‘Gosh!’ exclaimed Bob. ‘We were there last week.’
Miles gave him a surprised look. ‘Ah. It’s terrible to see the old place in such a state,’ he remarked wistfully.
‘Couldn’t it be restored?’ asked Jane. ‘After all, the walls are still standing.’
Miles smiled at her. ‘I did investigate that a few years after the fire, but apparently the walls are unstable and would have to be pulled down. The cost of rebuilding it would be enormous.’
‘It’s so sad to see it as it is now,’ Jane observed, looking at the photograph again.
It suddenly occurred to her that she had not thanked Miles for the photographs. She looked up at him. ‘I really do appreciate having the photographs. Thank you very much.’
‘It’s been my pleasure,’ responded Miles, smiling kindly at her. ‘Sadly, many items such as photographs were lost in the fire. My caretakers were a bit lax in looking after the place, I think.’
‘We met them there last week – Albert and Bett Simmons,’ remarked Jane.
Miles Ashington chuckled. ‘They’ve been around for years.’
‘Bett said she looked after me when I was a baby,’ said Jane.
Miles nodded. ‘That’s quite true. Betty Simmons is a very charming lady, but unfortunately your mother and I felt that she didn’t look after you as well as she could have done, and sadly we had to find someone to replace her.’
‘Was that Elizabeth Carroll?’
‘Yes, it was,’ replied Miles. ‘A very capable lady. She was an excellent nanny.’
The conversation was interrupted briefly when Gail excused herself from the group, explaining that she had to supervise the dinner. Miles then asked Bob what kind of work he did. At Bob’s reply that he was a professional photographer, he was immediately interested and a brief discussion took place between them.
This gave Jane a few minutes to contemplate things. She would have liked to ask Miles more about Bett’s dismissal, but there was no opportunity at present. What did seem odd to both her and Bob was Bett’s reference to Jane’s brown eyes as a baby. Back in Jane’s apartment they had discussed the subject in great detail. Bob thought eyes could change colour; Jane was convinced it wasn’t possible. In the end, to try and settle the issue they had searched for information on the internet. Some people apparently claimed that it did happen, but Jane and Bob found no conclusive evidence. In the end they agreed that Bett must have been mistaken in her recollection. As Bob pointed out, she had most likely seen a lot of babies since Jane, including her own. Nevertheless, Jane still felt that something didn’t quite ring true.
Gail’s return to the room to announce that dinner was served brought Jane’s musing to an end and halted the discussion between Miles and Bob. She led the way into an elegant dining room, with an impressive chandelier hanging from the ceiling above the table. All the furnishings in the house had an air of opulence about them.
The discussion over dinner was as congenial as the excellence of the food. The pace of the meal was leisurely, with both Miles and Gail taking an interest in their guests and encouraging them to talk. It was at one stage during a lull in the conversation that Jane plucked up courage to ask a question that had been on her mind since they had arrived.
‘Mr Ashington—’ she began.
She was halted abruptly by her host, who smiled at her warmly as he spoke. ‘Please, Jane. We are family and friends. Call me Miles.’
Jane flushed slightly and continued her question. ‘Miles, I was wondering if you could tell me a bit more about my mother. How did she actually die?’
As soon as she finished speaking, Jane wondered if she should have asked the question, particularly with Gail present. However, neither of their hosts appeared to be perturbed by the question.
Miles appeared to be deep in thought. His reply was delivered slowly and thoughtfully. ‘When I first met your mother, I was a solicitor in Bristol. She came to me for some advice, which I was able to give her. She turned to me a number of times after that and we gradually got to know each other quite well. Our marriage was quick and simple.’
He paused to take another sip of his wine. Then he continued. ‘Soon into our marriage I discovered that she suffered from fits of depression. She would often remain in bed for one or two days while an episode lasted. She had treatment from her doctor for this complaint. Unfortunately, your mother also suffered from severe insomnia. She regularly took sleeping tablets. I was extremely worried about her condition and tried desperately to help her become well again, but one evening she must have taken an overdose – and we discovered her dead in bed the next morning.’
