Endless Night / Бесконечная ночь. Книга для чтения на английском языке

�She came first as an au pair – no, not quite that, perhaps. But anyway I’d had a French girl who lived with us for a year, for French, and then Greta came from Germany, for German. Greta was different. Everything was different once Greta came.’

�You’re very fond of her?’ I asked.

�She helps me,’ said Ellie. �She’s on my side. She arranges so that I can do things and go places. She’ll tell lies for me. I couldn’t have got away to come down to Gipsy’s Acre if it hadn’t been for Greta.

She’s keeping me company and looking after me in London while my stepmother’s in Paris. I write two or three letters and if I go off anywhere Greta posts them every three or four days so that they have a London postmark.’

�Why did you want to go down to Gipsy’s Acre though?’ I asked. �What for?’

She didn’t answer at once.

�Greta and I arranged it,’ she said. �She’s rather wonderful,’ she went on. �She thinks of things, you know. She suggests ideas.

’

�What’s this Greta like?’ I asked.

�Oh, Greta’s beautiful,’ she said. �Tall and blonde. She can do anything.’

�I don’t think I’d like her,’ I said.

Ellie laughed.

�Oh yes you would. I’m sure you would. She’s very clever, too.’

�I don’t like clever girls,’ I said. �And I don’t like tall blonde girls. I like small girls with hair like autumn leaves.’ �I believe you’re jealous of Greta,’ said Ellie.

�Perhaps I am.

You’re very fond of her, aren’t you?’

�Yes, I am very fond of her. She’s made all the difference in my life.’

�And it was she who suggested you went down there. Why, I wonder? There’s not much to see or do in that part of the world. I find it rather mysterious.’

�It’s our secret,’ said Ellie and looked embarrassed. �Yours and Greta’s? Tell me.’

She shook her head. �I must have some secrets of my own,’ she said.

�Does your Greta know you’re meeting me?’

�She knows I’m meeting someone.

That’s all. She doesn’t ask questions. She knows I’m happy.’

After that there was a week when I didn’t see Ellie. Her stepmother had come back from Paris, also someone whom she called Uncle Frank, and she explained almost casually that she was having a birthday, and that they were giving a big party for her in London.

�I shan’t be able to get away,’ she said. �Not for the next week.