A Friend of the Family by Marcia Willett

Author:Marcia Willett
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Published: 1995-09-25T04:00:00+00:00

THE SALON WAS MORE like a bistro than a hairdressing establishment. The walls were whitewashed stone, the lighting flattering, and at one end people drinking coffee sat on painted wooden chairs at scrubbed pine tables. A large blackboard hung on the wall listing exotic dishes and there was a little bar in one corner.

Polly announced herself to the receptionist, who looked about twelve, and the girl vanished through a curtain at the back, no doubt in order to summon Tony. Polly looked around; there were only two basins, cleverly concealed in an alcove, and two padded chairs, set at angles away from each other, before huge mirrors with heavy wooden frames.

‘You must be Polly!’

Polly swung round. Tony was an old Harrovian, tall and tanned— he was just back from a skiing holiday in Austria—with blond hair cut short around his ears and neck but left long on top. He wore his old school tie round the collar of a cream raw silk shirt which was tucked into green cords.

‘Hello.’ They shook hands. ‘And you must be Tony.’

‘Absolutely. Suzy told me what happened and I think that it’s very brave of you to come.’

‘Suzy told you? On the phone?’ Polly was shocked.

Tony ushered her to one of the chairs. ‘Certainly. Very sensible of her. Then we all know where we are, you see. The thing is to take your mind off things until you’ve calmed down a bit. Amazing the things that people do when they’ve had a shock. Now then.’

He lifted bits of her hair and rubbed them in his fingers, staring at her in the mirror with narrowed eyes.

‘All this off, I think. Yes? Short, straight, sleek. Yes?’

‘My husband likes it long,’ protested Polly feebly, huddling nervously in her chair and still feeling unsettled by the fact that this stranger knew all about her private life.

‘My dear girl'—Tony bent close and their eyes met in the mirror-’does that matter in your present circumstances?’

Polly stared at him mesmerised. He gave a sharp nod and called for a minion. Another girl appeared, looking even younger than the first. She was dressed from head to foot in black: black polo neck, brief black skirt, long black woollen legs, flat black pumps. She took away Polly’s jacket, wrapped her in waterproof garments and led her to one of the basins.

‘Lean back, that’s it. Head comfortable? Tell me if the water gets too hot.’

It was impossible to nod so Polly gargled assent and closed her eyes. She loved having her hair washed: the warm water, the massaging fingers, the smell of shampoo and then the warm fluffy towels. Bliss. Far too soon it was over and she was sitting once more in the padded chair. The girl smiled encouragingly at her. ‘Coffee?’ she asked.

‘Oh, yes please,’ said Polly fervently, remembering the wild raspberry tea.

Tony appeared. He combed her hair, picked up his scissors and smiled. ‘Ready?’

Polly nodded.

‘Want to talk?’

Polly shook her head.

‘Off we go then.’

He snipped away, twisting great swatches of hair on to the top of her head and holding them in place with enormous, brightly coloured bulldog clips.

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