The Apartment - K. L. Slater Page 0,32

a white pussybow blouse, and a knitted navy jacket with white edging. I feel like a slob in comparison.

‘Oh, I’m – I’m so sorry,’ I stammer. ‘Did I catch you as you’re going out?’

‘Not at all, dear.’ She smiles. ‘I’m at home all morning, but I’m afraid you’re too late for Michael, he’s already at his gentlemen’s club.’

Gentlemen’s club? Sounds a bit dodgy . . . aren’t those places full of young, scantily clad dancers and expensive drinks? She must be the only woman in London who doesn’t give a jot that her husband so openly frequents one.

She cranes her head around me, this way and that. ‘No little one with you today?’

‘She’s upstairs asleep,’ I say, and then worry she’ll think me a negligent mother. ‘She had a bad night and didn’t get much rest. I didn’t want to wake her.’

She nods and shifts her weight from one foot to the other. Cartier Love Bracelets clash prettily on her wrist, and I can smell her distinctive perfume.

The Marsdens are always dressed so formally. Don’t they ever crash out in their comfies like the rest of us?

I stifle a grin at the thought of Audrey in a onesie and force my thoughts back on track.

‘I hope you don’t mind, Audrey, I wanted to ask you something.’ I hesitate. ‘It’s a rather big favour, actually.’

‘Of course!’ She beams. ‘Name it, my dear.’

It becomes fairly obvious I’m not going to get an invite inside and it makes me feel slightly flustered again, as if I’m disturbing her.

‘I’ve got a problem with St Benjamin’s, they—’

My flow of words is interrupted as I catch movement behind her at the end of the hallway. The lounge door is open, flooding the wood-panelled space with light, and a tall, broad figure has just walked across the room. A man.

Audrey raises one eyebrow slightly. She knows I’ve spotted someone in there but clearly doesn’t feel the need to explain herself.

‘You were saying there’s a problem with the school. In relation to Skye’s admission there, I gather?’

I explain how Skye is becoming increasingly anxious about starting at a new school and that I think it would be really beneficial for her to at least visit there before the end of term.

‘I’m afraid the office manager wasn’t very helpful. She said it was impossible to arrange anything this late in the term.’

‘Leave it with me. I’ll speak to Iris Grant, the head . . .’

Her voice fades out a little as I wonder if the man in the lounge is Dr Marsden. But why would she say he’s out at his club if, in fact, he’s home? This man is taller though, I’m sure of it.

Audrey’s brow furrows very slightly but not as much as it should do. Probably a touch of Botox, I conclude.

‘Freya? I asked if anytime is good for you if I can get you an appointment.’

‘Sorry, yes! Yes, thank you, anytime is good.’ I take a step back, remembering I’ve left Skye sleeping. ‘I’m really grateful, thank you.’

I head for the stairs and she calls me back again.

‘There was something I wanted to ask. Have you got a moment now?’

‘Yes, of course.’ I walk back to the door.

‘We’ll need to get a security camera fitted in your apartment,’ she says briskly. ‘Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to complete the work before you moved in. It’ll be sometime this week, but there’s no need for you to be in while the work is being done.’

She nods as though in telling me, it’s already been agreed. But I’m puzzled. ‘Do you mean you want to put a security camera inside the apartment?’

‘Yes, dear. Just inside the hallway.’ She smiles tightly. ‘It’s standard procedure here at Adder House where all the apartments benefit from our internal CCTV system.’

‘I see. Well, I wouldn’t want you to go to the trouble of installing one in our apartment,’ I say lightly. ‘It’s only tiny, anyway, with nothing valuable in it, and I feel quite safe here.’

Audrey stares at me, her nostrils flaring slightly.

‘Better to be safe than sorry, that’s always been my motto. It’s a lovely area, but you can never tell when there might be . . . an unpleasant incident.’ For just a second, the corners of Audrey’s mouth curl down, but then, when I don’t reply, she smiles brightly. ‘Right. That’s settled then. I’ll tell Michael you’re happy for him to go ahead.’

I chew the inside of my cheek and I don’t walk away. It all seems a