My Name is Eva An absolutely gripping and emotional historical novel - Suzanne Goldring Page 0,91

like to choose some sherry glasses to take with me,’ Evelyn said. ‘And maybe a decanter.’

‘Oh, for goodness’ sake, what on earth do you need a decanter for as well? The bottle will do, won’t it? They all have airtight tops these days.’

‘Yes, dear, but a decanter looks so much nicer on a tray with glasses – so do biscuits laid out on a plate.’ She wondered whether to mention the sugar bowl, lumpy with coffee-soaked crystals. And it wasn’t the lidded pot she and Mama had always used for brown sugar. But she noticed Pat’s face and thought it better to be silent.

Pat glared. She dipped the other half of her biscuit in her coffee and nibbled. Melted chocolate coated her fingers and the corners of her mouth.

‘Please don’t do that, dear,’ Evelyn said. ‘It’s not very becoming.’

Pat groaned, then sucked her fingers and scrubbed her mouth with a tissue she found tucked up her sleeve. ‘I’m going to find your ruddy sherry glasses now.’ Her chair scraped back on the tiled floor and she disappeared into the dining room.

‘Not ruddy glasses, I want the ruby ones,’ called Evelyn.

And then she had a stroke of luck. Pat’s mobile phone rang. She must have put it down on the table while she was making coffee. ‘Pat, it’s your phone. Shall I answer it?’

Pat rushed back, flustered, holding a decanter missing its stopper. ‘No, leave it alone.’

‘I’ll just take a little look for those glasses myself then,’ Evelyn said, getting to her feet before she could protest. Pat tried to wave at her to sit down again, but was soon engrossed in her call. Evelyn shuffled out of the kitchen, through the dining room and out to the staircase. Could she really get up to the spare room and check the cases? It was a steep and narrow flight of stairs and then a long corridor to reach them. She thought she could remember what she had stowed away in them, but it was all such a long time ago, it was hard to be sure.

She stood at the bottom of the staircase, turned round and then, with a bump, sat down on the third or fourth stair. She tried heaving herself up with her arms onto the next step, but it was no good. Her arms were weak and her legs weren’t strong enough to push herself up, even though she was much lighter than she used to be. And then she found she couldn’t stand up again, even though her walking frame was within reach. Oh dear, Pat was going to be awfully cross with her. It wouldn’t be wise to push her any further. So Evelyn stayed where she was, waiting for Pat to finish her interminable call, in which she could hear the words, ‘being impossible’ and ‘bloody sherry’ and ‘when I get her back’.

From her seat on the stairs, Evelyn could see the large open hallway with its piano, polished mule chest and carved hall chairs. Beams of sunlight were filtering through the dusty windows, revealing great traceries of cobwebs adorning the lamps and cornices. Really, if Pat could fetch a feather duster she’d have those cleared away in no time. And as she gazed at the spiders’ delicate decorations and the dust motes dancing in the shafts of sun, she suddenly saw Mama arranging a huge vase of white and purple lilac on the piano, where she always liked to place her flowers, their perfume filling the room. And then Papa was there too, pouring champagne as guests arrived for the many parties her parents held, which filled Kingsley with laughter, gossip and music. Evelyn sighed with the memories; Kingsley was so alive then and so happy.

‘What on earth are you doing there?’ Pat burst through the doorway. ‘I hope you weren’t thinking of going upstairs.’

‘No, dear,’ Evelyn said, as Pat hauled her to her feet. ‘I just felt like sitting down for a moment.’ She pointed to the cobwebs. ‘We ought to sweep those away while we’re here. It would only take a minute.’

‘Oh, I haven’t got time for that now. We need to find you those glasses and get going.’

‘But I want to tell you what else I need,’ Evelyn said as Pat guided her back towards the kitchen.

‘We can do all that in the car. You can make a little list for me. I’ve got to get back right away. Humphrey’s just phoned to say he has to bring a client back