When the two of them were alone, Janushek sat quietly drinking his coffee while Edith contemplated a tea leaf in the bottom of her cup.
“Janushek, do be careful with Una, won’t you?”she said suddenly.
Janushek looked up from his coffee in surprise.
“I have been careful with Una since she first began music lessons and I realised—what she is.”
“And what is that?”Edith asked quickly.
“I’m not sure,” he admitted.“But she is something.”
Edith nodded, and got a faraway look in her eyes.“I didn’t see it before.”
“Ha!”he pounced.“You admit I am years ahead of you!”
“But of course,” Edith said mildly, pausing before the masterstroke: “You are so much older than me, after all.”
Janushek choked on his coffee.
“But whatever else she turns out to be,” Edith mused, “she’s very protective of you.”
This did not help Janushek regain his composure.
“Protective?”he repeated when his coughing fit ended.
“Yes, it surprised me, too.She’s quite…intense, isn’t she?She used to follow Mother around like a saint with an acolyte.And now there’s you, and someone else, too, perhaps.”Edith propped her chin on her hand and looked at him, unblinking.
“I am sure Una knowsIam no saint, at least,“ Janushek said with a nervous laugh.
“Whatever she thinks you are, do try to live up to it, Janushek,” Edith said.“Other people have let her down badly in the past—very badly indeed.If our prayers are answered and Violet shows up again one day, I shall certainly have words to say to her!But about Pip coming to stay—I confess I’m worried he might be the next person to let her down.Then again, he might not.What do you think about it?”
Janushek’s jaw tightened.“I think it would do my stepson good to think about someone other than himself for more than two minutes together.”
“Has Lily told him?”asked Edith quietly.“About his father?”
Janushek rubbed his head.“Not everything.I’d do it myself, but—Pip and I are not quite the friends we used to be.It would not come well from me.”
“Growing pains?”
“I hope it is only that.”
“Is there anything I—“
“No, Mrs Drake-Forrester, as magical as you are, I think it is beyond even your power to make a British gentleman of me.”His crooked smile unfolded.
“My friend,” Edith said gravely, “I wouldn’t make you that if I could.”She looked at the sketch in front of her.“I’ve been chased across mountains and drugged and menaced by such men.Why do you think I married the butler’s son?Just for his handsome face?”
Janushek put his coffee cup down and grinned.“I always liked Drake, even when I thought he was a blue-blood.Have I ever told you how much I approve of your choice?”
“No need.I can see how much you like each other.I’ve almost felt jealous once or twice.”
This startled a laugh out of Janushek.“I might have enjoyed making you jealous once.”
“Dear me!”Edith shook her head.“That wouldn’t have done atall.Everything turned out for the best.“ She looked at him, and hesitated.“Perhaps I ought to thank you for that.”
Janushek shrugged.“I might thank you just as much.Lily and I are—unbelievably happy.”
“Oh, I find it entirely believable!But all those years ago—Simon was stuck in Wales and nothing had been settled between us, and you hadn’t thought of Lily yet.You might have taken advantage of all that when you came to my rescue.”She cleared her throat and put the teacup down, not looking at him.“You were rather sweet about it, really.”
