Witchstone

Her uncle seemed to remember she was still there and turned to her. ‘You can get along now, Ashley,’ he directed with a smile. ‘Thanks for keeping an eye on things while I was away.’

He turned back to add a couple of cubes of ice to a glass containing a generous proportion of whisky which he pushed across the bar to Jake as Ashley moved towards the door which led into the hall at the back of the hotel. Was that all? she thought dully, aware of an intense feeling of disappointment now that it seemed that all chance of spending the day with Jake was slipping out of her grasp. Wasn’t he even going to mention the invitation again?

She glanced back once and her eyes met his over the rim of the glass he had raised to his lips. There was an enigmatic gleam in the grey depths and she thought there was silent mockery there too. She quickened her step and had reached the doorway when he called: ‘Are you coming to Raybury with me on Thursday, Ashley?’

She halted, and swung round, her eyes going to her uncle, who had stopped what he was doing to raise his eyebrows, ‘What’s this?’ he asked, frowning.

Jake swallowed another mouthful of his whisky before saying: ‘I’ve invited Ashley to come to a sale with me on Thursday—in Swaledale. It’s the Fallow House at Raybury.’

Ashley supported herself against the door jamb. ‘I—I don’t know whether I should go, Uncle David,’ she murmured unevenly. ‘Wh-what do you think?’

David Sutton was clearly unprepared for such a question. ‘Well, I don’t know, lass,’ he admitted, his gaze flickering doubtfully towards Jake. ‘You do have your school work to think of …’

Jake finished his whisky and toyed with the glass. ‘One day more or less won’t make a lot of difference, will it?’ he commented. ‘Ashley says she’s leaving soon anyway.’

‘That’s true.’ David looked troubled. ‘All the same, perhaps you should ask your aunt, Ashley. She’s better equipped than me to decide these things.’

Ashley hesitated, aware of the deepening twist to Jake’s mouth. Obviously he considered the whole affair unnecessary and childish. What was he asking, after all? Just a few hours of her time—and for her benefit. She would love the opportunity to wander round the library of some old house.

‘I would like to go, Uncle David,’ she asserted, making a decision. ‘And taking a day from school presents no problems.’

David shook his head. ‘Well, I suppose it’s for you to say,’ he murmured. He looked at Jake. ‘Why do you think this sale will interest Ashley?’

Jake pushed his glass towards the other man, indicating that he would like another. ‘She likes books—libraries. As I understand it, there’s quite a comprehensive library for sale.’

David measured more whisky into Jake’s glass. ‘I see.’ He picked up the ice tongs. ‘And how far is this place—Raybury?’

‘Fifty—maybe sixty miles. It’s near Richmond. I should think Ashley would enjoy seeing something of the countryside around here.’

David handed him his glass again. ‘No doubt,’ he conceded dryly. ‘Well, lass, are you going?’

Ashley nodded. ‘If you don’t mind.’

Her uncle gave her an impatient look before turning back to Jake. ‘What time do you expect to leave?’

‘I thought about nine-thirty, if that’s all right with you.’ He looked towards Ashley, and she nodded, bending her head to avoid the piercing penetration of his eyes. ‘The sale’s not till noon, but we can look round beforehand.’

Ashley felt an unwilling sense of excitement. She couldn’t help it. It was all so totally unexpected, and after the way she had been worrying about Jake Seton this week it was doubly tantalising. But she forced herself to calm down, feeling angry that she should be getting so heated over something which he obviously regarded with little concern. It was just an auction sale, when all was said and done, with a lot of musty old books to browse through, and that was why he was taking her.

Leaving the bar, she made her way to the lounge where her aunt was sitting knitting. Both Mark and Karen were out for the evening and Mona looked up smilingly when Ashley entered the room.

‘Come in, love,’ she greeted her. ‘Has your uncle finished in the cellar?’

‘Yes.’ Ashley subsided into the armchair opposite. ‘It’s cosy in here, isn’t it?’

‘Hmm.’ Her aunt bent to take another ball of wool from her knitting bag. ‘You can put the television on if you’d like to.’

‘No, thanks.’ Ashley crossed her legs, swinging one foot restlessly.

Mona looked at her. ‘You seem distracted. Is something wrong?’

Ashley coloured. ‘No, nothing.’ She reached for a magazine and flicked through its pages without interest. Then, taking the bull by the horns, she said: ‘Would you mind if I took a day off school on Thursday?’

Mona’s busy fingers stilled. ‘Why? What do you want to do?’

‘I—I’ve been invited out for the day,’ said Ashley carefully.

Mona looked surprised. ‘Invited out? Who by?’

‘Actually—Jake Seton.’

There, it was out. Ashley closed the magazine and sat with her hands curled tightly on top of it.

‘With Jake?’ Mona was clearly perplexed. ‘When—that is—how have you spoken to him?’

She didn’t appear angry at the news and Ashley gathered confidence. ‘He was in the bar just now. There—there’s a sale of some old house at Raybury——’

‘Raybury?’

‘Yes. And as there’s a library, he thought I might be interested in going with him.’

Mona began to knit again. ‘Really? And what did you say?’

‘Well, at first I wasn’t sure—but then, after I’d spoken to Uncle David, I said yes.’ Ashley looked anxious. ‘Do you mind?’

Mona shook her head helplessly. ‘Why should I mind?’ She looked up again. ‘I suppose it was kind of him to ask you. Did you—that is—you didn’t insinuate——’

Ashley’s colour deepened again. ‘I knew nothing about it until he mentioned it,’ she denied fiercely. ‘Oh—oh, I wish I’d never said I’d go now!’

‘Why?’ Mona put her knitting aside. ‘Don’t be silly! I’m sure you’ll have a lovely day. Is Miss St. John Forrest going, too?’

‘Miss St. John Forrest?’ Ashley was at a loss. ‘Who’s that?’

‘Jake’s fiancée—Barbara. Barbara St. John Forrest. Haven’t you heard her name mentioned?’

‘I don’t think so.’ Ashley shook her head, but as she did so she remembered a few minutes ago, in the bar, when Jake had mentioned that name and she had wondered whether it might be his sister.

‘But you did know he was engaged?’ Mona was adding. ‘Didn’t you?’

‘Yes. Karen told me.’

Mona seemed satisfied with this news. ‘Good. Well, you’ll have to speak to Miss Kincaid tomorrow and tell her you won’t be in on Thursday, won’t you?’

‘I suppose so.’

Ashley sounded less than enthusiastic and her aunt gave her a little impatient pat on her hand. ‘Stop looking so depressed! Jake will look after you. And at least you can be sure of one thing—he wouldn’t have asked you to go with him without mentioning it to Barbara first. Just go and enjoy yourself.’

Ashley opened the magazine again and tried to concentrate on a feature about making the most of your hair, but her mind wasn’t on it. She was thinking of something her aunt had said—that Jake wouldn’t ask her to go out with him without first discussing it with his fiancée.