The feeling had been in Toms bedroom, but he was not going to say so. It was strange. A coldness which was not physical cold the Dimplex had seen to that. More a cold of he caught himself with something like a suppressed laugh. He was going to describe it to himself as a cold of the soul.
11
Presents, food, blankets, hot-water bottles. Im like a Red Cross relief van! Lyn had driven into the courtyard next morning, her old blue Mini groaning under the weight of luggage and parcels. Mum and Dad are coming back on Wednesday, but I thought Id give you a hand. She smiled shyly at David. Im going to be Toms nanny so Joss can write world-shaking best sellers!
Im glad to hear it. David grinned. He had only met Josss younger sister on a couple of occasions, and had thought her hard and, he had to admit, a little boring. For sisters the two had had little in common. Now, of course, he knew why. They werent sisters at all.
It was eleven before he managed to cajole Joss away from the house on the pretext of hunting up some of the names from the Bible in the church. They started in front of Sarah Percival. I noticed her because the memorial was so ornate. There must be older ones, she whispered. She wandered away from him down the aisle. Here we are, Mary Sarah Bennet died in 1920. It just says of Belheddon Hall. No mention of her disappearing husband.
Perhaps she didnt want him buried with her. David was staring absently up into the shadows near the north door. Theres a lovely little brass here. To the memory of Katherine he screwed up his eyes, its been polished so often I cant make out the second name. We need more light. He stepped closer, reaching up the wall to trace the letters with his finger. She died in 14- something.
Katherine
In the silence of the old church Joss flinched as though she had been hit. She was standing on the chancel steps, staring at a small plaque on the wall behind the lectern. At Davids words she turned, to see him stroking his fingers lightly over the small, highly polished brass. Dont touch it, David she cried out before she had time to think.
He stepped back guiltily. Why on earth not? Its not like walking on them
Did you hear? She pressed her fingers against her temples.
Hear what? He stepped away from the pulpit and came to stand next to her. Joss? What is it?
Katherine, she whispered.
He had been riding riding through the summer heat, trying to reach her
That was me, Joss. I read out her name. Look. Up there on the wall. A little brass. There are some dead flowers on the shelf in front of it.
Riding riding the messenger had taken two days to reach him already it might be too late
In the cut glass bowl the water was green and slimy. Joss stared down at it. We must renew the flowers. Poor things, theyve been dead so long. Nobody cares
Foam flew from his horses mouth, flecking his mantle with white
There arent any flowers at this time of year unless you go to a shop, David commented. He wandered away towards the choir stalls once more. Did you bring a notebook? Lets copy some of these names down.
Joss had picked up the vase. She stared at it vacantly. There are always flowers in the country, if you know where to look, she said slowly. Ill bring some over later.
He glanced at her over his shoulder. She seemed strangely preoccupied. Shouldnt you leave it to the flower ladies? he said after a moment.
She shrugged. They dont seem to have bothered. No one has noticed. The vase was hidden there, in the shadows. Poor Katherine
Katherine!
Furiously he bent lower over the animals neck, urging it even faster,conscious of the thud of hooves on the sunbaked ground, knowing insome reasoning part of himself that his best mount would be lamed forlife if he kept up the pace any longer.
David!
The pounding in Josss skull was like the thud of a horses hooves, on and on and on, one two three, one two three, over the hard, unrelenting ground. Everything was spinning
Joss? As she collapsed onto the narrow oak pew David was beside her. Joss? What is it? He took her hand and rubbed it. It was ice cold. Joss, youre white as a sheet! Can you stand? Come on, lets take you home.
Behind him, far behind, a scattering of men, the messenger amongstthem, tried to keep up with him; soon they would have fallen out ofsight.
In the silent bedroom Joss lay on the bed. Sitting beside her was their new doctor, Simon Fraser, summoned by Luke. His hand was cool and firm as he held her wrist, his eyes on his watch. At last he put her hand down. He had already listened to her chest and pressed her stomach experimentally. Mrs Grant, he looked up at last, his eyes a pale clear blue beneath his gold-rimmed glasses. When did you last have a period?
