Free The Children's Hour by Marcia Willett Page B

‘I’ve never slept in the day in my life,’ she said. ‘Sign of old age and senility.’
    â€˜You haven’t been crippled in a road accident,’ retorted Mina sharply.
    â€˜If she didn’t sleep all afternoon she’d probably sleep better at night.’ Georgie ignored the dogs, who scuffled on the gravel for attention, and turned towards the house.
    â€˜It’s pain Nest suffers from, not ordinary insomnia.’ Mina’s feeling of sympathy was rapidly disintegrating into irritation. ‘Do try to use your imagination.’
    â€˜Now, now! No squabbling,’ cried Helena gaily, hauling several cases from the car. ‘Of course, Mother’s stamina is quite extraordinary. She’ll wear you out, you’ll see.’
    Georgie turned her head away sharply, and Mina glanced at her curiously. It was clear that Georgie was suffering from humiliation; old and helpless, she was being passed round like a parcel, and her prickly pride was being painfully squeezed into the new shape of dull acceptance. A chill struck deep into Mina’s heart. How long before she and Nest would be unable to manage – and who would care then?
    â€˜Come and have some tea,’ she said.
    She saw now that sympathy from her younger sister would be unendurable to Georgie’s dignity – such rags of it that remained – and she took pains to keep her voice quite unemotional. Georgie stumped ahead, refusing to accept the role of guest; determined to lay claim to equality.
    â€˜Nothing changes,’ she said, looking around the hall with satisfaction. ‘Where have you put me?’
    â€˜In our old room: the one we shared during the war.’ Mina watched for a negative reaction. ‘I thought you’d like to be back in it again.’
    â€˜Mmm.’ Georgie was non-committal, withholding approval. ‘I need the loo.’
    She crossed the hall and disappeared upstairs, rejecting the downstairs cloakroom.
    Mina looked at Helena, eyebrows raised. ‘She seems on very good form?’
    It was a question – and Helena responded defensively. ‘She looks wonderful, I couldn’t agree more. And she sounds perfectly lucid. But,’ she shook her head portentously, chin drawn in, lips pursed, ‘you wait. There will be a gradual change. Loss of memory, fumbling for a word, that kind of thing.’
    â€˜Really?’ Mina sounded sceptical.
    â€˜Yes, really!’ Helena, beginning to lose her patience, suddenly remembered that it would be foolish to over-dramatize Georgie’s problems.
    Mina watched her, amused by her dilemma, and saw her niece struggling to control her irritation.
    â€˜Look, Aunt Mina, I promise you that we’re doing our best for her, as we see it. And our GP agrees with us, if that’s any comfort. The home is absolutely lovely and she’ll be much happier there than stuck in an extension, with some kind of minder, and me and Rupert out all day. After all,’ Helena’s face was suddenly pathetically despondent, ‘it’s not as if she’s ever liked Rupert . . .’
    â€˜I know.’ Mina was moved by such genuine hurt to a sudden sympathy. ‘I understand your difficulties.’
    â€˜It is difficult.’ Helena looked as if she might suddenly burst into tears, her managing, confident exterior abruptly crumbling. ‘To be honest, we spend a great deal of time with her, we rarely get a moment to ourselves, and she’s utterly ungrateful. She’s rude to Rupert and nothing I do is ever right. At the same time I feel dreadfully guilty, putting herinto a home. I know what you’re all thinking but I don’t know what else to do. We’d never find anyone who’d put up with her full time and I don’t see why I should give up my job when she never shows me the least affection . . .’
    A door closed upstairs and Helena fell silent, biting her lips. Mina