A Darker Music Read Online Free PDF Page B

hands, folded together in her lap. They were large hands, very white and painfully thin. ‘No,’ she murmured. ‘You’re entitled to some time off, I suppose.’
    ‘Yes,’ Mary told her firmly. ‘It’s often difficult in this kind of work, but it’s important for my sanity to have a break.’
    ‘You could go and see the wildflowers,’ Clio said, after a pause. ‘I expect you’d like that. There’s a reserve where they’re very good. Or were, last time I visited. Cec will know.’
    ‘That’s good news. Will they be out while I’m here?‘
    Clio’s face closed down, and when she answered her tone was cold. ‘I’ve got no idea how long you’ll be here. I don’t know what arrangement you’ve made with my husband.’
    Mary was shocked. Did the couple’s non-communication extend so far? She tried to smooth the woman’s ruffled feathers. ‘The arrangement was that I’d be here for two or three months, until you’re well enough to take over again.’
    Clio was staring out through the windows, a slight frown between her eyebrows. ‘I’ve been trying to work out what persuaded Paul to employ someone,’ she said at last. ‘It wasn’t to make life easier for me, you can be sure of that.’
    ‘I expect it was to make life easier for him.’
    Clio ignored her. She was still gazing abstractedly out to the cold garden. ‘You know, with all the things that have been happening to me in the past few months, I’d almost forgotten.’
    Mary waited for her to elaborate.
    ‘Alyssa. This has to be for Alyssa.’
    ‘Alyssa?’
    Clio turned to face her. ‘They haven’t told you about Alyssa?’ ‘No.’
    ‘Ah. Well, Martin’s getting married to Alyssa. In October.’
    ‘Oh. Right.’
    ‘And when Alyssa comes to live here, Paul will want the place to be looking its best.’
    Questions were crowding into Mary’s head, but before she could ask any of them, Clio’s chin lifted. With bitterness colouring her voice she went on, ‘I can’t help wondering what he intends to do with me. I do know he’s delighted with Alyssa. He can’t wait to be a grandfather.’
    Mary was at a loss to know how to respond to this and cast about for something that might defuse the situation. ‘Paul said something about the garden …’
    Now Clio’s face registered shock. ‘The garden! The garden’s mine!’
    Mary tried to be diplomatic. ‘I think he was concerned that you might not be well enough to do anything heavy.’
    Clio shook her head. Tears had begun to well in her eyes, and she lowered her head to conceal them, lifting her arm to dab them away on the frill of cotton at her wrist. Mary felt dreadful.
    When she spoke again, Clio’s voice was very low. ‘He’s right, of course. I’m not nearly fit enough for that.’ Her eyes were still brilliant with tears. ‘Do you know anything about gardening?’
    ‘Yes, I do.’
    ‘Then I suppose I’ll have to let you get on with it. But please, don’t do anything without talking to me first. Don’t ask Paul or Martin — neither of them knows a damned thing about it.’
    Mary understood that, for Clio, handing her garden over to a stranger would be like putting a child up for adoption.
    ‘The bulbs will start coming up about now. I can tell you what to look out for. They’ll have to be weeded, and you’ll need to watch where you put your feet. After you’ve got rid of the weeds, you can mulch them with some of the composted sheep manure.’
    Mary was taken aback to hear such unequivocal commands. ‘Yes,’ she said. ‘I won’t do anything without checking with you first.’
    ‘If you can spare the time from your social life.’
    Mary decided to ignore that. Clio wasn’t well, and she’d have to make allowances. She liked gardening, and to have charge of this one would be a welcome change from cleaning and cooking. Old gardens could be full of wonderful surprises, and spring was on the way.
    She collected their empty cups and carried them over to the sink.