“Has Tom been behaving himself?” the Australian woman queried, “Tom, no problem?”
“No problem,” Yang repeated, shaking her head and both women laughed.
What a strange question for one woman to ask another, the ayi thought to herself.
Lucinda spent the remainder of the day working from home, occasionally making phone calls but for the most part glued to her computer screen. Tom Percival worked silently in his makeshift studio, coming out only to have a light lunch with his wife or to use the bathroom. Li Yang worked in her usual efficient manner, skirting around her employers whenever necessary and avoiding interruption unless one or the other spoke first. Just before five as she was preparing to leave, Lucinda Percival approached.
“Yang,” she enquired, “Could you work next Saturday? Ma
