Anna's Return (4 page)

Chapter Seven

It was mid-afternoon when Anna reached central London.
Having got there, she hesitated. What could she do next? She had nowhere to
stay, and no job. She managed to buy a penny bun from a stall, but it did
little to sate her hunger. With only a couple of shillings left in her pocket,
she would not even have enough to pay for a hotel.

As she wandered, she saw an employment agency, but it was
shut for the afternoon. However, it reminded her of Templeton’s Temps, which
Mrs. Palmer used frequently. Anna had often seen the address on the envelopes
which the prospective servants brought with them. She remembered it was
somewhere near Shaftsbury Avenue, as Mrs. Palmer had mentioned going to the
theatre there once, so she asked someone the way. If Templeton’s turned out to
be closed for the afternoon, she did not know what she would do, but she would
cross that bridge when she came to it.

She eventually found it in a side street near to Shaftsbury
Avenue. As Anna walked up the steps, a girl came hurtling down them, bumping
into her.

“I am so sorry,” said the girl, in a thick Polish accent. She
was of medium height, with wavy auburn hair and bright green eyes.

“Florentyna?” said Anna. Florentyna had once been one of the
staff at Silverton, having been sent there as a prisoner of war to work on the
farmland.  Due to them being short staffed in the house, Florentyna had soon
been moved there. There was very little age difference between the girls so
they had struck up an easy friendship. Anna had even persuaded Florentyna to
teach her some Polish, so that if she ever met Janek again, she would be able
to speak to him in his own language.

“Miss Anna, how very good to see you. What are you doing
here?”

“I’m looking for a job.”

“Has your … Lady Geraldine thrown you out at last?”

“Yes,” Anna lied, though it was not far from the truth. “She
has.”

“And like everyone else she dismisses you have no
references?”

“Unfortunately, no.”

“Come on inside, and I will help you. Miss Templeton knows
of Lady Geraldine’s reputation, so you should not have much to worry about.”

“I don’t want to bother you,” said Anna.

“It is no bother. I have an appointment in half an hour, but
it is just across the road.” Florentyna pointed to a derelict Georgian terrace
over the way. Most of the windows were boarded up, and those that were on show
were smashed. “It does not look much now, but it is to be a new hotel called
Carmichaels and they want chambermaids. I was going to be early to make a good
impression, but it can wait a few minutes. Besides,” said Florentyna, smiling,
“You and Mrs. Palmer were the only people who were kind to me at Silverton
Hall.”

“Perhaps I could get a job there,” said Anna. “At
Carmichaels, I mean.”

“Yes, we will ask Miss Templeton about it.” Florentyna
turned to walk back up the steps.

“Florentyna,” said Anna, catching the girl’s arm. “Can you
not introduce me as Anna Silverton? I’m afraid the name would not do me many
favours.”

Florentyna thought for a moment then nodded. “Yes, you are
right. What shall you be called?”

“Anna Palmer.”

“Anna Palmer it is.”

Anna followed Florentyna up the steps to Miss Templeton’s
agency, not altogether sure whether the lady herself might turn Anna over to
the police when she said she had worked at Silverton Hall. Especially if her
stepmother had been in touch about new staff, and told her the story of Anna’s
flight from the police.

Inside there was a small reception area, and at the desk sat
a rather formidable looking woman. Her hair was in a tight bun, and she wore
horn-rimmed glasses. As the girls waited, she dealt with an irate client.

“We have asked several times for a Russian speaking au pair,”
said the client, who was a young woman of about thirty. She looked like a
secretary and spoke with a Russian accent. “My employer has been most
insistent, given that her baby’s birth is imminent.”

“I am aware of that, Miss Bazarova and I have explained to
Madame Voronina that Russian speaking au pairs are very hard to come by. I
assure you that as soon as I find someone, I will send her along.”

“It is not good enough,” said Miss Bazarova. “We will not
use this agency again. Never do you have that which we ask for.” She looked
like a young woman under a lot of pressure.

“I can only apologise…” the woman at the desk started to
say.

