The Last Daughter

by Nicola Cornick

  ‘No,’ Serena said. ‘It’s not great. But I think I’ve kind of blotted out lots of the stuff connected with my time at Minster Lovell. I’d forgotten about the cricket, for example, but when you mentioned it, I remembered Grandpa playing for the village team and hitting a six into the river.’

  ‘Yeah,’ Jack smiled for the first time in a while. ‘I remember that too. I was the fielder who had to retrieve it.’

  ‘Grandpa was very good at sport,’ Serena said. ‘Did he teach you at school?’

  ‘He came in to tutor us all in fencing and archery,’ Jack said. ‘It was great. Zoe was much better at it than me, though. I was pretty uncoordinated as a kid.’

  Serena looked at him. ‘I find that hard to believe,’ she said.

  Jack’s gaze lifted to hers and lingered there. Suddenly Serena felt breathless and about sixteen years old again. Then he smiled self-deprecatingly.

  ‘Hopefully I’ve improved,’ he said, ‘but Zoe can still beat me at tennis, which is pretty mortifying since she’s four years younger than I am.’

  ‘You’re still a protective older brother to her,’ Serena said, thinking of the way he had defended his sister’s actions.

  Jack took a drink and placed his glass back on the table. ‘I guess I am,’ he said. ‘Not that Zoe thanks me for it normally. She’s—’ He hesitated. ‘Well, you saw her, though not at her best, I’ll admit. She can be quite tactless, if I’m honest. Zoe tends to concentrate more on tasks than on people.’

  ‘I got that,’ Serena said, with a smile. ‘It’s probably good to be that focussed as an archaeologist, though.’

  ‘What about you?’ Jack leaned his elbows on the table. Serena had the impression he was deliberately changing the subject, steering them away from potentially difficult ground. ‘What do you do these days?’

  ‘I run a bespoke historical tours company,’ Serena said. ‘A friend and I started it a few years after we left university. It’s been hard graft but it’s starting to do pretty well.’

  ‘That sounds interesting,’ Jack said. ‘So you offer tailor-made holidays for history buffs?’

  ‘Everything from stately home visits to lecture tours with resident experts,’ Serena said. ‘We research all the places ourselves; along with the big, famous houses like Chatsworth and Blenheim we also focus on quirky, lesser-known destinations. People love visiting somewhere a bit different, especially if it has a royal connection – and a tearoom and shop, of course. You’d be amazed at the number of places around the country where Queen Elizabeth I stayed, for instance.’

  ‘Or the caves that Bonny Prince Charlie hid in,’ Jack said.

  Serena laughed. ‘Scotland is very popular,’ she said.

  ‘Did you get your interest in history from your grandmother?’ Jack asked. Serena could see why he was so effective as an interviewer; he gave 100 per cent attention and it felt effortless and easy to talk to him. She could feel herself relaxing.

  ‘I think it was more from Grandpa’s side,’ she said. ‘My grandmother died when I was only about thirteen and I never knew her very well. Whilst he wasn’t an academic like she was, Grandpa had a real passion for history.’ She finished her drink. ‘I wish I knew more about his own history now,’ she said, feeling suddenly wistful. ‘You know how you seldom care about these things when you’re a child?’ When Jack nodded, she continued. ‘Aunt Polly said that Grandpa did some film work before he married. When you mentioned archery it reminded me. I think he was pretty good at riding, too. He must have had such an interesting life but he never talked about it. I always assumed it was because he was adopted and didn’t want to talk about his past, but now I wonder. I’ve so many questions, you know, and it’s too late to ask.’

  ‘It’s pretty hard to see those you love struggling with dementia,’ Jack said. ‘It steals the person you once knew.’

  ‘Sometimes there’s a glimmer of the old self visible,’ Serena said. She frowned. ‘How did you find Grandpa today? Did he remember the cricket or any of the other stuff you talked about?’

  ‘I don’t think so,’ Jack said, and there was real regret in his voice. His eyes were kind as he looked at her. ‘He was a total gentleman, though. He was probably wondering who the hell I was but he was too polite to tell me to leave him alone.’

  ‘He enjoyed talking to you,’ Serena said. ‘He’s not always that animated.’ She shook her head. ‘I only wondered because he doesn’t usually mention the past, but today he spoke of my grandmother and mentioned her name. That’s unusual.’

