The room was small, but exquisitely tidy and clean. Anne told Mrs Bobbett that she would take it, and went down to Miss Carstairs with a feeling of exhilaration which dropped suddenly from a full peak of almost breathless confidence into a vague feeling of distress. She didn’t know what it was, or where it came from. It wasn’t like her at all, but she couldn’t shake it off. It stayed with her and tinged the day with foreboding.
She told herself it was the weather. They were all ready to go out, when the rain came down and Miss Carstairs said crossly that she never went out when it was raining.
‘I don’t know why we put up with this climate at all! I should think when they’re always inventing things they might just as well do something about the weather! Rain so many days, and at night, instead of in the morning when one wants to go out and do things!’
‘Everybody would want something different,’ said Anne. ’People who were going out in the evening wouldn’t want it to be wet then. And who would decide when it was to rain? Nothing they did would suit everyone, and the people it didn’t suit would get up societies, and processions, and meetings.’
‘Well, that would be something to do, wouldn’t it?’ said Miss Carstairs crossly. Then she made a face and burst out laughing. ‘You know, I hate to be dull. When I’m at home I can do all sorts of things-turn out old letters, old photographs. There’s a lot in doing that. You can make the past live again, and some of it wasn’t too bad. But when I’m away from home I expect to go about and enjoy myself. And frankly, it’s a relief getting rid of Ada -for a bit anyhow. I wouldn’t like to feel I wasn’t going to see her again or anything like that, but there are times when I can do without her. And my conscience doesn’t bother me when she’s gone on her own affairs. Perhaps you didn’t think I’d got a conscience, but I have.’
It cleared up after lunch, and they went out. Anne, urged by Miss Carstairs, bought the stuff for two nightgowns.
CHAPTER 40
Lizabet looked into the sitting-room and saw Anne there alone. She came in, shut the door after her, and sat down on the arm of a chair a little to one side of Anne. Anne had cut out the two nightgowns and was sewing on a long pink seam. She looked up when Lizabet came in and waited for her to speak. Lizabet looked her over, but she didn’t speak. Anne felt herself colouring. She looked down at her work and went on sewing. As soon as she looked away Lizabet said, ‘How long are you going to stay here?’
Anne looked up.
‘I don’t know.’
‘Hadn’t you better think about it?’
Anne put her work down and looked at her.
‘You don’t like my being here.’
Lizabet tossed her head.
‘Isn’t that funny of me!’
‘I think it is rather. Why do you mind?’
Lizabet put her hands down on the arm of the chair and leaned forward.
‘Who are you? Where do you come from? Why are you hiding?’
‘I’m not hiding.’
Lizabet tossed her head.
‘Oh, yes, you are. Janet says not to talk about your being here-not to anyone. Why does she do that if you haven’t got something to hide? Something horrid! And I won’t have it! I won’t have you dragging Janet into whatever you’re mixed up in! And it’s no use telling me you’re not mixed up in anything, because I wouldn’t believe you! Do you hear-I wouldn’t believe you!’
What does one say to an unreasonable jealous child? Anne didn’t know. For Janet’s sake she would do what she could. She said, ‘You are making it very difficult, you know.’
‘I am making it difficult?’
‘Well, you’re not making it easy. I’m sorry you don’t like my being here. It will only be for a little while.’
Lizabet tossed her head.
‘Am I expected to like it?’
Anne was divided between a desire to laugh and a desire to cry. She managed the laugh, but it was rather a shaky one.
‘Lizabet, don’t be so difficult. Can’t you put up with me for a week or two?’
‘If it were really only for a week or two-’
‘It won’t be for longer. I’ll promise you that, if you like.’
Lizabet coloured suddenly, deeply. She stamped with her foot.
‘Do you think I believe anything you say? Well then, I don’t-I don’t-I don’t!’
As she reached the second ‘don’t’, they both heard the front door close on the floor below. Lizabet swung round and ran out of the room. Anne could hear her running up to the next floor and banging her door. She herself was shaking all over. She would have to get out as soon as she could. Lizabet was a spoilt child. But Janet-it wasn’t fair to Janet. She must get away as soon as she decently could.
Janet had been to see Miss Silver. She went because she wanted to talk about Anne. Did Miss Silver think that Jim Fancourt was really in earnest and really to be trusted?
Miss Silver did. And gave her reasons. Having got so far, Janet hesitated, and then came out with, ‘I’m having a very difficult time with my cousin. She has been thoroughly spoilt… Oh, not by me. She hasn’t been with me for very long, but she’s been very difficult. You see, she’s been the first object of consideration both with her grandfather and with her old nurse, and she’s jealous. She’s only seventeen. It’s not Anne’s fault at all. She has done everything she can to make friends with her, but Lizabet simply won’t. And I wondered-’ She stopped and fixed her distressed eyes on Miss Silver.
‘What did you wonder, my dear?’
Janet said, ‘I don’t know. It’s not like me to be uncertain about what I should do, but I am. Lizabet is so young and she’s been so spoilt, she might do anything. But if it’s only for a little time, I can manage her, I think.’
She came away a good deal relieved and encouraged. Miss Silver did not think that she would need to be responsible for Anne for very long. She thought that there would be developments soon, and anyhow she was convinced that she could find suitable accommodation for her.
‘It might be better if she were near you without being under the same roof. You could go and see her without rousing up this tiresome jealousy on your cousin’s part.’
Janet returned home much encouraged. She was a great deal too much taken up with her thoughts to notice the man who had been hanging about in the street opposite Miss Silver’s, and who turned and followed her when she left.
CHAPTER 41
Lizabet was looking out of her window. She was full of jealousy and anger and spite. Janet had come into the house, but she hadn’t come to look for her. She had gone into the sitting-room, and there she was, talking to Anne. Before Anne came to them it was Lizabet whom she would have called out for the moment she came in. Now she went straight into the sitting room and stayed there talking to Anne! She stamped her foot so hard that it hurt, and stared out at the quiet street.
There was a man there. He was looking at the numbers. Presently he turned away and crossed over. Lizabet had the strangest idea that he had been on the point of ringing their bell and had thought better of it. She picked up a hat and ran lightly down the stairs. If Janet came out of the sitting-room, she could say she was going to the post. But Janet didn’t come out. They were much too busy talking to know, or to care, that she had come down. A sharp little jab of anger caught her as she opened the front door and looked up the road.
The man was about half-way to the corner. She needn’t speak to him. She could catch him up easily enough without his noticing. She could just walk past him and go up to the pillar-box at the corner and pretend to be posting something, and that would give her a good opportunity of looking at him. If she liked him, she would say something. If she didn’t like him, there was no harm done.