Kitty Neale 3 Book Bundle. Kitty Neale

after dinner.’

      ‘You’re on,’ Jeremy agreed.

      ‘Thomas, I don’t think you should take Jeremy to meet Amy this evening,’ Celia said. ‘Surely it can wait. With all that travelling to get here, he must be tired.’

      It was Jeremy who answered, ‘I’m fine, Mum.’

      ‘Well don’t be long. It’s bound to catch up with you and I think you need an early night.’

      ‘We won’t be out for more than an hour or so,’ Tommy assured her.

      ‘Make sure you aren’t.’

      ‘Yes, Mummy,’ Jeremy mocked, affecting the voice of a child.

      ‘Oh you,’ she said, yet smiling as she went back to the kitchen.

      With a wry grin Jeremy said, ‘Mum’s already making me feel like a ten-year-old again. Is she always like

      this?’

      Tommy nodded, relieved that his mother was too focused on Jeremy to worry about him. ‘It’s worse if you’re ill. You’ve only got to sniff and she wants to confine you to bed, though with a business to run I can’t take time off unless I’m really rough.’

      ‘Yes, we’ll have to talk about your business,’ Jeremy said, ‘but it can wait for now.’

      Tommy frowned, but then Jeremy said he was going upstairs to freshen up before dinner, leaving him to wonder about his brother’s enigmatic remark.

      Though he hadn’t said as much, Jeremy had grown tired of travelling. He’d already been thinking about returning home when his mother’s letter arrived, and reading her impassioned words had set the seal on his decision. What he hadn’t thought about at that time was his father’s piddling little business, but that had changed when his mother had shown him the accounts. He was interested now – very interested, and somehow he was going to make sure that as the elder brother, he rightfully got his share.

      A little later, over dinner, his mother looked at Thomas and said, ‘You look a bit flushed. Are you all right?’

      ‘Yes, I’m fine. It’s just a bit warm in here, that’s all.’

      Jeremy wasn’t so sure. Out of their mother’s sight he’d seen Tom use his inhaler a few times and had heard him coughing. However, soon after they had finished eating, Tom said, ‘Right, Jeremy, are you ready?’

      ‘Yes, let’s go,’ he replied.

      ‘Don’t be long. You look exhausted, Jeremy.’

      ‘I must admit it’s catching up on me, but it’s still far too early to go to bed. See you later, Mum.’

      She called goodbye and shortly after he and Tom walked out into the cold night air. Jeremy shivered, stuffed his hands into his pockets and picked up his pace. They were halfway down the Rise when Tom started coughing again, bending over and holding a hand against his racking chest.

      ‘Tom, are you all right?’ Jeremy asked, worried that his brother seemed to be struggling for air.

      ‘Yes … yes … just give me a minute.’

      Jeremy wondered if they should turn back, but then Tom rallied and they began to walk again until they came to some houses with the fronts partially obscured by scaffolding. Tom knocked on one of the doors and because the light was behind her, Jeremy could barely see the young woman who opened it, though he did notice that she was tiny.

      ‘Tommy, I wasn’t expecting you, but come in,’ she invited, stepping back.

      As they went inside, Tom said, ‘Amy, my brother has just returned home from his travels and I’ve brought him to meet you.’

      As Amy closed the door and then smiled up at him, Jeremy found himself riveted. She was indeed tiny, but beautiful, with curly blonde hair, a cute little nose and wide, cornflower blue eyes.

      ‘Amy, this is Jeremy,’ said Tom, jolting him out of his daze.

      ‘Hello,’ she said, a little shyly, ‘it’s nice to meet you.’

      ‘It’s even nicer to meet you,’ Jeremy said, putting on the charm. ‘Tom didn’t tell me that you’re absolutely gorgeous.’

      Amy flushed prettily and Jeremy was smitten, unable to believe that his mother had described this fantastic girl as a common slut. In all his travels he’d never met anyone who’d had this shattering effect on him, and he was sickened that she belonged to his brother.

      Jeremy’s gaze was pulled away from Amy as Tom introduced him to her parents, and they were invited to take their coats off. He was again polite and charming, while noting furniture that looked absurdly large and grandiose in such a pokey room. He was asked to sit down by Amy’s mother, while noting that Tom was still standing with an arm around Amy. She was looking up at him with obvious affection and Tom was smiling down at her.

      ‘As you can see, they’re a right pair of lovebirds,’ Amy’s mother said. ‘Come on, you two. Can’t you take your eyes off each other for a minute and sit down?’

      ‘Sorry,’ Tom said, reluctantly taking a seat, but then a heaving cough hit him again.

      ‘Tommy, are you all right?’ Amy asked worriedly as she perched on the arm of his chair.

      ‘Yes,’ he said, recovering. ‘Don’t worry. It’s just a touch of asthma.’

      Jeremy wasn’t so sure, but then Amy’s father spoke to him, asking, ‘Have you been to many interesting places?’

      Once again Jeremy talked about his travels, embellishing some of his adventures, but he failed to catch Amy’s attention for long. She was too wrapped up in Tom, and Jeremy wasn’t used to being ignored in favour of a runt. He knew he was good looking, and was used to girls throwing themselves at him in their willingness to share his bed.

      Amy was different and he found her a challenge – his first one. It was a contest he was looking forward to winning.

       Chapter Twenty-Eight

      Tommy awoke in the night, his body drenched in perspiration as coughs violently shook his body. He sat up, gasping for breath as his bedroom door was flung open. The light went on and he saw his mother in her thick blue dressing gown, wearing a ridiculous pink hairnet, but to Thomas at that moment, she appeared a ministering angel.

      As the coughing fit passed, she plumped up the pillows behind him, put his inhaler in his hand and then scurried off to return with a bottle of medicine. ‘This should help a little until I can get the doctor to you in the morning,’ she said softly.

      He dutifully swallowed the foul-tasting liquid, then croaked, ‘Thanks, Mum, but there’s no need to call the doctor.’

      ‘Don’t be silly,’ she said, laying a soft palm on his brow, ‘you’re burning up.’

      Tommy didn’t get a chance to argue because his mother hurried off again, this time returning with a bowl of water and a cloth. She bathed his brow, the cool relief feeling wonderful, and at last, exhausted, he drifted off. For the rest of the night Tommy slept fitfully, a painful cough frequently awaking him, but every time he opened his eyes he found his mother by his side.

      Morning light filled the room when Tommy became fully awake again and he blinked, shocked to see that his bedside clock showed that it was after seven thirty. He sat up, flung back the blankets, and swung his legs round to get out of bed, only to be struck by a wave of dizziness. He felt awful, shivery, yet hot, but he had to get to work.

      ‘Hold on, Mum said you’re not to get up,’ Jeremy said as he walked into the room.

      ‘I don’t think I can,’ he had to admit weakly, lying back down.