The Nothing Girl (5 page)

‘I know,’ he said, although I hadn’t said anything. ‘One day. In the meantime, just take care. I bet Julia doesn’t know you’re here, so if you fall I shall just dump your lifeless body at the side of the road and pretend I never knew you.’

It seemed funny at the time.

At the top of the stairs there was a dog-leg. Down the shorter leg were two large bedrooms.

‘That’s mine,’ he said, pointing down the corridor to the door at the end. There were three narrow steps leading up to it. I remembered last night and wondered if that was why he sometimes slept in the kitchen. Too drunk to cope with those little steps. He didn’t offer to show the room to me. I suspected the bed was unmade and he’d hung his socks and dirty underwear on the floor. Or maybe, of course, he had Francesca in there, stretched on out the bed, naked and demanding.

‘
Pull yourself together
,’ said Thomas, and I did try.

I did get to see the other room and it was lovely. Care had been taken here. There were two tall windows with a large bed in between. Two built-in wardrobes flanked the fireplace which had one of those gas fires that looks like the real thing. A tall chest of drawers stood against one wall and a small dressing table against another. It smelled freshly cleaned. With paint and fabric it could be a very pretty room.

Had he prepared it for Francesca?

‘And this is the best bit. Come and look.’

He plunged forward like an estate agent on a combination of speed and commission. We went through a small door in the corner and down a little twisting stair of six steps. They opened out into a small but modern bathroom. Shower cubicle, bath, washbasin, toilet, it was all there.

‘Isn’t this great? We think it was a maid’s room, once upon a time. Or maybe a nursery. What do you think?

I looked around and smiled.

‘There’s more.’

Back up the stairs, through the bedroom, down the corridor, turn left at the top of the stairs. ‘Three smaller bedrooms and a family bathroom.’

I pointed to the door at the end.

‘Oh, my studio. People don’t really go in there. Are you hungry?’

I nodded and we clattered back down the stairs. He kept a tight grip on my wrist until we got to the bottom.

Back in the kitchen, the table was laid. Mrs Crisp was on her way out with a cup of tea. ‘I’ll leave you in peace,’ she said, closing the door behind her.

I looked at Russell. ‘She usually spends the afternoons in her room. You know – lovers.’

I nodded wisely.

He said no more, which was unusual for him.

Lunch was delicious with a slice of home-made cheesecake to follow. I sat back, feeling at peace and not a little sleepy.

‘
That’ll teach you to wake at the crack of dawn because you’ve got a date,
’ said Thomas, unsympathetically.

‘This is not a date.’

‘
Oh, isn’t it? Well, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to look out of the window now.
’

And he did. Apart from the rain there was nothing to see, so God knows what he was playing at.

Russell loaded the dishwasher while I made coffee.

‘We can sit in the other room if you like, but I think it’s warmer and more comfortable here.’

I nodded.

‘So, what do you think?’

‘Not changed much. Bit more … dilapidated. Lots of work.’

‘Mmm,’ he said. ‘Mrs C said I wasn’t to ask you this. In fact, she’s been banging on about it since I first mentioned it to her, but I wondered – would you like to lend a hand?’

‘Me?’

‘Yes, it’s not difficult. I thought if I do the sanding and preparation, you can come along afterwards with paint and roller and presto – there’s another room completed. Can you imagine how much better that bedroom would look with a bit of paint on the walls? We’ll put the radio on and have a good old sing-song at the same time. What do you think?’

‘I’ve never actually … painted anything before.’

‘Well, it’s not difficult. It can’t be. Men do it. Say yes.’

I remembered how I had felt only that morning, waking up with something to look forward to. It needn’t be just for today. I could have that anticipation again.

I nodded vigorously, smiling.

‘You will? That’s great. We’ll get it done in half the time now. You don’t have to worry. You’ll just be doing the gentle stuff. I’ll do all the hard work.’

‘
Believe that and you’ll believe anything
.’

‘OK. I’ll pick you up at the usual place tomorrow.’

We had a usual place!

‘Shall we say ten o’clock? We’ll give you lunch and I’ll take you back around half three, four-ish. Leave your painty clothes here.’

I nodded again, heart singing with excitement.

I said to Thomas, ‘What shall I tell Aunt Julia?’

‘
Why would she ask? Has she ever asked how you spend your days?
’

True.

‘Fancy another coffee to celebrate your entry to the ranks of the unpaid and overworked?’

