‘Luke,’ Janet leaned forward on her elbows. ‘Listen, please don’t dismiss everything Joss is saying out of hand – ’
‘The trouble is, you encourage her!’ Luke shook his head. ‘The last thing she needs if you don’t mind me saying so, is local gossip egging her on in these wild fantasies of hers. There is nothing wrong in this house. There is no danger to the children and there never has been. It’s all in her head. A story. Make believe. A romantic fiction she’s concocted, with herself as the lead heroine. Don’t you see, Janet? It’s all part of her background. Adopted. A dreamer, bless her. Suddenly fact seems to be even better than any fiction she ever dared invent for herself and it’s all got out of hand. Just leave her alone and she’ll get over it.’
‘She was thinking of taking the children over to Janet’s for a few days, Luke,’ Lyn put in quietly. ‘To get away from the atmosphere here.’
‘No!’ Luke banged his fist on the table. ‘No, Janet, it’s kind of you, but absolutely not. I’d be grateful if you’d just leave her alone.’
‘It’s for her to decide, Luke, surely.’ Janet spoke as calmly as she could.
‘No. It isn’t. Not in this case. This is a matter between her and me.’
‘But – ’
‘Janet,’ he stood up abruptly. ‘Please, don’t think me rude, but I’d be grateful if you could leave us now. It’s time for Tom to go to bed. Please allow Joss and me to work this out for ourselves.’
Janet stared at him open mouthed. Slowly she pushed back her chair. She took a deep breath. ‘Very well. If that’s the way you want it. Poor Joss.’ She glanced at Lyn who had gone very pink. ‘Take care of them all. Tell Joss I’m there if she needs me.’
No one spoke until she had gone. ‘That was very rude, Luke,’ Lyn said mildly. ‘She’s a nice woman.’
‘She is sometimes an interfering busybody.’ He stood up. ‘I’m going out to check the garages are all locked up for the night.’
Lyn sat for several minutes after he had gone, then with a sigh she stood up and turned to Tom. ‘Ready for your drink, young man?’
Pulling the carriage house door open Luke stood staring at the bonnet of the Lagonda. In the light of the fluorescent strip which ran down the ceiling of the garage the pale blue paintwork gleamed softly. Folding his arms across his chest, he sank into deep thought, listening as the sound of Janet’s Audi died away in the distance.
‘Luke?’ Joss’s voice was hesitant. ‘Luke, is that you?’ She had appeared at the gate of the courtyard.
He sighed. ‘It’s me.’
‘And you’re all right?’ Her chilled hands fumbling with the latch she pushed the gate open and came towards him. ‘Oh, thank God! Luke, I thought something awful had happened to you!’
‘Which is exactly what I thought about you earlier.’ He put his arms round her and held her close. She was shivering violently. ‘Why on earth didn’t you say you were going out for the entire afternoon?’
‘I did. I’m sure I did.’
He smiled ruefully. ‘Well, never mind. You’re all back and safe now.’ He pushed her away gently. ‘Come on, let’s go back indoors. Lyn will be getting the supper on.’
‘Where’s Janet’s car?’ Wearily Joss looked round.
‘She’s gone.’
‘Gone? But I was going over there. I was taking the boys – ’
‘I told her it was a bad time, Joss. I need you here.’ He took her hand.
‘Luke!’ She pulled away from him. ‘You don’t understand. I have to get them away from here. I have to.’ The net was closing; she could feel the lethargy, the reluctance, the pull of the house like a huge magnet, holding her close.
‘No, darling. You don’t. I think it’s time we got this quite straight, don’t you. An awful lot of what has been going on has been totally in your imagination. You have to admit it. Lyn and I are here to help you. There is no threat – none at all – to the boys. This ghost business is just so much hysterical rubbish on the part of people like David and, let’s face it, Janet herself. Come on. Let’s go indoors. We’ll talk about it after supper.’
‘Luke – ’
‘Later, Joss. Come on. It’s bloody cold out here. Let’s go in.’
He pulled the carriage house door shut and clicked the padlock into place then he held out his hand. Reluctantly she took it.
The kitchen was very warm after the frost outside. Tom, surrounded by toys was playing on a rug in front of the television, half heartedly watching Pingu whilst Lyn was peeling potatoes. She glanced up as they appeared. ‘At last. The whole family together. If you’re going upstairs, Joss, you might look in on Ned. He sounds a bit restless.’ She dug her peeler energetically into a deep eye.
Joss stared at her. Then she turned and ran from the room.
There was a single lamp on in their bedroom. Tearing off her jacket she threw it down on the bed before hurrying towards Ned’s little nursery. There was no sound from him now, just the soughing of the wind in the bare branches of the creeper outside the windows. She pushed open the door.
‘Ned?’ she whispered. She crept towards the cot. ‘Ned?’
He was lying on his stomach, his small fists clenched on either side of his head.
‘Ned?’ She bent over him. He was very still. In sudden panic she pulled back the covers. ‘Ned!’
Her sharp cry woke him with a start and he jumped. As she gathered him up into her arms he was screaming indignantly.
Lyn was in the room in seconds, with Luke just behind her. ‘Joss, what is it? Is he all right? We heard you on the baby alarm.’