‘Oh, I’m dreadfully sorry.’ exclaimed Jane, saddened by what she had just heard.
‘It must have been a terrible shock for you,’ said Bob suddenly.
Miles nodded. ‘It was.’ Then he added, looking at Gail with a smile of admiration, ‘But it was a long time ago.’
Jane hastily tried to think of something to change the subject. To her it seemed a bit unkind to talk about Mile’s deceased wife when his present wife was in the room.
However, it was Miles himself who changed the subject. He addressed Bob quite jovially. ‘Bob, I am most interested in this idea of yours to start a new promotional company. What have you done so far with it?’
Bob went into brief details of how he and Jeff were intending to branch out into this field, but that the project was still in its infancy due to pressure of work in other directions. Miles listened intently. Jane and Gail merely feigned interest. Conscious of the fact, Bob tried to bring the discussion to a close as early as possible, but Miles continued to ask questions.
Eventually, a glance from Miles at Gail prompted him to end the conversation. ‘That’s extremely interesting, Bob,’ he said. ‘Give me your card later and I may be able to put some business your way. I’ve just started a small company and your services could be valuable to us.’
Bob made the required comments, but was almost interrupted by Gail. She looked at him with a sweet smile as she asked, ‘Do you take portrait photographs in your studio?’
‘Yes, we do.’
‘Will you take a portrait of me?’ she asked, with a bit of a bemused look.
Bob was about to offer a courteous reply when he was interrupted by Miles, who threw up his hands and exclaimed, laughing, ‘Don’t send the bill to me.’
‘Miles!’ admonished Gail, pretending to be shocked.
The arrival of the maids with the next course saved any conflict and the conversation turned to food, much to the relief of Bob, who had not been quite sure how to handle Gail’s request.
Towards the end of the meal, when coffee and liqueurs were being served in the lounge, the topic of holidays came up. Miles said how much he liked the West Country – so much so, that a few years previously he had purchased a small estate in Cornwall, which he used for restful breaks away from the hustle and bustle of business life. It was, he said, his retreat when he required peace and quiet.
‘It really is a heavenly spot,’ added Gail.
It was she who brought the conversation round to Jane and Bob by asking them whether they had been on holiday anywhere recently. When they both replied that they hadn’t been anywhere and didn’t have a holiday planned, Gail was aghast. ‘But you must!’ she exclaimed. ‘Everybody needs a holiday. I’ve been away six times this year. I only came back from a fortnight in Spain a week ago.’
It was Miles who injected humour into the conversation. ‘She goes. I just pay,’ he laughed.
‘But you should go with your wife,’ Jane reproached him jokingly.
Miles was serious. ‘Oh, I do. We get on very well together on our vacations. Occasionally Gail goes off without me if I’m tied up with a client, but I try not to let my business affairs intrude too much on our private life.’ His next remark was addressed to Bob. ‘You need to remember that.’
‘I’ll certainly do so,’ replied Bob.
Gail seemed about to say s
omething, but suddenly Miles looked at Jane and Bob intently. ‘I’ve just had a thought,’ he announced.
His audience waited in anticipation.
He continued. ‘Why don’t the pair of you come down and spend a few days at our retreat in the West Country? I have a lovely old barn I converted last year just for this sort of occasion. You would be very welcome to stay there.’
‘It really is idyllic,’ remarked Gail. She added for more emphasis, ‘The sea isn’t far away, and you can go swimming – or we have a marvellous swimming pool you can use.’
Jane turned to Bob. ‘It does sound lovely.’
Bob was thinking aloud. ‘I like the sound of the peace and quiet, and we did say we’d try and have a holiday when my workload permitted.’
‘Why don’t we, then?’ asked Jane.
‘It sounds great. I’ll just have to check with my business partner first,’ he explained to Miles and Gail.
Miles was equally enthusiastic. ‘Then it’s agreed.’
‘We will of course pay for the accommodation,’ offered Jane.