Joss sat up, relieved to find her head had stopped spinning. She opened her mouth to answer and then hesitated. What with the move and everything, Ive sort of lost track Her smile faded. You dont mean
He nodded. My guess is you are about three months pregnant. He tucked his stethoscope into his case and clicked the locks shut. Lets get you down to the hospital for a scan and well find out just how far along you are. He stood up and smiled down at her. Was it planned?
Katherine
It was there again, the sound in her head. She strained to hear the words, but they were too far away.
Katherine: my love; wait for me
Mrs Grant? Joss? Simon Fraser was staring at her intently. Are you all right?
Joss focused on him, frowning.
I asked if the baby was planned, he repeated patiently.
She shrugged. No. Yes. I suppose so. We wanted another to keep Tom company. Perhaps not quite so soon. Theres so much to do It had gone. The voice had faded.
Well, you are not going to be the one doing it. He lifted his case. Im going to be stern, Mrs Grant. That turn you had this morning is probably quite normal hormones leaping about and rearranging themselves but Ive seen too many women wear themselves out in the early months of pregnancy and then regret it later. Just take it easy. The house, the boxes, the unpacking none of it will go away by itself, but at the same time, none of it is so urgent you need to risk yourself or your baby. Understood? He grinned, a sudden boyish smile which lit his face. Ive always wanted to come and see this house its so beautiful but I dont want to be coming up here at all hours because the new lady squire is overtaxing herself. Right?
Joss sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed. It sounds to me as though youve been got at. Luke must have talked to you before you came up here, doctor.
He laughed. Maybe. Maybe not, but Im a fairly good judge of human nature.
Lukes hug, in the kitchen later, swept her off her feet. Clever, clever darling! Lets have some champagne! David, are you prepared to brave the cellar? There is some there.
Luke Protesting, Joss subsided into a chair. I shouldnt have champagne. Besides, shouldnt we wait until Ive had the proper tests? She still felt a little odd disorientated, as though she had woken too suddenly from a dream.
No chance. Luke was glowing with excitement. Well have another bottle then. Besides theres no doubt is there? He said he could feel it! Im sure, and you are too, arent you he paused for a moment on his way to collect four glasses and looked at her shrewdly. A woman always knows.
Raising her fingers to her forehead Joss pressed distractedly against her brow. I dont know. I suppose there have been signs. Queasiness in the mornings for one. In the rush to get Tom up and dressed she hadnt taken much notice. Her tiredness she had put down to the fact that she was doing much too much. So nanny she looked at Lyn, youll have another charge soon, it seems.
Lyns eyes were sparkling. Youll have to pay me more to look after two.
Oh great. Thanks!
At least writing your book will keep you sitting still. Youve got no excuse not to start, now, Luke said firmly. He put the glasses down on the table and then dropped a kiss on the top of her head. Ill go and help David find a bottle.
David was standing in the cellar in front of the wine racks as Luke walked slowly down the steps. Its bloody cold down here. This is all vintage, you know. And some of it is still in really good nick. He glanced at Luke and lowered his voice. If you need money you could do worse than sell some of this. There are some very valuable wines here. Look at this! Haut-Brion 49 and look Chateau dYquem!
What sort of money are we talking about? Luke reached for a bottle and extracted it carefully from the rack. This is he squinted 1948.
Dont shake it whatever you do! Thats about 350 quids worth youve got in your hand. You are looking at thousands, Luke. Ten. Twenty. Maybe more.
You know, I did wonder. Thats why I wanted you to have a look at them.
David nodded. I can give you the name of someone at the wine auction house at Sothebys who would come and value it and catalogue it. It would be a tragedy in a way to get rid of it, but I know youre strapped for cash, and with another kid on the way, you could do worse than raise some like this. Besides, youre just as happy with plonk, arent you, you ignoramus! He chuckled.
