‘Not today, Miss Bainbridge. You have forgotten it’s a Sunday. Seeing as nobody has come for you yet, I shall take you back to your mother and we shall both hope nobody shall mind you walking out without your maid.’
‘Oh, but look, I’m absolutely fine. It’s all fine and dandy. Anyway, you’re walking me home, aren’t you?’
‘We’ll both be lucky to escape this episode without the gossipmongers having – oh! Is this her?’
A harried-looking Bessie was running down the pavement towards them, her skirt pulled up and hair flying in all directions. ‘Miss! What on earth were you thinking?’
‘Oh, Bessie. Is it really all that bad? Look – Max found me.’
Bessie continued to scold her for the rest of the brief walkhome. He left them both at her door, with a promise to attend her coming-out ball a week on Monday.
A week on Monday felt worryingly soon, given half her dresses hadn’t even arrived yet. She was going to have to make sure whatever she chose was absolutely spectacular.
Chapter 19
2023
Hetty had taken the bracelet off. It was the only item in a small jewellery box on her bedside table. It had been a few weeks, and as she’d said to a smiling Doctor Ansari on her follow-up visit, things were decidedly looking up. In fact, it was as though a weight had been lifted from her chest, her back, even her legs.
That evening, in a continuation of Hetty’s introduction to the culinary delights of the modern age, they were assembled around the kitchen table in front of a large bucket of KFC.
‘I’ve been thinking, Aunts. It’s possible Etta will keep the bracelet on indefinitely. Since I’ve decided to give this age a go, I need to decide upon a course of action.’
Aggie put her cutlery down while Jemima paused, drumstick halfway to her mouth.
‘Well, let’s brainstorm,’ Aggie said, as she took a sip of Sprite from her elegant high ball glass.
‘Brainstorm? That sounds … somewhat alarming …?’
Aggie snorted. ‘A turn of phrase. I think we should get you across some idioms.’
‘Out of the house, too,’ added Jemima, carefully selecting a fourth drumstick.
‘Hmm,’ Aggie continued. ‘It’s not like you don’t have enough money to keep you going, dear. So you need to decide on your field of study. But whatever you do, youwillneed to start near the bottom I’m afraid.’
‘Yup,’ interrupted Jemima, mouth half full of chicken, slurping from her paper straw. ‘No degree. No O-levels, even.’
‘Yes. That seems like Step One, then.’
Hetty was confused. ‘What are you referring to? My education?’
‘Lack thereof, yes, my dear,’ Aggie said. ‘Without being able to use a computer, everything is difficult.’
‘I can use this “mobile” contraption. I can speak to it correctly now and it tells me the weather and I can purchase things.’ Hetty paused, not feeling quite as strong in her defiance as she would have liked. She rallied. ‘And it looks up terminology I don’t understand in the newspapers. So I am very well aware of the definition of a … compt-eur.’
Jemima snorted on a chip while Aggie took another sip of Sprite before replying. ‘Let’s start there. Perhaps it’s time for you to start those classes we talked about?’
‘Ooh, yes, Aggie,’ Jemima said. ‘You saw that one at the adult learning centre down the road, remember, when you were doing your Advanced C++ course? Computer Beginnings for Basics, wasn’t it?’
‘Computer Basics for Beginners. Yes, I think that will do just fine. And when you can use computers properly, my dear, we can have you study for your O-levels at home – or you can go to a local college. Get you out of the house, like Jemima said.’
‘And into those dancing shoes, Hetty!’ added Jemima.
And with that, it was decided. Aggie and Hetty picked up their cutlery again and jointly waited for Jemima to make fun of them, but thankfully she was deep into a bag of spicy chicken wings.
‘Never make these spicy enough, do they? I swear to god, Aggie, I’m so sick of KFC. The jerk shop is only around the corner.’
Aggie sniffed. ‘Yes, and when they can adequately replicate a Zinger Tower burger, I’m quite certain they will gain my custom.’
