The Safe House by L. H. Stacey

Author:L. H. Stacey [Stacey, L. H.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Boldwood Books

19

Jess pulled on her anorak, hat and gloves. She was determined not to be indoors for the whole day. She turned towards where Madeleine still sat in reception, still surrounded by her multiple lists.

‘Come on, lazy bones. Bandit needs rescuing from the girls. He’s been looking after them all morning, and I’m sure I just heard him screaming for help… listen!’ Jess threw Madeleine’s coat towards her and pulled open the solid wooden door that stood between the grand hall’s reception and the tree-lined driveway. The harsh wind rushed inside and Jess felt a shudder go down her spine as she stepped outside into the cold winter day.

She stamped up and down impatiently. ‘Come on, Maddie, or poor Bandit will be tied to a tree with skipping ropes and both Poppy and Lily will be playing cowboys and Indians, running round him with duck feathers in their hair,’ Jess called as she zipped up her coat. ‘Unless, of course, it’s Bandit that has the girls tied to a tree and then you could be in all sorts of trouble,’ she joked. ‘It could be him doing a tribal dance around them.’

Jess walked in front of the tall, mullion window and allowed her eyes to travel through it and into the grand hall where the newly decorated Christmas tree stood in the corner. Jess admired the cosy, warming glow that the room had taken on from the fire, which she couldn’t see from where she stood, but she could imagine how the flames flicked and licked the back of the chimney breast, whilst busily crackling away as more and more logs were tossed on as the days grew colder.

She thought of the Christmas before, how she and Jack had curled up on one of those very settees that stood in front of the fire and watched the flames dance in the darkness. They’d sipped wine, made wishes and reflected on times gone by and, on just one occasion, when they’d thought that everyone had gone to sleep for the night, they’d gently and quietly made love, right there, in front of the fire, laughing and giggling. ‘Shhh…’ Jack had whispered to her. ‘Is it just me, or do you feel like a teenager again?’ he’d questioned as they’d hurriedly dressed, and picked up their wine glasses, just in time before Bandit had entered the room with his arms full of logs. Life had been so good. So settled. They’d found a daily routine, which had been so much less complicated than it all seemed right now.

She sighed, walked back to the main doors and stepped through them, before staring through the dining room window beyond. She could see Jack sitting on the bench, chatting away to Bastion. They seemed deep in conversation and Jess found herself wondering what on earth they could be talking about. Or even why they were talking at all, especially after Jack had shown his initial distrust towards the man who claimed to be her father. She stepped forward as she saw Bastion stand, begin to cough and then sit down again.

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