I dare say you’ll do and be no worse than anyone else. He tells me that you’re free to come at once so you, Miss Smithers, can pack your bags and be off. A month, mind, not a day more. Have you explained your duties?’
‘Yes, Lady Grimstone. May I suggest that I go on the day after tomorrow and that Miss Fox comes tomorrow so that she may see exactly how you like things done?’
‘I had already thought of that,’ declared Lady Grimstone, who hadn’t. ‘How will you get here?’ she asked abruptly, and Jane thought, Rude old woman; but before she could answer the professor said carelessly, ‘Oh, I’ve another visit to make in Blandford, I can easily collect Miss Fox and her luggage and animals.’ He didn’t wait for the old lady to reply but asked Jane, ‘Will ten o’clock suit you? That will give you all day to find your way around before Miss Smithers goes.’
‘Thank you, it’s kind of you to offer.’
‘Now I’m afraid I must be off and if you’re ready, Miss Fox, I’ll drop you off—I pass your door.’
Lady Grimstone was pleased to be gracious. ‘Well, that settles everything, does it not? Of course I shall not pay you the salary which Miss Smithers enjoys. Let me see …’
She named a sum which, from the look of disgust on Miss Smithers’s face, was well below the normal rate, but Jane answered quietly, ‘Thank you, Lady Grimstone.’ It might not be much but she would be able to save a good deal of it in a month; to be able to step straight into a job at the end of that time might not be possible and there were the animals.
In the car the professor said, ‘I hope you are prepared for a rather disagreeable month …’
‘Yes, I am, and thank you very much for helping me, Professor, I’m very grateful …’
‘Save your gratitude.’ He sounded mocking. ‘I told you what kind of a job it would be.’
‘I know that, but at least we can all have a home while I look around for a permanent job.’
He said casually, ‘True enough. Be ready for me in the morning. Have you a great deal of luggage?’
‘Two cases and the cats and Bruno. The girl who took over my flat when I came home has stored most of my things. Must I tell Basil?’
‘Certainly not. He told you to leave and you are doing so; that should suffice. What about that nice woman—Bessy? Is she to go too?’
‘He said she was to stay until he came but she won’t do that. She has a sister in London—she wants to go there. She had to go to Blandford this morning to see the solicitor and arrange her annuity.’
‘If she can be ready I’ll take her to Blandford as we go.’
‘You’re very kind …’
‘Dismiss the thought that I am a second Sir Galahad, I merely like to arrange matters in a satisfactory manner.’
Which speech so dampened Jane’s spirits that she fell silent. At the house she asked diffidently if he cared to come in.
‘Five minutes—I’ll talk to Bessy.’
‘She may not be back unless she got a lift. The bus doesn’t leave until after lunch …’ She stopped talking for she could see that he wasn’t listening; indeed, he looked bored. She led him wordlessly to the drawing-room and went to see if Bessy had returned.
She had. Jane could hear her singing, slightly off key, in the kitchen. She looked up from peeling potatoes as Jane went in. ‘Everything’s settled, Miss Jane. That nice old man, ‘e ‘as everything just so, I put me name ter a paper or two and that’s that. Money every month—what do you think of that, eh?’
‘Wonderful, Bessy. Look, come quickly, will you? There’s no time to tell you now, but I’ve got a job and am leaving tomorrow—the professor says if you want to go too he’ll give you and your luggage a lift when he comes for me.’
Bessy was already taking off her pinny. ‘It’s a bit sudden, like, but I can’t get away quick enough.’ She trotted back with Jane and found the professor leaning out of an open window, looking at the view.
He explained quickly and very clearly so that Bessy took it all in without a lot of interrupting. ‘I’ll be ready and waiting, sir,’ she said without any hesitation, ‘and thank yer kindly. Me and Miss Jane, we can’t get away from ‘ere fast enough now Mrs Wesley’s gone.’
‘Good. I’ll see you both tomorrow.’
‘Will you have some lunch?’ asked Jane, and went pink when he said gravely, ‘I have no time, but thanks for the coffee I had earlier.’
She saw him to the door and watched him get into his car and drive away. There had been no need to remind her that she had made a fool of herself weeping all over him. He had been kind and helpful and indeed given her the chance to get away just when she was in despair. All the same, she wasn’t sure if she liked him.
She had no time to waste thinking about him. She and Bessy had a sketchy meal in the kitchen and went about the business of packing. The house was already cleaned and polished; Basil would be unable to find fault with the way in which they had left it. Bessy telephoned her sister, cleaned out the fridge and, having packed her things, set about cooking a splendid meal for them both. As for Jane, she went down to the village and told the post office that they were leaving and could their letters be redirected, then she stopped the milk and warned the baker.
Mrs Bristow leaned over the counter. ‘Is that Mr Basil coming to live here?’ she wanted to know, and when Jane said that yes, he was, Mrs Bristow nodded. ‘Well, love, you just go and enjoy yourself, you’ve earned it, I dare swear, you and Bessy both. Good luck to you. Not but what we shall all miss you.’
There wouldn’t be much time in the morning; Jane went round the old house, bidding it a silent goodbye and shutting the windows and locking the doors. Basil had demanded a set of keys on his last visit and now she left her bunch of keys on their ring on the hall table and went along to the kitchen to eat her supper. They washed up together before she took Bruno and the cats for their last walk, and then, quite tired from their busy day, they went to their beds.
At breakfast Bessy said suddenly, ‘I can’t believe it, Miss Jane. After all these years, and you—it’s been yer ‘ome for most of yer life.’
‘But it wouldn’t be home if we stayed, Bessy, dear.’
‘I’ll ‘ear from you?’
‘Of course, Bessy, and I’ll come and see you as soon as I can—before I go to a job. I shall try for something away from London but I promise you I’ll come and see you first.’
She left Bessy to wash the few dishes and went in search of the animals, enjoying the morning sunshine in the garden; she had been careful not to let them see their baskets but all the same they were aware that something unusual was afoot; it would be most unfortunate if one of them decided to disappear just as the professor arrived. It was a relief when the small worry was resolved by a sudden chilly shower so that they trooped indoors where they settled in front of the fireless grate.
The professor was punctual and Jane lost no time in popping Percy and Simpkin into their baskets and fastening the lead on to Bruno’s collar. By the time he had been admitted and was carrying out the cases, she was ready, composed in a tweed suit and sensible shoes, her glorious hair very neat, her lovely face hardly needing the powder and lipstick which she had discreetly applied.
The professor wasted no time in idle chat; his good-morning was brisk and beyond a matter-of-fact question as to whether the gas and electricity had been turned off and the windows and doors closed he saved his breath, stowed the animals in the back with Bessy, held the door for Jane to get in beside him and without a backward glance drove away. Jane, who had been dreading the last few minutes when they left, was thankful for the abruptness of their departure, but she couldn’t resist a last look over her shoulder as they turned into the lane, suddenly annoyed with