The Lady and the Lake (3 page)

‘Miss
Sinclair
has
arrived,
Mistress.’
Seconds
after
she
spoke
I
heard
Mrs
Grafton
close
the
door
behind
her,
I
could
hardly
see
the
room
let
alone
my
employer,
so
blinded
was
I
by
the
light.

‘You’re
late.’
A
harsh
voice
admonished
me
with
two
simple
words.

I
stepped
forward
out
of
the
sunlight and
looked
in
the
direction
from
which
the
voice
came.

‘Have
you
lost
your
tongue
girl?’

As
I
looked
at
the
owner
of
the
voice
I
could
scarcely
believe
my
eyes.
A
small
female
form
was
sitting
in
an
armchair
by
a
large
granite
fireplace,
she
was
dressed
in
brown
which
matched
the
brown
leather
chair
she
sat
in,
her
feet
resting
on
a
stool
with
an
ebony
stick
leaning
against
her
chair.

What
fascinated
me
more
than
anything
was
the
fact
that
a
black
spotted
veil
covered
her
face,
I
could
just
see
her
grey
hair
and
pallid
face
through
the
fine
mesh
and
quite
garishly,
the
bright
red
rouge
she
wore
on
her
thin
lips.

I
disliked
her
instantly
from
her
harsh
voice
to
the
bony
hands
which
lay
on
her
lap.
‘Don’t
stare
girl,
I’m
not
a
spectacle
at
some
circus.
So
Abbey
Sinclair,
you
are
to
be
my
paid
companion.’
Her
voice
stressed
the
word
paid,
which
caused
me
to
dislike
her
even
further
as
she
continued.
‘My guess
is
you
are
really
named
Abigail,
come
on
girl
speak,
I’m
right,
aren’t
I?’

‘Yes,’
I
managed
to
utter
trying
desperately
to
keep
control
of
my
rising
temper.

‘I
thought
as
much,
well
that’s
what
I
shall
call
you
for
I
don’t
hold
with
pet
names,
we
should
all
use
the
names
that
we
were
given.
Your
job
will
not
be
difficult
as
I
don’t
need
much
company,
I
prefer
my
own,
but
my
eyesight
is
failing
and
I
need
someone
to
read
to
me.
I
take
it
you
can
read,
girl?’

‘Yes,’
I
replied
ungraciously,
for
her
manner
was
irking
me.

‘Thank
the
Lord
for
that
at
least.
Your
clothes
do
not
please
me,
far
too
gaudy,
have
you
anything
grey?’
As
she
spoke
I
looked
down
at
the
mauve
suit
I
had
painstakingly
saved
for
to
make
a
good
impression.
The
flared
skirt
fell
beautifully
across
the
toes
of
my
black
ankle
boots
and
the
jacket
to
match
with
leg
of
mutton
sleeves
was
plain
except
for
some
piping
on
the
wide
lapels,
the
whole
outfit
I
felt
was
quite reserved
and
appropriate.
How
dare
she?
I
was
very
much
my
own
person
and
resented
being
dictated
to
as
to
what
I
should
wear.

‘I
ask
again,
have
you
anything
grey?’
the
voice
reiterated.

‘Yes,’
I
answered,
quite
resolved
to
leave
this
place
as
soon
as
I
left
this
woman’s
presence.

There
was
a
sudden
commotion
behind
me
as
the
door
opened
to
reveal
a
pretty
dark-haired
girl
aged
about
ten
years,
dressed
in
a
pretty
powder
blue
dress
with
white
stockings
and
black
shiny
shoes.

‘Grandmamma;
she
shouted
running
across
to
Mrs
Kershaw
who
put
out
a
bony
hand
to
take
the
child’s
offered
one.

‘Miss
Hayward,
how
many
times
have
I
asked
you
not
to
let
Emily
burst
into
my
room
unannounced?’
As
she
spoke
I
turned
to
look
at
the
recipient
of
Mrs
Kershaw’s
displeasure.

A
tall
serene-looking
young
woman
with
pale
brown
hair
stood
by
the
door, her
hands
clasped
in
front
of
her.
She
was
dressed
in
a
dove
grey
dress
which
fitted
in
at
her
small
waist,
flimsy
grey
frills
fell
from
the
neck
not
quite
concealing
her
slender
white
throat.
She
was
a
lovely
creature.

The
child
gave
life
to
the
drab
room
which
was
sparsely
furnished
with
just
a
large
table
and
two
huge
brown
leather
armchairs.
In
contrast
bright
yellow
curtains
hung
at
the
windows.

‘I’m
sorry
Mrs
Kershaw,
but
the
child
was
longing
to
see
you
and
I
could
not
keep
up
with
her
as
she
ran
down
the
stairs
and
along
the
corridor.’

I
listened
to
Miss
Hayward’s
soft
almost
reverent
voice
and
wondered
how
she
kept
so
calm
at
Mrs
Kershaw’s
manner
towards
her;
I
could
not
be
so
subservient.