“Yes, yes, you always apologise, Miss Templeton, but never
do you do as we ask.”

“I can speak Russian,” said Anna in that language, ignoring
Florentyna’s warning hand on her arm.

Miss Bazarova turned and looked at Anna with interest. “You
are Russian born, I can tell,” she said. “Not from your speech, but from your
look.”

“My mother was Russian,” said Anna, still speaking the
language. “I am a little rusty, because it is so long since I was able to speak
it.”

“I must concede, you are doing well,” said Miss Bazarova.

“Exactly what is going on here?” asked Miss Templeton in
crisp tones.

“This young lady is willing to come to work for us,” said
Miss Bazarova.

“That’s impossible,” said Miss Templeton. “I have no idea
who this girl is, or what her qualifications are.”

“She was an au pair at Silverton Hall,” said Florentyna,
quickly picking up on the tone of the discussion. “She took care of young Teddy
Silverton.” It was not really a lie. Much of Teddy’s early care had indeed been
left to Anna. “Only Lady Silverton has done her usual trick of dismissing the
poor girl without references.”

“I am still not sure,” said Miss Templeton. “I know Lady
Silverton can be difficult, but…”

“We will, of course, pay you the usual commission,” said
Miss Bazarova, clearly impressed by the mention of Lady Silverton.

“We do not know why she was dismissed,” said Miss Templeton.
Despite that, Anna sensed a shift in her attitude. Her eyes lit up at the
mention of commission.

“You do know Lady Silverton,” said Florentyna. “It takes
very little to displease her. But I can vouch for Anna … Palmer’s character. I
worked at Silverton Hall in the war, and I saw her treat the child with nothing
but kindness and patience.” Again that was something which was very true.

“Very well,” said Miss Templeton. “You’re an honest girl,
Florentyna, so I know you would not lie to me. There is the question of the
paperwork, and putting the girl on file.”

“Yes, yes, we will do that some other time,” said Miss
Bazarova. “For now I need to take this girl to Madam Voronina so she can stop
worrying. The doctor is already concerned about her blood pressure. Oh do not
look so worried, Miss Templeton. Your commission will be sent immediately. I
will take care of it myself.”

Realising that she had no arguments left, Miss Templeton
nodded. Anna, Florentyna and Miss Bazarova left the agency together. “We will
get a taxi back to the embassy,” said Miss Bazarova.

“The Russian embassy?” asked Anna.

“Yes, Madame Voronina is the wife of a diplomat.”

“Does that mean we will be going to Russia?”

“Not if my employer can help it,” said Miss Bazarova,
tight-lipped.

“Florentyna,” said Anna, turning to her friend. “Thank you
so much for your help.”

“You’re very welcome, Anna. As you English say, you fell on
your two feet there.”

“Yes, I did rather,” said Anna, with a smile.

“Do you have clothes or belongings?” asked Miss Bazarova,
frowning, as if she had only just realised that Anna carried nothing with her.

“No. There was no time,” Anna said vaguely, hoping that Miss
Bazarova would not press her for details.

“Never mind, we can find you something. You’re about my
size. Come, we must go.”

Florentyna crossed the road, waving, as the door to the
future Carmichael’s hotel opened.

Janek had opened the door to be free of some of the dust. He
saw the young girl crossing the street, and looked beyond her to see two young
women standing on the opposite side of the road, watching her. He was about to
go back inside when he realised exactly who one of the young women was. She had
grown since he last saw her but it was unmistakably Anna.

“Anna?” he said, going out onto the street.

The girl faltered slightly then said, “Janek? Is that really
you?”

They met in the middle of the street, two strangers who had
once been friends through adversity.

The young woman standing on the other side of the road tapped
her feet, as if she were in too much of a hurry to witness friends reuniting.

“It really is me,” said Janek. “How strange, I was only just
thinking about you and wondering how you’re getting on.”

“She’s getting on very well,” said the other, older woman.
“Or she will be if she hurries.”

“I’ve just got a job as an au pair to a Russian diplomat,”
said Anna.

