Dangerous Sanctuary. Anne Mather

way Dad’s treated us all these years.’

      Jaime stifled a groan, and got up from the table to dump most of her meal into the waste-bin. ‘Do you want any dessert?’ she asked, without answering him. ‘There’s apple pie. Or cheese.’

      ‘Can I have both?’ Tom scraped his plate clean, and handed it to her with an angelic smile. Then, just when she thought it was over, he added, ‘Did you know him well?’

      Jaime’s breath escaped with a gulp. ‘I—met him,’ she temporised, taking refuge in removing the apple pie from the fridge. ‘Do you want cream?’

      ‘Just cheese, please,’ he responded irrepressibly. Then, ‘Go on about Uncle Ben. Did he come to the wedding?’

      Jaime made a helpless gesture. ‘What does it matter?’

      ‘Well, you told me my grandparents didn’t come,’ pointed out Tom, picking up his spoon. ‘Dad’s parents, that is. Why didn’t they approve of you?’

      ‘Because they had someone else in mind,’ retorted Jaime tightly, unwilling to allow any thoughts of that kind to add to her frustration. ‘We’ve talked about this before, Tom. You know the story. Now, can we change the subject?’

      But he didn’t know the story, Jaime chided herself, as she filled the washing-up bowl with water, and added a soapy detergent. And for some time she had been pondering the wisdom of letting Tom go on thinking that Philip Russell had been his father. But the alternative had always seemed so untenable, and, because he had been denied so much, did she have the right to deny him his legitimacy as well?

      Now, however, the choice had been made for her. There was no way she was going to unsettle her son now that Ben Russell was moving back to Kingsmere. She wondered if his wife was moving back with him. Thank God there was no reason for them to see one another.

      Tom finished his pie and brought the empty dish to the sink, watching as his mother submerged it in the water. ‘I know you don’t like talking about it, Mum,’ he ventured, dipping his finger into the suds, and drawing an elongated circle. ‘But it was a long time ago, wasn’t it? Don’t you think it’s time you could talk about it without getting upset?’

      ‘I’m not upset.’ Jaime stiffened defensively. ‘I just don’t see why you want to labour the point. I was just the publican’s daughter, and your—your—the Russells—wanted their son to marry someone from their own level of society. Someone with money, and position. It’s a common enough story, goodness knows. Philip soon realised his mistake, and—and so did I.’

      Tom grimaced. ‘Leaving you holding the baby!’

      ‘In a manner of speaking.’ Jaime thrust a tea-cloth into his hands, and indicated the draining dishes. ‘Come on. Make yourself useful.’

      ‘I still don’t understand,’ muttered Tom, taking the tea-cloth and starting to dry the plates. ‘If he was planning on leaving us, why did he wait until you were expecting a baby?’

      ‘Oh, Tom, things happen that way sometimes.’ Jaime’s nerves were beginning to stretch. ‘If I’d known telling you about the Priory was going to provoke this kind of discussion, I wouldn’t have said anything.’

      ‘I bet Grandpa knows,’ said Tom shrewdly, and Jaime caught her breath.

      ‘Yes,’ she said, suddenly understanding all the little worried glances her parents had exchanged the previous weekend. ‘Yes, I imagine he does,’ she added, realising that as landlord of the Raven and Glass, which wasn’t far from the Priory, it was virtually impossible for him not to have done so.

      ‘I wonder if he’ll come into the pub,’ persisted Tom, thoughtfully. ‘The way my father used to.’

      ‘I shouldn’t think so.’ Jaime was short. ‘Public bars are not Ben Russell’s sort of place.’ Or they weren’t, she amended silently. She walked briskly across the room, and opened the door. ‘I’ll be in the living-room, if you want me. By the way, you didn’t say—did you finish your homework?’

      ‘Oh, yes.’ Tom’s grin was infectious. ‘We finished it. Angie’s a real brain when it comes to figures.’

      ‘Hmm.’ Jaime was unimpressed. ‘Well, just remember, Angie won’t be around when you have to sit your examinations.’

      ‘I know.’ Tom’s tone was faintly resentful now. ‘I’m not a complete idiot!’

      Jaime shrugged. ‘Oh, well, I suppose it will give you more time for other subjects.’

      ‘Not tonight.’ Tom was indignant.

      ‘Why not tonight?’

      Tom finished drying the dishes, and hung the tea-cloth over the rim of the sink. ‘Well,’ he said, and Jaime could tell he was searching for the right words, ‘I thought I might go to the disco at the youth club. It’s only fifty pence, and all the gang will be there.’

      ‘All the gang?’ echoed Jaime drily, silently amending the word ‘gang’ to Angie Santini. ‘Oh—–’ she gave a dismissive gesture ‘—if you feel you can afford the time, go ahead. But don’t be late back. I want an early night.’

      ‘Oh, Mum!’ Tom’s young face mirrored his disappointment. ‘It is Friday night. How early?’

      Jaime considered. ‘Ten-ish.’

      ‘Ten-ish!’ Tom groaned. ‘It doesn’t get warmed up until half-past nine!’

      Jaime wanted to be strict, but she knew half her impatience stemmed from her reaction to the news of Ben Russell’s imminent arrival in Kingsmere. ‘All right,’ she relented, realising it wasn’t fair to make Tom the brunt of her frustration. ‘Half-past ten, then. But no later. And I shall expect you to do some work tomorrow.’

      ‘Thanks, Mum.’ Tom’s relief was fervent, and he came to kiss her cheek with unexpected affection. ‘You put your feet up, and take it easy,’ he added, causing Jaime to pull a wry face. ‘I’ll help you with the housework in the morning.’

      It wasn’t quite the work Jaime had in mind, but she didn’t argue with him. Nevertheless, it was only eighteen months until his important examinations, and she hoped this infatuation with Angie Santini was not going to jeopardise his chances of success. It was important that he do well. Important that he go into the sixth form, and eventually gain a place at university. It was what she wanted for him. What she needed to rectify the mistakes she had made.

      But after he had left the house Jaime found she couldn’t relax. Even the gloomy economic forecasts on the evening news could not dislodge the feelings of apprehension that gripped her, and the televised comedy shows that followed had little appeal. Was it just a coincidence? she wondered. Was Ben’s intention to buy the old Priory just an innocent development, or did it have a deeper significance?

      But what? What deeper significance could it have? It was fifteen years since she had last seen her ex-husband’s brother, and she had no reason to believe he ever wanted to see her again. Indeed, he had probably forgotten she still lived in Kingsmere. And if he hadn’t, it was obviously of little importance to him. After all, he had lived in Africa for the last twelve years anyway, initially working for the news agency’s overseas service, and then writing—both factual articles and novels—equally successfully. She was deluding herself if she thought this move to the basically rural surrounds of Kingsmere had anything to do with her—or Tom. Wiltshire was a big county. It was just pure bad luck that Ben had chosen to buy the old Priory.

       CHAPTER TWO

      JAIME was vacuuming in the living-room when the telephone rang. Half expecting Tom to come charging down the stairs to take it, she did not immediately respond. Then, remembering her son had gone to take a shower, she switched off the machine, and went to answer it herself.