Miles turned to her, smiling. ‘Jane, you are part of the family. Please let me do this for you. I assure you it will be my pleasure.’
‘Of course you’re not going to pay,’ insisted Gail, almost indignantly.
‘That’s really very nice of you,’ Jane responded politely.
Miles put up his hand as if to stop any protest. ‘Just let me know when you’d like to come, and I’ll make all the arrangements for you.’
The rest of the evening passed quickly. At half past ten Jane and Bob felt that it was time to go. Bob started to say something about a taxi, but Miles stopped him. ‘I will arrange a car for you,’ he said.
Jane and Bob were glad to accept his offer. They had both consumed more alcohol than they would have done normally and now they were beginning to feel the effects, making them eager to reach home.
On the way back Jane rested her head on Bob’s shoulder. Bob had his arm round her. ‘Do you think we’ll be able to take up Miles’ offer of a break?’ she asked, snuggling up to him.
‘I don’t see why not. I’ll just have to agree it with Jeff first,’ Bob replied.
‘‘Mmm. And I’ll have to check what’s happening at work as well.’ The practicalities were reaching Jane now.
‘We’ll make it,’ he assured her.
‘I’m going to buy a new bikini,’ she murmured sleepily.
Chapter 35
To her surprise it was Jane who had difficulty finding a suitable time to take leave from work. When she went into the office on the Monday following the dinner with Miles and Gail Ashington, the first thing she did was to look at the holiday list. It was an unwritten rule that staff tried not to be away at the same time where jobs overlapped. It was slightly more difficult for Jane, because as well as Amy she had Annette to consider. A glance at the schedule informed her that any time during the next month was going to present problems for her. Both Amy and Annette had holidays posted up during this period. The most likely looking time was almost three weeks off. Fortunately it was also convenient for Bob. They decided that the best option for them would be a Thursday-to-Tuesday long weekend break. Jane hoped upon hope that this time would also be convenient for the Ashingtons.
Despite having Miles’s personal telephone number, Jane had to try on several occasions before she managed to get an answer. When she did it was almost a surprise to hear his voice.
‘Miles Ashington.’
‘Miles, it’s Jane. I wondered if you had a minute to talk about our proposed break at your cottage.’
The tone of his voice changed immediately from that of a brusque businessman to that of a friend greeting a friend.
‘Jane, how nice to hear from you! Did you arrive home safely on Saturday night?’
‘Yes, we did. It was a lovely evening. We both enjoyed it very much, but we did feel a bit bad about you paying for our cab home.’
It was true. When they had reached their destination, Bob had jumped out expecting to have to pay a fare. Instead the driver looked at him in surprise and just touched his cap and replied, ‘It’s been sorted out, guv. It’s on account.’
Jane heard a little laugh at the other end of the phone. ‘It’s my pleasure, Jane. I feel it’s the least I can do considering the treatment you have received so far from your family.’
Jane felt a bit embarrassed about Miles’s statement, but for the present she decided to let it pass. Before she could reply, Miles spoke again.
‘Gail and I enjoyed your company on Saturday evening very much. I intend to contact Bob in the near future. I think I can put some business his way. Gail also wants to see you again some time, Jane.’
Jane took the suggestions in her stride. She just replied with, ‘That would be nice,’ and left it at that. She and Bob had been slightly embarrassed by the Ashingtons’ generosity and had decided not to exploit the various propositions made. However, they were both keen to take up the offer of a few days’ break. This was the thought that was uppermost on Jane’s agenda. Before Miles could reply to her last comment, she plunged into suggesting suitable dates.
‘Bob and I have found it a bit tricky to find a suitable time to take up your offer. Would this be convenient?’ She read out the proposed dates.
Miles greeted her suggestion with enthusiasm. ‘Excellent. Let’s see. I hope so.’
There was a pause as he checked his diary. When he spoke again he sounded quite excited. ‘Jane, those dates are very suitable. The cottage is free and Gail and I are planning to be down there ourselves at about that time. That would all work out splendidly. Can we say that’s fixed?’
