The Library of Lost and Found(62)

She steered her trolley towards a privet bush and pushed it into the greenery to stop it from rolling away. After lifting out the bags containing Will’s trousers, she opened the gate.

Martha padded along the gravel path as quietly as she could and headed around to the back of the bungalow. Lilian used her wood store as a locker and instructed anyone delivering goods to place the items inside it, so she didn’t have to speak to them.

Martha folded over the top of the two shopping bags, so woodlice couldn’t invade the trousers. An owl hooted as she placed them neatly on the top of the logs. She took out her pad, to leave a note for her sister.

She had just pressed her pen against the paper, when yellow light flooded the back garden. Blinking against it, she saw a figure looming up to the glass in the back door. Martha froze, wondering if it was Paul. As keys jangled in the lock, she gritted her teeth.

“Martha, is that you?” Lilian stepped out of her conservatory door and into the garden. She was barefoot and curled her toes up, away from the chill of the concrete paving flags. A dark dressing gown swamped her petite frame and she clamped her hand to her neck. Her usually mirror-shiny hair was mussy. “I thought you were a bloody burglar or something.”

“You startled me, too. I’ve brought Will’s trousers for you.”

Lilian looked at her watch. “But it’s midnight.”

“That’s why I didn’t knock. Um, I’ve been having a clear out, to make room for Will and Rose staying over…”

“That’s a big job.”

“It’s been going well.” Even though her sister’s shoulders were hunched and her eyes weary, Martha wanted to tell her about Zelda, too. “Do you mind if I introduce them to Nana?”

“I hope you’re not telling me that she’s going to be there?”

“I kind of invited her to stay at the same time.”

The two sisters stared at each other.

Martha opened her mouth to speak but Lilian raised a hand to cut her off. She paused, then cast her eyes down. Slowly, her face fell. Letting out a sob, it rang around the garden.

“Oh no. What’s wrong? Is this about Zelda?” Martha stepped forward. “Do you want a tissue? They have aloe vera in them, and—”

“No.” Lilian wiped her nose with the back of her hand. She stood for a few moments, her toes still curled upward. “Please, will you come inside with me?”

Martha gazed over at her trolley, hidden in the bush. She still had lots of deliveries to make, but for the first time ever, her sister seemed to need her. “Of course,” she said, her fingers flexing for her notepad.

“It’s Paul,” Lilian said between sniffs as they sat in the almost-completed conservatory with the lights turned off. The air smelled of fresh paint and Jo Malone Pomegranate Noir candles. “I think he’s about to start an affair…”

“Oh.” Martha leaned forward and the cream leather sofa squeaked. “No. That can’t be right.”

“He’s working with a new girl, Annabel. She has huge boobs. Her eyebrows are like slugs, but Paul’s smitten. He keeps talking about her. He says he doesn’t fancy her, but I found emails between the two of them. They were flirting, and he’s working away tonight. I don’t know if he’s with her, or not.”

“But he loves you.”

“I thought so, too.” Lilian sighed. “He said that I’m cold towards him.”

“But you’re so perfect together,” Martha said. “Like Romeo and Juliet, or Heathcliff and Cathy.”

“Didn’t their stories end in tragedy?”

“Hmm.” Martha nodded meekly.

“Will and Rose are asleep,” Lilian added. “They’re excited about staying over at your place. They don’t know there’s anything wrong.”

“You’ve got to talk to him. You’re beautiful and he can’t possible prefer someone with slug eyebrows.”

Lilian gave a short laugh. “Thanks, Martha. I’ll do my best. I’ve invited Paul to the hotel with me, when I work away.”

“Do Will and Rose know that?”

“No. We’ve never been away without them. I think they might guess something wasn’t right.”

“My lips are sealed.”

A car drove past, briefly illuminating their faces.

“So, you had dinner with Zelda?” Lilian toyed with the belt on her dressing gown. She turned her face so Martha couldn’t see her features, in the darkness. “What happened?”

“I drank too much. I fell asleep after the dinner.”

“I meant, with our grandma?”

“I think I know what you mean,” Martha admitted. “I can’t stop thinking about what you said. That she didn’t die in 1982, and you knew that.”

Lilian didn’t speak for a while. “I shouldn’t have said it.”

“But you did. What happened?”

“What did she tell you?”

“Nothing.” Martha gave an exasperated sigh. “Why do I feel that everyone knows something that I don’t? Zelda had a brain tumor, and her health isn’t good. She’s an old lady and doesn’t have much time left.” She leaned forward with her elbows on her knees. “Don’t you want to see her, Lilian? Perhaps she’ll talk if you’re there, too.”