Joss held out her arms. While shes out of work, you mean? Shes certainly good with Tom and we could do with some help, though we could only pay her pocket money. It would give me time to get on with the house. She smiled. And write my best seller.
No joking, Joss. We need the money. Youve had stuff published in the past. Im sure you could do it.
In the past it was in academic magazines, Luke. They dont exactly pay megabucks. And just those few short stories.
He smiled. Mini bucks would do, love. I do think you should give it a go. Anything to help. Keep us in bread and spuds until next year when we start our own vegetable patch, vineyard, bed and breakfast business, vintage car restoration workshop with small business grant he had all the papers spread out over the dining room table herb nursery, play group and counterfeit money press.
She laughed. Im glad were not contemplating anything too ambitious. Pour me a glass of wine to celebrate and well drink to Grant, Grant and Davies Industries. She hauled Tom onto her lap and dropped a kiss onto his hair, screwing up her face at the smell of oil and hand cleaner and dirt. You need a bath young man.
Tom wriggled round to smile dazzlingly up at her. Tom go swim in the water outside, he said.
Joss froze. Her arms tightened round him as suddenly the image of another small boy rose before her eyes, a small boy collecting tadpoles from the lake.
No, Tom, she whispered. Not outside. You dont swim outside. Not ever.
9
Luke?
Mmm.
Luke was poring over some papers, sitting at her mothers desk in the study. They had had supper and had brought the last of the bottle of wine, eked out from lunch, to drink by the fire. Joss was sitting on the rug, feeding twigs to the hungry crackling flames. Outside the curtains a deep penetrating frost had settled over the silent garden.
I suppose with a cellar full of wine, we could afford to open another bottle, couldnt we? Beside her sat a box of letters and papers, extricated from beneath some old silk curtains in the bottom drawer of the chest in her bedroom. It was still tied with a piece of string. The label on the box said Bourne and Hollingsworth. It was post marked September 23 1937 and addressed to John Duncan Esq, Belheddon Hall, Essex.
We could. But one of us would have to fetch it.
Bags you do.
He laughed. Bags we both do. It means wed have to go down there.
Ah. She bit her lip.
Its not so scary, Joss. Theres electric light and hundreds and hundreds of wonderful bottles. No rats.
Im not scared of rats! She was scornful.
Right then. He threw down his pen and stood up. Come on.
Why dont I fetch the corkscrew from the kitchen?
Joss.
She gave an awkward shrug. Its just Luke, one of my brothers died falling down the cellar stairs.
He sat down again abruptly. Oh, Joss. Why didnt you tell me?
I only found out this morning from Mary Sutton. But last time, when you went down I felt it. Something strange something frightening.
Only the smell of cold and damp, Joss. His voice was very gentle. Surely there would be nothing frightening about a little boys death. Sad, yes. Very sad. But a long time ago. We are here now, to bring happiness to the house.
Do you think so?
Why else did your mother give it to you?
Im not sure. She hugged her knees, gazing into the flames. She gave it to me because my father wanted me to have it. She shook her head. Its strange. He seems such a shadowy figure. No one talks about him. No one seems to remember him.
He died a long time before your mother, didnt he? Thats probably why. He stood up again. Come on. Stooping he caught her hand and hauled her to her feet. Well find a bottle of Philips best and get gloriously uninhibited, while Toms asleep and weve still got the house to ourselves. Sound good?
Sounds good. She reached up and kissed him.
The key was in the door. Turning it, Luke reached round into the dark for the light switch and clicked it on, looking down the wooden stairs towards the small underground vaults and the wine racks. Dust lay over the bottles. The cellar was very cold. Cautiously he padded down the steps ahead of Joss and waited for her at the bottom. OK?
She nodded. The air was a curious combination of stale and fresh the stillness and silence of a tomb and yet, through the mustiness, the clear freshness of the frosted garden outside.
See. Luke pointed to the top of the wall. Gratings which lead out to the flower beds outside the front walls of the house. The air gets in, but for some reason the temperature never varies much. Perfect for wine. He turned his attention to the rack nearest them. Some of these newer ones are probably best. Id hate to drink something worth hundreds, just in order to seduce my wife!
