Free The Macbeth Prophecy by Anthea Fraser Page B

twins.”
    â€œThey’re well enough.” Her eyes were not inviting and there was an unpleasant odour about her, a general unwashed smell which pricked at the nostrils.
    â€œMay we have a look at them?”
    She jerked her head in the direction of the pram and we walked over. The babies had filled out amazingly in the intervening four months. Black eyes regarded us with interest from either end of the pram. Nell had followed us across, like a bitch, I thought uncharitably, which waits for praise when someone admires its pups.
    â€œThey’re fine babies,” Philip said warmly. “What are their names?”
    â€œDavy and Kim.”
    â€œCan you tell them apart?”
    â€œNever tried. There’s two mouths to feed, that’s all there is to it.”
    Philip gave a short laugh. “And Granny? She hasn’t interfered with them at all?”
    Nell shook her head, glancing nervously over her shoulder.
    A young boy came wandering towards us, sucking his thumb. His shambling gait and vacant eyes proclaimed him to be Benjie, who had once spent a night within the Gemelly Circle. Before he could reach us, his mother Nan swooped on him and bore him away.
    â€œWe’ve come to live in Crowthorpe,” Philip told Nell. “I’d like to come up from time to time to see the twins.”
    â€œThere’s no need,” she said resentfully. “They’ll not come to no harm.”
    â€œI’d just like to keep in touch,” Philip returned smoothly.
    A young man came down the steps of the adjacent caravan. He was small and slight, his whole appearance marred by a truly horrific squint. He hesitated when he saw us, gave us a surly nod, and set off in the direction of the village. We took our leave of Nell and followed him at our leisure, assuming that since he was not old enough to be Nan’s husband, he must be Janetta’s – and Granny Lee’s son.
    This was confirmed by Eve when she called round that evening to bring us some shortbread she’d made. “Yes, that would be Jem all right. Poor lad, he has his work cut out with Janetta! People say she only married him because he couldn’t properly see what she was up to!”
    â€œHas Granny still got her crow?” Philip asked casually.
    â€œAs far as I know, but I haven’t seen her for a while. She’s the most restless of the bunch, probably because she was on the road for the best part of her life. Every now and then she takes her caravan, leaving Jem and Janetta to shack up as best they can, and sets off by herself for weeks at a time.”
    I for one did not regret Granny Lee’s departure. It would have suited me very well if she never returned.
    So the summer slid slowly away, the bright red berries appeared on the rowan trees, and Philip and I took up our respective employment. I found my new colleagues pleasant and friendly, and although I was pleasant and friendly in return, I didn’t encourage any close friendships. I had no need of them, now Philip was with me, and having learned my lesson from Sue Anderson, I resolved not to form any ties with either of the female staff. In a village this size, as I knew from Eve, gossip was rife and would not be as easy to ignore as it had been in Swindon.
    However, friendships in which Philip shared were welcome, and we continued to see Eve and Anita fairly regularly. There was a closeness between the four of us which had some deep mainspring we hadn’t yet plumbed, and we felt the need of each other’s company. How their husbands felt on the subject, Philip and I never bothered to discover. Occasionally they would join us for coffee or drinks when we met at their homes, but although both men were included in return invitations, they never accompanied their wives to our flat. Nor was either of them present at the Greystones one October evening when Philip again broached the subject of telepathy.
    â€œI’ve been thinking