“Well, that’s wonderful,” said Janek. “I’m glad to see
you’re doing so well.”

“Yes … yes, I am. And you? Are you well?”

“I’m busy trying to clean this place up ready for opening, which
is why I’m so dusty, but yes, I’m very well.” He could not help noticing what a
pretty young woman Anna had become. He would have liked the chance to talk to
her more, but her companion was once again tapping her feet. “Well, don’t let
me keep you.”

“It was good to see you, Janek,” Anna said, awkwardly,
following the other woman towards the corner of the road. “I’m glad you’re
well.”

“Excuse me,” said the young woman who had been crossing the
road when Janek first saw Anna. “My name is Florentyna. I’ve come about the
chambermaids’ post. Can I speak to the boss?”

Janek barely heard her. He was too busy watching as Anna got
into a taxi. “What? Oh yes. You’re already speaking to the boss. Come on in.”

At least he knew Anna was well. It helped to salve his
conscience a little. He could get on with what he wanted to do now, without
worrying about her anymore. And if he noticed that she looked very pale and
frightened, just as she had appeared when he first met her, then he put it down
to the nervousness of starting her new post. The woman with her had looked very
frightening indeed.

“Come on, Florentyna,” he repeated. “Can you start straight
away?”

“You hardly know me, sir. Don’t you want to interview me?”

“You’re a friend of Anna’s, aren’t you? I saw her waving to
you.”

“Yes, sir. I’ve known her since nineteen forty two. I worked
with her at Silverton Hall for a long time.”

“Then I trust you’re the right person for the job.”

Chapter Eight

Anna’s heart hammered as she sat in the taxi next to Miss
Bazarova. Of all the times to bump into Janek! She wished she could have spoken
to him a little longer, so she could find out more about his life now. She was
right when she said he looked well. He looked very well indeed. Gone was the
scrawny, half-starved teenager of eight years before, to be replaced by a tall,
dark and devastatingly handsome young man.

But, she thought, as the taxi travelled through the streets
of London, perhaps it was just as well. She could no more involve him in her
life now as she could Mrs. Palmer. He had helped her once, and she did not want
to make him feel responsible for her again. Besides, for all she knew, he would
turn her straight over to the police if he found out the truth. He owed her
nothing and would probably be horrified to learn she had been accused of trying
to harm Teddy.

“I’m sorry we did not have time to talk to your handsome
friend for longer,” said Miss Bazarova, pulling Anna out of her reverie. “We are
in such a rush.”

“Is Madame Voronina very difficult?” Anna asked, shyly. She
doubted anyone could be harder to please than her stepmother, but she had
little experience of other grand ladies.

“No, not really. Or should I say not usually? I don’t like
to gossip, but it’s probably as well to make you aware of the situation into
which you are going. The baby Madame Voronina is carrying is her first, and she
and her husband have been waiting for it a very long time. She is thirty-eight
years old, so the doctors are very concerned about her and the baby. They say
she may need bed rest for a long time after the child is born, hence me trying
so hard to find an au pair. Mr. Voronin is adamant the au pair speaks Russian.
Madame is not so concerned about that, but she will do anything she can to make
him happy. Unfortunately trying to make him happy is causing her more stress.
But she is a dear woman, so do not be afraid. Before I take you to meet her,
you can freshen up and I will loan you some of my clothes.”

“Thank you, Miss Bazarova.”

“Since we are to be working together, call me Tasha. And I
hope I may call you Anna.”

“Yes, of course. Thank you, Tasha.” Anna looked at the other
girl under her eyelashes. She had thought her fierce, but now she realised
Tasha was only fiercely loyal to Madame Voronina. “You say that Madame has no
wish to return to Russia.”

“No.” Tasha looked around, as if afraid of being overheard.
“Please do not repeat this, otherwise Madame will be in great trouble, but
Madame likes the freedom of the west. In Russia it is not so free. Even now I
am afraid that I have said too much to you.”

