Читать книгу Watching - Jeff Edwards - Страница 9

During the long voyage, Jade tried to imagine what her new life would be like in England.

She thought of herself as English, from the top of her head, to the tips of her toes, but she had never stepped foot in that country, and she didn’t even fully comprehend what being English meant. Her expectations were based on stories of home from her parents, other children in the European school who had lived in England, and school lessons from her teachers.

A confusing amalgamation of images — cricket and rugby matches, afternoon teas in rose gardens, snowy Christmases, and most of all, the readings of Dickens, from her teachers, left an impressionable, nine year old Jade with images of her own. Poor waifs, crowding dirty-grey streets, begging for food, while the wealthy rode past on their fine horses, on their way to tea with the King. It was all very confusing to a young girl who had lived her entire life in hot and crowded China.

Her mother was always in a tight-lipped mood, and in no way inclined to answer Jade’s many, and to her way of thinking, utterly foolish questions. Ann Green’s thoughts were on her errant husband, whom she had left behind while she escorted Jade to England. She did not trust him at all. Would he attempt to find that woman, and rekindle the relationship? He could try, she thought bitterly, but his chances of success would be slim. Ann knew that once an Asian person returned to their kind, they became lost, just one small person amongst the millions teeming there.

She was sure that John Green would still be there when she returned, probably nursing a whiskey, and she’d be able to extract her revenge at that time. My fine husband will pay for his indiscretions, she thought bitterly. How dare he try to makea laughing stock of me.

The man had even had the temerity to ask for a divorce, she recalled. Ann, of course, had simply scoffed at him. ‘We’re married. There will be no divorce. My family would simply not stand for the disgrace, nor would your superiors in the Foreign Office look kindly on such actions. No, John, you shall remain my husband ‘til death do us part. You have already made it perfectly obvious that you are incapable of making rational decisions on behalf of our family, so henceforth I will make them all. Is that understood?’

John had glumly nodded in agreement, and retreated to his office.

Jade’s gloomy impressions of England were not relieved as they disembarked at Southampton on a cold, bleak day in March. Grey, overcast skies, and misting rain greeted the travellers.

In contrast, the welcome of her grandparents — Captain Aubrey Taylor, currently home on leave, and June Taylor — was both warm and loving.

They had never met their granddaughter, and, other than the occasional photograph and their daughter’s letters, knew nothing about her. Jade too, was curious as to what sort of people her grandparents would be. She thought they would be somewhat cold and distant, like her mother, but older. However, the jovial Captain Aubrey, and the fussing June, were nothing like her mother. They tickled, cooed, and hugged Jade, making her feel quite overcome with emotion. She had never had so much love lavished on her in her entire life. It was all quite breathtaking.

They were taken to her grandparents’ home overlooking the sea, and she was tucked into bed that evening, with another round of hugs and kisses. The following morning, Jade’s cases were repacked into the boot of the Captain’s car, and he drove them into the country.

He took a variety of narrow roads, until they came to the village of Wilton, where, on a hill overlooking the town stood the once stately manor of Staunton Hall. This hall was now the Staunton College for Young Ladies.

The last lord of the hall, Sir Frederick Staunton had squandered the family’s fortunes at the gambling tables, and then taken the easy way out of his financial dilemma, by committing suicide, leaving his grieving widow to fend off the creditors as best she could. The creation of the school had been Lady Emily Staunton’s means of doing just that.

Lady Staunton’s eminent position in society had ensured the school’s early success, and the subsequent headmistresses had maintained the high status of the institute, by turning out generations of very ‘marriageable’ young women. Now, in the more ‘enlightened’ times of the post-Great War era, the school, and many of its sister institutions, were beginning to become somewhat of an anachronism. Feminism’s early flowering was beginning to erode upon the concepts upon which the school was based. However, the school still maintained its vital place in society, and its demise, in the present form, was still some decades away.

Jade looked with wonder at the school, as they drove up the stately drive to the impressive double front doors. Its age, and the continuing wet, cold weather, made the place look totally uninviting, and brought to Jade’s mind those decrepit piles as described in Dickens’ novels.

