speech,” said Vilna. “Customary in this country.”
“How exactly did you see Jenny Linden off?” enquired Alexandra.
“I hit her,” said Vilna. “Forget it. We’re on your side, Alexandra.”
“There isn’t a side to be on,” said Alexandra. “Jenny Linden is just a sodding nuisance. I don’t want her saying anything to the fucking newspapers. What has Ned dying got to do with her? I don’t want her coming to the funeral, the bitch!”
“There is no need to swear,” said the wild woman of the mountain tribes, primly.
“So why did you feel obliged to vacuum my house?” enquired Alexandra.
“Because at home whenever I am in a crisis, I clean,” said Vilna, “like many women, and because it needed it, and because I am your friend, and you were coming home to more than enough.”
“Yes, I was,” said Alexandra. “I did. Thank you.” The two women smiled at one another. Alexandra drank her cocktail with a straw bent in the middle, designed to bypass chunks of pineapple, little flags and maraschino cherries. It was absurd. “Where did Abbie find my lace nightie?” asked Alexandra.
“Darling, you are so suspicious. You must not let yourself become paranoic. I have no idea. Your cupboard, your drawer?”
“Under my pillow, I expect. Why did she have to do that? It moves Jenny Linden far too close to Ned. It makes me feel ill.”
“It was just something loose Abbie could throw over Jenny. Like a cloth you throw over a birdcage to keep its occupant quiet.”
“I came to thank you both for helping me out. I’m not quite myself at the moment.”
“You’re welcome,” said Vilna.
“When you saw the body in the morgue,” said Alexandra, “what did Ned look like? I’ve never seen a dead body either. Is it frightening?”
“He didn’t look very dead to me. He looked astonished. Death tautens the jaw, like a facelift. It is very flattering. I was sorry, seeing him lying there, I hadn’t said yes. It’s a criminal waste of opportunity, don’t you think, saying no? We’re on this earth for such a little time; we’re cold and dark for so long.”
“Say no to what? I don’t understand you.”
“He said he kept the door unlocked when you were away so beautiful women could visit him at night. It was an invitation.”
“Vilna, it was a joke. Ned talks like that.”
“He was not my type anyway. And he was married to you. And you are my friend. And the dog would have jumped up. You English and your dogs.”
“It saves security gates,” said Alexandra, “in the middle of the countryside.”
“Your husband looks very peaceful in death and younger than in life. Jenny Linden looked at his corpse and screamed.”
“Jenny Linden saw the body? How do you know?”
“As Abbie and I left the morgue, Jenny Linden was coming in. We nearly crashed into her. Abbie’s a bad, bad driver. We had to stop. They went on. While Abbie was inspecting the damage I heard Jenny Linden scream.”
“Everyone’s been to see the body except for me? Even Jenny Linden?”
“Alexandra,” said Vilna, “you didn’t want to come with us. That was seen as strange.”
“I was exhausted,” said Alexandra. “I was in suspension. You should have waited until I’d been. I can’t see any point in seeing the corpse, it’s been so picked over. I’d rather remember him alive.”
“Ned said you would often be very tired. Career women so often are. It is the penalty men pay in return for their wives’ salaries. I have never worked in all my life. I wouldn’t dream of it.”
She clicked her fingers and her mother appeared from nowhere with more drinks. She was wearing pink rubber sandals with very thick stockings. She went away again. Vilna did not speak to her.
“How does Jenny Linden get to The Cottage? Does she drive or does she walk?” asked Alexandra, choosing to ignore this last. “Or perhaps she comes on a broomstick.”
“She didn’t have her car on Sunday. After I’d hit her and
“How exactly did you see Jenny Linden off?” enquired Alexandra.
“I hit her,” said Vilna. “Forget it. We’re on your side, Alexandra.”
“There isn’t a side to be on,” said Alexandra. “Jenny Linden is just a sodding nuisance. I don’t want her saying anything to the fucking newspapers. What has Ned dying got to do with her? I don’t want her coming to the funeral, the bitch!”
“There is no need to swear,” said the wild woman of the mountain tribes, primly.
“So why did you feel obliged to vacuum my house?” enquired Alexandra.
“Because at home whenever I am in a crisis, I clean,” said Vilna, “like many women, and because it needed it, and because I am your friend, and you were coming home to more than enough.”
“Yes, I was,” said Alexandra. “I did. Thank you.” The two women smiled at one another. Alexandra drank her cocktail with a straw bent in the middle, designed to bypass chunks of pineapple, little flags and maraschino cherries. It was absurd. “Where did Abbie find my lace nightie?” asked Alexandra.
“Darling, you are so suspicious. You must not let yourself become paranoic. I have no idea. Your cupboard, your drawer?”
“Under my pillow, I expect. Why did she have to do that? It moves Jenny Linden far too close to Ned. It makes me feel ill.”
“It was just something loose Abbie could throw over Jenny. Like a cloth you throw over a birdcage to keep its occupant quiet.”
“I came to thank you both for helping me out. I’m not quite myself at the moment.”
“You’re welcome,” said Vilna.
“When you saw the body in the morgue,” said Alexandra, “what did Ned look like? I’ve never seen a dead body either. Is it frightening?”
“He didn’t look very dead to me. He looked astonished. Death tautens the jaw, like a facelift. It is very flattering. I was sorry, seeing him lying there, I hadn’t said yes. It’s a criminal waste of opportunity, don’t you think, saying no? We’re on this earth for such a little time; we’re cold and dark for so long.”
“Say no to what? I don’t understand you.”
“He said he kept the door unlocked when you were away so beautiful women could visit him at night. It was an invitation.”
“Vilna, it was a joke. Ned talks like that.”
“He was not my type anyway. And he was married to you. And you are my friend. And the dog would have jumped up. You English and your dogs.”
“It saves security gates,” said Alexandra, “in the middle of the countryside.”
“Your husband looks very peaceful in death and younger than in life. Jenny Linden looked at his corpse and screamed.”
“Jenny Linden saw the body? How do you know?”
“As Abbie and I left the morgue, Jenny Linden was coming in. We nearly crashed into her. Abbie’s a bad, bad driver. We had to stop. They went on. While Abbie was inspecting the damage I heard Jenny Linden scream.”
“Everyone’s been to see the body except for me? Even Jenny Linden?”
“Alexandra,” said Vilna, “you didn’t want to come with us. That was seen as strange.”
“I was exhausted,” said Alexandra. “I was in suspension. You should have waited until I’d been. I can’t see any point in seeing the corpse, it’s been so picked over. I’d rather remember him alive.”
“Ned said you would often be very tired. Career women so often are. It is the penalty men pay in return for their wives’ salaries. I have never worked in all my life. I wouldn’t dream of it.”
She clicked her fingers and her mother appeared from nowhere with more drinks. She was wearing pink rubber sandals with very thick stockings. She went away again. Vilna did not speak to her.
“How does Jenny Linden get to The Cottage? Does she drive or does she walk?” asked Alexandra, choosing to ignore this last. “Or perhaps she comes on a broomstick.”
“She didn’t have her car on Sunday. After I’d hit her and
Similar Books
