Masters & Lovers Box Set Three

Chapter 10

James

Books.

What’s new?

She’s consistent…

‘Principles of Geology’ by Charles Lyell - well-thumbed, ‘The Merchant of Venice’, ‘Marvels of Pond Life’ by Henry Slack - very dog-eared… The list goes on and the only thing any of the texts have in common is that they all look well-used. A second-hand bookstore would describe them as slightly foxed, but it looks as though the bears, the boars and the badgers have been at them too.

She stacks them in a neat pile, then rummages…

Some odds and ends of jewellery; cheap stuff, yellowed with age but seeming little-handled…

A rock. “Oh!” She smiles as it weighs in her hands.

Michael gives me a ‘wtf?’ look and I shrug.

Chad sees our expressions and smiles, then moves to stand close by Michael. He murmurs, “You’d better be ready. She’ll probably get pretty emotional soon.”

Michael shoots him a glance, then nods.

The rock seems to be just that; a rock, prettily striped in green and red, polished to a smooth round..

Curiosity gets the better of me. “Charlotte?”

She almost caresses the pebble and when she looks up, her eyes are full…

“Tell me later,” I say.

She separates out a book, a heavy volume, leather-bound, old looking. Her eyes lift to Michael, then me, and she chews at her lips. Sliding a finger to the pages, she lifts, and the book falls open on…

Flowers?

Yes, pressed flowers; dainty, delicate their colours faded, but recognisable as violets.

looking close. “Are those what I think

back between me and Michael. “Yes, they’re the ones you gave me, that first day.” She lifts them free from the page, sliding a fingernail under to ease them from the paper. “Chad and I were still at school. He picked them for me, from the

Michael shifts by me…

Trouble brewing?

flowers around here to

them

up a chair and sits

For keeping them so long.” She’s smiling, radiating almost,

his chin to Michael, then to me, eye-pointing chairs close by. Something in

What’s coming…?

I have.” He reaches for an inside pocket, plucking out an envelope, offering it to her. “It's

the

going

drops into the

never reached you. I was trying to find you. I picked

love when I found you again. I didn't tell him you'd not received his letter, but I kept

to take it?” I

stands, retreating to a corner, turning her back to all of us. The envelope rips, and she stands head bowed, soundless, as

with Michael, then

still low, there's a sob. Then another, echoing around the otherwise

of us stride forward, then Chad, flushing, backs away again, gesturing Michael to her. He tries

face, “I went back to the farm once, that first Christmas. But no one would talk to me. They just said you'd left and Mr Kalkowski had died. They

a policeman, he came looking for you. He told everyone you

did

mother believed him, or wanted to. And she poisoned everyone against you. Except for Mrs Collier. And Mr Kalkowski of course.” He smiles, places his hand over

“I did, yes.”

“Geology? Astronomy?”

I changed

What brought that

From your old friend… Does it say the things you would have

me a startled glance, then smiles, nods and offers

My Dearest Jenny,

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