Masters & Lovers Box Set Three

Chapter 21

Michael

It’s dark, a frigid winter’s evening. James hasn’t come home from work yet and I can’t find Charlotte.

Where is she?

Having a bath maybe?

But the bathroom stands cold and empty.

Reading somewhere?

I try her study, the lounge and the dining room, still with no sign of her.

And then as I stop to flick the curtains closed in the lounge, there she is. Outside on the terrace, without so much as a jacket or a cushion, she hugs her knees as she sits on bare stone paving, staring into the dark.

She must be bloody freezing…

What’s this about?

Don’t rush it…

I make a couple of hot drinks, then venture outside.

She turns as I approach. I offer her a mug. “Hi. Mind if I join you?”

“Course not.” She sniffs. “That’s lovely. Thank you.”

“Hot nutmeg milk and dash of brandy. I thought if you were determined to freeze your butt, you’d better have something inside to help thaw it out.”

She nods then turns to stare into the dark again.

After a minute or so, I say, “Come on, spit it out. Whatever it is.”

“I was thinking about my mother.”

“What about her?”

“I might never find her.”

“Perhaps not, but we'll keep looking.”

She blows on the milk, takes a slow mouthful. “What I'm meaning is, it's about continuity, isn't it. As long as I'm here, there's a bit of her too. And my father. It's not all gone. And if...”

"If what?"

She chokes up. “He’s so unhappy. He’s usually so full of life; so full of… of take-it-in-big-bites… He’s… It’s just not him.”

“He? Who? James? I thought we were talking about you?”

“Yes… No… Yes…”

“Charlotte, you’re not making a lot of sense.”

Looking away, she drinks more of the milk, but moonlight reflects from the tears trailing down her cheeks.

I lay an arm over shoulders, kiss her face. She’s chilled, tasting salty. “You want to find your mother. He wants his daughter back.” I rub at my forehead. “I hate seeing him like this too. I wish there was something I could do to help him, but he’ll get over it.”

at me.

been pleasant for him, but it is a kind of

“I'm not so sure.”

around in the mug, “You might be right. It was a low blow

it to one side. “There's one thing I can do.” There’s a tremor in her voice.

never make a poker

notices me looking and deliberately, she disentangles the knot of hair then folds

Charlotte. What is this really

to you about it before I did anything.” She’s gulping,

?

Tread carefully…

I

“He wants his daughter.”

can't have her. You can’t give her back to him. Neither

have another

you telling me you want to get

“Yes,” she whispers.

Ahhh…

to do…?” I speak slowly, carefully. “… What with

doesn't have so much time and... And I want him to have the chance to see her

quietly, her head low. Her fingers knot

cold fingers then hold them between my warm palms.

much crying recently,” I say. “Don’t think I haven’t noticed you trowelling on the makeup, trying

if it was you or him. And that would have been fine. I know it would. But this way, you’d be cut out and…. and….” The words and the tears run away with

I feel

the right thing to

will stand

… and last…

… and work…

at once. I'm going to make a couple more hot drinks, but don't go away. I'm coming

to give my hands something to do. As they growl and judder into

loved

Is that true?

No…

loved

she married

…

her,

gave her

kept her for

…

funded the house

… Helluva wedding present…

…

I ever repay

?

This would do it…

…

I sure

?

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