Chapter 8. Gossip

It was nearly midnight when the soft knock came at Alex’s door. She got up from one of her upholstered chairs, setting her book and wine glass to the side as she went to answer the door. Alex takes a deep breath before opening the door, half-expecting the overbearing bachelor who was assuredly not stalking her. Instead, she looks down slightly to find a delicate old woman in her nightgown and slippers.

“Oh hello Mrs. Somerset,” Alex gently starts. “Can’t sleep again?”The elderly woman guiltily nods as she starts to look up to Alex with mournful eyes.

Alex was already ushering the smaller woman into her flat. “Let’s see about having ourselves a cup of tea, shall we? And you can tell me about all you’ve talked about today.” She found the old withered hands are almost as cold as her own, and the scent of her vigour becoming more stagnant, as it did with old age.

Alex sits the woman in another one of her chairs and brings a quilted blanket over, then cleans up her prev