The Aerialists by Katie Munnik

Author:Katie Munnik [Munnik, Katie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2022-03-04T12:00:00+00:00

9 /

AT THE HOUSE, ENA MUST HAVE BEEN WATCHING FOR us because she opened the door as soon as we reached it, welcoming us in.

‘Auguste has only just arrived back himself,’ she said. ‘He was sure you’d be here first, but I told him you two girls were probably enjoying yourselves. Window-shopping in the arcades, were you? Something like that, I’m sure.’

We were hot from walking and Ena looked flushed, too. She turned and walked through the hallway as we took off our hats and set them on the dresser. In the front room, Auguste was standing by the window, his jacket hanging on the back of a chair. Ena stood beside him and didn’t look at him and didn’t look at us, either.

‘Really, Auguste, you shouldn’t be standing there in the window like that in your shirt sleeves.’ Ena’s voice was sharp, and I tried to read her expression, but she kept her face turned away.

‘And you should not worry so much about what hypothetical neighbours may or may not be thinking. But I interrupt. You were about to make an announcement to these young ladies.’

‘Yes. An announcement.’ She cleared her throat. ‘It’s because circumstances have changed that we’ve needed to make new arrangements, and it’s for the best all round. But I’m not being clear. What I mean is you can’t stay here with us. It isn’t respectable.’

‘Ena,’ I said. ‘You mean Grace.’

‘No. I mean both of you. I am sorry.’

‘But Ena,’ I said. ‘This is silly. I’m an employee. Marina needs me. You need me.’

‘Yes, of course, and if it was only you, Laura, but with Grace now arriving out of nowhere, and Monsieur Gaudron, well. I will say no more. Only I have to, because Mrs Warsow is worried about what people might whisper. And then there is the business. Gossip is the last thing we need. That’s why I made arrangements.’

She told us that Grace and I would move across the street to a boarding house run by Mrs Watkins, who would keep an eye on us both as befitted unmarried girls.

‘But you’ll still eat all your meals with us,’ Ena said. ‘And you can leave your sewing machine here with us, Laura. Save you carrying it up all those stairs. You’re not likely going to want it in the evenings, anyway, are you?’

‘It’s at the Exhibition,’ I said. ‘Locked in the shed with the rest of the equipment.’

‘Yes, of course. I wasn’t thinking. Look, it’s only for a matter of a few days. I’m really not trying to make things difficult for anyone. Only, there’s one more thing. Mrs Warsow thought it best – actually, we all agreed we shouldn’t use your real name with Mrs Watkins or with anyone else for now. You didn’t use your names anywhere this morning, did you? Didn’t tell anyone who you were?’

‘No. I don’t think so. At the basket shop. I just gave the shopkeeper a business card. I made a point of doing that. But why does this matter?’

‘I don’t want gossip.

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