‘Did you think you were going to die?’ said Molly later, when Federica was warming up in front of the sitting room fire, dressed in Hester’s clothes, toasting marshmallows in the hot flames for tea.
‘Yes, I really did.’
‘You were so brave, crawling over the ice like that,’ said Hester in admiration. ‘Was that the first time you had been ice skating?’
‘Yes. I don’t think I’ll be going again for some time,’ she replied and laughed.
Molly handed her another marshmallow. ‘These are good, aren’t they? You really deserve them. I’m so sorry,’ she said and smiled sheepishly, curling her auburn hair behind her ear.
‘That’s okay. You couldn’t have known that the ice would break,’ said Federica kindly.
‘So lucky that Sam was there,’ said Hester.
‘Big brothers have some uses,’ Molly laughed. ‘He is a bit of a hero though,’ she conceded.
‘He was very brave. He saved my life,’ said Federica, chewing on her sticky marshmallow and feeling light in the head with the thought of Sam carrying her into the house. ‘How old is he?’
‘Fifteen,’ said Molly. ‘I’m nine and Hester’s seven like you. Mummy had two miscarriages in between Sam and me otherwise we’d be seven.’
‘I’d like to be seven,’ said Hester.
‘Well, we’re six now,’ said Molly, grinning at Federica.
‘Oh, yes, so we are,’ Foster agreed happily. ‘Better show you around the house then,’ she added, looking at her sister for approval.
Molly nodded. ‘Grab a piece of cake and I’ll introduce you to Marmaduke,’ she said.
‘Who’s Marmaduke?’
‘The skunk Mummy rescued last week, he lives in the cupboard in the attic because sometimes he makes such a smell he has to have the whole floor to himself.’
Helena watched the girls disappear through the sitting room door and felt a tremendous wave of gratitude, not only towards Sam who had saved Federica’s life, but to the girls for liking her and embracing her so readily. ‘Your girls are very kind,’ she said to Ingrid who sat smoking out of an elegant lilac cigarette holder and wearing the most extraordinary patchwork coat that looked like a quilt. Her hair cascaded over her shoulders in wild, auburn curls and around her neck hung a large gold monocle that she put to her eye every now and then to see better. Helena had never noticed before but one eye was blue and the
other green.
‘Molly’s rather like Sam, they both think they’re better than everyone else, because they’re clever,’ said Ingrid. ‘Hester’s sweet and not very bright. She’s a good painter like me.’
‘I owe Sam a huge debt of gratitude. If he hadn’t been there I dread to think what might have happened.’
‘Oh, she would have died, for sure,’ said Ingrid, flicking the lighter to light Helena’s cigarette. ‘Molly always has to go one step too far.’ She sighed. ‘I’m sorry about Ramon.’
‘So am I,’ said Helena, inhaling the nicotine with an unsteady hand.
‘It’ll take a while, but you will recover,’ said Ingrid, noticing the cigarette shaking in Helena’s hand. ‘You know, I remember when you ran off with Ramon. You were so young. I must be a good ten years older than you. I remember thinking how incredibly romantic it was. He was dark and foreign and you were pale and English. There was something wonderfully exotic about it. Mind you, I did worry for you, out there the other side of the world. It’s not like going to live in Leicester, is it?’ She laughed, revealing crooked white teeth. When Inigo had courted her all those years ago he had told her she resembled a beautiful portrait hung crooked on the wall. She liked things to be imperfect, there was nothing duller than perfection.
‘Well, it was exotic and wonderful at the time. It just went sour. Sad for the children, but I have to admit I feel different already,’ said Helena.
‘Children need stability - one parent can give them that. Really, two is an extravagance,’ Ingrid replied, playing with one of the fat curls that bounced around her neck. ‘I’ve brought the children up single handed, almost. Inigo’s children are his books. I only wish people would buy them. They’re frightfully dull though. I can’t get beyond the first page. Philosophy has never been an interest of mine. I prefer things one can touch.’
‘Like animals?’ Helena suggested.
‘Quite.’
At that moment old Nuno shuffled in on the balls of his feet.
‘Ah, two delightful virgins to greet,’ he said in a heavy Italian accent and bowed theatrically.