Bertie Plays the Blues by Smith Alexander McCall
Author:Smith, Alexander McCall [Smith, Alexander McCall]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Humour, Contemporary, Adult, Mystery
ISBN: 9780307948502
Goodreads: 17883696
Publisher: Anchor
Published: 2011-01-01T08:00:00+00:00
42. Anna Takes Command
They went into the room that served as a nursery. It had been only half-prepared for its new inhabitants, with two of the walls decorated in the bright primary colours of childhood, with cheerful pictures to match, while the other two â unfinished projects of Matthewâs â were still eggshell blue, with the framed pictures of the Trossachs that had been left behind by the flatâs previous owners. Under the window, neatly lined up, were the three cribs in which the boys slept.
Two of the infants were now awake, one crying and the other lying on his back staring up at the ceiling. Anna made her way across the room and bent down to pick up the crying child.
âHeâs very beautiful,â she said. âDonât cry, little one.â She turned to Elspeth. âWhich one is this?â
Elspeth sighed; even as they had stood at the nursery door she had begun to dread this moment. What would Anna think of a mother who did not even know which of her children was which? What would she think of Scotland? âIâm afraid I donât really know,â she muttered. âNot for certain, anyway â¦â
Anna smiled. âYouâve mixed them up?â
There was no accusing tone to the question and Elspeth answered it openly, and with relief. âMatthew took off their identification bracelets,â she said. âHe didnât realise â¦â
Annaâs smile broadened. âIt must be so easy to do that,â she said. âI hope that you didnât blame him.â
âOf course not,â said Elspeth quickly. And that was true, she thought; she had been too tired to blame Matthew for that, or for anything, for that matter.
âSo what we need to do is to decide which is which,â said Anna. âAnd then I know how to make sure that we donât mix them up again.â She touched the baby gently on the cheek. âWhich would you like this one to be?â she asked.
âRognvald,â said Elspeth. âOr maybe â¦â
She did not finish. âRognvald suits him very well,â said Anna. âRight, if you hold him for me, Elspeth, we shall make sure that he remains Rognvald.â
Elspeth took the baby. It is very strange, she thought, but I donât dread holding him any more. She felt calmer, more in control of the situation now that Anna was there; Rognvald was no threat.
Anna left the room and returned a moment later with two small bottles in her hand. âThese are from my rucksack,â she explained. âNail varnish.â
She now opened a bottle of red varnish and unscrewed the small brush-top. âRight,â she said. âCould you show me little Rognvaldâs toes? Just the right foot, I think.â
Elspeth complied, removing the tiny bedsock in which Rognvaldâs right foot was sheathed. So small, she thought; so small and pink.
Anna touched the little boyâs minute toes. âSo perfect,â she said. âAnd you made him, Elspeth. Isnât that a miracle?â
Elspeth looked at her sonâs toes. She wanted to cry again, and felt the first welling of tears. Gratitude. Relief. Love.
âThere, my little darling,â said Anna as she daubed a speck of red nail varnish on the exposed toenails.
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