his chin. ‘So you’d like me to go round to Aunt Alice’s and be there when Jack arrives, but to keep out of the way? You wouldn’t ask me to do this if you weren’t just a bit worried about what might happen, would you?’
Katie swallowed. ‘Perhaps it was a mistake to have suggested it. I don’t want Aunt Alice to be upset. She’s had enough problems, as it is, without anything else happening. I’d feel responsible if, if anything went wrong.’
‘ And you’ve absolutely no idea what it is Jack wants to say to her?’
‘ No. Only that he wants to speak to her on his own.’
Dylan poured her a large coffee and then went to discuss things with Faye who was in the kitchen. When he returned he said briskly, ‘Look, how about I have a word with Aunt Alice now and find out if she’s happy about seeing Jack. I’ll explain I’ll be around in case of any problem.’
K atie felt as if a great weight had been lifted from her. ‘Oh, that would be such a relief, Dylan.’
Aunt Alice seemed puzzled by all the fuss, but agreed. She suggested he stayed in the back room within an earshot, although she couldn’t imagine that Jack would pose any threat.
At around one o’clock on Saturday, Dylan put in an appearance. ‘Mission accomplished successfully,’ he informed them.
‘ Oh, thank goodness! Is he coming back to the flat?’ Katie asked.
‘ Not yet. He realises he needs to talk to the rest of us before then. He wasn’t aware I was in the cottage and I don’t know what he said to Aunt Alice, but she seemed quite happy. I’m afraid that’s all I can tell you.’
Eight
It was early evening when Lyall returned. ‘Mrs Mason said I’d find you here. She’s told me about Jack’s visit. A very admirable lady your Aunt Alice, so where to from there, I wonder?’
K atie shrugged. ‘I’m prepared to give him another chance, but he’d have to pay us back and prove his worth.’
Lyall spread his hands. ‘Well, we’ll just have to wait and see then, won’t we? In any case, he’s lost his chance of taking part in the exhibition and it’ll depend on Dylan and Faye as to whether they let him have the flat back again. I gather he removed one or two items, so he’ll have to replace those.’
She shook her head. ‘What a mess some people make of their lives!’
K atie saw Aunt Alice at church the following morning and was promptly invited to lunch. ‘Lyall’s out, so I’ll be eating alone if you don’t join me.’
‘ So how did the visit go, yesterday?’ she asked her old friend, carefully.
Aunt Alice’s face lit up. ‘I intended to tell you over lunch. Jack’s OK, a little thinner and very scruffy, needs a haircut and a shave, but other than that he’s the same old Jack. Anyway, we had a good old heart to heart and then I had another with Lyall last night. I feel so much happier about things, dear.
‘ Anyway, I knew most of what Jack had to tell me already. I’d worked it out for myself. Actually, I’ve got a bone to pick with you, young Katie. You knew where Jack was hiding out all the time didn’t you?’
‘ Oh, so he told you, did he?’
‘ I ought to have guessed. It was a pretty obvious place. Anyway, I’m glad we’ve cleared the air.’ Aunt Alice sipped her tea.
Katie set down her cup. There was something she needed to know. ‘Did Jack, did he collect the things he needed from you?’
Aunt Alice gave her a knowing glance. ‘Yes, as a matter of fact he did.’ Katie nodded. ‘Well, it’s up to him to make good now, although I don’t suppose he’s got much money left,’ she said casually, watching for Aunt Alice’s reaction.
‘ You’ll not catch me out like that, Katie Mead! What went on between Jack and I was private business, at least for the time being!’
And Katie had to be content with that. Her attention was temporarily diverted by an oil painting over the mantelpiece, depicting a tranquil, rural scene.
‘ I haven’t seen that picture
Katie swallowed. ‘Perhaps it was a mistake to have suggested it. I don’t want Aunt Alice to be upset. She’s had enough problems, as it is, without anything else happening. I’d feel responsible if, if anything went wrong.’
‘ And you’ve absolutely no idea what it is Jack wants to say to her?’
‘ No. Only that he wants to speak to her on his own.’
Dylan poured her a large coffee and then went to discuss things with Faye who was in the kitchen. When he returned he said briskly, ‘Look, how about I have a word with Aunt Alice now and find out if she’s happy about seeing Jack. I’ll explain I’ll be around in case of any problem.’
K atie felt as if a great weight had been lifted from her. ‘Oh, that would be such a relief, Dylan.’
Aunt Alice seemed puzzled by all the fuss, but agreed. She suggested he stayed in the back room within an earshot, although she couldn’t imagine that Jack would pose any threat.
At around one o’clock on Saturday, Dylan put in an appearance. ‘Mission accomplished successfully,’ he informed them.
‘ Oh, thank goodness! Is he coming back to the flat?’ Katie asked.
‘ Not yet. He realises he needs to talk to the rest of us before then. He wasn’t aware I was in the cottage and I don’t know what he said to Aunt Alice, but she seemed quite happy. I’m afraid that’s all I can tell you.’
Eight
It was early evening when Lyall returned. ‘Mrs Mason said I’d find you here. She’s told me about Jack’s visit. A very admirable lady your Aunt Alice, so where to from there, I wonder?’
K atie shrugged. ‘I’m prepared to give him another chance, but he’d have to pay us back and prove his worth.’
Lyall spread his hands. ‘Well, we’ll just have to wait and see then, won’t we? In any case, he’s lost his chance of taking part in the exhibition and it’ll depend on Dylan and Faye as to whether they let him have the flat back again. I gather he removed one or two items, so he’ll have to replace those.’
She shook her head. ‘What a mess some people make of their lives!’
K atie saw Aunt Alice at church the following morning and was promptly invited to lunch. ‘Lyall’s out, so I’ll be eating alone if you don’t join me.’
‘ So how did the visit go, yesterday?’ she asked her old friend, carefully.
Aunt Alice’s face lit up. ‘I intended to tell you over lunch. Jack’s OK, a little thinner and very scruffy, needs a haircut and a shave, but other than that he’s the same old Jack. Anyway, we had a good old heart to heart and then I had another with Lyall last night. I feel so much happier about things, dear.
‘ Anyway, I knew most of what Jack had to tell me already. I’d worked it out for myself. Actually, I’ve got a bone to pick with you, young Katie. You knew where Jack was hiding out all the time didn’t you?’
‘ Oh, so he told you, did he?’
‘ I ought to have guessed. It was a pretty obvious place. Anyway, I’m glad we’ve cleared the air.’ Aunt Alice sipped her tea.
Katie set down her cup. There was something she needed to know. ‘Did Jack, did he collect the things he needed from you?’
Aunt Alice gave her a knowing glance. ‘Yes, as a matter of fact he did.’ Katie nodded. ‘Well, it’s up to him to make good now, although I don’t suppose he’s got much money left,’ she said casually, watching for Aunt Alice’s reaction.
‘ You’ll not catch me out like that, Katie Mead! What went on between Jack and I was private business, at least for the time being!’
And Katie had to be content with that. Her attention was temporarily diverted by an oil painting over the mantelpiece, depicting a tranquil, rural scene.
‘ I haven’t seen that picture
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