Fiends of the Family: A twisty Australian psychological thriller (Pat Flower Australian Thrillers) by Flower Pat

Author:Flower, Pat
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sapere Books
Published: 2023-07-27T00:00:00+00:00

VII

Wasn’t it bound to happen? Their life was humdrum and restricted. They had no advantages, no climate for growth and blossom. After prayer and hope failed there was only desperation. The aim was a narrow one and the vision out of focus, distorted by circumstances. Perhaps they would never have reached even an illusion of freedom without grabbing when opportunity offered.

After the Peggy lunch there was a change in Virginia. Was it because of Maggie’s deceit? Was it because the strain was at last telling upon her? Or was she hatching some new mischief?

On Monday she spoke only to Stella. She was kind to Stella. Making her lie down to conserve her strength, bringing her iced drinks, very ginny, for the weather had changed capriciously and become an early summer. Bringing her books she may not have read, telling her which television programmes were on at what time. Taking her own lunch and Stella’s out to the back veranda and chatting amiably about the perilous world situation. After lunch she pottered about in her gardening shed.

At four Virginia showered, took great pains with her hair and make-up and put on one of her most becoming dresses, a new blue linen.

‘Blimey!’ Maggie said rudely.

Virginia remained silent. She hadn’t spoken to Maggie since Peggy’s visit of the day before.

Harold called at a quarter to six and Virginia met him on the front veranda.

‘How nice of you to invite me,’ he said.

‘Stella wanted it. She is rather pining.’ A wide, generous smile.

She took him straight through to Stella’s bedroom. ‘You two would like to be alone, I’m sure. Lots to talk about. There are drinks in the kitchen, Stella. You could take them out with Harold on the side veranda where it’s warm. Then I can get on with dinner in the kitchen.’

‘Oh, Virgie, how kind of you.’

Harold was holding Stella’s hands and looking at her with kind concern. More than kind? Virginia heard him say something about Stella needing a change as she walked away, leaving the door open for the proprieties.

She went to the kitchen for ice and olives and took them into the sitting room.

‘Well, they’re happy,’ she said to Maggie. She was trying out the new second-hand chair.

‘We’re speaking again, are we?’

‘Now that you’re sorry for your abortive escapade of yesterday…’

Maggie laughed. ‘It was ghastly, I’ll admit. It’s a funny thing, Virginia, but I don’t seem to be able to stand other people any more. I can’t put up with them. We’ve missed nothing there, have we? They seem so ordinary.’

‘Yes.’ She gave Maggie a drink and sat down with her own, putting three olives into her mouth.

‘I don’t know how you can enjoy them that way, all that mouthful of stones.’

Virginia chewed and spat out the stones. ‘We’re lucky we’ve still got our own teeth.’

‘Teeth and conscience.’

‘My dear Maggie! Conscience?’

‘Surely they’re not in her bedroom?’ Maggie lowered her voice.

‘With the door open. They’ll be out on the side veranda now with their drinks. I arranged it all. I

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