The Angel in the Corner - Monica Dickens [29]
He pushed himself out of the chair with difficulty as Virginia came in. He had a teutonic head of dark-grey hair, cut like a stiff brush. His thick eyebrows had been cut at the ends until they were almost square. His mouth was too small for the bulk of his face. It was rosy and a little petulant, the lower lip pushed wetly out like a baby’s.
‘Spenser,’ Helen said, without getting up, ‘this is my daughter, Virginia.’
‘I’ve heard so much about you,’ Spenser said, offering a hand like the butt-end of a ham. His voice was quiet and hoarse, more like a strained whisper; and he wheezed a little when he spoke.
‘You have?’ Why should Helen talk about her to a business acquaintance?
‘Sure.’ He studied her. ‘What a fine, tall girl,’ he said, instantly making Virginia feel oversized and gawky. He was not very tall, and the double-breasted, loosely-cut jacket of his suit was too long for the length of trouser. ‘Nice girl,’ he rasped decisively, as if he were not accustomed to having his word challenged. ‘I like that clean, swept-back look, and the strong, coarse hair. We had a model just your type last year. Did very well in sweaters and slacks.’
‘This is Mr Eldredge, Jinny,’ Helen said, with a trace of laughter in her voice. ‘He is a dress manufacturer from the United States. He’s over here looking at material. We met at that show Aubrey had of his tweeds.’
‘Surely,’ Mr Eldredge said, still studying Virginia.
‘He has an estate on Long Island,’ Helen added, ‘overlooking the sea, with two tennis courts and a nine-hole golf-course.’
Virginia was impatient. She had come into the throne-room in a hurry to tell her mother something. She did not want to hear the history of Mr Eldredge. Why the careful explanation from Helen, and why were they both looking at her with half smiles? This must be the new boy-friend. They had certainly not been talking business. Helen always sat at her desk when she talked business, even with her own staff. She would never sit casually in an armchair to put them at their ease.
‘Sit down, Jinny,’ Helen said. ‘I’ll get Grace to bring you some coffee.’ She seemed to have an unusual amount of time to spare.
‘I haven’t got time,’ Virginia said. ‘I’m meeting Mary for lunch. She’s just got engaged, and she wants to tell me about it.’
‘You ladies,’ Spenser said, with a wheeze of heavy humour. ‘You no sooner catch a man than you want to start tearing him to pieces.’
Virginia imagined that his line of humour would be full of stale half-truths about women. He would love to make jokes about women changing their minds, or talking too much, or being dangerous at the wheel of a car. She was puzzled by her instinctive aversion to him. He did not look a bad sort of man; but an indefinable smirk in her mother’s attitude had put her on her guard.
Why did you come then, if you are in such a hurry to go?’ Helen asked.
‘I came to tell you something. I’m afraid you may not like it very much. Perhaps I’d better –’ She took a step back towards the door.
‘Go ahead, dear heart,’ her mother said, tapping out ash with a jingle of bracelets. ‘We’re all friends here. Excuse me, Spenser.’ She flicked a smile at him. ‘Just a little family matter.’
‘It isn’t,’ Virginia said. ‘It’s business. I’ve just come from Mr Owen’s office.’
‘Archie didn’t tell me he was seeing you.’ Helen’s voice hardened.
‘Why should he? Does he always consult you before he hires anyone? I know he doesn’t, because I remember you being so wild when he took on that McCarren girl.’
‘You mean to calmly tell me he’s given you a job?’ Helen was unnerved enough to split an infinitive. She did not stand up, but she sat up so alertly in her chair that she was as poised as if