brightly.
“Willow, darling!” she cried as she slowly made her way to the car. “I’m
so
happy you’re here. I haven’t gotten to see you since last Monday, the day before you went into the hospital!”
“That’s was a long time ago,” Willow replied. “I’m happy we both get to stay here with Diana and Uncle Simon.”
Which would not have happened without Simon’s influence, Diana thought. In circumstances like Willow’s, Child Protective Services, CPS, normally took charge of the parentless child. Early this morning, though, Simon had reached Diana at the hospital and told her he’d spoken to one of his former students who now had an executive position with CPS. The ex-student had vouched for Simon and Diana, and the government agency had givenpermission for Willow to stay in the Van Etton home while they searched for her relatives. Diana knew that being taken away by strangers would have been terrifying for an already traumatized child.
“Clarice, you and Simon are looking well for two people who went to bed late and got up at dawn,” Diana said.
Clarice’s eyes widened. “Where did you get the idea we were up at dawn?”
Diana looked at Simon, who quickly said, “Seven thirty, dawn—so close together. And I agree that Clarice looks well, but you, Diana, obviously did not spend a comfortable night.”
“That’s a long story,” Diana mumbled. When Simon’s eyebrows went up, she said, “I’ll explain later. Let’s go inside. If I don’t get a cup of decent coffee, I’ll collapse right here in the driveway.”
Nan Murphy, the temporary housekeeper, hovered in the entrance hall. As usual, Diana marveled at the nineteen-year-old woman with the body of a Las Vegas showgirl and the face of a horse. She always imagined there had been some terrible genetic mix-up in which one girl’s head had been mistakenly placed on another’s body. Diana felt ashamed of the thought, but she couldn’t quash it, no matter how hard she tried.
Nan wore a slightly above-the-knee-length denim skirt from which her long, beautiful, tanned legs emerged, ending in white canvas tennis shoes. Her short-sleeved white blouse looked fresh and crisp although obviously a size too large, probably bought at her mother’s insistence to hide Nan’s voluptuous curves. Her thick, light-brown hair fell in glorious waves around her equine face with its elongated nose, wide nostrils, and broad, flat forehead. Her large dark eyes, which could have been her face’s redeeming feature, sat far apart and bore no expression. Nan always appeared to be looking at a world that stirred absolutely no emotion in her.
“Our second guest has arrived,” Simon announced to her gaily as he carried Willow inside.
Nan stared at Willow, who finally gave the young woman a shy “Hello.” Nan merely nodded and stared some more.
Obviously annoyed, Simon asked sharply, “Is there plenty of fresh coffee for Diana? And I believe Penny told me Willow likes apple juice in the morning. Do you want apple juice, sweetheart?” Willow nodded. Nan stood rooted to the Oriental rug until Simon snapped, “Well, how about it, Nan? May we have coffee and apple juice?”
“Yeah, if that’s what you want,” Nan managed in her toneless voice. She’d opened her mouth just enough to show large, protruding teeth. “I guess you want me to serve it?”
“In the library, if you please,” Simon said with strained patience. “And bring some cinnamon buns and the blueberry Danish I bought yesterday.”
Nan turned and, without a word, walked slowly toward the kitchen. “Still service with a smile, I see,” Diana muttered.
Simon rolled his eyes. “I cannot wait until her mother is well enough to come back to work. Honestly, I don’t know how someone as energetic and pleasant as Martha Murphy could have a daughter like Nan. The girl must take after her father, whom I never knew.”
“If Nan took after him, I’m sure you’re glad you didn’t know
“Willow, darling!” she cried as she slowly made her way to the car. “I’m
so
happy you’re here. I haven’t gotten to see you since last Monday, the day before you went into the hospital!”
“That’s was a long time ago,” Willow replied. “I’m happy we both get to stay here with Diana and Uncle Simon.”
Which would not have happened without Simon’s influence, Diana thought. In circumstances like Willow’s, Child Protective Services, CPS, normally took charge of the parentless child. Early this morning, though, Simon had reached Diana at the hospital and told her he’d spoken to one of his former students who now had an executive position with CPS. The ex-student had vouched for Simon and Diana, and the government agency had givenpermission for Willow to stay in the Van Etton home while they searched for her relatives. Diana knew that being taken away by strangers would have been terrifying for an already traumatized child.
“Clarice, you and Simon are looking well for two people who went to bed late and got up at dawn,” Diana said.
Clarice’s eyes widened. “Where did you get the idea we were up at dawn?”
Diana looked at Simon, who quickly said, “Seven thirty, dawn—so close together. And I agree that Clarice looks well, but you, Diana, obviously did not spend a comfortable night.”
“That’s a long story,” Diana mumbled. When Simon’s eyebrows went up, she said, “I’ll explain later. Let’s go inside. If I don’t get a cup of decent coffee, I’ll collapse right here in the driveway.”
Nan Murphy, the temporary housekeeper, hovered in the entrance hall. As usual, Diana marveled at the nineteen-year-old woman with the body of a Las Vegas showgirl and the face of a horse. She always imagined there had been some terrible genetic mix-up in which one girl’s head had been mistakenly placed on another’s body. Diana felt ashamed of the thought, but she couldn’t quash it, no matter how hard she tried.
Nan wore a slightly above-the-knee-length denim skirt from which her long, beautiful, tanned legs emerged, ending in white canvas tennis shoes. Her short-sleeved white blouse looked fresh and crisp although obviously a size too large, probably bought at her mother’s insistence to hide Nan’s voluptuous curves. Her thick, light-brown hair fell in glorious waves around her equine face with its elongated nose, wide nostrils, and broad, flat forehead. Her large dark eyes, which could have been her face’s redeeming feature, sat far apart and bore no expression. Nan always appeared to be looking at a world that stirred absolutely no emotion in her.
“Our second guest has arrived,” Simon announced to her gaily as he carried Willow inside.
Nan stared at Willow, who finally gave the young woman a shy “Hello.” Nan merely nodded and stared some more.
Obviously annoyed, Simon asked sharply, “Is there plenty of fresh coffee for Diana? And I believe Penny told me Willow likes apple juice in the morning. Do you want apple juice, sweetheart?” Willow nodded. Nan stood rooted to the Oriental rug until Simon snapped, “Well, how about it, Nan? May we have coffee and apple juice?”
“Yeah, if that’s what you want,” Nan managed in her toneless voice. She’d opened her mouth just enough to show large, protruding teeth. “I guess you want me to serve it?”
“In the library, if you please,” Simon said with strained patience. “And bring some cinnamon buns and the blueberry Danish I bought yesterday.”
Nan turned and, without a word, walked slowly toward the kitchen. “Still service with a smile, I see,” Diana muttered.
Simon rolled his eyes. “I cannot wait until her mother is well enough to come back to work. Honestly, I don’t know how someone as energetic and pleasant as Martha Murphy could have a daughter like Nan. The girl must take after her father, whom I never knew.”
“If Nan took after him, I’m sure you’re glad you didn’t know
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