Thanks very much!
There was nothing frightening down here now. Just stillness and, perhaps, memories. She tried not to think of an eight-year-old boy, excited, happy, on his birthday, opening the door and peering down into the dark The thought could not be tolerated. Angrily she pushed it away. Just grab something and lets go. Its cold down here.
OK. Here goes. We dont tell David, right? Well dispose of the evidence in the bottle bank before he gets here. He pulled two bottles from the rack. Come on then.
The cellar door safely locked, the corkscrew retrieved from the kitchen, Tom Tom checked the baby alarm switched on they settled back by the fire. So, lets see what weve got. Luke scrutinised the label. Clos Vougeout 1945. Joss, this is old after all! I suspect this ought to breathe before we drink it.
Draw the cork and put it by the fire for a bit. Joss reached for the box of letters. Anything to take her mind off the child, peering through the door into forbidden territory, full of excitement, on his birthday
Belheddon Hall,
Belheddon,
Essex
29th September, 1920
Dear John,
Samuel and I were so pleased to see you here yesterday, and to hear that you are once more to settle at Pilgrim Hall. And so you are to marry! Lady Sarah is a lovely and gentle person. I know she will make you so very happy. As we told you, my confinement is expected within a few weeks but as soon as possible after that I hope we may entertain you both at Belheddon. My Samuel is hoping next year to resume tennis parties here at the Hall. It would be such fun if you could both come.
Your ever affectionate cousin, Lydia Manners.
Lydia Manners. Joss turned the sheet of paper over in her hand. The grandmother after whom her mother had named her when she was born. She pulled another small bundle of letters out of the Bourne and Hollingsworth box. Tied with pale blue ribbon they were labelled, Fathers letters. It was not Lauras writing. Joss frowned as she leafed through them. Different handwriting, different dates, different addresses, addresses which meant nothing to her. Then another, from Belheddon Hall. It was short and to the point:
Our son little Samuel was born safely on 30th November. Please thank Lady Sarah for her note. I will write more soon.
Yr affectionate Cousin, Lydia.
The envelope was addressed to John Duncan at Pilgrim Hall. So, John was John Duncan, a relative of Philips. Perhaps his father and so her own grandfather? Putting down the letters Joss stared into the fire thoughtfully, listening to the voices echoing in her head, voices from her unknown past.
How about some wine now? Luke had been watching her for some time as she sorted through the box. Pushing aside his invoices with relief, he flung himself down beside her on the floor and put his arm around her. You are looking too serious.
She smiled, nestling up against him. Not at all. Just learning some more about the past. My fathers family this time. She watched as Luke poured two glasses. The wine was delicious. It was dark brown and smoky, like a wood in November. She could feel the rich warmth of it running through her veins. After only a few sips she was feeling extraordinarily sexy. Is it the wine, or just the suggestion, she whispered.
What suggestion? Luke tightened his arm around her, leaning back against the arm chair. His hand drooped lazily over her shoulder and fondled her breast through the heavy wool of her sweater.
That one. She pushed the box of papers aside with her foot and took another sip. This wine seems very strong.
Luke chuckled. I suspect it was worth a fortune, but who cares, if we get our moneys worth? Shall we go upstairs? He was nuzzling her ear, gently nibbling the lobe.
Not yet. Another glass first. Luke She turned to him, suddenly serious. I wouldnt dare ask you this if I were entirely sober. You dont regret coming here do you?
Regret it! Certainly not. He inserted his hand under the collar of her sweater.
You are sure. Weve no income to speak of
Then we wont speak of it. As he would never speak to her of his nightmares about the business; the creditors lurking in the woodwork, the waves of depression which sometimes swept over him when he thought about Barry and what he had done to them. What was the point? That was all in the past. Putting his glass down he leaned across, pressing his lips against hers. Come on. Its time we went upstairs.
Sammy! Sammy, where are you?
The snow had melted; already snowdrops were pushing up through the frozen ground. The little boy ducked under the graceful boughs of the old fir tree and disappeared out of sight. When he reappeared, he was running down the lawn towards the lake.