They stopped in the front forecourt, where one of the groundsmen unloaded Jade’s small amount of luggage and took it inside, whilst Jade and the adults were ushered into the office of the headmistress, Mrs McLean.

Jade stood looking around at the book-filled room, her hands clasped before her, while her mother and grandparents were seated in front of Mrs McLean’s desk. Mrs McLean entered a few minutes later, apologising profusely for not being on hand to greet them at the door.

Dressed conservatively in a long black skirt and crisp white blouse, her greying hair pulled back tightly in a bun, Judith McLean glowed with health and vitality. Smiling broadly, she welcomed back the two former students, in the form of June Taylor, and her daughter Ann Green, and then turned to the next generation ... Jade.

‘And you must be Janice,’ she beamed. ‘It’s so good to meet you. I’m sure you’ll fit right in.’ She turned back to Jade’s mother. ‘We’re fortunate that we have been able to accommodate Janice at this time of the year. We don’t often have enrolments mid-term.’

‘It was necessary to remove Janice from China at short notice, I’m afraid,’ apologised Ann Green. ‘We intended to do so at the start of the school year, but, due to unforeseen circumstances, were unable to.’

‘And what arrangements have you made for Janice’s holidays?’ asked Judith McLean.

The Captain responded, ‘For the shorter holidays, Janice will stay with us, and we shall see that she is escorted home, to China, for the long break.’

Jade was shocked. She had not even considered what would happen outside of school. She would now only get to see her father for six weeks a year. Less really, as she had long sea trips either way to make. A cold pain of desolation gripped her stomach. She wished she had the nerve to say something, but her mother seemed determined to abandon her only child.

Mrs McLean answered a knock at the door, and admitted an elderly woman, also dressed in black, and so thin that she reminded Jade of a Praying Mantis.

‘This is Miss Wright, who will be looking after the house that Janice will be representing while she is boarding with us. She will take Janice with her now and settle her into her room. Meanwhile, we’ll make the necessary arrangements for her enrolment. When we’re finished here, you may visit Janice in her room, and say your goodbyes.’

Jade followed the tall figure of Miss Wright, as she strode along silent, carpeted corridors.

They passed several classrooms where Jade could hear the slight murmur of voices coming from within. Jade’s previous school had been a raucous, animated place, full of young voices and activity, where the sounds echoed through tall rooms. This building was more like a museum, or an art gallery, than a school, with large portraits of forbidding looking men and women lining the walls.

Jade nearly had to run to keep up with the long striding Miss Wright, and was almost out of breath when they finally entered a distant wing of the house, and stopped outside a door.

Miss Wright turned to Jade. ‘You are now in Scanlon House, and this will be your room. You will find it already occupied by Miss Rani Smith from India. If you do not like your companion, you must realise that you have arrived almost unannounced, and mid-term. You will have to make do until next term, when some other girl may wish to swap places with you. However, I doubt that anyone will step forward.’

Jade found the room unoccupied, with her cases stacked neatly in the centre of the floor.

Miss Wright waved to one side of the room. ‘That will be your area, and you will be responsible for keeping it clean at all times. There will be points deducted from your House’s total for untidiness, and there will be special duties for those who are continually not up to standard. Your roommate, Miss Smith, will teach you the rules of the house. I suggest you learn them quickly. We have no time here for young ladies who cannot learn to abide by the rules. You may start now, by unpacking your clothes. See that they are all hung up correctly. I will leave you now. Make sure you are fully settled in by the time the supper bell rings. Miss Smith will be finished with her classes shortly.’

Without a word of welcome, Miss Wright turned, and left, closing the door quietly, leaving Jade standing beside her cases, and trying very hard not to cry.

Jade stared into space.

What would become of her?

She had no idea what her future held, but decided that she would do her best to make her father proud. If he was proud of her, she might be able to convince him to let her stay at home when she was, at last, able to talk to him.

Taking a deep breath, she accepted her fate, and began to unpack.