  She hesitated on the edge of confiding in him about her odd conversation with Dick on the topic of the lodestar. They had slipped by slow steps towards intimacy and now she looked up she realised that there were other people in the bar and that she’d been so engrossed in talking to Jack that she hadn’t noticed them coming in. The place had started to buzz with conversation. A few people were ordering food and the smell of chips wafted out from the kitchens. Serena’s stomach rumbled. She realised she’d missed lunch and that the afternoon tea and biscuits she’d shared with Dick were long gone.

  ‘Did you want something to eat?’ Jack said, seeing her distraction and reaching over to lift a couple of menus from the next table, where they leaned against the salt and pepper pots. ‘The chef here does a great burger, and the chips are pretty good too.’

  ‘I wish I’d known that last night,’ Serena said. ‘I had scampi in the basket and it was a bit dry.’ She stood up. ‘I’ll order. Would you like another drink?’

  ‘I’m good, thanks,’ Jack said, indicating the half pint left in his glass.

  Ross was gone from behind the bar and it was Eve who took the order for the two burgers plus a glass of white wine for Serena. ‘It’s a good job you got in early,’ she said, nodding towards a group seating themselves over by the bow window. ‘We’ve got the book club in tonight. Jack’s doing a talk for them tomorrow about the Bowes case – that big financial scandal he uncovered a few years back. Someone wrote a book about it and it’s being made into a film. Jack’s consulting on the production.’

  ‘You’re a busy man,’ Serena said, as she came back to their table with cutlery, napkins and a big wooden number 3 for the food order. ‘Today the care home, tomorrow the book club.’

  ‘Oh…’ Jack looked endearingly self-conscious. ‘I didn’t actually write the book myself, but it was an interesting case and the book club members were keen to discuss it, so as I was here for a few days…’

  ‘Don’t worry.’ Serena smiled at him. ‘I won’t give away that underneath that tough investigative journalist exterior you’re actually really sweet and generous with your time.’

  Jack laughed. ‘I’m hardly sweet.’

  ‘That’s how I remember you, actually,’ Serena said, thinking of the geeky boy reading a political biography in his summer holidays who had given her the kindest smile when she had interrupted him. ‘You were very… thoughtful.’

  Jack looked startled. ‘Really? Was I? I thought I was just a nerd.’ He rubbed his hand through his hair. ‘I didn’t really fit in, not like Leo who was so popular with the girls. I suppose I was good at sports, which helped a bit, but aside from that I just wanted to be in the library, finding out more about politics and finance and big data and stuff like that which bored everyone else to death.’

  The food arrived, smelling sensational and reminding Serena that she was ravenously hungry.

  ‘It’s interesting to hear you say that,’ she said. ‘I kind of feel there’s a gap between the boy I once knew and the man you’ve become.’ She could feel herself blushing because his gaze on her was so direct and she felt suddenly self-conscious. ‘I mean, things change so much at that age, don’t they? How you feel, and what you want to do with your life… Why did you choose journalism as a career?’

  She picked up the burger and took her first bite; Jack had been right, it was delicious. She closed her eyes and almost moaned with pleasure.

  She opened them again to fi
nd that Jack had noticed and was laughing at her. Her skin heated with a mixture of embarrassment and awareness. ‘Sorry,’ she said, ‘but it’s a long time since I ate and you were right – this is fabulous.’

  Jack nodded. ‘I think without the food this place would fold completely,’ he said. ‘Not many people stay here but a lot come to eat.’ He smiled. ‘Sorry, you distracted me there. You were asking about why I chose journalism.’

  Serena nodded. ‘With those interests I guess there were a number of things you could have done,’ she said. ‘Why did you become a journalist?’

  ‘I had a bit of a passion for it, I suppose,’ Jack said, ‘like you with history. It was as simple as that. I liked words and I liked numbers, so being a financial journalist seemed an ideal combination. I was lucky – I got a break with a local paper in Nottingham and from there went to one of the nationals. I was still interested in politics and business too, so I started to dig into a few stories…’ He shrugged. ‘I went on from there.’

  ‘It feels as though there’s a crusading spirit in there somewhere as well,’ Serena said, looking at him thoughtfully. ‘A need to find out the truth? Or to do good?’

