Chapter 12 Three Fading Sisters #2
This chiding was evidently a normal part of their repartee, and the two paused to smile at me.
For a moment I was transfixed, remembering the photograph in Raymond Blythe’s Milderhurst, wondering which of these old ladies was which little twin, and then Saffy reached across the narrow divide to take Percy’s hand.
“My sister has taken care of us all our long lives,” she said, before turning to look with such admiration at her twin’s profile that I knew she had been the smaller, thinner of the two girls in the photo, the one whose smile wavered uncertainly beneath the camera’s gaze.
The additional praise did not sit well with Percy, who scrutinized her watch before muttering, “Never mind. Not much further to go now.”
It’s always difficult to know what to say when a very old person starts talking about death and its imminence, so I did what I do when Herbert hints about my taking over at Billing I could hear it but I couldn’t stop it.
A basic lack of facility with small talk, excitement at finally being inside the castle, lingering discomfort from the scene with Juniper …
whatever, it proved a lethal combination.
I drew a deep breath and, to my horror, continued: “Though of course you’ve been here all your life so I’m sure it’s not a problem for you—”
“I’m sorry,” she said sharply, turning to face me. Even in the gloom I could see that her skin had whitened. She’s going to ask me to leave, I thought; my visit is too much, she’s old and tired, her sister isn’t well.
“Our sister isn’t well,” she said, and my heart plunged. “It has nothing to do with you. She can be rude sometimes, but it isn’t her fault. She suffered a great disappointment—a terrible thing. A long time ago.”
“There’s no need to explain,” I said. Please don’t ask me to leave.
“Very kind, but I feel I must. At least a little. Such rudeness. She doesn’t do well with strangers. It’s been an awful trial. Our family physician died a decade ago and we’re still battling to find another we can tolerate. She gets confused. I hope you don’t feel unwelcome.”
“Not at all, I understand completely.”
“I hope so. Because we’re very pleased you could visit.” That short hairpin smile. “The castle likes to be visited; it needs it.”