‘And Jasper?’
‘I haven’t heard a peep from him.’ She shook her head. ‘To be honest, I blame myself for what has happened. I always spoilt him shamelessly. Bernard and I had more rows about it than I care to remember but never in my wildest dreams did I think he would ever be capable of doing something like this.’ She rose from her chair and went to a side table where a small book lay open. ‘The police found this.’ She tossed it to Dorcas. ‘It’s Jasper’s diary and it seems that he has formed an obsession for your Emerald.’
‘Emerald!’ Dorcas glanced at Gerald in alarm. ‘Then if that’s the case, do you think there’s any chance he might turn up at Imogen’s?’
Sybil shrugged. ‘I doubt it and don’t worry, even if he did, he would be caught. They have policemen watching the house.’
Dorcas could hardly take it in. Jasper knew very well that given their family history, there could never be any sort of a relationship between them. They had all been well schooled in that fact. What was he thinking of?
Seeing the worried frown on her face, Gerald squeezed her shoulder. ‘Emerald will be fine,’ he told her.
Sybil noted the affectionate gesture and it seemed to be her undoing as the tears finally began to fall.
‘At least you two are happy again,’ she said sadly. ‘In truth I don’t think Bernard and I were ever happy together from day one. I was never under any illusions; he married me for my dowry and I was just grateful not to be left on the shelf. Who else would have married such a plain Jane? Within months of our marriage, I was aware that he was seeing other women, but what could I do?’
‘You are far too hard on yourself,’ Dorcas soothed, although she was well aware of her brother’s shortcomings. ‘But now we’ll leave you to rest. I just wanted to let you know that we are back should you need anything.’
Their relationship had been undergoing a subtle change ever since she had moved into the cottage. At first, Sybil had visited her simply to gloat and yet despite that Dorcas had soon seen through her sister-in-law’s hard front to the lonely woman beneath it and now she felt nothing but pity for her, for she had lost not only a husband but a son.
‘Try not to worry, I’m sure they’ll find Jasper very soon,’ she said reassuringly.
Sybil snorted. ‘I half hope that they don’t.’ Her face was bleak. ‘Because then all I can look forward to is seeing him dancing at the end of a rope. No, what’s done is done and nothing can bring Bernard back so I hope he manages to get away, preferably somewhere abroad where nobody knows him. I have to face the fact that he’s gone forever now as well as Bernard.’
Dorcas had no reply to that so she and Gerald quietly left the room.
Bernard was buried quietly in the little churchyard adjoining Astley Church the following week after a simple service. There were only a handful of people present in the church. Sybil and her staff and Jake, who had come from London to attend, and a few of the farm workers, plus Dorcas and Gerald and a heavily veiled woman who took a seat right at the back of the church when the service had just begun.
‘Of course, I’m sure you can guess who the mystery mourner was,’ Sybil said bitterly as they rattled their way back to the farmhouse following the interment.
Dorcas raised an eyebrow. She hadn’t really given the matter much thought.
‘It was Bernard’s fancy woman,’ Sybil informed her quietly. ‘I knew that he’d set her up in a little love nest years ago but he didn’t know I was aware of it. I just hope he made her happier than he made me. But there, it’s done now and when we get back to the farm, I have something I’d like to discuss with you, Gerald.’
‘With me?’ Gerald frowned, wondering what it could be but he kept his silence until they were back in the warm with glasses of whisky in their hands.
‘So, what was it you wanted to talk to me about?’ Gerald asked when he could no longer contain his curiosity.
‘I’ve been thinking’ – Sybil glanced at Jake – ‘I don’t suppose you will wish to give up your career to come home and take over the running of the farm, will you?’
Jake regretfully shook his head, so Sybil went on, ‘Our farm manager will be retiring soon so I shall need someone reliable to take his place, especially now that Bernard is gone. What do you say, Gerald? Would you be prepared to take it on? I can’t think of anyone I’d rather have to do it if Jake doesn’t wish to, and of course I can afford to be generous.’
‘W-well,’ Gerald spluttered. ‘I’m honoured that you’ve asked me, but do you think I’d be up to it?’
‘Of course you would. You can come over and go through the books with the undermanager to see what’s what whenever you like and then when you feel ready, we’ll introduce you to the tenants and you can have free rein to manage everything as you see fit. I have neither the time nor the inclination to do it myself and you would be doing me a service if you agreed to it.’
Gerald smiled. Since coming to live in the cottage with his wife he had spent hours each day tramping to and from his poorly paid job on the outskirts of Bedworth, whereas if he worked here he would be close at hand to attend to any problems that might arise.
‘Oh, do say you’ll give it a try, dear,’ Dorcas urged. ‘You deserve another chance.’
Gerald nodded. ‘Very well, we’ll give it a try.’
Jake returned to London the next morning and soon after he had gone Gerald arrived at the farmhouse for a meeting with Bernard’s undermanager. These meetings continued for some days, after which Gerald was introduced to Bernard’s tenants and then he was ready to begin his new role.
Once again he was his own boss but this time Dorcas was determined not to put any pressure on him. Surprisingly enough she found she had all she needed in the little cottage and she was content for the first time in many, many years.
On the same day in January that Gerald began his job as the farm manager, Jasper’s new life looked set to begin too when he boarded a ship at Dover bound for Calais. He had lain low for weeks in dirty bed-and-breakfast places until he felt certain that the police would no longer be searching for him so he could attempt to leave the country. Even now he was still nervous to be seen out and about, although he had changed his appearance drastically – his hair had grown and he now had a beard and wore workmen’s clothes. No one seeing him would ever have believed that the rucksack he kept in sight at all times contained a small fortune. Now, as he climbed the gangplank, he paused briefly to take one last look over his shoulder at his homeland. He knew that once the ship set sail, he would never see it again.
But his biggest regret was leaving Emerald behind. As he thought of her now his stomach churned .?.?. if only he could have plucked up the courage to go and see her. He might have been able to persuade her to come with him and they could have started a new life together far away and everything would have been perfect .?.?.