  ‘Don’t make me out to be better than I am,’ Jack said, and there was a rough note in his voice all of a sudden as though she’d touched a nerve. Suddenly she knew he was thinking about that morning and that he still felt bad about the way she’d discovered his interest in Caitlin’s death.

  ‘Tell me more stuff,’ she said, smiling to lighten the mood. ‘Just ordinary things,’ she added. ‘Interests, friends, the things that people normally talk about when they meet up after eleven years.’

  ‘OK,’ Jack said. He smiled. ‘You already know I’m twenty-nine years old. I have a flat in London where I’m based when I’m not travelling for work, and I’m currently supposed to be investigating the growth in private water utility companies and the danger that poses to water supply. When I’m not working, I do all kinds of stuff – windsurfing, wild swimming, skiing. It helps to get out when I’ve been at a computer all day. I like music too. I used to play the guitar – badly. You may remember.’

  ‘I do,’ Serena said with feeling. ‘I thought investigative journalism was all about confronting dodgy characters in sleazy parking lots,’ she added. ‘That’s what it looks like on the TV.’

  ‘Most of the time it’s about research,’ Jack said. ‘I don’t get out much.’

  ‘A bit like organising historic tours,’ Serena said. ‘That’s 90 per cent dealing with admin and guests’ questions and dietary requirements, and only 10 per cent touring fabulous old building and historic sites.’

  ‘Yeah,’ Jack said. ‘The truth is more mundane than the job title sounds.’

  ‘But I still love it,’ Serena said. ‘And I’m guessing you love your work too.’ She took another mouthful of burger. ‘Friends?’ she said succinctly.

  ‘I have a few close ones,’ Jack said. ‘Lizzie, of course. When she got together with Arthur it was great, because he and I had known each other since university. There are a couple of other childhood friends from home and a few in London. I have lots of acquaintances.’ He glanced at her. ‘I’m pretty straightforward really.’

  Serena wondered if she could ask about his relationship status and then wondered why she wanted to know. Whilst she was thinking about it, Jack read her mind.

  ‘My last relationship finished about six months ago,’ he said, with a faint smile, ‘in case that was your next question.’ He raised a brow. ‘What about you?’

  ‘Oh…’ Serena shook her head. ‘I split up with my ex over a year ago,’ she said. ‘He wanted more from the relationship than I was giving him, he said. So he ran off with a work colleague of his.’

  Jack’s mouth turned down at the corners. ‘Not the most mature way of dealing with it,’ he said.

  ‘To be fair,’ Serena said, ‘there may have been something in it.’ She hesitated. ‘I’m not brilliant at commitment. I do push people away.’ She shrugged, trying to make light of it. ‘I know all the reasons, just not what to do about it.’

  Jack’s smile was warm. ‘I always think that insight goes a long way to sorting a problem,’ he said. He held her gaze for a long moment and Serena felt a rush of awareness. Then Luna woke up abruptly and started scratching her stomach, legs splayed out, and they both burst out laughing.

  ‘Classy,’ Jack said.

  On impulse Serena put out a hand and touched his wrist lightly. ‘Jack,’ she said. ‘This morning when I met you and Zoe—’

  Immediately Jack’s smile faded. He made a movement to brush her words aside. ‘You said that you didn’t want to talk about Caitlin,’ he said, ‘and I respect that.’ His gaze met hers briefly. ‘I’ve decided not to pursue it anyway.’

  ‘But there must have been a reason why you were interested in the first place,’ Serena said. ‘Please tell me what it was.’

  Jack was silent for so long that she thought he wasn’t going to answer, and when he did, he spoke with a deliberate lack of emotion.

  ‘When Caitlin disappeared,’ he said, ‘it was a horrible shock to all of us – her friends, I mean, me and Lizzie and the rest of that crowd we all hung out with.’ He looked at Serena. ‘I’m not comparing it to what you went through,’ he said. ‘I imagine that must have been intolerable and I don’t in any way blame you for dropping us in the aftermath.’ Some expression she couldn’t read touched his eyes. ‘But we all cared about Caitlin, Serena. We all felt lost, too, and confused, and cast adrift.’ She saw his hand clench briefly. ‘We wanted to know what was happening and no one was telling us anything. We wanted to find Caitlin, to do anything we could to help.’