Her mother and her grandparents arrived soon after, giving the room a cursory nod of acceptance. ‘Quite adequate,’ said her mother.

They said their goodbyes, with a frosty hug from her mother, and a warm one from each of her grandparents, and then Jade was left alone again.

As she looked at the closing door, taking her family out of her life, Jade realised that she would not miss her mother. She did not know her grandparents at all, so would not miss them either, despite their initial friendliness. It would only be her father that she missed, and Yee-Ling of course.

When she had finished unpacking, Jade studied the belongings of her roommate. She obviously loved to read. Books, thick, and thin, were everywhere. On shelves above the bed, on the windowsill, all over her desk, and even stacked on the floor. Jade wandered over, and studied the titles. There were books on everything from fairy stories to ancient history, and Jade could not imagine what sort of person her roommate would turn out to be. She did not have to wonder for long.

A hand bell could be heard, rung with much vigour, its raucous clanging a surprising counterpoint to the quiet that proceeded it.

Voices in the hall announced the return of the students, and a short time later, the door was opened, and her new roommate entered.

Tall, and slender for her age, Rani Smith was the daughter of Reginald Smith, a third generation resident of India, from a tea-trading family. Reginald had upset his family by ‘going native’, and marrying a beautiful Indian woman from an influential business family.

Normally, a girl of mixed ancestry would not have been accepted at the Staunton College for Young Ladies, however, the Smith family were directly related to the founders of the college, and generations of the family had attended its classes. Even so, it had taken a large donation to the school, for much-needed repairs, to secure Rani’s enrolment.

The young lady that entered Jade’s room was the same age as Jade, with skin the colour of mahogany. Her long black hair hung down her back, and reminded Jade of Yee-Ling’s. Her arms were full of books, and she dropped them onto her bed, before turning, and regarding the interloper.

‘So you’re Janice.’

‘I’m called Jade. I’d rather be called Jade.’

‘Not around here you won’t be. Everyone is called by his or her correct name, even if they hate it.’

‘Oh,’ whispered Jade. ‘I’m sorry.’

Rani laughed. ‘I’ll call you Jade if you like. I’m always doing things that I’m not supposed to do. Not bad things, just things that I think should be done differently. It really annoys them.’

‘But won’t you get into trouble?’

Rani shrugged. ‘They don’t like me much here anyway. I’m not the sort of person that the Staunton College for Young Ladies usually takes on as a student. Daddy’s money ensured my acceptance. You see, I’m just not English enough for them,’ said Rani with a wicked grin. ‘That’s why no one else wants to share a room with me.’

Jade felt herself warming to her roommate. Rani’s smile, and couldn’t-care-less attitude, appealed to her. ‘I don’t think they’ll like me very much either. I’m not sure I know how to be English.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘I only arrived in England yesterday. I’ve never been here before.’

‘You’re not English?’

‘I don’t know what I am. My parents are English, but I was born in Shanghai.’

Rani laughed. ‘You’re the funniest looking Chinaman I’ve ever seen.’

Jade laughed too. ‘And you’re the funniest looking Smith that I’ve ever seen.’

The two girls broke up in fits of giggles, and they each knew that this was the beginning of a true friendship.

Jade’s life at the Staunton College for Young Ladies quickly settled down to one of predictable boredom. The same routine day after day; the same meals on the same days each week. At least there were new things to learn, which helped somewhat.

The educational standards were maintained at a reasonably high, if narrow, level. Families who sent their daughters there expected their child to be able to mingle in the highest levels of society. They were schooled to be able to hold their own in a conversation with a foreign ambassador, or visiting dignitary. To this end, history, literature, languages and art were taught, along with the more diplomatic and housewifely etiquette, dancing, riding, and home sciences.

Rani hated most of it, but hid her disdain, pretending to be enthusiastic. She had asked Jade what her aim was in life, and been surprised that Jade had no idea at all of what lay in the future. ‘I’m too young to worry about what’s going to happen in ten years time,’ she said. Rani, on the other hand, knew exactly where her life was heading, and it certainly wasn’t in the direction that her parents envisioned.

