Ursula puffed her cheeks. “I have and it hasn’t been easy.” She paused and Lysa’s shoulders slumped—she guessed Ursula had decided to say nothing. “It’s been weighing on my conscience for weeks,” she continued. “You have to understand, Millicent is popular and has made many friends. I’ve despised her the moment she opened her mouth and called you, and your friends, whores. We all have our reasons for what we do.”
Lysa nodded. Under the table, she pressed her palms together as if in prayer.
“So, I’ve decided, since I’m leaving and have nothing to lose, I will speak out and tell the truth.”
“You will?” Lysa reached out over the table and grabbed Ursula’s hand. “Oh, thank you.”
Ursula gave an awkward grimace and Lysa released her grip, sitting back in her chair. “Sorry, just excited. When do you leave?”
“Tomorrow.”
Lysa’s jaw dropped. “So soon.” She pushed back her chair. “We have to do it now.” She feared Ursula would change her mind.
“Now?” Ursula’s eyes darted about looking at the few others in the bar area. There was no sign of Millicent or her usual cohort of followers.
“She’ll be in the Dome, she always is at this time of day.” Lysa had come to realise Millicent’s gardening club had nothing to do with gardening. It was an opportunity to gossip while pretending to plant seeds and pick vegetables. “Please, Ursula, Sym paid a high price for Millicent’s nasty trick.”
Her friend pressed her lips together. “All right, but once I’ve told the truth, I’m not getting involved in anything else. I’m out of here.”
The two women walked out of the bar and into a neighbouring corridor.
“Lysa, wait up!”
Jen! Lysa turned to find her trotting up behind her with her sidekick Sym not far beh
ind. She gave Ursula a wary once over. “What you up to?”
The impending showdown with Millicent boosted Lysa’s confidence. Sym had a right to know. “Come and find out. We’re off to the Green Dome.”
The four women reached the Dome and Lysa flung the heavy door open. Over on the far side, in their usual huddle, stood Millicent, her prominent height visible amongst the other half a dozen women. Lysa marched over with Ursula next to her and Jen not far behind. Sym held back, keeping her distance.
“Millicent,” called out Lysa. “Ursula would like to tell you, and the others, something important.” She touched Ursula’s arm and gave her one last imploring expression, hoping Ursula didn’t back out at the last minute.
Ursula cleared her throat, her eyes flitting about. Opposite her, the other wives, all lifers, hovered nudging and whispering. Their collective body language—stiff bodies and frowning faces—didn’t sit well with Lysa. She glanced behind her and gulped down a sudden wave of nausea. Others had arrived, friends of Jen and Sym, most she knew and they lingered, muttering to each other. She’d promised Blake not to make trouble and she was about to bring together two sets of women who loathed each other.
She had to keep things under control. There could be no harsh words or recriminations. This was about exposing the truth and she hoped the women could move forward together, without Millicent’s influence, and find common ground. She nodded at Ursula, who straightened her shoulders. Lysa spied Ursula clench her shaking hands into tight balls. Later, when all this was over, she’d show her gratitude for Ursula’s bravery.
“I saw you, Millicent, put the eggs in Sym’s satchel when she was on the other side of the Dome,” she spoke clearly, with her eyes fixed on Millicent.
There was a rumble of uncertainty amongst Millicent’s friends, eyebrows furrowing. Ursula was well respected. Behind Lysa, the Corporate wives shuffled their feet, the restlessness growing with each passing second. The silence as they digested Ursula’s statement didn’t last long.
“How dare you!” exclaimed Oona.
Millicent said nothing, she went pale for a few seconds before flushing bright red. Her lips turned into a snarl.
Ursula rounded on Oona. “You are no better. You told the constable Sym did it and let Millicent get away with it.” The other woman blushed too.
Lysa felt a growing sense of satisfaction as the lifers whispered to each other, backing away from Millicent. However, behind her the discontented Corporate wives grew noisier. “You bitch,” uttered one.
Ursula spun around and addressed Sym, who stood at the back of the gathering. “I am so sorry, Sym. I should have spoken out before your sentence was passed, but I believed my friendships were important to me. Now, I know justice is and not those I thought of as my friends.”
Sym nodded, wiping away the tears and mouthing thank you.
Lysa sighed, things seemed to be going well.
“I knew it,” screeched Jen, stepping forward.
Ursula backed away, opening up the space between the two women and Jen took her place, standing opposite Millicent. “You evil, conniving…” shouted Jen, pointing a finger at Millicent.