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.

close. “Are those what I

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

Michael shifts by me…

Trouble brewing?

of flowers around

them to her any

chair and sits beside her. “Jenny, sit down would

them so long.” She’s

Please sit. Please.” Chad tilts his chin to Michael, then to me, eye-pointing chairs close by. Something in his tone penetrates. Her smile fades. Michael and I sit,

What’s coming…?

of yours I have.” He reaches for an inside pocket,

the

going to

drops into the

I was trying to find you. I

pulls his seat closer. “Jenny, I was with him at the end, in the hospital. Almost his last words were for me to give you his love when I found you again. I didn't tell him you'd not received his letter, but I kept it so I could give it to you

you going to take it?” I say.

out, her fingers trembling, takes it, then stands, retreating to a corner, turning her back to all of us. The envelope rips, and she stands head bowed, soundless,

with Michael,

head still low, there's a sob. Then another, echoing

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

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 wouldn't even

looking for

never did that.

“I believe you. But my 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 hers. “He was so proud of you, you know. Tell me,

“I did, yes.”

“Geology? Astronomy?”

I

What brought

your old friend… Does it say the things you

gives me a startled glance, then smiles, nods and offers it to me. I read it then

My Dearest Jenny,

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