He was just topping up my mug – two coffees in less than an hour. I was going to hell but feeling extremely cheerful about it – when I heard another car pulling into the yard. For one really nasty moment I thought Aunt Julia had miraculously divined my whereabouts and despatched Uncle Richard to bring me home.

Two complete strangers wandered in. I automatically drew back.

‘Hey,’ said the man. ‘That horse of yours needs more exercise.’

Ah, that would be Boxer. The shiny buckets were for him.

‘I know, but he doesn’t like the rain.’

‘I don’t know what on earth possessed you to buy that big girl’s blouse in the first place.’

‘Well, I lost rather a lot of money on him a few years ago. It creates a bond.’

‘Hello,’ said the man, spotting me despite my best efforts. ‘I won’t wait for Russell to introduce us. He has the social skills of a bicycle. I’m Andrew Checkland. God help me, I’m some sort of cousin, although I try to keep that pretty quiet so please don’t tell anyone, and this is …’ He looked round. ‘Where did she go? I know she was behind me a minute ago. Hoi!’

‘Do not “hoi” at me,’ said his companion, hopping through the door trying to get a muddy shoe off. She was tall with blonde hair pulled back in a severe bun which showed off her cheekbones. She had a slight accent. I discovered later she was German. ‘I need help with this shoe.’

‘You have five hundred pairs of shoes. How can you have forgotten how to take them off?’

Russell pulled up a chair before she toppled over. ‘Here you go, Tanya. Sit down while you struggle with the nasty English shoes. Please allow me to introduce my lunch date, Miss Jenny Dove. Jenny, this is some sort of semi-cousin I keep around out of pity, and the impossibly beautiful Miss Tanya Bauer who steadfastly refuses to leave him for me.’

They were a very good-looking couple. Russell was, I thought, handsome in his own way, but he couldn’t match Andrew’s conventional dark good looks. There was a slight resemblance between them, but Russell’s face was longer and bonier. And Tanya was breath-taking.

She smiled kindly. ‘I cannot shake hands because my hands are dirty as they always are when I come to Russell’s house, and this hound does not help, but I am very pleased to meet you.’

I smiled back.

‘Nice to meet you, too,’ said Andrew, sliding into the seat opposite. ‘Have we met before?’

‘For God’s sake, Andrew,’ said Russell. ‘Give the girl a chance.’ He turned to me. ‘He’s a Checkland. He can’t help himself. Don’t be fooled by his superficial glamour. Concentrate on me.’

Across the kitchen, Tanya gave up with her shoe. ‘It is immoveable and I have broken a nail,’ she announced. ‘Andrew, please bring me coffee.’

He sighed heavily, and found two mugs. ‘Is this fresh?’

‘Nearly.’

He poured two mugs and handed her one. ‘There you are, my legal lovely. Coffee to take away the pain.’

‘So,’ said Russell. ‘Don’t think it’s not lovely to see you but why are you here? Are you stopping long?’

‘Five minutes to check on Boxer, the house, and you. In that order of importance. And, of course, to meet this beautiful lady. Hello again, Jenny.’

I smiled at him again. He was lovely. He twinkled back at me.

‘Stop that,’ said Russell.

‘
Look at you
,’ said Thomas. ‘
This time yesterday not a man in sight and now you’ve got two. Just imagine what you’ll have achieved by the weekend.
’

‘You’ve seen the horse. The house has new buckets and I’m fine. You can go now.’

Andrew drained his mug. ‘Alas. I have other patients. Patients who pay, no less. Your horse is fine, Russ. Just finish the course of tablets and he’ll be as good as new.’

It struck me, watching the two of them, that he eyed Russell rather more closely than was warranted. I realised he’d heard about last night. He’d come to check on his cousin. I’d liked him as soon as I’d met him and now I liked him even more.

He looked over at Tanya. ‘Are you ready?’ Another one who couldn’t sit still for long.

‘No,’ she said, placidly. ‘I want to finish my coffee and talk to Russell and Jenny.’

He sat back down immediately. She sank her nose in her mug but not before she caught my eye for a very quick moment. So that’s how you manage a Checkland. Although I never knew there were two of them. I wasn’t sure the world was ready for this.

‘We’re going to start with the painting tomorrow,’ announced Russell.

Andrew cocked an eyebrow. ‘We?’

‘Jenny’s agreed to lend a hand.’

