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.Things at work which he’ll soon have sorted.”“What about you?” Anne asked.“How are you sleeping?”“Not well.I have the feeling that everything’s breaking down all around me and despite my effort I’m not going to be able to hold it together.” She managed a smile.“Godfrey says I’m menopausal.He’s probably right.But then men blame everything on hormones, don’t they?”“Have you thought of seeing a doctor?”“God, no.I hate them.”Barbara lifted the tray of scones onto a bench and began to wipe down the table with a violent scrubbing motion.Anne wished she hadn’t come.She didn’t want the responsibility.The woman was cracking up and she didn’t want to think that it might be her fault.“Isn’t there someone you can talk to? Family? Friends?”“Of course not.Why do you think I got in touch with you?” She stopped abruptly.“I’m sorry.That was rude.I don’t have any family and all my friends know Godfrey too.”She made tea in a white pot.From the fridge she took out a plate of sandwiches covered in cling film and a Tupperware box of small cakes which she arranged on a doily-covered plate.The action seemed to calm her.“I’ll let Felicity have hers on a tray in front of the television,” she said.“A treat.”“Perhaps we could have ours outside?” Anne suggested.“It’s so hot.”“Outside?” The idea seemed to horrify her.“Oh, I don’t think so.All those bugs.” She continued to lay the kitchen table with plates, knives and napkins.Anne moved her chair so the sun wasn’t shining directly into her eyes.“What exactly is worrying you?” she asked gently.Barbara concentrated on spooning jam into a bowl and seemed not to hear.“Do you know,” she said.“After all this, that girl dying and the police at his office asking questions, Godfrey’s still determined to go ahead with the quarry.”“I suppose there’s no reason why he shouldn’t.Certainly nothing in our report will stop it.”Barbara stood quite still, the jam spoon poised in mid air over the bowl.She looked up at Anne with something close to despair.“Neville Furness will have got his way then.” “I’m sorry,” Anne said, “but I don’t understand what Neville’s got to gain from it.I don’t understand why he affects you so much.” She paused.“You’re scared of him, aren’t you?” , Barbara nodded, but didn’t speak.Anne felt like shaking her.“For Christ’s sake, why?”“Because of what he’s doing to Godfrey.” “You said that when I was last here but it doesn’t make sense.Godfrey’s the boss.There must be something that you’re not telling me.”Barbara looked at her dumbly.“Don’t bother then,” Anne said crossly.“It’s nothing to do with me anyway.” “No,” Barbara said.“I’ve got to tell someone.”There was a movement in the hall which Barbara must have seen through the frosted glass door because she stopped.The door opened and Felicity came in.She had changed from her school uniform into pink shorts and a pink T-shirt.She was large for her age and the outfit didn’t flatter her.“I’ve come for my tea,” she said.“Of course, darling.I’ll put it on a tray.You can have it in front of the television.”“I want it here with you.”Barbara’s hands, setting the tray, started to shake.“Not today, darling.I want to talk to my friend.”“Why can’t I talk too?”“You can,” Barbara said.Anne thought she was showing remarkable restraint.“But not today.Here, I’ll carry it into the living room for you.”They looked at each other for a moment.Felicity seemed to consider putting up a fight but thought better of it.She scowled and followed her mother from the room.When Barbara returned to the kitchen the impulse to confide in Anne seemed to have passed.Anne wondered irrationally if the child had some evil influence over her.She poured tea, urged Anne to eat, as if the earlier outburst had never occurred.“You were talking about Neville,” Anne said.“I don’t understand why he’s so committed to the project.What can he hope to get out of it?”“Money, of course.That’s obvious.That’s why he left the Fulwells because Godfrey offered him a financial incentive.He’s easily bought.” The answer came readily but Anne thought there must be more to it than that.“Does he need money that much?”Barbara seemed confused by the question.“Did you know that he’s talking about resigning from his job at Slateburn?” Anne said.She thought Barbara might be pleased by the information.Didn’t she want Godfrey out of Neville’s clutches? But it seemed to disturb her further [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]