‘But I understood there were two sons?’
Jill bit her lip. ‘He went back a few months later, didn’t he, and enjoyed home comforts again. Georgia was vague about timings but it was after we were married, and though Sally was pregnant again she sent him packing as soon as he told her.’
Jill paused, looking into her glass. ‘She never married and brought those boys up by herself. I feel so sorry for her.’
‘He was quite the Lothario, wasn’t he?’ Edward reflected, remembering Owen’s comments.
Jill set down her glass and stood up. ‘Excuse me for a moment while I put the finishing touches to lunch,’ she said, and though Edward cursed himself for his tactlessness, she had recovered her equilibrium when she reappeared at the French windows a few minutes later.
‘I suggest we eat inside; it’s too hot out here now the sun’s more or less overhead.
‘Not very elegant surroundings,’ she apologized as he took his place at the kitchen table. ‘I had to forfeit the dining room when we divided the house and it’s now my bedroom. At least we’re having a cold lunch so there are no cooking smells to contend with!’
‘It’s a charming room,’ Edward assured her. ‘You’ve seen my barn of a kitchen – I envy you this!’
She served watercress soup with a swirl of cream, followed by salmon salad.
‘As a matter of fact, I’ve some news myself,’ he began as he helped himself to new potatoes. ‘I’ve heard from my daughter for the first time since she went to Canada.’
Jill looked surprised. ‘That was quite recently, then? I’d thought …’
‘Two years ago, actually.’
‘Oh? I’m sorry, I’d no idea—’
‘Why should you? We had a falling out, I’m afraid, with the result that she took off saying she never wanted to see or hear from me again. She changed her mobile number and though I made numerous efforts to find her, I wasn’t able to.’
‘How upsetting for you,’ Jill said quietly.
‘She had a point; I was a selfish bastard in those days. I hope I’ve learned my lesson.’
She half-smiled. ‘Is that my cue to reassure you?’
He returned her smile, shaking his head. ‘Not at all, but the point of her writing is to let me know she’s about to marry and, much to my amazement and delight, she wants me to give her away. Perhaps she’s mellowed as well!’
‘Well, that’s great news! Will it mean your going to Canada?’
‘For the wedding, yes, but in the meantime she’s bringing her fiancé over to meet me; they’re arriving at the beginning of next month.’
‘Goodness – short notice after such a gap. Will they be staying with you?’
‘I think she’s hoping to, but with our recent history she’s waiting to be invited. Of course they must come, but I’ll have to get the house habitable again; you saw the state it’s in.’
‘There’s nothing at all wrong with it,’ Jill declared stoutly. ‘What’s more it’s her home – it’s what she’ll be expecting.’
‘I hadn’t thought of that, but you’re right. That’s a relief.’ He paused, flicking her a glance. ‘I’d very much like you to meet her.’
Jill, about to lift her fork, paused. She started to say something, changed her mind and asked simply, ‘What’s her name? I don’t think you’ve ever mentioned it.’
‘Lucy, and her intended is Nick Swanson. I thought it might help to break the ice if we all, including you if you would, go out for a meal their first evening.’
‘She might get the wrong idea,’ Jill said awkwardly.
‘And what would that be?’
Startled, she met his eyes then looked away. The conversation had taken a unexpected turn and she wasn’t sure how to deal with it.
He leaned towards her. ‘Jill, I might as well tell you that the break-up was over how Lucy thought I treated her mother.’
‘Please, Edward, I—’
‘Let me finish; it’s important to me that you know the truth. Business always came first in our married life; I was seldom home and Cicely was too sweet to complain. Consequently when she became ill I failed to notice and she didn’t tell me because she didn’t want to worry me when I was “so busy”. By the time I realized there was a problem things had progressed too far and the tumour was inoperable. That’s something I shall have to live with for the rest of my life.’
‘I’m so sorry,’ Jill said softly.
‘I like to think my values have changed, and if Lucy’s prepared to forgive me it will ease the burden considerably.’
‘She must have, or she wouldn’t want you at her wedding. Now that she’s so happy, she probably wants you to be as well.’
‘So will you meet her?’
‘She’ll still be grieving for her mother, Edward; perhaps—’
‘She’ll resent you? I don’t think so; my daughter is a much nicer character than I am.’
She smiled. ‘Then I’ll be very happy to meet her. Now, would you like coffee? The sun’s moved off the terrace so we can take it back outside.’
‘Let me help you clear the table first.’
‘There’s really no—’ She broke off as the phone sounded in the hall. ‘Excuse me a moment.’
