Chapter 16
A little shakily, she makes her way down the narrow, creaking staircase, and finds Jack Demerell sitting in the kitchen having a cup of tea with Philippa. He smiles to see Eve, and she feels unaccountably self-conscious.
‘I was just telling Philippa that there’s a woman named in the parish records as Diot Coke,’ Jack says. ‘She lived in Tudor times. Her full name was Diotima.’
Eve stares at him blankly.
‘I was also telling her that we were at school together, back in the day.’
Eve lifts the china teapot and pours herself a cup. ‘That’s true,’ she says. ‘We were.’
‘We even went on a date.’
She smiles. ‘You, me and Amanda Bynes.’
‘Anyway, I was wondering if you felt like…’ He frowns.
‘I’m taking a bunch of kids up into the hills tomorrow, teenagers, and I wondered if you wanted to come.
It’ll just be a walk, really. Maybe a bit of foraging, and we might see a fox or an owl if we’re lucky.
If you’re free, obviously.’ He smiles at her encouragingly.
Teacup in hand, Eve returns his smile. ‘Won’t you need to see a criminal record check? If we’re in charge of children, I mean?’
‘Don’t worry, I wouldn’t be employing you. You’d just be coming along for the ride. So to speak.’
‘Well, um…’ Eve glances at Philippa, who’s watching her expressionlessly. ‘Um, yes, sure. Why not?’
‘Excellent.’ He drains his tea and places the cup in its saucer. ‘Pick you up at ten tomorrow? These kids aren’t early risers, so we won’t be making an early start.’
‘OK. See you then, Jack.’
Eve and Philippa watch him go. ‘You’re a very wicked woman,’ Eve says. ‘I suppose you’re going to tell me this was some kind of magic.’
‘It’s as magic as you want to make it. He just turned up here. I’m guessing it was you who told him you were staying with me.’
‘There’s a look in your eye.’
‘I’m not denying that a day in the hills would do you a power of good, even in the company of Jack Demerell’s waifs and strays.’
‘What’re they like?’
Philippa shrugs. ‘Not bad kids. Just bored, most of ’em. Tom went out with him a couple of times.’
‘Where is Tom? I haven’t seen him for days.’
‘Sleeping over at some girl’s, probably. He’s like a poacher’s dog, that one.’
‘Do you worry?’
‘I worry he’ll knock one of them up. I told him: if you do, you’re on your own. Don’t come running to me.’ She looks away. ‘That Jack Demerell. They gave him a medal, did he tell you that?’
‘No,’ Eve says thoughtfully. ‘No, he didn’t.’
‘Piece about in the local paper. Carried a wounded man to safety under fire.’
‘His parents must have been proud.’
Philippa shakes her head. ‘Both dead by then, bless ’em. Car accident outside Shaftesbury.’
‘Oh no, that’s awful.’
‘He hasn’t had it easy, I’ll say that.’