Andrew groaned. ‘You can’t rope this perfectly lovely young woman into acting as your unpaid drudge, Russell. The days of white slavery are done. Jenny, heed my words. Flee. Flee while you can. It’s not as if he’s going to pay you. He never pays me.’

‘You never send me a bill.’

‘He never pays me, either,’ said Mrs Crisp, coming back into the kitchen.

‘I do,’ said Russell indignantly. ‘I distinctly remember paying you last …’ he paused.

‘Last Wednesday?’ said Andrew, helpfully, and she snorted.

‘
Oh! That was a really bad word. Don’t listen, Jenny.
’

‘Last month? Last year? Good grief, Russ.’

‘I’m paid until the end of last month, thank you very much,’ she said.

‘There,’ said Russell. ‘I don’t know what all the fuss is about and frankly, given I’m such a wonderful employer, you should pay me.’

Everyone snorted at that one and Thomas rolled his eyes at the language.

Tanya, meanwhile, had finished her coffee. ‘I am ready to depart,’ she said, hopping to the door. ‘Oh, I remember now. Russell, you will come to lunch on Sunday. At one o’clock.’

Andrew shrugged. ‘I never know whether it’s a wobbly grasp of the English language or she’s channelling her dominatrix side. Russell, we hope very much you will be able to join us for lunch on Sunday, around one-ish.’

‘That is what I just said.’

‘Indeed you did, my Teutonic temptress. I just rephrased in slightly more acceptable terms. Now there’s a chance he’ll actually come.’

‘Are you doing roast pork?’ said Russell, hopefully.

‘If you wish it.’

‘I do indeed, and you may phrase your invitation any way you please. If you could arrange for Andrew to be absent then the day will be perfect.’

‘No, he must be there to talk to you about your life and make sure you do not drink too much.’

Andrew groaned. I giggled.

‘Yes,’ said Russell. ‘Good luck with that, mate. The door’s behind you.’

Even Thomas didn’t argue when I bounced out of bed the next morning. I packed up a pair of old jeans, some battered trainers, a faded sweatshirt, a few toiletries, and a towel.

I made sure to have a piece of toast with Mrs Finch in the kitchen just so no one would think I’d vanished off the face of the earth or been snatched by aliens, and Thomas and I oozed out into the drizzle at half past nine.

Astonishingly, he was outside the post office waiting for us. I thought he looked relieved.

‘I wasn’t sure you’d come,’ he said, chucking my bag in the back and climbing in beside me. ‘I did wonder if you’d had second thoughts.’

‘No. Looking forward to it.’

He laughed. ‘I’ll soon put a stop to that.’

He pulled out to the usual fanfare of outraged beeping. I don’t think he ever actually heard it.

Mrs Crisp was in the kitchen. ‘Lunch is at one,’ she said, severely.

‘Steady on,’ said Russell. ‘I’ve only just had breakfast.’

‘I’m talking to Jenny. Never mind him. You come down at one o’clock and take an hour for your lunch. Don’t let him gallop you through it in ten minutes and then have you back up those stairs again.’

‘You make it sound slightly indecent,’ said Russell to her retreating back. ‘We’re only painting, you know.’ A door closed behind her. ‘I don’t know,’ he muttered. ‘You pay them and they think they own you.’

‘Where shall I change?’ I asked, trying to get him back on track.

‘You’d better stay out of my room or we’ll have Mrs C muttering and crossing herself all morning, so use the nice one next door. Can you remember where it is? I’ll get the stuff ready and meet you at the top of the stairs. I thought we’d do the three small bedrooms first, then the nice bedroom, then the landing. I’ll do the stairs and we’ll finish with the important rooms downstairs. OK?’

I nodded and shot off to change.

‘
Do you know what you’re doing?
’

‘Not a clue.’

‘
I’ll stand well back then.
’

Actually, it was a lot easier than I thought it would be. Or I was a natural painter and decorator. Russell did the ceilings and I did the walls, which were quick and easy. I got rather a lot on me, especially the first day, and had to shower quite a bit out of my hair, but otherwise it went well.

We fell out over our choices in music so we listened to Radio 4 instead, mostly so that Russell could shout insults and argue vainly with whichever presenter happened to incur his wrath. Which was all of them. I found it more entertaining than the actual programmes.

Every day I emerged from the alley behind the post office, and resumed my normal life.

‘
A bit like Superman,
’ said Thomas, as I made my way home, pleasantly tired and with an unfamiliar but enjoyable sense of accomplishment. As far as I could see, no one had the slightest interest in my doings.