Free Killing a Unicorn by Marjorie Eccles Page A

thought he’d know what she meant. ‘If only she hadn’t tried!’
    They were silent, both visualizing Bibi, preoccupied with what was on her mind, not being as careful as she might have been. One false step —
    â€˜She couldn’t swim, you know,’ Fran said, trying to keep her voice steady. ‘She was scared of water. Chip wanted to teach her at the same time as he taught Jasie, but she hated the idea, wouldn’t hear of it. It might just have saved her life, if she had.’
    â€˜You could never tell Bibi what to do, though, could you? She’d smile and nod and then do exactly as she pleased — or as her stars told her, more likely. Jilly’s right, behind that beautiful façade she was stubborn as a mule.’ He paused. ‘Amongst other things.’ There was an odd, almost bitter note in his voice.
    It was interesting, Fran thought, that he’d used the word ‘façade’. Interesting, too, that he and Jilly should have been discussing Bibi. His face had tightened, and she wondered, for a wild moment, if Jilly had had reason to be jealous of Bibi … but no, Jonathan, of all people, would never cheat on anyone. Yet — there was always a secretiveness, something deep hidden under the surface, a streak of melancholy in him. Hidden for the most part, but surfacing from time to time.
    â€˜But it wasn’t just a façade, Jonathan, was it? She was lovely — good. Though I think I know what you’re getting at.’ She didn’t want to remember that blank, frightening, glassy look of Bibi’s. ‘No wonder Chip was in love with her, wouldn’t any man be? She was so …’ Her voice trailed off. ‘Why are you looking at me so old-fashioned?’

    â€˜Sexy,’ he said. ‘You thought Bibi was good, too? And sexy ?’
    â€˜Well, yes.’ What did he mean by that word ‘too’?
    â€˜Why is it that women couldn’t see it? She might have looked sensational, Fran, but most men, I’d be willing to bet, didn’t find her attractive. Not in that way. She was OK, beautiful and all that, but sexy? No way! If it wasn’t for Jasie, I’d have sworn — well, think about it.’
    Fran digested this for some time, and presently had to concede he might have a point. Thinking of all the women she knew who were generally regarded as being sexy, beauty didn’t actually seem to come into it all that much. She said eventually, ‘She was a bit of a mystery all round, wasn’t she? The way she never spoke about her life before she came here. Nor does Chip talk about it, though I suppose he must know.’
    â€˜Which makes it even more of a mystery. Big brother’s not exactly one for keeping things to himself.’
    Indeed not. Chip was transparent as the day, naive in a way. Not cut out for secrecy — or that’s what one might have said before the advent of Bibi. But it had become obvious, of late, that he had been covering something up - at least that was what Mark thought, saying he had his suspicions as to what sort of thing that might be. All that money he’d been throwing around lately, his talk of speculations, Chip had better be careful. But if Mark was right, what could that have had to do with Bibi? Money had had less meaning for her than anyone else Fran could think of.

Chapter Five
    Alyssa, deeply asleep in her big downy bed, is dreaming she is young again. Stepping out down the promenade at Brighton, arm-in-arm with her father, who wears a light-coloured suit, a jaunty hat and brown and white co-respondent shoes. She has on her New Look outfit, cherry-red, with a long, full skirt and a peplum on the jacket, high-heeled black suede shoes, and a little feathered slip of a hat which curves round on to her cheek. Her hair is short, gamine-cut like Audrey Hepburn’s. Her skirts swirl as she swings along in a cloud of Coty L’Aimant. She thinks