Masters And Lovers 1-4 novel Chapter 6

“Did you do it?”

“Yes, Mr Klempner. Just as you asked.”

“Perfect. I’ll not forget this, Sutcliffe.”

“Thank you, sir. Is there anything else?”

“No, not right now.”

He leaves, the door clanging shut behind him. The lock grinds as the key turns but the sound no longer bothers me.

Two photos sit on my locker. One old. One new. I pick up the older one….

Happier days….

The photo is faded, the colours no longer true, the corners frayed and yellowing….

…. Mitch, smiling, bright-eyed, beautiful, wearing green as she often did, her arm around my waist.

The other photo….

Jennifer….

…. Mitch’s daughter….

Grown up just like her mother.

Mine.

*****

The car crunches onto the drive, pulling up by the front porch. Ross jumps out then walks around the car to open my door. “Will there be anything else, Mrs Haswell?”

“No, that’s fine thank you, Ross. You go home. It’s been a long day.”

Inside, Richard is waiting. “Elizabeth, it’s good to see you.” He kisses my cheek, takes my coat and offers me the armchair near the fire. “How did it go?”

I feel sad. Not upset, but sad. The old uncle I knew as a girl had long since vanished into a haze of confusion and bitterness. His time had come….

No, not upset, but yes, sad.

“Oh, you know funerals. Everyone was there, whether they really knew him or not. All exchanging family chit-chat and nonsense over canapés. No-one was really close to him anymore, not even David and Stephen.”

“David and Stephen?”

“Uncle Albert’s two sons. He’d pretty much stopped talking to them over the years. I think they were just going through the motions today.”

Richard perches on the chair arm next to me. He strokes my face, kisses the top of my head. “I’m sorry, my Love. I know you were fond of the old fellow.” Tilting up my face with a finger under my chin, “Can I get you anything? A glass of wine? Something stronger?”

“A gin and tonic would be nice.”

“Coming up. I’ll just get some ice.”

He reappears a couple of minutes later with two G&Ts clinking with ice and lemon. “Thought I’d keep you company,” he smiles. “Come on. Sit with me by the fire.” He gestures me down, winding an arm around me as we sit together on the rug, staring into the flames.

After a while I say, “Since the whole family was there, I tried asking about Charlotte again. Not the details obviously. Just that I had a friend who looks a lot like me and we think her mother was called Kimberly.”

“And?”

“And, nothing. Blank stares from the younger ones and the older generation found something else to talk about.”

“You think the topic was being cold-shouldered?”