Page 34

Chapter 34

Early March 1931

Ann raced down the foot ramps into Waverley station with her scarf trailing behind her as though she was still a child in the playground at primary school.

She scanned the concourse for Isobel and eventually spotted the familiar figure, thinner than she remembered, standing beside a tall pillar near the booking hall.

‘I am so sorry, Isobel,’ she panted, ‘the tram was full and I had to wait for the next one.’

‘Don’t fuss, it doesn’t matter.

’

Ann put her arms around Isobel and hugged her close.

‘I am so glad you are here.’ She looked down at two small brown suitcases and the battered handbag that was sitting beside them.

‘Is this all you’ve got?

’

Isobel shrugged.

‘There really wasn’t much worth bringing.

It’s just my clothes and a few keepsakes.

I won’t take up much room.

’

‘I can see that. It’s a big house for just the two of us.

I think we’ll rattle about in it a bit.

’ Ann picked up the nearest case.

‘Let me take one of these and we’ll go up onto Princes Street and get the tram back, hopefully it won’t be as full this time.

’

*

Ann led the way around the side of the house to the scullery door.

‘It’s not that you shouldn’t use the front door,’ she explained, ‘I don’t want you to think that matters at all.

It’s just that the storm door is a bit stuck at the moment.

I need to take some sandpaper or something to the side of it.

The wood seems to swell whenever there is heavy rain and then the door jams.’ She turned the doorknob and went inside, digging in her pocket for her key before unlocking the kitchen door.

‘Still leaving it open, then?’ Isobel nodded at the scullery door.

‘You know how it is,’ Ann replied.

‘It’s the same all over.

Doors left unsecured, just in case.

’

‘I know it’s probably unnecessary after all this time, but I can’t help it.

There was a man a few weeks ago who came to the front door.

He was looking for work.

’ She sighed. ‘And I could have sworn, I could really have sworn that it was Finlay. But of course it wasn’t him, and I felt rather foolish.

’ She pushed the kitchen door open with her foot and the warmth from the cast-iron range rushed into the cold scullery, diluting the heat as it spread between the two rooms.

Isobel followed Ann into the kitchen.

‘You left the fire lit?’

‘In your honour. I didn’t bank it up this morning so it’s really only what’s left from last night.

I’m trying to train myself to be less obsessive about it, but it isn’t easy.

I even bought a new fireguard, see?

I’ll put some more coal on now, and then you can get settled.

’ Ann moved the heavy metal mesh, lifted the coal scuttle and shook some lumps onto the pale orange embers.

‘I thought you could have my old room upstairs for now, and you can work out which one you want in a day or two.’

Isobel pointed to the narrow, carpetless staircase that led out of the kitchen and up to the room above the scullery.

‘I was planning to go back to my old room.’

‘I won’t hear of it.

Absolutely not.’

‘Where are you sleeping, if you aren’t upstairs?

I’ll not be moving you out of your own space.

’

Ann smiled. ‘Things have changed a little here. It took me some time to get used to being in the place by myself, and I swithered about it for quite a while. Couldn’t make my mind up at all.

In the end I commandeered the dining room as my bedroom because the doors open out to the garden.

I got some help to move the furniture.

’ She opened the biscuit tin that was sitting on the big table.

‘I made these for you.’

Isobel looked inside.

‘Jumbles!’ She picked one up.

‘It’s been a long time since I had one of these.

’

Ann pushed the tin a little further across the table.

‘Help yourself.’

‘If you’re sleeping in the dining room, where do you eat?

’

‘I do almost everything in here, because it’s warm.

’ Ann opened her arms to include the whole kitchen.

‘It means I only have two fires to light in the winter. And if I’m honest, most of the time I often only bother with this one.

’

‘You don’t heat upstairs at all?

’

‘There isn’t any point.

It would be a waste of good coal.

It’s saved me a fortune, although I can feel the chill coming down the stairs to meet me in the mornings.

But of course, all that will change as soon as you’ve decided which room you want.

’

Isobel nibbled at the almond biscuit.

‘I honestly would prefer to go back into my old room, for now at least. It’s familiar so I think I’ll sleep well up there.

’

‘I suppose that’s alright, if you’re completely sure,’ Ann conceded reluctantly.

‘But not if you’re thinking of being the maid of the house again.

I won’t hear of it.’

‘You’ll be needing some help, though.

’ Isobel was already casting a surreptitious glance along the mantelpiece and checking for dust on the backs of the chairs.

‘Times have changed, Isobel. I’m not saying it’s been easy, but I’ve managed fairly well since Ursula died.

The hardest thing has been the silence, and that won’t be an issue now you’re here.

’

‘I know what that’s like.

When there’s no one to have a meal with, and you find yourself imagining the conversations you might have had.

’

‘Exactly. I walk around this place talking to myself so I don’t forget how to use my voice, some days.

’

‘You can talk to me now.’

‘I know.’ Ann smiled and then frowned immediately afterwards.

‘I don’t like the idea of you being in that tiny room, though, especially when there isn’t a fireplace up there.

But if you really won’t change your mind then I’ve got a little electric fire, and I insist you use it.

’ She put her hand into the biscuit tin and pulled out an irregularly shaped jumble.

‘And you’ll not be getting up before six in the morning either.

You are my guest, so I don’t want to find you down here stirring the porridge before I get up.

’

‘For now.’

‘Pardon?’

‘I’m your guest for now.

But I’ll be needing to find a way to earn a living soon.

My savings are almost used up.

And I have to return the money you sent.

I mean, I’m very grateful to you, but I must repay it.

’

Ann ignored the offer.

‘I will cancel the champagne, then. And here was I thinking we would be having cocktails every evening and canapés at the weekend for guests.’

‘I don’t remember ever making a canapé in this house!

’

‘I was only joking.’ Ann could feel her voice tightening.

‘I don’t miss my old life at all, Isobel.

Just the people who were in it. ’