Secretary Wife by Rachel Lindsay

Author:Rachel Lindsay
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINE

TO Laura's surprise, Duncan became a frequent visitor to Holly Grove, dining with them once a week and always making up a fourth for bridge on Sunday evening.

With all the will in the world Laura could not simulate an interest in cards, and on a Sunday she and Mary would go to the cinema. Having the nurse in the house was a constant source of comfort, for she was the only person with whom Laura had no need to pretend. When the bitterness she felt towards Rosemary exploded into something verbal, she had no need to monitor her outbursts if Mary was with her, and when her love for Carl depressed her, she did not have to hide it by a false smile.

'It's all such a waste,' she exclaimed one Sunday, when her mood was especially low. 'Why did Carl have to be the one to fall from that scaffolding?'

'That sort of question can never be answered. You should stop thinking about it.'

'I can't.'

'Do you want him to know you love him?'

'Of course not.'

'Then take a good look at yourself in the mirror. If you get any thinner, he'll begin to suspect there's something wrong with you—and it won't take him long to guess what it is. I hate having to use a cliché, but you've got to pull yourself together.'

'How?' Laura asked bitterly. 'Do I run around pretending I'm looking forward to the future!'

'You can at least stop looking as if the end of the world is imminent.'

'It is for me.'

There was a momentary silence. 'I'm sorry, Laura. I know how you feel, but since you keep saying you don't want him to know…

'Thanks for reminding me,' Laura said. 'Though heaven knows how I can pretend I don't care.'

'Find yourself something to do. Haven't you got a hobby?'

'I haven't had much time for one. Even at weekends I used to take work home from the office.'

'A labour of love,' Mary smiled.

'I never regarded it as labour of any kind. It was extremely interesting work. You don't need to be an architect or an engineer to know if building plans are good or bad. You just need common sense—which most architects don't seem to have!'

'I've heard that comment before!' the nurse quipped.

'It's Carl's favourite one,' Laura smiled. 'Maybe I'll start going to the office with him. At least it will give me something to do.'

To Laura's surprise, Carl refused point blank to let her undertake any of the responsibilities she had once done as his secretary.

'You are my wife and I won't have you acting as anything else,' he declared.

'But I'm bored doing nothing.'

'What do other wives do?'

'They run a home and look after children.' She stopped. 'I'm sorry, Carl, that was a stupid thing to say.'

It was a normal thing to say.'

They were at the breakfast table, sitting opposite each other in the small room which gave on to the gaily tiled patio. In the summer the patio would catch the early morning sunshine and when the weather became less inclement they would be able to have breakfast there.

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