Jack became aware of a presence behind him. Eyes on his back. He ignored it at first, but felt hairs starting to rise on his neck. There was something staring at him. Not Charlotte, not any of the other women in the house – they’d have said something. He glanced to each side looking for possible weapons. There were several, but none close to hand. Very well, he’d the brush in his hand. Fling it to distract then go for something edged and … There was a polite cough and Jack turned to find Tom the Postie looking at him, a wolfish grin on the man’s face.
‘Morning, Mr Cobbleigh. You’re late today.’
By answer, Tom stood to attention and swept off his postman’s cap.
‘I takes my ‘at off to ee, I does.’
‘Aye?’ said Jack, ‘And why’s that?’
‘Just seen herself coming out of here all unbuttoned, boots off, hair down and straw sticking to her back. When I was a younger and at me best, I snared game like that, but I didn’t think you ‘ad it in you. You’m had the queen o’ all the pack there, boy. An’ more beside I reckons.’ He waved a stack of letters. ‘You’m doin’ more to improve the ‘andwriting o’ this ‘ousehold than an whole school worth o’ teachers. I seen Gina ‘Awk in the village yesterday and the Brampton piece long o’ the Eyetie today. I knows the look of a woman well used I does, seen it often enough in my time. Seen it on all of ‘em, didn’t I? If’n you ‘as the same sort o’ skill at the poaching, ‘en we be a goin’ feed every house in the county till they’s stuffed, we be. Oh, don’t ee worry. Bain’t goin’ a say a word, I bain’t. Don’t never poach an’ tell, me.’
‘I’ll put my hand up to the others, but, no, not with Lady Charlotte. That didn’t happen.’
‘Well, if’n ee swears? Didn’t see ‘er face, only the cut of ‘er a walkin’ back up the ‘ouse. Ne’ermind, but. Always another chance at the one as got away. Now don’t look at I like that. Slice off a cut loaf’s never missed by nobody. Powerful good lookin’ woman is ‘er Ladyship. Fancies ‘er sommat rotten I does an’ I’d love to be in you breeches come the day you gets into her’n.’
***
Jack woke in the middle of the night to find himself hungry. He lay for a while trying to ignore it, but decided that he wasn’t going to get back to sleep and wasn’t going to stop feeling hungry, so should go to the kitchen and get a bite.
He lit his way by candle and took the faint light he saw shining in the kitchen for a reflection from one of Bridie’s pans until he realised it was another candle already there.
‘Oh, yes young man. And what are you after coming to raid my pantry in the middle of the night then, eh?’
‘I’m after raiding your pantry in the middle of the night ‘cos I’m starving. You the same?’
‘A little. I couldn’t sleep and I have some valerian for a nice tea that usually gets me off in no time.’ She looked on the shelves of the pantry. ‘I’ve some cold roast ham ye could have with pickle in a sandwich if ye’ve a mind for it.’
‘Sounds great. Oh, and a cup of that tea too if you’ve enough. I need something to help me sleep too.’
***
Eleonora lay on the bed with a glass of wine in her hand. It was a thing she and Fanny did occasionally when they wanted privacy to talk, or get tipsy, or both. In this case one bottle was already empty on the bed and the other stood, seriously injured, propped up between pillows. It had been a long conversation.
‘I will leave him. Unless he comes back as a changed man. No, I do not believe that will happen. I will leave him.’
‘But can you do that?’
YOU ARE READING
Private Universe
Science FictionToo young for the Great War, convalescing after what he's told was scarlet fever and recuperating in a West Country castle, Jack's the object of intense female interest. He's a good-looking lad who has a way with women anyway, but he is also the onl...
