The Scent of Heather. V. J. Banis

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СКАЧАТЬ do you do,” Sophie mumbled and made a quick little curtsy. She was a woman well into her middle years but there was something about her that made her seem more “girl” than “woman.” She was frail, almost tiny, with arms like matchsticks, shoulders so bony the dress she wore seemed as if it were draping a skeleton. Her eyes were bright, but the mouth lacked personality and the face was nothing more than a blank expanse. She took refuge behind David, and stared around him at Maggie most queerly.

      “Sophie’s terribly shy, I’m afraid,” David explained, “but an excellent worker. She’ll be all right after she gets used to you and you to her.” He glanced around at the girl. “Mrs. Garrison and Mrs. Shepard will be living here, Sophie. I want you to take real good care of them. Do you understand?”

      “Living here?” Sophie mumbled. She did not seem to grasp what David had said. “Miss Heather....”

      “It’s all right,” David said quickly, cutting Sophie off. “These ladies will live here and you will work for them now.”

      Sophie’s big eyes looked up into David’s face and gave a quick little shake of her head. She gazed at Maggie, then at Rebecca. The ladies smiled indulgently. Sophie just stared at them. Then she darted out from behind David and rushed out of the room.

      “She takes some getting used to,” David said softly, “but I’m sure you will be quite satisfied with her.”

      “While I’m here,” Maggie said, starting in the direction in which Sophie had fled, “I think I’ll check the kitchen supplies and make up a shopping list. It’ll give Sophie a chance to get to know me and vice versa.”

      David glanced after Maggie and then turned to Rebecca. He lowered his voice. “You and your sister will love it here,” he said.

      “Maggie might, but I’m not all that sure about myself.” Rebecca glanced around. “Oh, it’s okay as far as houses go. But houses never meant much to me. Right now I’m more attracted to things like penthouses and the excitement of city life.”

      “Then why in heaven’s name did you agree to come to Pinebrook to lease a house?” He fumbled in his jacket pocket for a cigarette. He shook one out of the pack and offered it to Rebecca.

      “Thanks.” She strolled toward one of the windows that overlooked the garden. David moved to stand beside her. He lit her cigarette.

      “It was really my idea, believe it or not. Losing our husbands was quite a surprise—both of them at once like that. Maggie really took it hard. As I told you, I wasn’t all that broken up about losing George. Naturally I didn’t want to see him dead, but as long as that was the way it happened, I accepted it readily enough. Maggie, though, started to mope around. You’ve seen what she’s like—all that mourning black, the long face, the whole bit. I suggested we get out of the city for a while and find some quiet little corner until she worked herself out of her depression. I thought if I got Maggie away from everything that reminded her of her husband she’d come out of her shell and turn back into being a woman.”

      “I think she’s a very attractive woman,” David said.

      Rebecca nodded. “Yes, under those widow’s weeds Maggie is quite a looker, but she doesn’t think she is. She has this thing about feeling sorry for herself and she expects everyone else to feel that way about her, too.”

      “You must be very fond of your sister to sacrifice your own happiness for her sake.”

      “Oh, I wouldn’t go as far as to say that. I know I’m being foolish to live my life to suit Maggie—at least for the time being—but, you see, Maggie more or less raised me from the time I was a child. So I’m kind of indebted to her, if you know what I mean.”

      “You should never try to live your life for someone else,” David said. “It usually ends up by making everybody concerned unhappy.”

      Maggie came back into the room. David turned to her. “Well, Mrs. Garrison, did everything go all right between you and Sophie?”

      “You’re right, Mr. McCloud. She’s a bit shy and more than just a bit odd, but I think we communicated.”

      “As I told you, she isn’t completely right upstairs,” David said, tapping his temple. “But she’s very sweet, a good worker, honest, dependable and a fantastic cook.”

      “Oh, I’m sure we’ll get along just fine,” Maggie said. “The only disconcerting thing about her is that she kept calling me Miss Heather.”

      “Well, Miss Heather,” Rebecca said pointedly, “shall we follow Mr. McCloud back into Pinebrook and find ourselves a place for the night. I don’t want to stay here. I’m afraid of the dark.”

      David laughed. “I’m afraid there isn’t any hotel in Pinebrook, but we have a nice little rooming house. It’s small but I think Mrs. Johnston, the owner, will make you comfortable.”

      “Do you live in Pinebrook, Mr. McCloud, or do you commute?” Rebecca asked.

      “I own a little place up in the mountains near here but I only go there on weekends or whenever I want to get away from things. During the week I rent a couple of rooms—like a small apartment—from Mrs. Johnston.”

      “Then we’ll be neighbors, at least for tonight,” Rebecca said.

      “That we will.” He gave Rebecca a wink, which Maggie did not see.

      CHAPTER TWO

      Mrs. Johnston was as nondescript looking as her house. She wore a long white skirt, white blouse and apron and looked more like a hospital attendant than an innkeeper. Her hair was dyed pale blonde. She was tall and thin, and her eyes were cool, almost cold. Maggie introduced herself and Rebecca.

      “Yes,” Mrs. Johnston said without smiling. “Mr. McCloud telephoned.” Her voice was pleasant enough and showed a kind of refinement. “I’ve been expecting you. This way, please.” She turned sharply and started along a hallway that ended at a flight of stairs. She marched rather than walked up the stairway with Maggie and Rebecca close behind.

      “In here,” Mrs. Johnston said, pushing open a door. “I don’t serve meals. The room will be eighteen dollars for the night.”

      “Thank you, it will do nicely,” Maggie said as she looked at the barren little white room. It was so bleached out it was depressing, but Maggie reminded herself that there was no other place to stay. “We’ll only be staying for tonight. We’ve leased the Lambert place and plan on moving in tomorrow.”

      Maggie saw the woman’s eyes widen and her chin drop but Mrs. Johnston—although obviously surprised at the news—made no sound. In a moment she regained her composure. She crossed her arms tightly as though hugging back any comment she was tempted to make. “I see,” she said as she straightened herself up to her full height. Saying no more, she pivoted and left Maggie and Rebecca alone.

      Maggie went to the door and closed it. “She certainly is a bundle of charm.”

      Rebecca looked around the room. “You can easily tell she had a hand in decorating this place. I’ve seen the inside of refrigerators that were cozier than this.”

      Maggie laughed, forgetting the friction between them, “Yes, it could use a bit of color. Mrs. Johnston obviously СКАЧАТЬ