-5-

Elizabeth

We sit the interviewing maid, June, at one side of the table. Bradley and I sit at the other.

He is wearing his suit, but it looks dishevelled. His skin is moist, and he wrings his hands together under the table.

I place my hand on his knee to try and calm him. He flinches at my touch.

Get a hold of yourself, darling.

"You...um...have a lovely home," says June.

I smile.

I like this one.

She is old; her hair thin, and her skin saggy. Ugly. Not like the last.

"Why thank you," I turn to my husband. "Isn't that nice of her to say, darling?"

He nods. His breathing heavy.

I wish he would pull himself together. It's just one dead girl. The way he's acting you'd think something terrible had happened.

"Have some apple juice," I say – gesturing towards the jug in the centre of the table, "It's homemade. From our orchard."

"No...I'm OK...Thank you..."

"I insist."

The old woman pauses a moment, then reaches over and pours the juice into a glass then rests it on the table.

"Well go on then, take a sip."

I watch her and slowly she picks up the glass, taking a small sip to appease me.

"Mmmm," she says, smacking her lips together, "delicious."

I nod then commence with the interview.

"What happened to your last maid?" the old woman asks when I'm done.

I smile sweetly.

"Oh, she decided to pursue other options. She really left us hanging, didn't she, darling?" Bradley looks nauseous. He doesn't smile at my amusing joke. "And it was a good thing too. She was lazy, hardly did any work around here. Have you seen the dust?"

The old woman nods.

"I can sort that out for you."

I smile. I don't think she will be any trouble – not like that last, disgusting whore.

"When can you start?"

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