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But Esme wasn’t to be deterred. ‘Geraldine tells me you haven’t eaten this morning.’
Kate glanced at Calvin, as if looking for an ally. ‘Like I said, I’m not hungry.’
‘You cannot possibly work on an empty stomach, I won’t hear of it. Come with me, my dear.’ Esme hooked her arm through Kate’s and led her over to the door. ‘Besides, I’m keen to hear all about you. Calvin tells me you’re currently unemployed?’
Kate glanced back at Calvin, her eyes wide as if to say, ‘Help me!’
‘Sorry,’ he mouthed, feeling bad for her, but knowing better than to overrule his grandmother.
Kate didn’t look happy. He wasn’t overly happy himself.
Chapter Seven
Tuesday, 30thNovember
When the stepladder shifted beneath her and threatened to topple her off for the third time that morning, Kate grabbed hold of the bookcase, trying to regain her balance. Why did the stupid thing keep moving? One moment she was reaching up for another ledger, the next she was sliding across the floor, suspended in mid-air and clinging on for dear life. It was like the wretched thing had a mind of its own.
When she was sure the ladder had stopped moving, she tentatively began her descent, edging down one step at a time, ensuring her foot connected with each rung before letting go. With the 1956 ledger squashed between her and the rungs, it wouldn’t take much to topple her off. Cataloguing the list of assets was slow going. She’d been at it for three days and had only covered two years so far. At this rate it would take her months to complete the task of logging all of Bertram Williams’s estate. That was, assuming she lived long enough to complete the job, since the library seemed to be conspiring against her.
Easing herself onto solid ground, she was relieved to have survived another trip up the stepladder. If it wasn’t the ladder moving of its own accord, it was the lights randomly flickering, or the window suddenly swinging inwards and banging against the wall, making her jump. And don’t get her started on the open fire, which either refused to stay lit or burst into a flurry of flames for no apparent reason. Working at The Rose Court Care Home was both unnerving and exhausting.
It wasn’t like she was sleeping much, either. Noises in the middle of the night kept jolting her awake. Whether it was doorsslamming, water pipes rattling or the wind howling down the chimney shaft, it was impossible to settle. And she’d thought London was noisy?
Carrying the ledger over to the desk, she wiped the cover with a damp cloth. Calvin had been right: working in the library was a filthy job. It was cold, too. She hadn’t needed telling twice about her clothing and had discarded her suits for fleece-lined boots, thick leggings and warm woollen tops that covered her bum.
It had been an odd few days, to say the least. Aside from the strange living environment, she felt like she was working for an eclectic group of people who might one day star in the board game Cluedo. Geraldine could regularly be heard dissecting a large slab of meat with a cleaver; Natalie would appear like a spirit in the dead of night, carrying a metal tray that contained various lethal-looking syringes; and Hanna could rival Nurse Ratched when it came to her bedside manner.
Which just left Calvin, who – like her – also appeared to be out of his comfort zone. She almost felt sorry for him, as he desperately tried to keep the peace and prevent any blood spillage. But then she remembered he was here temporarily and would soon be back living his best life, earning millions from elite sport and socialising with gorgeous models. He didn’t need her sympathy.
Aside from the worry for the care-home problems, which to be fair, Calvin had prewarned her about, a small part of her had actually relaxed over the last few days. Which was a puzzle in itself, and probably said a lot about her mental state. Perhaps it was the change of scenery, or no longer fearing the arrival of bailiffs or red demand letters dropping onto the doormat. Whatever it was, the knot in her stomach had finally started to loosen. She’d even managed to read a few chapters of her romance saga last night, before dropping off to sleep – something she hadn’t done for ages. Of course, she’d woken soonafter, when the window had banged open, but feeling relaxed enough to read in the first place had felt like a breakthrough.
Picking up the card her mum had sent her, she read the message again.
Good luck with the new job, Katiekins!
The use of her childhood nickname brought a lump to her throat. Her mum had even enclosed a small Advent calendar. Kate positioned it above the desk, ready to begin opening the little windows tomorrow.
The last few Christmases had been a sad and lonely occasion, a reminder of all that she’d lost. But it was a time of year she used to love, so a part of her still hoped that maybe one day her future Christmases might not be so grim. A girl could hope.
She was about to continue searching for further dormant accounts, when her phone rang. It was her cousin, Beth.
‘Am I glad to hear from you,’ Kate said, making a detour over to the window seat to enjoy the view. The morning frost had yet to thaw and the trees sparkled in the sunlight. ‘I think I might’ve bitten off more than I can handle.’
‘I could’ve told you that.’ Beth sounded amused. ‘This commission had disaster written all over it. What’s happened?’
‘I hadn’t considered the number of distractions I’d have to contend with. I knew dealing with the estate was going to be challenging, but I thought relocating here was meant to make life easier, not harder.’
‘How so?’
Kate checked the door was closed so she wouldn’t be overheard. ‘For a start, the chef keeps force-feeding me. The care team want to know when they’re going to get paid, and Calvin’s grandmother is determined to uncover my entire backstory. I feel like I’m being vetted. For what, I’ve no idea. Maybe she’s worried I’m going to run off with the family silver.’
Beth laughed. ‘She’s probably sussing out whether you’re a suitable match for her grandson.’
Kate almost slid off the window seat. ‘Hardly.’
‘Why not? You said he was good-looking.’
‘He is, but he’s way out of my league. Besides, he has a girlfriend – a very hot girlfriend. And anyway, romance is the last thing on my mind.’
