‘I could always take him to one side,’ said Jeeves. ‘Beat some answers out of him.’
‘No!’ Walter said sharply. ‘No. Just … keep an eye on him.’
‘What do you want me to do — about James?’
‘You’ve done all you can.’ Walter looked down at his hands and seemed surprised to find them wrung so tightly together. He pulled them apart with an effort. He looked older, frailer. ‘We’ll just have to hope James turns up. Eh? Yes … And he’d better have a bloody good explanation when he does!’
They both went their separate ways, disappearing into the depths of the great old house. I looked quickly around for Khan and Melanie, but they were gone. Either their little chat was already at an end, or they’d decided to continue it somewhere more private. Pity … But I did spy Diana and Sylvia, standing before the front door. Diana hauled it open, straining hard with both hands to get the heavy weight moving, and then the two women stood side by side, staring out the open doorway at the thick falling snow. Diana hugged herself tightly and shivered. They thought themselves alone and unobserved, and free to speak freely; so again I took the opportunity to listen in.
‘I had hoped the storm would have died down by now,’ said Diana, ‘so we could leave. But look at it! Awful weather … Worse, if anything. I can’t even tell which of those snowy burial mounds is our car.’
‘Why do you want to leave?’ said Sylvia. ‘Aren’t you having a good time? Dropping a barbed bon mot here and a home truth there; sticking it to Walter and making little Mel squirm?’
‘I don’t seem to have the stomach for it, this year,’ said Diana. ‘Sometimes reliving the past feels more like picking at a scab. Makes me feel old … And I hate that. You know what, Sylvia? It isn’t that, not really … It was seeing that delightful young boy, Ishmael. He reminds me so much of my dear Adam, sweet folly of my misspent youth. I never thought to see his face again … I wonder where Adam is, now …’
Sylvia closed the door firmly and turned to Diana. ‘You need a nice lie down, dear, before dinner. Get some rest, get your strength back, and work on some really catty comments to throw at Mel over dessert. Come along. I’ll see you to your room.’
‘I wish James was here,’ Diana said fretfully as the two women came back down the hall, heading for the stairs. ‘I was so looking forward to seeing my son again, after all these years …’
‘I know, dear,’ said Sylvia. ‘I know.’
She helped Diana up the stairs like a nurse supporting an invalid charge. They didn’t see me at the foot of the stairs, standing in the shadows. I stayed put, leaning back against the wall, thinking. The damage I do to people’s lives, without even trying.
Finally, I headed for the drawing room. I pushed open the door and then stopped abruptly in the doorway, as I realized I’d just walked in on a blazing row. Penny and Roger were standing face to face in the middle of the room, hands clenched into fists, so caught up in their quarrel that they didn’t even know I was there. So of course I remained where I was, and watched and listened with great interest.
‘Stop shouting at me!’ said Penny.
‘I have to!’ said Roger. ‘It’s the only way I can get you to listen to me!’
Penny made an exasperated sound and made to leave the drawing room. Roger immediately moved to block her way. Penny looked at him dangerously. ‘Roger, darling; get the hell out of my way right now, or I swear to God I will kick you so hard in the groinal area that your balls will eventually come down somewhere in Scotland!’
‘What balls?’ Roger said bitterly. ‘You cut them off when you threw me over, for no good reason.’
‘Don’t be dramatic, Roger. It doesn’t suit you.’
‘You’re not going anywhere till we’ve talked this out!’ said Roger. ‘You think I want this? You think this is the way I want it to be between us? I hate this! We used to be so happy together … You don’t know how miserable I’ve been since you walked out on me …’
‘You don’t have to be miserable,’ said Penny, her voice softening despite herself. ‘Just admit it’s over. Let it go, and move on. Find someone else.’
‘Like you have?’ said Roger.
‘What are you talking about?’ said Penny.
‘I saw you; I saw you staring at that Ishmael character …’
‘Oh, for God’s sake!’
‘You never did explain why you broke off our engagement. Or why you won’t give me another chance! I can change, I know I can! You know I still love you, Penny …’
‘No, you don’t, Roger,’ Penny said firmly. ‘You want me. That’s different.’
‘I can be whatever you want me to be,’ said Roger, not even trying to hide the desperation in his voice. ‘Just tell me what you want …’
‘I will not discuss this any further,’ said Penny. ‘I have said all I’m going to say. And if you’re wise, you’ll leave it at that.’
‘I could make you want me again,’ said Roger, drawing himself up to his full height and doing his best to look commanding. ‘There are things I could do, people I know … You have no idea of what I’m capable of. No idea at all of how the real world works.’
‘And you have no idea of how a real woman works,’ said Penny. ‘Or you wouldn’t be wasting my time and yours with this nonsense. I am not the kind of woman you’re used to; the kind you can buy, or intimidate. Now get out of my sight, Roger! Before I forget the few things I still like about you.’
Roger turned abruptly and started away from her. He almost bumped into me, still standing in the doorway. He started to apologize, and then recognized who I was. His face reddened as he realized I must have heard everything.
‘Eavesdropping?’ he snarled. ‘About what I’d expect from your sort. Hear anything good? You’d better be careful, Jones. The mood I’m in, I could easily punch your head in.’
‘No,’ I said. ‘You couldn’t.’
And there must have been something in my voice, or my eyes, because Roger hesitated, and then barged right past me. And kept going. I heard him stomping up the stairs, heading back to his room, slamming his feet down like a child in a tantrum who wants everyone to know how upset he is.
I carefully closed the door behind me. Penny was standing with her back to the fire, her arms tightly folded, glaring angrily at nothing in particular. Her face was pale, apart from two angry red blotches on her cheeks. She looked at me suddenly, almost defiantly.
‘You mustn’t mind Roger. He’s finally found something he really wants that he can’t have, and he isn’t used to that. He doesn’t know how to deal with it.’
‘Some things are worth fighting for,’ I said.
‘He wouldn’t know how,’ said Penny. She looked at me, consideringly. ‘You look like you might know how to fight for someone you wanted.’
‘I don’t do that any more,’ I said. ‘I am a man alone. I live for my job.’
‘Yes …’ said Penny. ‘Working for the Colonel; dear missing stepbrother James.’
‘Yes,’ I said.
Our eyes met, and I felt a definite spark in the air. And all I could think was: No. I can’t. This is no time to be making an old mistake.
Penny moved slowly forward to stand before me. ‘James is Daddy’s only son, by his first marriage to Diana. I am Daddy’s only daughter, from his second marriage to Melanie, Mummy dearest. I inherit everything; James gets nothing. Mummy insisted, right after I was born. She made ever such a fuss until Daddy agreed to change his will in my favour. I have never been consulted in the matter. But that’s Mummy for you; she’s spent most of her life doing good for me, from a distance. And that, right there, is all you need to know about this family.’
‘How did the Colonel feel about all this?’ I said.
‘Didn’t give a damn, as I understand it,’ said Penny. ‘You see, I’ve never met my mysterious stepbrother. James left home years before I came along. Left, and never came back. He’s always maintained a strict distance between his life and that of his family. You must know him better than us … Do you know why he left, Ishmael?’