Red Phoenix

tea,’ Jennifer said. ‘Would you like tea? Oh, and call me Jennifer.’
    ‘That would be very nice,’ John said. ‘Jennifer.’
    Jennifer grabbed my hand. ‘Come and have a look, Em.’ She showed me through the dining room. John and Leo went out the front door.
    ‘This is the kitchen.’ She dragged me through. It was expensively appointed with luxurious European appliances. She waved deprecatingly at a smiling round English woman in a maid’s uniform. ‘That’s just Tess, the housekeeper.’
    Tess nodded without saying anything and I nodded back.
    Jennifer pulled me back into the hallway. She opened a door. ‘Here’s the garage,’ she said proudly. She pointed down the stairs at the car below us. ‘That’s my car, Leonard bought it for me.’ It was a shiny new silver BMW. ‘His Jag isn’t here, he’ll be home soon. He’ll take some time from the office to come and see you, don’t worry.’
    ‘I look forward to it.’ I tried to remember what he looked like. I couldn’t. I had spoken to him about threetimes nearly ten years before, at their wedding, and that was all.
    We walked along the hallway to the bottom of the stairs that went to the next floor up. She opened another door. ‘Leonard’s study.’ Like the rest of the house, it had been decorated by a professional, and had a bay window overlooking the front yard. John and Leo stood next to the van. John was on the phone and I wondered who he could possibly want to talk to.
    If you’re wondering, he said into my ear when he saw me at the window, your sister’s children are making my daughter’s life miserable and she is in constant contact with me for help. Please get up there and rescue her. Even Michael is getting a pummelling.
    ‘Are the bedrooms upstairs?’ I said brightly. ‘I’ll bet the boys’ bedrooms are even nicer than this.’
    ‘I’ll show you.’
    The boys were shouting as we went up the stairs. They sounded very angry. I didn’t hear a sound from Simone or Michael.
    ‘They’re in Colin’s room,’ Jennifer said cheerfully. She opened the door.
    The boys were screaming and hitting Simone with a pillow. Michael tried to block their blows. Simone sat with her hands over her head, her little face a mask of torment. I rushed to her, pulled the boys off, and grabbed Simone. She buried her face in my neck. ‘Thanks, Emma,’ she said quietly.
    ‘The little tinkers. Is their play too rough for you, petal?’ Jennifer said to Simone without a hint of compassion. ‘They go to a boys school and they don’t really know that girls are a little more delicate.’
    ‘I’m okay,’ Simone choked. ‘Can I go back downstairs now, please?’
    ‘You’ll be fine, Simone, I’ll look after you,’ I said into her ear. I picked her up with one arm, put her on my hip, and she clutched me.
    Jennifer gasped.
    ‘What’s the problem, Jen?’ I glanced around, there didn’t seem to be anything wrong. Michael’s face was rigid with control. The two little boys glowered at me.
    Jennifer stared at me, eyes wide.
    ‘Can I see the rest of the bedrooms?’ I said, trying to snap her out of whatever daydream she had drifted into. Then I realised I’d just lifted a five-year-old girl one-handed. Way to go being normal, Emma!
    Fortunately, Jennifer shook herself out of it. ‘Let me show you,’ she said, and went to the door. I followed her, still holding Simone with one arm.
    The master bedroom was enormous. Jennifer took us onto the balcony. It overlooked the rear garden, which was formally laid out and beautifully landscaped with a small fountain.
    Simone was fascinated. ‘This is your garden?’
    Jennifer smiled. ‘Yes it is, pet.’
    ‘You don’t share it with anyone?’
    ‘It’s like the house in Guangzhou, Simone,’ I said. ‘It has a garden.’
    Simone nodded, understanding. She wriggled a request and I lowered her. ‘Can I go out there?’
    ‘Let’s take you out so that you can see, pet,’ Jennifer said kindly. ‘You don’t need to see the next floor up, it’s just guest rooms and storerooms. Let’s go and see the garden.’
    Michael quietly followed us down the stairs. Jennifer didn’t appear to notice him. We went out to the back garden. An expensive outdoor table sat on the lawn next to some play equipment.
    Simone says thank you, John said into my ear. But she didn’t want to say it herself, she’s a little ashamed that she couldn’t handle them.
    Poor Simone, what a baptism of fire. She clutched my