The House with Blue Shutters

The House with Blue Shutters by Lisa Hilton

Book: The House with Blue Shutters by Lisa Hilton Read Free Book Online
Authors: Lisa Hilton
Tags: Literature
Polaroided them kissing in the
     Piazza della Signoria and shyly given them the picture. Claudia, though she knew it was not original, touched Sébastien’s
     clothes like talismans when she found herself alone in the flat in St-Germain. He did not have many things so Claudia had
     once been pleased by the continuity of his clothes, the way they bridged the time before she knew him. She realized now that
     the presents she had given him, a black cashmere sweater, a heavy printed silk scarf, would complete Sébastien in time for
     a woman whom he had perhaps not yet even met. Hopelessly, Claudia felt tears start at the back of her jaw.
    ‘Darling! Darling, what’s the matter?’ Claudia loathed herself for the concern in his voice. She scrubbed at her face with
     a dusty balled fist, screwing up her eyes.
    ‘Nothing, I’m just feeling a bit dizzy.’
    ‘Ought we to go back?’
    ‘No, no, sorry, we’re practically there. I’ll be fine when I have some water.’
    Aucordier’s was as lifeless as the day. Claudia knocked hesitantly at the door, this was the wrong time to come, thetwo women would surely be sleeping. But Ginette appeared promptly, smiling, normal, her hair heartbreakingly twisted in plastic
     rollers.
    ‘How are you?’ asked Claudia. ‘This is my fiancé, Alex.’
    ‘
Enchanté
, Madame,’ said Alex gravely. He proffered the basket with the ghost of a little bow. He is kind, thought Claudia, so kind
     to me.
    Ginette insisted they come in, and though Claudia was reluctant to see the room again, it was surprisingly cool, no soup,
     only the vinous combination of old beams and stone. The air felt suddenly watery, smooth and greenish as a plunge into a lake
     after the glare outside. Mademoiselle Oriane was on the sofa, straight backed but nodding, in a white blouse and broad dark
     grey skirt. The hairnet was covering Ginette’s rollers today. On the television, Romy Schneider trilled through the Alps in
     a crinoline. ‘Oh, it’s
Sissi l’Impératrice
!’ Claudia realized that she had exclaimed.
    ‘We love her. Isn’t she beautiful?’ Ginette looked wistful.
    ‘How is Mademoiselle?’ asked Claudia.
    ‘Oh, fine, fine.’
    The night before, Claudia had left Ginette still immobile on the sofa as the doctor washed his hands, and, not knowing how
     much she now recalled, given Aisling’s cleaning-lady’s claim about fits, she did not wish to confuse her with details misplaced
     or provocative of embarrassment. Ginette did not seem inclined to say much.
    ‘And the wrist? All fine?’
    ‘Oh, yes.’
    ‘Well, we don’t want to interrupt your Sunday.’ Claudia tried to direct Alex to the door with her eyes, but he wassmiling expansively and indiscriminately, not attempting to keep up with the French.
    ‘Please, stay and have some tea.’ There was a long pause, Ginette’s mouth hovered open. ‘Very English?’ she produced in English,
     and Alex beamed at the effort.
    ‘We’d love to,’ said Claudia, thinking with dread of the viscous foam floating on the surface of the hard water in last night’s
     coffee bowl. Ginette beamed too, for much too long. She did not make any move towards assembling the tea, but remained where
     she was, smiling hugely. Claudia avoided Alex’s eyes.
    ‘Poke her with that,’ came a voice from the sofa. Mademoiselle Oriane was alert, straining out over her bound arm with a grey
     plastic-tipped crutch.
    ‘Go on. You hit her last night. Give her a good poke.’
    ‘How are you, Mademoiselle?’ asked Claudia stupidly.
    The old woman set the crutch on the floor and hauled herself up with her right arm, bigger and obviously much stronger than
     she had appeared slumped against the bed in that white light. Alex stepped back out of her way, she transferred the crutch
     to her left armpit and jabbed at Ginette’s pink sprigged blouse with the right. Ginette’s eyes immediately refocused, the
     smile melted, she blinked rapidly and said, ‘What are you doing

Similar Books

The Spy

Clive;Justin Scott Cussler

Primary Colors

Joe Klein

At First Touch

Mattie Dunman

Only Superhuman

Christopher L. Bennett

A Fresh Start

Trisha Grace

Betting Hearts

Dee Tenorio

Compliments

Mari K. Cicero