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.

forward, looking close. “Are those

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 hedgerow. Mrs Collier showed me

Michael shifts by me…

Trouble brewing?

flowers around here to

have given them to

sits beside her.

For keeping them so long.” She’s

close by. Something in his tone penetrates. Her smile fades.

What’s coming…?

Chad’s voice is gentle. “These aren’t the only things of yours I have.” He reaches for an inside pocket, plucking out

stares at the

going to

she drops into

but it never reached you. I was trying to find you. I picked it up

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

take it?” I

her fingers trembling, takes it, then stands, retreating to a corner, turning her back

eyes with Michael, then

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

then Chad, flushing, backs away again, gesturing Michael

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

said he was a policeman, he came looking

never did that.

Mrs Collier. And

“I did, yes.”

“Geology? Astronomy?”

but I changed

brought that

old friend… Does it say the things

and offers it to me. I read it

My Dearest Jenny,

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