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.

leans forward, looking close. “Are

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 hedgerow. Mrs Collier showed me how to keep

Michael shifts by me…

Trouble brewing?

of flowers around

given them

up a chair and sits beside her. “Jenny, sit

you, Chad, so much, for bringing these. For keeping them so long.” She’s smiling, radiating almost, as she combs through the

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

What’s coming…?

He reaches for an inside pocket, plucking out an envelope, offering

at the letter,

going to

she drops into

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

for me to give you his love when I found

you going to take

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

eyes with Michael, then with Chad.

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

Michael to her. He tries to take her in his

face, “I went back to the farm once, that first Christmas. But no one would talk

was a policeman, he came looking for

did

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, did you make it

“I did, yes.”

“Geology? Astronomy?”

but I changed

What brought

friend… Does it

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

My Dearest Jenny,

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