‘My parents have sent me here to become someone’s perfect wife. I’m to be the prize that seals some important business deal.’

‘That’s horrible.’

‘Don’t worry; I’ve got my own plans. When I get out of here, I’m going to university, and then medical school. I’m going to be a doctor, a specialist for women, and then I’m going home to help out the women of India.’

‘Will you be able to get into medical school? Do they take many women?’

‘They will if they want some of my father’s money,’ laughed Rani.

Jade and Rani became inseparable friends. Rani was the student of serious subjects like history, English and science; while Jade loved the creative subjects, like drama and art appreciation. They helped one another out, impressing their teachers by the ease with which they passed their exams.

Jade found her holidays with her grandparents to be great fun. They were a loving pair of individuals, who doted on their granddaughter. The Captain took to taking Jade around the local village, introducing her to everyone; showing off proudly.

June Taylor took Jade shopping in the city, and spoilt her with gifts. Jade loved it all, and was always sorry to leave them at the end of their short times together.

The long holidays were another matter altogether.

First, was the long trip home by boat. Rani shared part of the trip as far as Bombay, but the last leg of the journey was spent alone in the company of a hired chaperone. Usually the chaperone was an older, unmarried woman with nothing but endless time on her hands, and, inevitably a great love of cough medicine, or flash of gin, which was surreptitiously and constantly consumed.

On arrival in Shanghai, Jade would be greeted enthusiastically by her father, and distantly by her mother.

Even the exceptional school reports from Jade’s teachers, were not enough to break through her mother’s indifference. To Ann, Jade had been sent to get her schooling in England expressly for that reason, and the results were merely confirmation that she had been correct in sending Jade away.

Jade noticed that her father had begun drinking heavily again, and seemed to be staggering most evenings on his arrival home. It depressed Jade that she could not do anything to dispel her father’s misery. She avoided the house as much as possible, spending as much time as she could visiting with her former schoolmates.

The return to school came as a relief — at least at school she was not surrounded by her parents’ total lack of joy.

* * *

The months and years passed quickly, as Jade and Rani found themselves learning and developing their individual characters, unfettered by parental influences.

In later years, Jade’s time spent at the school later became defined in her mind, not by the years or school terms, but instead, into the periods in between summons to attend the headmistress’ office.

The first time Jade was called, alone, to the office of Mrs McLean, was just after lunch, one summer day. It had been two years since her arrival at the school.

Mrs McLean sat upright behind her desk as Jade entered, closing the door quietly behind her.

‘You wished to see me, Mrs McLean?’

‘Sit down, Janice.’

As Jade sat down, Mrs McLean cleared her throat and began. ‘I have just received a telegram from your parents. They have also just received a telegram from your grandfather Sir Robert Green. It would appear that your grandmother Lady Green has just passed away, and as it is not possible for your parents to attend the funeral — they wish you to attend in their stead.’

Mrs McLean rose. ‘I’m sorry for your loss, Janice.’

Jade didn’t know what to say. ‘I never knew her ... I ... I have never met them.’

‘Really? Well I’ve arranged for Miss Wright to accompany you. The funeral is tomorrow. Be ready to leave after breakfast.’

Rani expressed her sympathies to Jade as well, but, for her part, Jade felt nothing. To Jade, Lady Green had been a photograph on the shelf above her parents’ fireplace. There had been letters from her, read aloud to her by Father, but none had been addressed to Jade personally. The letters had simply told of general news from home, almost like having her father read the newspaper to her. There had been little in the letters to give a hint to the character of the author.

The funeral was a suitably sombre affair. There were a few relatives present, but Jade knew none of them. She sat beside Mrs Wright, who held her hand for support, and studied the flower-bedecked coffin, wondering what the occupant of the casket looked like.

Following the service, Jade was led forward by Miss Wright who introduced the child to her grandfather, Sir Robert Green.

Sir Robert took Jade’s hand in his, and looked into her eyes. ‘You have the green eyes of your grandmother,’ he whispered.

