The Nothing Girl by Jodi Taylor Page B

tomorrow. Don’t be late – lots to do, people to see and so on. Sleep well.’ He gave me an affectionate clap on the shoulder that made me stagger slightly and disappeared back down the path. I watched the lights flash on and off, marking his progress. His Land Rover started with a clatter and roared away into the night, leaving a sudden velvet silence.
    Uncle Richard held the door for me. I remembered to keep the key.
    ‘Uncle Richard, you didn’t have to … wait up for me,’ I said, feeling very guilty because if we hadn’t been feeding and housing a potential member of the criminal classes then I would have been home hours ago. Some instinct warned me not to mention Kevin.
    He smiled slightly. ‘I think you’ll find that waiting up for young female members of his family is in every father’s – and every uncle’s – job description. Come into the kitchen a minute, please. I’ve left the milk on.’
    I sat at the table while he poured himself a cup of hot milk. I shook my head when he offered me some. It was a kind gesture and now didn’t seem to be the time to point out I’d lived here for twenty years and he still didn’t know I hated milk.
    He sat himself down opposite me.
    Thomas yawned. ‘ Are we ever going to get to bed? ’
    ‘Shh,’ I said, because if Uncle Richard stirred his milk any more he’d go through the bottom of the cup. (There are no mugs in Aunt Julia’s house.) Clearly, he had something to say.
    ‘She has your best interests at heart, you know,’ he began, finally laying the spoon down in the saucer.
    In the quiet kitchen I could hear the pipes ticking as the heating system shut down for the night and the house bedded itself down.
    I nodded.
    ‘You must see that this has come as a tremendous shock to us. Especially since it’s that man …’
    ‘ Good old Russell Checkland. Causing trouble in the Kingdom household since he could walk. ’
    I nodded.
    ‘I want to ask you, quietly and away from – any upsetting moments – I have to ask – Jenny, is he putting any sort of pressure on you to marry him? You can tell me.’
    I shook my head.
    He looked down again. ‘Are you – pregnant?’
    Another head shake.
    ‘Are you doing this of your own free will?’
    I nodded.
    ‘It’s just – I know you live quietly. Indeed, it’s necessary for you to do so. But this is so drastic. If you wanted to go away, I’m sure a little trip could be arranged. A change of scenery, perhaps, would do you good. Would you like that?’
    ‘ Wow! ’ said Thomas. ‘ They really don’t want you marrying their daughter’s lover, do they? What do you want to do? ’
    And suddenly, it was all very clear, like a path laid out in front of me and lights to show the way. Doubts fell away, leaving me suddenly calm and peaceful.
    ‘I want to marry Russell Checkland,’ I said to both of them.
    ‘Well. I see. Yes. I see,’ said Uncle Richard, who clearly didn’t. ‘In that case … Jenny, I want you to listen to me very carefully. This is important. I will speak to your aunt. She won’t be happy for a few days, and if you want to spend time with your fiancé, coming and going quietly from the house then I think that would be a very good idea. In the interests of peace and harmony you might want to discourage him from too frequent visits here. He does seem to have the knack of annoying your aunt.’
    I nodded.
    ‘But, and this is the important thing, Jenny. I – we both – want you to know that should you – not be happy – for any reason at all – you still have a home here. I urge you never to forget that. Normally, of course, I would never advocate interfering in the affairs of husband and wife and please don’t think I’m doing so now, but I’ve grown very fond of you over the years and I just want you to be happy. So if, one day, you find that you are not, you will always be welcome back here, with us to take care of you.’
    I swallowed a huge lump in my throat and nodded. At