The Broken Hours by Jacqueline Baker

Author:Jacqueline Baker [Baker, Jacqueline]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Talos
Published: 2016-03-01T08:00:00+00:00

2

When I descended in the afternoon, I found Flossie’s door standing open, as if she had been waiting for me. I hesitated a moment on the lowest step, my hand on the balustrade, uncertain. I had been surprisingly untroubled, after our coffee, at my own growing lies, even though Flossie must surely, sooner or later, learn the truth. My employer would not be ill forever. And what was I to do then?

But the fact was, I was enjoying my little charade. Surely as much as Flossie was enjoying hers. Oh, I was not a complete fool. That late-night return from across the way, from the boarding house. I knew very well what she was. And I did not mind. It made it easier for me to do my own pretending. A kind of independence, as Flossie had said. An opportunity to be, however briefly, someone other than who I was. The man I might, with better fortune or wiser decisions, have been.

It was then I heard the second voice, from within, lower than Flossie’s, but unmistakably female. I couldn’t help overhearing; it was hardly eavesdropping. And I thought, illogically, with something like panic: Jane has come.

Arthor? Flossie called out. Is that you?

Her yellow head peeped around the door. You must come in.

I’m just on my way out, I lied.

Oh, but you must, she insisted. You’ve a visitor.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.