Deceit of Angels by Julia Bell

about
since Mrs Wilby always took herself off to the lounge to watch telly after
their evening meal and Ben was working in the garden.
    She
stooped down and took an ashtray from the cupboard.  Putting the ashtray in the
sink, she dropped the letter in the base, collected the matches and set fire to
it.  As the orange flame consumed each part, she felt purged from all the
pain. 
    Anna
smiled as she rinsed the black flaky scraps down the plug-hole.
    “Good
riddance to you,” she said, grinning.  It was then she heard the high pitched
wailing noise coming from the left-hand side of the kitchen. At first she
looked up in bewilderment at the round, cream coloured box, situated to one
side of the cooker and then realisation dawned on her.  “Oh, bugger!” she said
and looked towards the hallway knowing that Jason would be able to hear the
smoke alarm in the office.   
    Anna
dragged a chair across the floor and jumped up onto it, grabbing the folded
newspaper from the work surface and using it to cause a draught.
    Jason
burst in at the door.  He glanced around the kitchen and then at Anna.  “What
are you doing?” he shouted, trying to make himself heard above the din.
    Anna
suspended her actions and stared down at him.  She could barely hear him. 
“This stupid alarm went off.  I’m trying to stop it,” she shouted back.
    Suddenly
the alarm did stop and a wonderful silence filled the room.  Anna stayed up on
the chair wondering how she was going to get out of this one.  Jason strode
across the floor and helped her down.
    “And
why was the alarm going off?” he said.  Anna shrugged her shoulders and pressed
her lips together in a non-committal grimace.  Jason glanced around the
kitchen.  “Something has been burning, I can smell it.  What on earth have you
been doing?”
    “It
must have been the toast I made myself.  Never was any good at cooking.”  She
began to feel silly. 
    He
narrowed his eyes.  “Toast! But we’ve just had dinner.”  He moved the chair
back to its place and spotted the ashtray in the sink.  “What’s this doing
here?” 
    “Mrs
Thompson must have left it there until she had time to wash it,” said Anna, her
mouth drying somewhat.
    “Who
would have used one today?  No one’s been to the house.”
    Anna
thought rapidly.  “Must be Ben’s.”
    “I
don’t think so.  Ben can only smoke outside or in his room and he has to clean
his own ashtrays.”
    Anna
thought again.  “Mr Tyler came yesterday.  I remember having to get him one.  I
must have forgotten to take it out of the office and Mrs Thompson probably
found it this morning when she came to clean.”  Jason was about to make another
comment when Anna said hurriedly, “I think I’ll go for a walk, unless you want
me to do anything for you?”
    Jason
didn’t answer so she decided to make her escape.
    As
she turned to go, he caught her by the arm and put his hands on her shoulders. 
“Anna, I hope you regard me as your friend as well as your employer.”
    “Of
course I do.  You’re a very kind and generous man and I’ve enjoyed working for
you.”
    “Oh!
A very kind and generous man.  Is that how you think of me?”
    “Well,
yes.  Also considerate and pleasant and...”
    “Very
nice into the bargain!  How boring,” he interrupted her. “Look Anna, I know
lying is sometimes necessary, I’ve been in business long enough to know that. 
But what I want to know is why are you lying about the ashtray?”
    Anna
felt the colour rush to her face and she gulped down a large lump in her
throat.  “What do you mean?”
    He
paused for a few seconds.  When he answered he spoke gently, as though he
didn’t want to hurt her feelings.  “You were right, Mr Tyler did come to see me
yesterday and he has smoked heavily for years.  However, I happen to know he’s
under strict instructions from the doctor to give it up.  So, yesterday he
didn’t smoke for the whole two hours he was with me.”