Jane too was excited. ‘Oh, yes, please.’
‘Excellent. Gail will be pleased as well. I must ring her right away and tell her.’
Jane was already dealing with practicalities. ‘We will most likely arrive on the Thursday afternoon,’ she advised.
‘That’s no problem at all. Gail will telephone Mrs Potter and she will have everything ready for you. Mrs Potter looks after the cottage for us,’ he explained as an afterthought.
‘That sounds super!’ exclaimed Jane.
‘You’ll enjoy being down there,’ Miles enthused. He added, ‘And, Jane, don’t forget to bring your swimsuit. As Gail said, we have a swimming pool, and the sea is close by.’
‘Great!’ Jane was thinking about the bikini she was planning to buy.
It was Miles who ended the call. ‘Jane, I have to go. I have a business meeting starting in a few minutes’ time.’
‘Me too,’ echoed Jane. Amy had just appeared in her office doorway looking worried.
‘Goodbye for now, then,’ said Miles. ‘Excellent that everything is arranged now.’
‘Goodbye – and thank you,’ Jane called into the telephone.
She turned to attend to Amy.
*
When she returned home that evening Jane found a note pushed through her letter box. It read simply, Jane, can I see you sometime? Gerald.
She took her time changing into a blouse and jeans and preparing a light meal for herself. By the time she had consumed this and washed up the few dirty dishes, a good hour had passed by. She intended to phone Bob this evening and tell him that everything was now fixed for their weekend break, but decided to wait until a bit later to ensure that he would be at home. In the meantime she would pop down to see Gerald and Anna.
Anna opened the door at Jane’s ring of the bell. ‘Jane, how nice to see you! Come in!’ was her greeting.
Jane found herself ushered into the lounge, where Gerald was sitting with a newspaper on his knee. He greeted her as she entered.
‘Ah, Jane. You got my note,’ he chuckled.
Jane sat down, just as Anna asked her if she would like a cup of tea or coffee. On this occasion, as she had not made herself a drink earlier, Jane was happy to accept a cup of tea.
Anna hurried away on her mission.
Jane turned to Gerald
with a smile. ‘You’ve got some more news for me,’ she suggested, almost eagerly.
Gerald put his newspaper down and reached for a notepad from a nearby table. He smiled at Jane. ‘I had a telephone call from Eric,’ he explained.
‘Don’t start telling Jane about it until I’m there. I want to hear about it too.’ It was Anna, calling from the kitchen.
Gerald and Jane indulged in small talk until Anna came back bearing a tray with the tea and a large fruit cake. Several minutes passed before she had served everybody. Jane insisted on having just a very small portion of cake and received the usual admonishment from Anna that she was starving herself to keep thin.
Once everybody was settled, Gerald reiterated his opening statement. ‘I had a telephone call from Eric.’
‘What did he say?’ Anna was as interested as Jane.
Gerald cleared his throat, glanced at his notepad and then addressed Jane. ‘Eric has been doing some more research. He’s found out a little bit more about Miles Ashington before he changed his name.’
Gerald’s remark prompted a comment from Jane. ‘When I spoke to him he seemed to indicate that he was a distant cousin or something like that,’ she pointed out, recalling her first meeting with Miles.
‘That’s not impossible, but clearly he wanted to retain the Ashington family name, and that was the easiest way of doing it.’ Gerald looked at Jane over his half-rimmed glasses.
Jane thought for a few seconds, assimilating what Gerald had just related. ‘What was his previous name?’ she asked.
Gerald grinned at her. ‘Ah, now that is the interesting bit. You recall that I told you Eric was a solicitor? Well, he knows the practice where Miles Ashington was a junior partner. Apparently at that time his name was Carlton.’
Jane was impressed with Eric’s research. ‘Phew!’ she exclaimed. ‘Eric can certainly ferret out information.’
Gerald gave a little laugh. ‘There’s a bit more he has found out,’ he remarked, again consulting his notepad.
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