The Puffin Book of Horror Stories

    'And anyway,' she smiled, 'even if there had been something I was ashamed of I wouldn't have let anyone know, would I?'

    'You're grinning like a cat that's had the cream,' said Mrs Berry.

    'Am I? I wonder why.'

    And you may well turn away with that disgusted expression on your face, fat Phoebe, because now there's no chance at all you'll ever find out anything.

    Using both hands, Miss Jervis smoothed her dress firmly across her thighs and spoke to herself very clearly.

    And wouldn't you just love to know that the daughter I had was adopted and grew up to have a daughter of her own? And that little girl was Rosemary - so I'm not her auntie; I'm her granny. I'm a granny, Phoebe, just like you.

    'Anyway,' she said mischievously, 'I don't suppose my sins will ever come home to roost now.'

    'Not that you ever had none.'

    'Not that I ever had any,' said Miss Jervis primly, but she could not help a shiver, because her sin very nearly had come home to roost. Not long since.

    But you don't know that, Phoebe. I had my baby adopted the day after she was born and I thought she was gone for ever.

    Miss Jervis closed her eyes.

    And then … after all those years… she found me!

    'It was a terrible moment' - the words came out before she could stop them.

    'What was?'

    'I mean it must be a terrible moment when your sins catch up with you.' She gave a little grimace.

    You'll never catch me out, Phoebe fatbum. Not now. Rosemary has gone, and now my dear daughter is also no longer with us.

    'Did you read about that awful plane crash?' she asked.

    'What about it?' Mrs Berry was annoyed at the sudden change of subject.

    'Well, I was just wondering about those poor people. Their sins caught up with them, didn't they?'

    My daughter, for one. She dumped that Rosemary on me, and threatened to give away my secret if I didn't take her, just so she could gad about with her boyfriend. Well, now she's gone, her and her boyfriend. Serve 'em both right.

    Miss Jervis had read the passenger list. 'It's so sad,' she said.

    'Not that you look it.'

    'Well, it's such a lovely day.'

    And I'm so lucky. Nobody left to ask questions about Rosemary; no more blackmail from Rosemary's mother.

    'I can't never fathom you out.' Mrs Berry, because her fat legs pressed into the seat in front, let ash dribble into her lap. 'You was headmistress, with your own little house by the river, everything you ever wanted - and then you had to go and saddle yourself with that kid Rosemary. At your time of life.'

    'It was because of a friend from the old days.'

    A friend! I mean my dear daughter - happily no longer with us.

    'And my little home was just perfect for the two of us.'

    'Well, kids are kids - I wonder you could stand having your place messed up.'

    'But it was no problem, Phoebe, no problem at all.'

    Until the stupid child began to whine for the mother who didn't want her.

    'Because she is such a sweet little girl,' said Miss Jervis.

    Was a little girl. And sweet at the end. She drifted away so softly under her pillow she could hardly have felt its touch.

    'So sweet,' sighed Miss Jervis.

    'Sweet as a sugar plum, no doubt, but it was never your way to burden yourself.'

    'You have a cruel tongue, Phoebe, but my deeds speak louder than words.'

    'Hark at little Miss.„ Prim. Never done a thing wrong in her whole life - I don't think.'

    It was said so knowingly that Miss Jervis felt a touch of anxiety. 'I don't understand you,' she said.

    'I know something you done, Jenny Jervis… something you was ashamed of.'

    Mrs Berry's eyes suddenly had such a hard glint that Miss Jervis looked away.

    But it couldn't be Rosemary. Everybody believed me when I said she'd gone home to her mother.