it. She turns to Kathryn and gives her such a self-satisfied look that it knocks the breath from her. She’s another Matilde – she can feel it in her bones. If she’s not careful her mother will have bequeathed half of her estate to Willow before the year is out.
When Willow first arrived, Kathryn had tried to find out more about her, just like she’d done with the other girls. But there was nothing, not even a former address. She’d found a copy of her measly CV in Elspeth’s study and contacted the referees she’d listed, but both numbers rang out and Kathryn knew they were fake.
Kathryn watches as Elspeth’s mood changes and she laughs and jokes with Willow. She could be at home with her family now, she thinks, walks in the park with Ed and the boys. Cycling – Harry’s always on at her to go for a family bike ride – or they could be watching a movie, snuggled up beneath the blankets, eating junk food.
Her mother’s sudden bark of laughter grates just as much as Willow’s smug face. She’d made a huge effort to get here early to help Elspeth when she could have been at home. Kathryn stalks out of the kitchen, even though she doubts anyone notices. She’ll wait in the sitting room until Willow’s gone out. She can’t bear to witness her mother’s sycophantic behaviour a moment longer.
Kathryn is frowning over the books in the sitting room. It’s been ages since she last looked