Stop! Joss screamed. Stop. Dont go down there, please
Someone was in her way. Pushing against him she struggled to get past
Hey! Stop it! Luke wriggled out of reach of her flailing fists. Joss, stop it! Whats the matter?
Sammy! She was battling up out of a fog of sleep, her mouth sour, her head thudding like a steam hammer. Sammy!
Wake up, Joss. Youre dreaming. Luke caught her hand as it struggled free of the entangling duvet. Joss! Wake up!
She was naked, her clothes trailed across the floor; her shoulders, bare above the duvet ached with cold. The moonlight, streaming across the floor showed the overturned glass on the floor beside the bed, the empty bottle on the table by the lamp. Dragging herself back to the present she turned her head on the pillow, still disoriented. Sammy
No Sammy. No such person, Joss. Its Luke, your husband. Remember? He stroked her shoulder, wincing at the ice cold feel of her skin, and drew the duvet higher to cover her.
Tom
Toms OK. Not a peep out of him. Go back to sleep. It will soon be morning. He tucked her up tenderly and remained, propped on his elbow looking at her for a few moments, studying her face in the strangely ethereal moonlight. Her eyes had closed. She had never really awoken. It had all been some frightening dream. Too much wine. He glanced ruefully at the bottle. He already had the beginnings of a headache. By morning it would have turned into something approaching a hangover. Stupid. He threw himself back on the pillow, staring up at the embroidered bed hangings while beside him Josss breathing slowed and settled back into deep sleep.
The shadow in the corner, ever watchful, stirred slightly, scarcely more than a flicker of the moonlight on the curtains, and a shiver of lust curled into the darkness.
10
Oavid had leapt at the idea of a weekend in East Anglia before he sat down and thought out the consequences. Peering now through the windscreen of his eight-year-old Vauxhall at the ancient, creeper-covered façade of Belheddon Hall he felt a pang of something near terminal jealousy. Then his better nature asserted itself firmly. If anyone deserved the fairy tale romance which had handed her this pile on a plate, it was Joss. He thought again of the few rough notes he had scribbled down for her and he smiled to himself. The house was far far older even than the architecture visible from where he sat implied, and it had an enviably romantic history.
Climbing stiffly out of the car he straightened to stretch the exquisite agony of cramp out of his bones before diving head first back in to withdraw suitcase, box of goodies from Harrods food hall and briefcase.
See here. He tapped a page of notes with his finger as they sat an hour later at the lunch table. The church was built in 1249. I dont know for sure, but I would think the foundations of this house go back that far at least. Im no expert of course, but that glorious room of yours with the gallery looks fifteenth century if not earlier. Why havent you contacted this local historian chappy yet?
We havent had time. Joss whisked off Toms bib and wiped his face with it while David watched with horrified disgust. Wait while I put this young man down for his rest, then well talk some more. Put the coffee on, Luke. She hauled the child out of his high chair and straddled him across her hip. You dont know how glad I am to see you, David. She rested a hand lightly on his shoulder as she passed. I need to know about the house.
David frowned as she disappeared through the door. Need to know is rather a strong term.
Its weird for her, living here. Luke filled the kettle and put it on the hot plate. Imagine it. Generations of her ancestors and yet she knows almost nothing even about her mother. Sitting down he leaned forward and cut himself a generous lump of cheese. Shes been having a lot of nightmares. Some tactless old biddy who lives locally told her that both her elder brothers died here in accidents. Shes got a bit obsessed by the thought.
David raised an eyebrow. I can hardly blame her for that. He shivered. How dreadful. Well, the more distant past seems to have been more cheerful. A junior branch of the De Vere family lived here for a couple of hundred years. One of them got his head chopped off in the Tower.
Luke laughed, reaching for the wine. And you find that more cheerful?
Im a historian; it fills me with morbid delight. David chuckled contentedly. History is a moving staircase. Characters step onto the bottom, rise slowly. They get to the top, they descend. Occasionally something goes wrong and they fall off or get a foot trapped. They face forwards, looking up at the heights or they face backwards, looking down. He smiled, pleased with his metaphor. In the end it makes no difference. One disappears, one leaves no trace and already another queue of figures crowds behind one all rising and falling in just the same way.