The Jeweller's Skin by Ruth Valentine

Author:Ruth Valentine
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Publisher: Cybermouse MultiMedia Ltd.
Published: 2013-11-19T00:00:00+00:00

*

There was a smell of hot tin as she entered the kitchen. ‘One of the pans has boiled dry,’ she said sharply. ‘Peg, put more water, but carefully, it will steam.’

As she put on her apron she heard the hiss of steam behind her, and Rosaleen Shaw’s voice muttering. You should have noticed, she thought, with satisfaction, and went to the table to look at the menu again. June was already slicing cold roast meat.

As the girls were serving up, Rosaleen Shaw came and stood beside her. ‘Anything I should know?’

She pretended ignorance.

‘The Medical Superintendent.. I just wondered.’

‘It was the Chairman as well.’ She watched the woman gape. ‘Sir Timothy. But I have dealt with it.’ She was boasting; but her victory merited boasting. ‘Somebody has complained, a war patient. But I have explained to Sir Timothy. There is no problem.’

‘We should learn from complaints.’ The voice was insincere. ‘Can I ask what it was?’

‘Before you arrived. You see you need not worry.’ But that was rude. I have lost my temper with her once; I need to be careful. ‘A problem with a supplier. One day we were short of food.’ Your friend Mr Hartley, she thought, but moved away.

So I am not so bad, she told herself. Today I had something difficult, a crisis - Rosaleen Shaw would see it as a crisis - and I did well. And perhaps I made it harder for them to fire me. She surveyed the row of puddings, rounded, unblemished, waiting to be taken through to the dining-room; and the white custard jugs on the next trolley. I can do this. I can make all this happen.

‘Good,’ she said, and Peg pushed open the doors.

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