I think Id better put this back Luke glanced at the bottle in his hand.
Youd better! Come on. Lets find some champagne for the baby. David selected a bottle from the rack and studied the label, Pommery Brut 1945. Not bad!
Just twenty or thirty quid a bottle, I suppose? Luke groaned.
More like fifty! Its a strange life you lead here, isnt it. David shook his head slowly. All the trappings of grandeur, yet a bit short of cash.
A bit! Luke grinned. He was not going to let himself think about Barry and H & Gs money. We were planning to live off the land here. Literally. The money I can make from doing up cars is peanuts. Its a mugs game so slow but at least it will bring in enough hopefully for electricity bills and community charge, that sort of thing. Joss would never hear of selling anything out of the house she is so obsessed with the history of it all, but wine is not quite the same, is it? Im sure she wouldnt mind about that. It could make the difference between hell and a hard place for us, David. He cradled the bottle in his arms. Tell me something. Do you think Joss really could make any money out of writing?
David grimaced. She can write. She has a wonderful imagination. Ive told her that Ive taken the liberty of showing some of her stuff to a publisher friend of mine. He particularly liked one of her short stories. Hes keen to see more, and he wouldnt say that unless he meant it. But beyond that its in the lap of the gods. He gave a sudden shiver. Come on, old chap. Lets get out of here. Its so bloody cold. A hot meal is what we all need, I think!
It wasnt until quite a bit later that Joss managed to go back to the church alone. She had in her hand a small bunch of holly mixed with red dead nettle, and winter jasmine and shiny green sprigs of ivy covered in flowers.
The church was almost dark when she found the key in its hiding place and pushed open the heavy door to make her way up the dim nave. The vase was clean and full of fresh water as she stood it gently on the shelf in front of the little brass. There you are, Katherine, she whispered. New flowers for Christmas. Katherine? She paused, almost expecting there to be a response, a repeat of the strange reverberation in her head, but there was none. The church was silent. With a wry smile she turned away.
The kitchen was empty. For a moment she stood in front of the stove, warming her hands. The others were all out, all occupied. She should be unpacking boxes or packing presents; there was no time to stand and do nothing. On the other hand now would be the perfect time, alone and undisturbed, to turn once more to the box of letters in her mothers study. And the doctor did tell her to rest
The great hall was already taking on the look of Christmas. Luke and David had brought in the seven foot tree they had cut in the copse behind the lake that morning and the whole room smelled of the fresh spicy boughs. It was standing near the window, firmly wedged into a huge urn filled with earth. Lyn had found the boxes of decorations, and they stood on the floor near the tree. They had promised Tom that he could help decorate the tree after his supper and before he went to bed. She smiled. The little boys face as the tree was dragged in had been a sight to behold.
She had filled a huge silver bowl with holly and ivy and yellow jasmine and it stood in the centre of the table, a blaze of colour in the dark of the room.
Katherine
Joss frowned. There was a strange electric tingle in the air, a crackle of static as though a storm were about to break. It was there again: the echo at the back of her head the voice she could not quite hear.
As he thundered into the courtyard the house lay quiet under the blazingsun. His horses breath was whistling in its throat as he dragged it to ahalt. There was no sign of servants, even the dogs were silent.
Puzzled, Joss shook her head. She was staring hard at the bowl of flowers. The silver, still dull where her quick rub with a duster had failed to remove the years of tarnish gleamed softly in the dull light from the lamp near the table. As she watched a yellow petal from the jasmine fell onto the gleaming black oak.
Throwing himself from the saddle he left the sweating trembling horseand ran inside. The great hall, dim after the sunlight, was equally empty.In five strides he was across it and on the stairs which led up to her solar.
The smell of resin from the newly cut fir tree was overpowering. Joss could feel the pain tightening in a band around her forehead.