An Island Apart Read Free

was served at the regular time and when the tables had been cleared and the guests had gone about their various evening activities Kirsty washed and dried and stacked away the dishes. She was standing by the stove filling a thermos flask with hot tea ready to take up to her room when the door opened and Isabel and Mac entered the kitchen bringing with them the mingled smell of scent and cigarette smoke. Seeing that they were both dressed in their outdoor clothes she glanced at them with raised eyebrows and waited for them to speak.
    â€˜We’re away to the flicks,’ Mac announced in a slurred voice which betrayed he had already taken a substantial evening dram.
    Kirsty made no comment.
    â€˜You’ll have to see to the ten o’clock tea and biscuits for guests and pop the hot water bottles into their beds,’ instructed Isabel, pulling on her gloves and looping a scarf around her neck.
    Kirsty fought to control her rising indignation. Putting down the flask she turned to face them. ‘Indeed I shall do nothing of the kind,’ she asserted. ‘Must I remind you that it is still my half day off and tonight as I have already told you I particularly wish to have the time to myself.’
    For a second or two she was able to rejoice at their flabbergasted expressions before she went on, ‘When your aunt was in charge here I was never called upon to work during my time off unless there was a special reason for me to do so and then, more than willingly, I gave up my time.’
    â€˜She was a damn sight too soft with you!’ Mac interjected testily.
    Ignoring him Kirsty looked straight at Isabel. ‘You will not be trying to tell me that going to the cinema is in any way a special kind of reason?’ She screwed the cup firmly onto the flask.
    â€˜But you’ll be here in the house, won’t you? It’s surely not much to ask you to do us the favour of taking in tea and biscuits and seeing to the hot water bottles. It won’t take you more than a few minutes,’ expostulated Isabel.
    â€˜No, it is maybe not much to ask,’ Kirsty agreed. ‘But you did not ask me, did you? You told me I would have to do it.’ She reached for a cup and saucer, took a couple of her own baked scones from a tin and set them on the tray with the flask.
    â€˜Just you stop this hoity toity,’ Mac interposed more as if he felt it was time he contributed to the disagreement rather than in the hope of ending it.
    With a gesture Isabel silenced him. ‘It’s the last night of a film we particularly want to see and if we stay to the end it’ll be too late to see to the guests. They’ll have gone to their beds.’ Her manner was only a little less unpleasant.
    â€˜What d’ you do on your nights off anyway? Just sit in your room knitting or reading stuffy old books or listening to the wireless?’ jeered Mac.
    â€˜Just that,’ affirmed Kirsty equably. ‘And that is exactly what I am planning to do this evening.’
    â€˜You’d still have time to do all that,’ Isabel quibbled. ‘You wouldn’t have to forsake your pleasure for more than a few minutes to oblige us.’
    â€˜That’s true,’ Kirsty acknowledged. ‘But tonight I am not intending to oblige you. As you can see I have my own supper here on the tray which in a moment or two I shall be taking up to my room and then I shall not be coming down to the kitchen again until the morning.’ She surveyed them coolly. ‘You must learn that I am not a slave to be hectored and bullied as you two have tried to hector and bully me. You must get back from your cinema in time to attend the guests or,’ she continued, ‘you can tell them they must get their own tea and biscuits and see to their own hot water bottles tonight.’ Again Kirsty was surprised at her own audacity.
    For a full moment the couple glared at her without speaking as if convinced that