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Sabrina sat down. She didn’t blame any of Marielle’s friends for giving her the once-over. She had nothing to hide and she’d do what it took to make them realise she was genuinely grateful. She had no intention of outstaying the welcome extended to her. As soon as she had remembered enough information to return to hercontext, then she’d leave and work everything out from there. As soon as she knew what was and wasn’t safe, because that was the most important thing.
‘Sabrina, this is Diana and Sylvie, two of my closest friends.’
‘We’re all Mad Cows,’ said Sylvie.
‘It’s the name of our club,’ Marielle explained. ‘Diana and I used to work together at the hospital. She was a physiotherapist. Sylvie owns a beauty salon. I started going there because I heard it was very good.’
‘It still is,’ said Sylvie. ‘You should visit. I’ll make sure you have a deep tissue massage on the house. Have you ever had one before?’
The interrogation commenceth, thought Marielle. The gestapo would have nothing on Sylvie when she got started.
‘Let’s order,’ she said as a timely waitress appeared at their side.
‘Just fish and chips for me, please,’ Sabrina said.
‘Twice, then,’ Marielle told the waitress. ‘Tea, bread and butter, please. Mixed white and brown.’
‘Thank you,’ said Sabrina, then asked where the loo was.She needed to go even though she knew she’d be picked apart in her absence.
‘Different to what I was expecting,’ said Diana, spearing a chip.
‘Seems decent enough, but then a practised con-artist would,’ added Sylvie. She anticipated Marielle’s disapproval and so quickly added, ‘Just looking out for you as a true friend. Allow me some cynicism until I’ve been proved wrong.’
‘She’s going to be working for Teddy for a while,’ said Marielle.
‘Good. He’ll suss her out. Or Flick will. She’ll not be able to fool them.’ Diana realised her faux pas immediately. ‘Not that I think you—’
‘Look,’ said Marielle wearily, because she was getting a bit fed up of all this now, ‘I’ve taken a chance on her because I believe her. I’m pretty sure this woman wants to prove who she is and get back to her life more than anything else, so please, stop it will you?’
Diana dropped her eyes, slightly shame-faced. Marielle had a right to be annoyed when her friends, however well-meaning, were treating her like a simpleton. She could try and make up for it.
‘Marielle, are you doing anything on Sunday night?’
‘Yes, I’ll be in hospital with stab wounds from Sabrina,’ she replied.
‘Okay, I’m super sorry, forgive me. I’ve got two tickets for the theatre in Slattercove. They were given to Doug who really doesn’t want to go. I thought Sylvie might have them but she’s said no as well.’
‘God forbid,’ said Sylvie as her shoulders shivered.
‘They’ll go to waste if I don’t find a home for them. Anacquired taste I grant you, and certainly not my sort of fun evening.’
‘What it is to see, a brass band?’
‘If it had been, Doug would have gone there like a shot. No, it’s a psychic. World-renowned, apparently, at least that’s what it says on the tickets. Psychic Pat.’
She fished around in her Mulberry bag and pulled out an envelope. ‘What do you think? You and your new friend could go. You never know, Psychic Pat might pick her out and tell her something interesting.’
‘Yes, I’ll go to that. Anything’s worth a shot,’ said Marielle and reached over the table for the tickets.
Sylvie and Diana said their goodbyes and left the two women to their lunch.
‘I really don’t mind that your friends are curious about me,’ said Sabrina, pouring the tea. ‘It’s nice they think so much about you and are protective.’
‘Yes, I get that, but sometimes it goes a bit far,’ said Marielle. ‘I’d like to think I was a good judge of character but I did get taken in by a couple of people I lent the flat to. The last one broke the lock, got into my house and ransacked the place looking for valuables. She didn’t find much because I have a safe but she did leave a heck of a mess.’
‘Then you really can’t blame them for worrying. It’s horrible when your trust is broken.’
Trust. Broken.