‘Daddy calls me Jade, because of my eyes.’

Sir Robert smiled. ‘Then I shall call you Jade as well. May I come and visit you occasionally?’

‘I’m sure Janice will be delighted,’ offered Miss Wright.

True to his word, Sir Robert did occasionally call to the school. He would visit on a Sunday afternoon, taking Jade and sometimes Rani as well, for tea and cakes in Wilton, where he would tell them about Italy. Both girls would continually ask questions about the ancient Romans, and the ruins that could still be seen.

‘I’ll have to take you both for a trip out there some day. We can climb all over the ruins together,’ he joked.

However, as the months passed, the girls became aware that Sir Robert missed his wife very much. His mind wandered sometimes, as they sat drinking their teas in the local village, and he occasionally spoke to Jade as though she were Lady Green.

Over time, his physical presence also deteriorated, as his once-straight back became bowed, his shoulders stooping noticeably. It looked to Jade as though his body was collapsing in upon itself.

Jade was called to Mrs McLean’s office for the second time nine months later. Jade felt the butterflies in her stomach, and a feeling of dread made her legs feel leaden, as she made her way to the office. When Jade was seated, Mrs McLean delivered the news that Jade had feared; Sir Robert had died.

Once again, Miss Wright accompanied Jade to the funeral.

This time, Jade knew the person encased within the coffin, and she felt the full force of grief. Tears flooding her eyes, she whispered her personal farewell to her grandfather. ‘I promise I’ll go to Italy one day,’ she whispered.

Jade’s life soon returned to normal, and the grief eased with time.

On her next visit home, she found her father looking older and greyer. To Jade, he seemed to be changing from the young man she remembered, to an older person who resembled Sir Robert. She wondered where the young man had gone; the gentle man whom she had watched sharing tender moments with Yee-Ling. Drinking appeared to be taking its toll on his features. Angry red veins spread across his cheeks, and his eyes seemed to water constantly.

Her mother, on the other hand, seemed little changed. Beautiful as ever, she maintained her calm, polite exterior, and remained incapable of any sign of affection toward her daughter. Jade wondered why they stayed together. She would have liked to ask her father, but it was just not something that a child could ask a parent. So she bit her tongue, watching the misery around her.

In public, her parents maintained an image of polite coexistence. Attending the required public and private festivities together, there was never a cross word between them, even when it was noted that John Green had consumed far too much whisky.

‘It’s just his rugged personality,’ Mother had politely maintained when Jade had made mention of his state.

Jade hated it all, and couldn’t wait to get back to the normality of school.

Jade received a third dreaded summons.

Mrs McLean watched Jade walking toward her desk. The college had certainly done its job, in spectacular fashion, upon this young lady. Jade sat, erect and elegant, composing herself for the inevitable bad news. Frantic to know ‘who’, but politely containing her curiosity.

‘I’m sorry, Janice, it’s your grandmother; June Taylor. She passed away in her sleep last night.’

Jade bowed her head, tears welling in her eyes. She had grown to love her mother’s parents in a way that she had never been able to do so with her own mother, and the loss of June Taylor was heartrending.

Mrs McLean’s words brought Jade with a jolt out of her reverie. ‘You’re old enough now to be of assistance to your grandfather, so I’ve arranged for you to spend the next week with him. I’m sure you will be able to catch up on your studies when you return.’

‘Thank you, Mrs McLean. Will Miss Wright be going with me?’

‘I’m sure that you will be able to negotiate the short journey by yourself. You are no longer the precocious little girl that arrived on our doorstep,’ smiled Mrs McLean.

‘It seems such a long time ago ...’

‘For a young lady like you, it would seem like forever, but, when you reach my age, it seems like yesterday.’ Mrs McLean had allowed a little bit of her emotions to show; emotions that softened her brusque manner somewhat. Jade looked at her curiously.

Retiring from the navy a year before, with the rank of Commodore, Jade’s grandfather was glad to have her with him.

Friends in the service had helped to streamline the arrangements, so there was little for Jade to do, other than to comfort her grandfather, and answer the numerous phone calls.