  ‘You did,’ Serena said. She put down the remains of her burger, suddenly too upset to eat any more. ‘You organised search parties and put up posters and did all kinds of things! I know I wasn’t there to help but I heard all about it. You did so much!’

  ‘It didn’t do any good,’ Jack said bluntly. ‘We felt as though we had failed. We couldn’t find her – or help you. Lizzie and I in particular felt…’ He stopped, shook his head. ‘Well, it’s water under the bridge now. But that was why, when Zoe came to me and said that they had found Caitlin’s body, I wanted to know more about it. It felt like a second chance to find out what had happened, even if it was too late to put things right.’

  It was Serena’s turn to be quiet now whilst she thought about what he’d said. She knew she had been selfish; wrapped up in her own grief and pain, she’d had no space for anyone else’s. Worse, she’d never really thought how Caitlin’s disappearance might have affected the lives of those outside her immediate family.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ she said. ‘I had no idea.’ She cleared her throat. ‘I mean, I miss Caitlin every day. It’s lonely without her. But I never imagined other people might feel so strongly…’ She stopped. She was wondering whether Jack had had feelings for Caitlin beyond the friendship he spoke of now. Glossy, vibrant Caitlin had been so much fun and so popular. It would explain why her disappearance had hit him so hard. Suddenly there was a tight lump in her throat. She didn’t really want to know, but that was cowardly of her.

  ‘Did you…’ She took a deep breath. ‘Were you in love with Caitlin? I know we were all young, but you can feel things very intensely at that age.’

  She saw the glimmer of amusement in Jack’s eyes and felt her tension ease a notch. ‘You certainly can,’ he said. ‘But no. I loved Caitlin. I’m loyal to my friends. But I wasn’t in love with her in the way you mean.’

  Serena could feel herself blushing. Luna put her paw on Serena’s lap and for a moment she thought the dog had sensed her embarrassment but it turned out she was just begging for some food.

  ‘I can’t give you anything,’ Serena said regretfully. ‘Chips are not good for dogs.’ Luna gave a tiny whinge and lay down again.

  ‘It was worth a try,’ Jack said with the ghost of a smile. ‘She is a terrible scrounger.’

  �
�She’s lovely,’ Serena said warmly. ‘I miss having a dog.’

  ‘I’d like one of my own,’ Jack admitted, ‘but with all the travelling I do it’s not possible at the moment. Borrowing Luna when I’m visiting Gran is the next best thing.’

  Serena nodded, scooping up the last of the chips. ‘When we met this morning,’ she said, ‘Zoe said there was something strange about Caitlin’s grave.’ She looked up. ‘Was it that her body had been found in a sealed casket from the eighteenth century?’

  Jack paused in the act of raising his glass to his lips. ‘The police told you that?’ he asked.

  Serena nodded. ‘They can’t explain it, and—’

  ‘All finished here?’ Eve had popped up beside the table, reaching across Serena to pick up Jack’s plate. ‘Can I get you the dessert menu?’

  ‘Not for me, thanks,’ Serena said. ‘That was delicious, though.’

  ‘It’s lucky that you’re not one of those people who lose their appetite when they’re dealing with a death in the family,’ Eve said cheerfully. ‘Some people can’t eat a scrap when they’re upset. I’ve often wondered what the point is of serving food at a wake. Can I get you coffee? Liqueurs?’

  ‘Just the bill, thank you,’ Jack said. ‘I’ll get this,’ he added to Serena. ‘I owe you.’

  ‘We’ll split it,’ Serena said. ‘You don’t need to bribe me. Besides’ – she glanced at Eve’s retreating figure – ‘that bit of information about the burial will be all over the village in five minutes so I don’t think Zoe needs to worry about being indiscreet. She has plenty of competition.’

  Jack grimaced. ‘Eve does seem to have a rather unpleasant interest in anything ghoulish, doesn’t she?’ he said. ‘If we are going to talk about Caitlin properly, I don’t think it can be here.’

  Serena checked her watch. It was time to ring Polly; she had lots of questions for her aunt as well as things she needed to tell her.

  ‘When’s your talk tomorrow?’ she asked Jack. Then when he looked blank, ‘The book club?’