Seven Days in May by Kim Izzo

Author:Kim Izzo
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins Canada
Published: 2017-03-22T16:00:00+00:00

MAY 5

Isabel

She hardly slept all night. But a lack of sleep wasn’t going to affect her course of action. Isabel took only a cursory glance at the lipstick on her dressing table before picking it up. Her finger expertly glided the colour across her mouth. She rubbed her lips together. Perfect. She put her hair up but not in the severe bun. Instead a chignon with soft wisps would do nicely. If Mrs. Burns wanted to paint her as a scarlet woman then she’d better dress the part.

She clattered down the steps of the boarding house and out the door. The skies were overcast again but there was a hint of blue peering through the murk and it was warm enough to make do with a cardigan. The bus ride seemed longer than usual. She was anxious to get this over with. She could scarcely tolerate Mrs. Burns’s fierce eyes and witchy demeanour. Who was she really? Why was she or Mildred Fox any better than her?

The bus left Isabel in Trafalgar Square, which was packed with people on their way to work or the galleries. A group of schoolchildren were climbing up the stone lions as their schoolmistress was trying in vain to chase them down. Isabel touched the statue of Lord Nelson for luck, then walked down Whitehall, passing several navy and army personnel. Then she was standing once again in front of the Old Admiralty Building. Isabel paused briefly to work up the courage and then stepped inside.

The door to Mrs. Burns’s office was closed. Isabel knocked.

“Come in.”

Isabel took a deep breath and opened the door. She found Mrs. Burns, not bothering to glance up at her, writing in a ledger. Isabel waited. Eventually the older woman closed the ledger, removed her spectacles and, with a stern face, looked at Isabel. Seeing the lipstick and loose chignon, she scowled, creating a deep V between her brows.

“Please be seated, Isabel,” she said, and waved to the chair directly across from her. Isabel said not a word as she sat down, folded her hands in her lap and without hesitation crossed her legs, which didn’t go unnoticed by Mrs. Burns.

“I’ve given the matter a great deal of thought,” the older woman said. Isabel stared blankly, determined not to show emotion. Her composure made Mrs. Burns uncomfortable and she shifted in her chair. “And while I appreciate your dedication to Room 40, I fear you will be too much of a distraction should your past become known. There are too many single men working there and, well, they cannot be blamed for following urges should the truth get out. But you’ll be pleased to know that I have a heart and I’ve decided to find you a place as a charwoman.”

Mrs. Burns smiled as though that settled the matter. Isabel’s face remained blank.

“Have you nothing to say, Miss Nelson?”

“No,” Isabel answered. In truth she was deciding exactly what to say, how much to say and at what volume.

Her response flustered Mrs.

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