‘Lovely morning, isn’t it?’ I asked with studied breezy insouciance.
Laura looked up in surprise. She had been lost in her own thoughts, and I wondered which part of her evening she was recalling.
‘I’m sorry, do I know you?’
‘Lilith Bresson. Court Artist. Enchanted to meet you.’ I offered Laura my hand, which she declined. ‘I understand you had a particularly energetic night.’
There was an involuntary twitch at the corner of her mouth. ‘How the hell do you know what I did last night?’
My false smile vanished. ‘Because after you’d finished with Finn, what was left of him came to see me.’
‘Oh.’
‘Yeah, oh.’
I didn’t have to say anything else then. I just stood there in my sweat-stained t-shirt and stared her down. She looked away first.
‘I’ve been having a hard time. My hus... My ex-husband... That wasn’t me, not really – but Blaine made it sound so…’
‘Easy?’ I suggested. ‘Enjoyable?’
‘She said it was his job.’ She closed her eyes.
‘You’ve just heard yourself, haven’t you? You’ve just listened to your own pathetic attempt at justification, and realised what shit it actually is.’
‘I really don’t want to talk about this.’ Laura Fenworth’s thin, clawed hands toyed with a silver teaspoon.
I leant forward so that she was forced to see my face. ‘That’s because no matter how much you try to justify your actions, or tell yourself the bad lady made you do it, you know that last night was who you become when you think no-one’s watching. Congratulations on your moral bankruptcy, Ms Fenworth.’
Blaine met me in the narrow doorway that led to the staff quarters where she had no doubt been getting the details of last night’s drama from Henry. ‘Good morning, Lilith. I assume some beautifully modulated self-righteous outburst has just paved the way for my meeting with Ms Fenworthy? So thank you. It makes a rather pleasant change to share the workload.’ She strolled away from me and over to the table where her next victim waited, and the scant satisfaction I felt at attacking Laura disappeared at a stroke.
*****
‘Are you working all day?’ Henry asked nonchalantly as he served coffee.
‘I was planning to, but I’m hardly in the mood.’
‘No, I can quite imagine.’ Henry pulled up a chair. ‘Look, Lilith, I can’t apologise enough for last night. You should never have been dragged into it, but to be honest you dealt with Finn far better than I could ever have done.’
‘I didn’t deal with him, Henry, for fuck’s sake – it makes him sound like some kind of wild animal.’
‘I’m sorry. That’s not how it was meant to sound. It’s just that when he gets like that, the outcome tends to be a little… uncertain.’
I backed off. ‘Well, at least we got you out intact this time.’
‘Ah.’ Henry rolled his eyes. ‘Now that was an interesting night.’
‘Have you seen him this morning?’
‘Not yet. Perhaps the poor boy’s actually managed to grab a few hours’ sleep.’
I thought of the half-dozen codeine tablets that had gone from the bottle. ‘Perhaps. So, why did you ask?’
‘Ask what?’ Henry frowned. ‘Oh. That. Ah. It’s just that, well, I’ve got some shopping to do in the village. Finn usually comes with me, but after last night, things might be a little, well…’ he tailed off. ‘I was just wondered if you might fancy a morning off to join us.’
‘Sure.’
‘No, I shouldn’t have asked in the first place. I had no right –’
‘Henry, I’m saying yes. A break from this place would be good. There’re a few things I need myself, and I really don’t fancy staring at Blaine’s face right now.’
‘Oh.’ Henry’s face broke into a delighted grin. ‘That’ll be wonderful. About ten o’clock, at the jetty?’
*****
‘I always take Finn with me for the big shop.’ Henry expertly guided the little boat to shore. ‘He’s rather useful for the heavier items.’
I lay with my face pointed to the sun and idly trailed my fingers in the foaming wake. Opposite me, his eyes focused on some distant point across the lake, sat Finn. He hadn’t said a word from the moment he met us at the tiny landing stage. I wasn’t surprised. I wasn’t exactly ready for conversation myself.