Their Final Act by Alex Walters

Author:Alex Walters [Walters, Alex]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bloodhound Books

26

'Is there something I can do?' Jane asked. 'To make myself useful, I mean.'

She had already collected all the breakfast crockery and, under Netty Munro's instructions, had helped stack the dishwasher. That was another new experience for Jane. She'd ever actually used a dishwasher before, and found it hard to believe that the appliance could be as effective as washing by hand.

Alicia had been trying to help too, following a step or two behind Jane, picking up the odd item that Jane had been unable to carry. Jane had the sense that Alicia was well intentioned but, so far, not particularly effectual. That was perhaps unfair. Alicia had a cowed air, as if life had beaten any spirit or energy out of her. Jane had no idea what Alicia might have experienced. And not everyone was as resilient as Jane herself.

At first, Munro had seemed surprised at Jane's question, as if she hadn't seriously expected the younger women to provide any assistance. She'd been sitting at the table, idly scanning through Dowling's copy of The Guardian. She looked up. 'Okay. If you're really keen, we'll start with the garden, shall we? I was planning to work out there this morning. Any help always welcome.'

Jane nodded her nervous assent. This was further unknown territory for her. She'd never worked in a garden before. She'd grown up in flats, and her only experience of horticulture had been the plastic packages of petrol station flowers that Iain had occasionally bought when he'd been trying to make up for whatever mental or physical harm he'd done her. 'Happy to try. But you'll have to tell me what to do.'

'Oh, I'll do that,' Munro said. 'I don't want you tearing up my prize blooms.' The tone was light-hearted but as so often there seemed to be a serious undertone.

Jane and Alicia followed Munro out of the back door into the bright morning sunshine, leaving Dowling still perusing the newspaper over another cup of coffee. It was already turning into another fine day, with just a few white clouds scudding briskly across an otherwise blue sky. The firth looked different this morning, Jane thought. The previous afternoon, the waters had filled the broad stretch between here and Dingwall on the far side. Now they had receded, leaving wide stretches of uncovered earth along each shore.

Munro followed Jane's gaze. 'It's surprisingly tidal,' she said. 'The waters are shallow there, so when the tide goes out it drains rapidly. It's one of the things I love about it. It changes so much, not just at different times of the year but even across the day.'

The area to the side of the house below the decking had been turned into a proper domestic style garden, a contrast with much of the rest of the land which remained a working farm. There was a neatly trimmed lawn, and flowerbeds laid with spring flowers that, with the exception of some scatterings of daffodils, Jane couldn't recognise. Munro gestured towards the beds. 'I could do with some help weeding those, if that's okay.

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