The Girls in the Garden by Lisa Jewell

Author:Lisa Jewell
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Atria Books

17

Adele loved the entrance to Rhea’s apartment block: double doors, wood paneling, claret carpets, the smell of beeswax, and the click and whirr of the ancient elevator with its concertina doors polished to a high shine. She took the stairs to the second floor and Rhea greeted her at her front door.

“You’ll have to excuse me,” Rhea said, gesturing at her outfit of pilled orange polo-neck, baggy gray leggings, and ancient sheepskin slippers. “I’m not in my Sunday best.”

“You look lovely, Rhea. You always look lovely.”

She clutched at her throat and her earlobes. “I feel naked without my bling,” she said, laughing. “Give me a minute!”

She ushered Adele into her living room, where she’d already laid out gilt-rimmed teacups and saucers and plates of chocolate-­topped cookies, cheese puffs, and sugared almonds.

Her giant rabbit sat in a fleece-lined bed staring at Adele impassively, his nose twitching. And all around were the trophies of Rhea’s life: framed family photos filled every inch of every wall, at least half a dozen different graduation photographs from three different decades, formal portraits and collaged arrangements of sun-faded snaps. Every surface was covered with some kind of lace topping, including the backs of her block-cut velour sofas. Upon her carpeted floor lay a patchwork of extraneous rugs of varying shapes and textures. French doors onto her balcony framed the most exquisite view of the park. From here you could see virtually the entire sweep. Adele stepped onto the balcony and looked down.

A group of young mothers with their toddlers and babies was sitting just there, in the very spot where Phoebe’s body had been found twenty-three years earlier.

Rhea returned, a huge gilt-rimmed teapot in one hand, another packet of cookies in the other, her neck adorned once more with ropes of gold.

“This weather!” said Rhea. “It can’t last! Surely!”

“Apparently we’re set for a long hot summer,” said Adele.

“Well, that would be nice for a change.” She laid the pot on the table, her hand shaking slightly, then sat down next to Adele and appraised her warmly. “How are your family?”

“They’re fine, thank you,” Adele replied.

“Your beautiful girls?”

“They’re doing great.”

“And your handsome husband?”

“Still handsome.”

“And what about your father-in-law? I hear he is your guest for now?”

“Yes.” Adele sighed. “For my sins.”

“Ah, that man. You know, Adele, it may not be my place to say this, but I would not be happy to have that man in my house. With my daughters.”

Adele raised her brow. “Oh, Rhea. He’s not that bad. He’s always had a wandering eye but he’s not about to commit incest.”

“Well, still, you should keep an eye on him. Once a dog, always a dog. A leopard cannot change his spots.”

“Thank you, Rhea. I’m sure it’s fine. But thank you.”

“Here, have some cheesy puffs. These are the best ones. Waitrose own brand. Have you tried them?”

“No, I haven’t tried them. But I won’t, thank you.”

Rhea put the bowl down with a shrug that said: Your loss.

“Listen, Rhea, I’ve had something playing on my mind for a few weeks.

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