‘We’ll take Bessy to the train first and see her on to it—there’s time enough for that.’
At the last moment Bessy broke down. The professor had bought her ticket for her, put her cases on the train and stood with Jane on the platform. There were still a couple of minutes before the train was due to leave and Bessy appeared at the door, leaning out precariously. ‘Oh, Miss Jane, you will write? I’ll miss the ‘ouse and you and the animals. Wasn’t there no other way?’
Jane went and took her hand. ‘Bessy, dear, it’ll be all right, I promise you. Look, if I get a good job and can find somewhere to live, if you’re not quite settled with your sister you can come and live with me then we’ll be all together again.’
‘Promise?’
‘I promise, Bessy. I’ll write to you in a day or two—we still have each other and I’m sure Granny would have approved of what we’re doing.’
‘That nasty old Basil.’ Bessy wiped her eyes and managed a small smile and a moment later the train pulled out of the station. Jane waved until Bessy was nothing but a blur in the distance and then walked out of the station beside the professor. She wanted to have a good cry herself but that would have to wait.
She was distracted from her unhappy thoughts by the anxious mutterings and growls from the back of the car. The professor waited patiently while she soothed the animals, his face inscrutable, but she had no doubt that he was anxious to hand her over and be on his way. He had been kind in an impersonal way and after all, she reflected, he had got his own way, hadn’t he? She had saved him the bother of finding someone to take Miss Smithers’s place. All the same, she didn’t like to try his patience too far.
She was surprised when he stopped outside an inn a mile or so out of the town. ‘Coffee?’ he suggested. ‘I doubt if you will get it once you get to Lady Grimstone’s.’
‘Is there time?’
‘Ample. I dare say Bruno would like to stretch his legs too.’
They didn’t stay long but the coffee was hot and well made and the pub’s bar cheerful and warm. Back in the car she asked diffidently, ‘Have we upset your day? I do hope not. We—Bessy and I—are very grateful.’
‘I did tell you that I had another visit to pay close by, did I not?’
He spoke coldly, so that she observed with a snap, ‘Indeed you did, but one likes to express one’s gratitude.’
‘I stand corrected.’ He spoke carelessly and with impatience. Really, she thought, he had done so much for them and she should like him enormously for that but now she wasn’t sure if she liked him at all. But it was hard not to when they arrived, to find a decidedly bad-tempered Lady Grimstone waiting for them in the drawing-room.
‘I expected you sooner than this, Miss Fox,’ she snapped without bothering with a greeting.
‘My fault,’ said Professor van der Vollenhove. ‘I was detained and had no way of letting Miss Fox know that I would be later than we had arranged.’ He added blandly, ‘Indeed, I am very sorry to have caused you and her so much worry.’
Lady Grimstone’s high colour paled to a more normal shade. ‘Oh, well, I must forgive you, I suppose. Will you stay for lunch? I should like to hear how your dear mother is—we have had so little time to talk.’
‘I have an appointment in half an hour’s time in Salisbury, much as I should have enjoyed staying. I shall be coming this way again in the near future; perhaps you will invite me then. I must tell my mother how well you are looking.’
‘I should so like to see her again.’ Her eye lighted on Jane, standing quietly by the door. ‘You can go, Miss Fox, find Miss Smithers—I expect you to take over from her without any inconvenience to myself.’
‘Very well, Lady Grimstone.’ Jane made her voice colourless. ‘Goodbye, Professor van der Vollenhove.’
He went to open the door for her but he didn’t say anything. Why should he? she thought dispiritedly; his plans had worked out very well and he could forget her. She went downstairs and found Miss Smithers waiting for her. ‘I’ve put the cats and your dog in my room. Come and see them.’
‘What about yours?’
‘They’re in the kitchen. I hope you don’t mind but I’m going this afternoon—a friend with a car is coming to fetch me—it’s too good a chance to miss.’ She opened the door into her room. ‘I’ve shut the outer door so they’ll be quite safe here. There’s everything they need in the conservatory and I thought it might be a good idea if I fetched Bill and we went into the garden together with the two dogs.’
‘You’re going today?’ Jane suppressed panic. ‘I haven’t the least idea what to do …’
‘Not to worry, I’ve written everything down for you. The staff will help you—they’ve been here for years—Lady Grimstone is no fun to work for but they’re used to her and she pays them well.’
They released Percy and Simpkin, who began to prowl cautiously while Bruno sat watching them.
‘Has Professor van der Vollenhove gone?’ asked Miss Smithers.
‘He was still in the drawing-room but he said that he had to go almost at once.’
‘I’ll get Bill from the kitchen and we’ll have a quick run in the garden before Lady Grimstone rings. There’s food for the cats already put out. I’ll let you out of the garden door and meet you outside.’
Bill was elderly, good-natured and slow-moving; he stood patiently while Bruno circled him and decided to be friends and then wandered away in a ponderous fashion while Bruno made rings round him, pleased with his new friend.
‘Oh, good, you’ll not have any trouble with them, and I don’t see why the cats shouldn’t settle down too. When she rings I’ll tell Lady Grimstone that you’re unpacking—that will give you time to read through the notes I’ve written for you.’ Miss Smithers smiled kindly. ‘I’m sure you’ll do and bless you for coming—this job suits me—not many people will accept pets—but I really need a break. I’m off to Scotland to my married sister.’
‘I hope you have a lovely holiday—you’ll let me know when you’ll be back? If I get a job I’ll need to give the date when I’ll be free …’
‘I’ll let you know in good time. If everything goes to plan it should be in four weeks’ time.’ She whistled to Bill and went away with him and Jane followed her presently, to sit down on the one easy-chair in the room and study Miss Smithers’s instructions. They were concise and she would have been an idiot not to understand them; life, she could see, was going to be busy for the next four weeks—there was no menial work involved but any number of small chores: letter-writing, reading aloud, making conversation, accompanying Lady Grimstone if and when she chose to go out, walking Bill, making sure that she was settled each night and getting up in the small hours if Lady Grimstone chose to send for her—and at the bottom of the list Miss Smithers had written in her neat hand, ‘Sorting wool, unpicking embroidery, unpicking knitting, finding specs, acting as go-between with various local charities. A half-day a week free but you will need to remind her.’ This last sentence cheered her up; she could find out about buses to Blandford or Salisbury and if the buses didn’t fit with her off-duty the village shop would see to her small wants.
Four weeks wasn’t long, she told herself, making sure that she looked as much like a companion as possible. The bell went then and she went back upstairs and presented herself to Lady Grimstone.
Miss Smithers was there too, sitting quietly saying nothing while her employer reiterated Jane’s duties and then ordered Jane to ring the bell. ‘Since Miss Smithers is going on holiday I think we might drink to that,’ and when a boot-faced elderly man came into the room she said, ‘Blake, fetch the sherry—we wish to toast Miss Smithers, who is in the happy position of going on holiday.’ Lady Grimstone fixed a beady eye on Jane. ‘I only wish