Following the funeral, Jade’s training at the college came to the fore. Looking after the social necessities that good breeding required, Jade responded to the notes of condolence on behalf of the Commodore, thanking each and every one in handwritten notes, which she had the Commodore sign. Despite the grim task, Jade found the exercise absorbing. It was the first truly adult task that she had ever been requested to perform, and she found satisfaction in organising the job into a logical sequence, and completing it to her grandfather’s satisfaction.

All too soon though, it was time for Jade to return to school. The Commodore would have liked to have kept Jade around for longer, but realised that it would not have been fair on his granddaughter. He reluctantly drove her back to the college.

‘I’ll be looking forward to seeing you again soon. How long until your next holiday?’

‘The next one is my long break, when I’m supposed to return to China, but, if you like, I’ll write to Mother and tell her that you need me to look after you. I’m sure she’ll let me stay.’

‘Don’t you want to go home to see your parents?’

She placed a hand on his arm. ‘You need me more. I’ll stay with you. There’s always next year to go home.’

* * *

It was Jade’s final year at the college.

Rani had been true to her word from their first meeting, and was looking forward to enrolling in university. High grades had ensured that when she applied for medical school, the appropriate doors would be opened for her.

Jade, for her part, was still no closer to reaching a decision on her future. Courses in art appreciation had stimulated her, but she failed to see how this could be turned into a worthwhile profession, while the time she had spent helping her grandfather organise his business affairs, had shown that she also had abilities in that area. After considerable thought, Jade was no closer to a decision, and abandoned all effort, deciding to wait a while longer before reaching one.

When the next call had come, requesting that Jade report, alone, to Mrs McLean’s office, it was delivered personally by Miss Wright, and came as a complete shock to Jade. Rani, knowing that it could only be bad news, hugged her friend, and wished her well, as Jade left their room.

Tears were in her eyes, as she made her way to the office. She dreaded to hear the words that the Commodore was dead. She had received a letter from him just the day before, and he had sounded fine. I wonder what’s happened?

Knocking on the door, Mrs McLean bid her enter.

Jade was surprised to see an elderly man seated before the principal’s desk, and was astounded when he turned. It was the Commodore, with a very grim look upon his face.

When Jade sat down, the Commodore took her hand, and said, ‘I’m afraid it’s your parents. They were in a motor vehicle accident.’

‘Are they alright?’

The Commodore nodded his head. ‘I’m afraid ... they were both killed instantly.’

All the blood drained from Jade’s face, and she felt dizzy. ‘How could that happen! I don’t believe it!’

‘I’m so sorry, my dear Jade. It seems your father ... well, he was leaving an embassy function. He drove through an intersection, and your parents’ car was hit by a large truck. The car burst into flames. No one could get to them.’

Grief overcame her as she burst into tears. The Commodore held her tightly as she sobbed into his shoulder. It seemed to Jade that everyone in her life was dying; it wasn’t fair. The Commodore allowed his granddaughter to sob quietly for a few minutes until she appeared to compose herself and gather her thoughts.

‘What-what-about their funeral?’ Jade sobbed.

‘That will all be handled out there, dear. The embassy will look after all the details. It’s going to take place in the next day or two.’

‘But ... I won’t be able to be there!’ wailed Jade, who suddenly realised the impossibility of such a long journey in such a short time.

‘I’m sorry, Jade, but it has to be done this way.’ The Commodore’s heart went out to his granddaughter, who had experienced more than her fair share of loss and grief in one so young.

Mrs McLean cleared her throat. ‘The Commodore will take you home with him, Janice. There will be important matters to do with your parent’s estate that will have to be looked into. You may be gone for quite a while. Make sure you pack for a fairly long stay.’

‘I will be coming back, won’t I?’

‘Of course you will. I’ll not let you get out of your final exams that easily,’ said Mrs McLean in an attempt to make light of the dreadful situation.

A short memorial service was held in the school’s chapel, after which the Commodore drove Jade to his home, where she spent the evening staring at the bedroom ceiling, unable to sleep.

