Page 56 of Old Girls Behaving Badly

‘Oh no, Mum has a dress for just in case I change my mind.’

I stood and held my hand out to Juliet who took it. I dragged her to her feet and the two of us left the temple and cut back through the trees, out of sight of the house towards the kitchen gardens.

Back in my room I rummaged for something to wear and pulled out a navy dress that had a high collar and a simple belt at the waist. No one was going to be remotely bothered what I looked like and I needed to be comfortable. I opted for a pair of ballet pumps that were light and quiet. Although, I had no plan now for further searching and, to be honest, I was playing a bit of a countdown until this would all be over. Dorothy would be disappointed, but what was I to do. I picked up my phone from the dressing table to put it in my bag and noticed another message I’d missed.

Georgina, I’ve spoken to Alice who said you’re working! News to me and might have been nice to know. Not sure why you didn’t say when we spoke. We need to make a decision on this offer. It’s not as much as I’d hoped, but it would mean we can both get settled in our new situation. Please phone me back ASAP. D

There was so much to process and I really didn’t have the headspace for it, so I packed all those thoughts inside that place in my mind where I’d go back later to retrieve. Some would be easy to access and action, and others might just stayed buried forever.

I looked at myself in the mirror, pulling the collar away from my neck as it was already making me feel too hot. The atmosphere was really becoming oppressive. A high neck coupled with long sleeves would not work on a day like today. Then, I took the dress off and dumped it on the bed, slid a different dress from its hanger in the wardrobe and slipped into that instead. It was a fairly simple pink and tan jersey dress, but nipped in at the waist in a flattering way with a braided belt. It did have a bit of a low neckline though, so I rummaged in the cloth bag where I kept some jewellery and pulled out my mother’s silver and tourmaline necklace, hoping it would disguise a few creases on my skin. I realised as I fastened it around my neck that I rarely wore it. It was quite a statement piece and I’d not had many opportunities for a while. I’d like to think that there was some significance to me wearing it today. I could consider it a lucky charm and this would be the day I’d stumble on the painting, but I didn’t feel that lucky.

I held the stone in my hand for a moment and remembered my mother: her gorgeous auburn hair, her smile and the way she looked like a statue of Persephone when she was deep in thought. I remembered her hands too and how they were never lined and old because she’d never become lined and old. The ring that belonged to her own mother, she used to wear on the third finger of her right hand. It was gold with tiny garnets set into a flower design and now sits on the third finger of my right hand.

‘Where would you look for the painting, Mum?’ I asked the room and the room didn’t respond. It never did.

I stepped up to the mirror again and had a good look at myself, wondering how I compared to Douglas’s Little Miss Maidenhead. I decided that for my age I didn’t look too bad, then tugging the neckline of my dress up a bit, I slung my bag onto my shoulder and left the room.

23

DOROTHY

Dorothy was standing in front of the full-length mirror to check her appearance when Gina knocked at the door. She hoped the word mutton wasn’t going to be forefront on everyone’s lips when they saw her impractical slingbacks with killer points at the toe. The look was toned down with a silk floral dress that had cream and lilac peonies splashed across the fabric.

‘You look fantastic,’ Gina said. ‘Those shoes! Some might kill for them.’

‘These are shoes to kill with,’ Dorothy said, brandishing one of the points. ‘Might come in handy later. Although, maybe they’re too much. I might end up killing myself trying to walk up to the church.’

‘You look the perfect picture of grandmother to the groom. How are you feeling?’

‘A little better, thank you. You look wonderful. You should wear dresses more often. Who knew you had such a trim waist. Although, with the cut of that dress I feel eyes will be centred a little higher.’

‘Oh God, is it too much? I can change.’

‘Goodness, no! You are perfect as you are, although, aren’t you too hot with those long sleeves? Don’t you have anything strappy?’

‘I don’t really do strappy to be honest.’

‘Lots of women are worried unnecessarily about their arms as they get older, but I say be comfortable and sod what others think.’

Dorothy watched as Gina hesitated and then slowly pulled up the sleeve covering her right arm to reveal terrible scarring across her skin. It looked as if she’d been burned and badly. It took every bit of her strength not to gasp.

‘Goodness, Gina, I don’t know what to say.’

‘I was burned in a house fire,’ she said, simply. ‘It was started deliberately. I was there with my mother, but only I made it out alive. I don’t like the staring that comes with a scar like this. I find it’s easier to just keep it covered up.’

‘An arson attack! That’s terrible and your poor mother too. How horrible for you. I’m so sorry you had to go through that and of course I understand why you cover it, but maybe among friends or family you don’t feel that way?’

‘I feel that way all the time with anybody I’m with to be honest. But I’ve been feeling like I need to reinvent myself recently. Not sure how to go about doing that.’

‘How about learning to love the person you already are,’ Dorothy said with a sympathetic smile.

‘You’re probably right – it’s too late to try and be someone else now anyway.’

‘Firstly, I say it’s never too late to try something new, but in this instance I would ask you, what do you think is wrong with you, and who else do you propose to be?’

‘Excellent questions for another time, perhaps,’ Gina said walking over to the window while pulling her sleeve firmly back down. ‘I’m afraid Juliet and I were not fruitful in our search this morning and we are seriously running out of easy places to look.’

‘Where is Juliet now?’ Dorothy asked.