Jane Donnelly by A Stranger Came

Author:A Stranger Came [HR-1660, MB-714] (v0.9) (epub)
Language: eng
Format: epub

CHAPTER SIX

As Stephen Harmon’s car drew up alongside Colin’s Nell said, ‘Thank you,’ and had her fingers around the handle so that the moment it stopped she could open the door. She said, as she turned to get out, ‘Good night, I’ll see you on Monday.’

‘I hope so,’ said Stephen. ‘As a matter of interest are you escaping from my clutches or hurrying to see whoever it is who drives that car?’

She had been about to leap like a scalded cat, but certainly not because she anticipated having to fend off Stephen Harmon, and well he knew it. She said, "Was I almost in your clutches? There’s a sobering thought.'

‘And an interesting one. Whose car is it?’

‘Colin’s.’

‘I thought it might be. Do you need a character reference for this evening?’

‘No, thank you, I can cope. But I feel I could be in for an embarrassing five minutes and it might be better if I walked into the house alone.’

‘You’re sure? I don’t embarrass easily.’

‘I do,’ said Nell. ‘It’s me I’m thinking about.’

The drawing-room faced the front of the house, they must have heard Stephen Harmon’s car arrive and leave again, but Nell got her own key out and let herself into the hall and nobody came to meet her.

She opened the drawing-room door and met Pedro. The television was in the closing pangs of a late thriller. Flo sat on the settee, Elizabeth Attlesey in an easy chair, and Colin sat in the carved wooden armchair without cushion or padding as though determined to make his waiting as martyred as possible.

Pedro slobbered his usual adoration, and over his head Colin glared at her. ‘Ah well,’ said Nell, patting Pedro, ‘somebody loves me.’

Flo asked, 'Nice folk, were they?’

‘Very,’ said Nell. ‘Hello, Colin, don’t tell me the film was so absorbing you couldn’t tear yourself away.’

Colin said stiffly, ‘I stayed because I wanted to see you.’ If he’d smiled when he said that she would have smiled back, but he went on glaring and she said,

‘And now you’ve seen me, and it’s late, and I’m off to bed, so good night, all.’

Her grandmothers ‘Nell!’ was gently reproachful, and Nell went across to her and kissed her cheek.

‘You’re looking tired yourself, lovey.'

This was very late for Elizabeth Attlesey, and it wasn’t the movie that had kept her up, it was Colin sitting there simmering. She said, ‘Colin wants to talk to you, Nell.’

And I, thought Nell, have something to say to Colin. She said, ‘All right, you get along to bed. Don’t you think, Flo?’

'I do that, ’ said Flo. ‘If I’d had my way she’d have been in bed hours ago, but you know what she’s like.’ She got up herself and turned off the television. 'Load of rubbish they put on.’ She said her good nights, told Nell, 'Your father’s still in the workroom.’

‘I seem to have kept the whole house up,’ said Nell.

‘You didn’t keep me up,’ said Flo cheerfully. ‘And your father’s working, or was ten minutes ago. Are you coming, then?'

‘Good night, Nell,’ said her grandmother.

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