‘Jill? It’s Paul Devonshire.’
‘Hello, Paul.’
‘I hope I’m doing the right thing phoning you, but I thought you’d want to know as soon as possible. It seems the Scottish police are about to charge someone with Greg’s murder.’
Jill caught her breath, and in the kitchen Edward paused, a plate in his hand. ‘Who is it, do you know?’ she asked after a moment.
‘No, they haven’t released a name.’
‘Did the terrorists catch up with him?’
There was a pause. ‘Terrorists?’
She made a dismissive gesture, realized he couldn’t see it, and said, ‘It was just one theory, that’s all.’
‘Definitely one I never heard of. It was breaking news on the local paper’s website just now. It’ll be on the box this evening, hopefully with more details, but I thought it might … put your mind at rest to know the end’s at last in sight.’
‘Thanks, Paul. It’s very good of you to phone.’
‘Perhaps, when this is all done and dusted, we might meet for a drink, for old times’ sake? It would be good to see you again.’
Jill hesitated, unsure whether she wanted to resurrect links with the past but conscious that he had twice supplied her with news of Greg. She owed him a meeting.
‘I should like that,’ she said. ‘In the meantime, thanks again, Paul. We’ll see what they say on the news.’
When she did not immediately return to the kitchen Edward went to the doorway and found her standing motionless by the phone.
‘Good news or bad?’ he asked.
‘A friend of Greg’s called to say they’ve arrested someone for his murder. It’ll be on the news this evening.’
She looked helplessly at Edward, unspoken appeal in her eyes. He went to her, put his arms round her and felt her lean against him.
‘It’ll be all right,’ he said.
‘Phew, what a scorcher!’ Sue Little murmured, running a finger under the collar of her dress. She and the school nurse, Joan Pendley, were at the pavilion end of the field, watching the eight-year-olds line up for their relay race.
‘They’re a hardy bunch,’ Joan replied approvingly. ‘I was expecting them to go down like flies in this heat, but not a bit of it. It was one of the mothers who passed out half an hour ago.’
‘Is she all right?’
‘Yes, I sat her down in the shade with a glass of water. Several members of staff are in the pavilion preparing tea; they’ll keep an eye on her.’
‘I wonder how long this heatwave will last,’ Sue mused. ‘We’re off to Spain next week but it hardly seems worth going when it’s like this here. We could have a paella in the back garden and save ourselves a fortune!’
Richard was operating on
autopilot. The blazing heat, combined with the noise of cheering and shouting as team-mates and parents spurred on the runners, had given him a raging headache that wasn’t helped by the music blaring from the loudspeaker, interrupted periodically by equally ear-splitting announcements of the next race.
But the heat and noise were only partly responsible for his malaise; that morning he’d received a text from Maria, again pleading with him to meet her one last time before school broke up. Though surely this isn’t the end? she’d added. Any gossip will be forgotten by next term, so as long as we’re careful there’s no reason why we shouldn’t resume our Thursdays.
A feeling of hopelessness engulfed him; having proved himself incapable of ending their weekly assignments, he’d been counting on the end of term for deliverance from his bondage. During the eight weeks of the summer holidays, he’d promised himself, he would systematically airbrush her out of his life until their closeness was totally obliterated, so that by September she’d have reverted to being a junior member of staff whom he occasionally glimpsed in assembly.
But now that text promised ongoing torment. Because if he couldn’t somehow expunge her from his life, he would be destroyed.
A smile plastered to his face, he continued to return greetings from parents and members of staff, but was scarcely aware of what he said to them. How much longer was this hellish afternoon going to last? If he wasn’t careful he’d pass out, and that would do little for his reputation. He’d had virtually nothing to eat today; perhaps a sandwich and a cold drink would help his headache. He began to make his way towards the pavilion.
It was ten minutes later, as the younger ones were being marshalled together for a three-legged race, that the festive atmosphere was shattered by a high-pitched scream that rang out above the military march blaring from the loudspeakers. Heads turned in its direction and those closest to the pavilion could see one of the younger teachers standing at the rear corner of the building, her hands to her mouth as she gazed behind it.
Joan and Sue, exchanging a startled glance, started to run towards her, joined by those nearest them, and as they rounded the corner a horrific sight met their eyes. Spread-eagled on the grass lay the limp figure of Maria Chiltern, her red hair in a cloud about her head, her green eyes staring sightlessly at the sky as a dark stain slowly spread across the front of her blouse. And standing over her, a bread knife in his hand, stood the deputy headmaster, Richard Lawrence.
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