Free Home through the Dark by Anthea Fraser Page B

though.”
    â€œSuzanne Grey isn’t in this one, is she?”
    She glanced at me quickly. “No, which should make life easier.”
    â€œIs she temperamental?”
    â€œWell, you presumably heard her at the party.”
    We joined the queue at the cash desk. “If you come along about eleven-thirty,” Kitty said, “that will give us plenty of time and we can stay on and watch for a while if we feel like it.”
    It was a pleasant evening with the Fosses. Sarah as usual chattered incessantly and several times I caught her husband’s amused eyes on her. He was a few years older than she, quiet and studious-looking with his dark-rimmed glasses. I gathered he was a junior partner in a firm of accountants over the other side of Westhampton.
    â€œYou realize,” I remarked during the meal, “that I have been in the flat for one whole week?”
    â€œPamela and Stephanie will be arriving back sometime this weekend,” Sarah said. “I hope they won’t crash around too much overhead! I’m sure we must make a dreadful row, but Moira never complains. I suppose she’s used to noise, living with the boys.”
    â€œI won’t mind a bit of noise; it’ll stop me feeling lonely,” I replied, and then regretted the admission tacit in the remark.
    â€œDo you get lonely, Ginnie? You seem very self-sufficient to me! I’m sure I couldn’t bear to live alone.”
    â€œI’m sure you couldn’t, darling,” Andrew agreed with a laugh. “If you’d no one to talk to, you’d wilt away!”
    â€œNot only that, I’d be scared stiff, specially sleeping on the ground floor.”
    â€œDon’t be silly, Sarah!” Andrew’s voice sharpened as he threw me an anxious glance.
    â€œIt’s all right, Andy, Ginnie’s not going to be put off by my prattling. I know it’s silly, but the fact remains if I slept downstairs, I’d stay awake all night listening for footsteps!”
    â€œYou’ve made me feel a lot better!” I commented ruefully.
    â€œI’d never given it a thought before.”
    â€œI told you to shut up,” Andrew said accusingly.
    I smiled. “I was only joking. More coffee, Sarah?”
    But that night after they had gone I made sure that all the windows except the bedroom ones were firmly closed, and even so I lay awake longer than usual listening to the wind in the trees just outside.
    At eleven-thirty the following morning I parked the car in the usual position and swung through the quiet streets to the Little Theatre. It was a dull day with a cool breeze which lifted my hair as I walked and made me glad I had decided to wear a trouser suit rather than a summer dress. I ran up the steep stairs with my shopping bag and turned into the kitchenette, where Kitty was unloading her own contributions onto the table.
    â€œI bought some mushrooms and tomatoes to liven up the tinned mince,” I said. “Also a green pepper I had left over from last night.”
    â€œGorgeous, and I’ve brought some French loaves. We should have quite a feast. Remind me to pay you back for what you bought out of the petty cash. Is this pan big enough for the spaghetti, do you think?”
    â€œBarely. We’d better do it in two batches.” I hung my jacket on the back of the door and pushed up the sleeves of my sweater.
    â€œWe’re getting a bit low on coffee,” Kitty remarked, peering into the huge tin. “They must have been living on it this week. There’s only just enough left for today.”
    â€œI could drop some in after work tomorrow if you like. It’s no bother when I have the car.”
    â€œThanks, that would be a great help. I’d certainly have trouble fitting it on my handlebars!”
    Lunch was very informal, with some people sitting on the chairs round the walls of the foyer and the rest on the floor. Talk was mainly of the play and I