“I shan’t betray your trust, Tasha, don’t worry. I lived in
Russia as a child, so I know what it’s like there. We were lucky, because my
mother could travel all over the world as a ballerina, so we did not have to
live there much.”

“Your mother was a ballerina? What was her name? I love the
ballet. Perhaps I saw her.” Just as Anna was afraid she might have to answer
that question, the taxi stopped outside a grand house in a leafy square in the
north of London. “Ah, we’re here,” said Tasha. “We’ll save this conversation
until later. I’m sure we’ll have much to talk about, both being from the
Motherland. It is strange, is it not, how one can love their country yet hate
living there?”

Tasha paid the taxi driver and led Anna into the house and
up a flight of stairs.

Half an hour later, Anna was dressed in a dark blue skirt
suit with a white blouse. She could not remember ever dressing so elegantly, at
least not as a young woman. The last time she had dressed up was when her
mother was alive. Not wanting to get lost in sad memories, Anna quickly
followed Tasha back downstairs and into a grand drawing room.

It had been furnished in an ornate Russian style, and as
such, delighted Anna. A large gold samovar stood on a side board. It had been a
long time since she had drunk tea from one and once again she was reminded of
her mother, and the days when they had taken tea together, revelling in every
delicious cup.

Sitting at the far end of the drawing room, at a writing
desk, sat the most beautiful woman Anna had ever seen. She had jet black hair,
pulled back tightly from her head, and alabaster skin. Even though she was with
child, she looked very slender, with only the bump on her tummy giving a clue
as to her condition. Anna had the strange feeling they had met before. “You are
back, Tasha,” she said, with a smile. “And I see you have brought me a new
friend.”

“This is Anna Palmer, Madame,” Tasha said in Russian. “I
have engaged her as your au pair. She speaks Russian.”

“Come closer, child,” said Madame Voronina, also speaking in
Russian. “Let me look at you.”

Hesitating, Anna took a few steps towards Madame, feeling
quite intimidated. “How do you do, Madame. I hope you will be pleased with my
work.”

“Anna? Anna Palmer, you say,” said Madame.

“Yes, that is correct.”

“I knew a little girl called Anna once. You could very
easily be her. Or her mother. In fact you could not be anyone else. It is Anna,
is it not? Natalia’s daughter?”

At that, tears pricked Anna’s eyes. Partly because Madame
knew her mother and partly because she feared being sent away. “Yes, that is
correct.”

“And you’re working as an au pair?”

“Yes, Madame. I don’t mind, really.”

Madame turned to Tasha to explain. “Anna’s mother and I were
in the ballet together, a long time ago.” Madame held out her hands to Anna.
“Please, don’t look so fearful child. Natalia Andreyev’s daughter is a friend
to me. You must tell me everything that has happened to you.”

“I…” Anna licked her lips, hardly knowing where to start, or
even how much she could trust Madame with.

“Oh but I am selfish. You must be hungry and thirsty. You
look exhausted. Tasha, take Anna to the kitchen and find her something to eat
and drink. We will resume our talk tomorrow. The doctor insists I go to bed
early every night, so I will see you in the morning, Anna. Oh, I am so happy to
see you. I’ve thought of you and Natalia so often over the years.”

Dazed and a little confused, Anna followed Tasha to the
kitchen. What a day it had been. First bumping into Florentyna just when she
needed help, then overhearing Tasha’s conversation with Miss Templeton, before
seeing Janek, and now meeting an old friend of her mother’s. If anyone had told
her that such coincidences happened, she would have scoffed at them. She found
herself looking upwards, even though all she could see were the ornate covings
on the ceiling rather than the heavens.

Eight years earlier when she had been frightened and alone, she
had met Janek on the train and he had put aside his own problems to help her. After
that, Mrs. Palmer had taken care of her. Today, when she was also frightened
and alone, more help had come. Despite her father’s indifference and her
step-mother’s unkind behaviour, Anna could not say she had ever really been
uncared for, even if her life had not always been a happy one.

She smiled but it was tinged with sadness. She could not
help being convinced that her mother had always watched over her and kept her
safe from harm.