You dont need to bother to bring the cases in from the car, I told him. Were camping on the floor in our clothes.
Oh! said Chris. I forgot the
damn cases And he had jumped up to fetch them before he realised I was laughing. He was just deciding whether to laugh or to snarl, when there was a hullabaloo from Aunt Maria upstairs. Mum, who was halfway down, went charging up in a panic, thinking she had fallen out of bed.
When Lavinias here, I always get her to turn the gas and electricity off at ten oclock sharp, Aunt Maria shouted. But you can leave it on since youre my visitors.
As a result of this, I am writing this by candlelight. Mum is on the other side of the candle, making a huge list of all the things we are going to buy for Aunt Maria tomorrow. Reading upside down I can see saucepans and potatoes and fish slice and pruning shears. Mums obviously been not-asked to do some gardening too.
We kept the electricity on until 10.15 in fact, so that we could see to get settled into our rooms. Chriss little room is halfway up the stairs and full of books. I feel envious. I dont mind sharing with Mum, of course, but the bed is not very big and the room is still full of Lavinias things. As Mum said, rather wryly, Lavinia obviously couldnt wait to get away. Her cupboard and drawers are full of clothes. She has left silver-backed brushes on the dressing-table and slippers under the bed, and Mum has got all worried about not making a mess of her things. She has moved the silver brushes and the silver-framed photograph of Lavinia and her mother to a high shelf. Lavinia is one of those people who always look old. I remember thinking she was about ninety when I last came here when I was little. In the photo, Lavinia and her mother might be twins, two old ladies smiling away. One is labelled Mother and one Me so they cant be twins.
Then at 10.15, when Mum was taking the potted plants out of the bath in order to make Chris get into it for what Chris calls washing and I call wallowing in his own mud, someone hammered at the back door. Chris opened it as Mum and I came running. A lady stood there beaming a great torch at us. She was Mums age or maybe younger: you know how hard it is to tell and she had a crisp, clean, nun-like look.
You must be Betty Laker, she said to Mum. Im Elaine. From next door, she added, when she saw that meant nothing. And she marched past Chris and me without noticing us. I brought this torch, she explained, because I thought you would have turned the electricity off by now. She insists on it. She worries about fires in the night.
Chris, said Mum. Find out where the switch is.
Its behind the door here, said Elaine. Turn it off when Ive gone. Ill only stay a moment to make sure you know what needs doing. Were all so glad you could come and look after her. Any problems up to now?
No, said Mum, looking a bit dazed.
Elaine strolled past us into the dining-room where she sauntered here and there, swinging the big torch and looking at Mums knitting and my notebooks and Chriss homework piled on various chairs. She was wearing a crisply belted black mac and she was very thin. I wondered if she was a policewoman. She likes the place tidier than this, Elaine said.
Were in the middle of unpacking, Mum said humbly. Chris looked daggers. He hates Mum crawling to people.
Elaine gave Mum a smile. It put two matching creases on either side of her mouth, but it was not what I would call a real smile. Funny, because she was quite pretty really. Youve gathered that she needs dressing, undressing, washing and her cooking done, she said. The three of you can probably bath her, cant you? Good. And when you want to take her for some air, Ill bring the wheelchair round. It lives at my house because theres more room. And do be careful she doesnt fall over. I expect youll manage. Well all be dropping in to see how youre getting on, anyway. So She looked round again. Ill love you and leave you, she said. She shot Chris, for some reason, another of her strange smiles and marched off again, calling over her shoulder, Dont forget the electricity.
She gives her orders! Chris said. Mum, did you know what we were in for? If you didnt weve been got on false pretences.
I know, but Aunt Maria does need help, Mum said helplessly. Wheres the electricity switch? And are there any candles?
There were two candles. Mum added candles to her list before she got into bed just now. Now shes sitting there saying, These sheets arent very clean. I must wash them tomorrow. Shes not got a washing-machine but there must be a launderette somewhere in the place. Then she went on to, Mig, youve written reams. Stop and come to bed now or there wont be any of that notebook left. She was beginning on, There wont be any of that candle left either when Chris came storming in wearing just his pants.
He said, I dont know what this is. It was under my pillow. He threw something stormily on the floor and went away again.
It is pink and frilly and called St Margaret. We think it is probably Lavinias nightdress. Mum has spent the last quarter of an hour marvelling about it. She must have been called away in a hurry after all, she said, preparing to have more agonies of guilt. Shed already moved down to the little room to make room for us. Oh, I feel awful.