Memories of her parents crowded into her mind. The look, the sounds, and the smells of the house she had called home.

Her tears flowed, as she recalled her father’s pleasures, so quickly snatched from him, and the deterioration of his spirit, that had followed.

Her mother’s cold calculation in her removal of the rival now crowded into her understanding, but Jade perceived that it had been done with a complete lack of recognition of the contributory part she herself had played in the drama.

Toward morning, as Jade tossed the thoughts over in her mind, she had the uneasy feeling that perhaps the crash had not been an accident. Could her father possibly have crashed deliberately? He certainly had been sad enough to do something silly the last time she had seen him.

The thought scared her, and she tried to push it aside, but it continued to return. She visualised it happening. The look of desperation upon her father’s face, and the look of shock on her mother’s, finally breaking down her icy demeanour, just an instant before death took her.

Jade sat up, sobbing uncontrollably.

The truly devastating thing, thought Jade, was that they were now both dead, and there was no way that she would ever know the truth of the matter. It would be something that would haunt her, for the rest of her days ...

* * *

The Commodore drove Jade to the city the following day, escorting her to the reading of her parents’ wills.

Samuel Groom, the senior partner at Groom and Sons, had been a schoolmate of Sir Robert Green, and the firm had been looking after the family’s legal affairs for generations. Samuel’s middle-aged son, Gerald, conducted the reading in his book-lined office, assisted by Gerald’s son Walter, several years older than Jade, who was learning the legal profession as an articled clerk in the firm.

Walter made himself busy studying the new heiress — he was very pleased with what he saw, and was equally delighted with what he read in the family’s file. She’s a little young yet, but in a couple of years I think she’ll be absolutely ripe for the plucking, he thought to himself. He handed the documents to his father, who spread them on the desk, while Walter moved to the side of the room, positioning himself in such a way as to be available for his father and to enable him to continue carefully studying Jade.

Gerald Groom adjusted his glasses, and commenced reading.

Jade was totally overawed by the occasion, light-headed with lack of sleep, and confused with the jargon. She watched Gerald Groom’s mouth move, but he may just as well have been speaking Swahili, for all she understood. Finally, he finished. He turned the papers toward Jade, handing her a pen, and indicated where to sign.

Jade was totally confused, she looked at the Commodore, who smiled in support and nodded to her. So she signed where indicated, and then the Commodore signed as well with grim formality.

‘I don’t understand,’ said Jade.

‘What don’t you understand, Miss?’ asked Gerald Groom.

‘All of it. What does it all mean?’

The two older men looked at each other; a knowing glance passed between them. Of course she didn’t understand — this sort of thing was men’s business.

‘Perhaps I can be of assistance?’ asked Walter from his position near the wall. He walked slowly over to Jade’s chair, and looked down at her.

‘In a nutshell, you have inherited a great deal of money. Your father was an only child, and, as such, inherited a large sum of money and property upon the death of his parents. He was also a clever man when it came to finances, and so accumulated a small fortune in his own right, mainly through being a Lloyds ‘name’. Added to this was a trust fund that was your mother’s. So, as the only child, all this now goes to you. Our firm has been given the task of managing the inheritance, and we will invest it on your behalf. It will be supervised by the Commodore, who, as your only surviving relative, will be your guardian until you come of age.’

‘And when I come of age?’

Walter looked at his father, who took over, ‘I would envision that we would continue to manage the funds on your behalf. So you will never really have to worry until you marry, at which time your husband will take over the management of the funds.’

‘What if I want to look after the funds myself?’

‘I’m afraid that will be out of the question whilst you remain a minor, and I’m sure you’ll have far more appropriate matters to attend to, when you do reach the age of twenty-one.’

Jade glanced at Gerald Groom, seated behind his desk. She realised that he thought of her as a simple female, and that it would be impossible to change matters at this point in time. However, her time would come. He might have control of her money for the present, but it was hers, and she had no intention of being told what she could do with her own property.

Taking a moment to collect herself, Jade drew on her reserves of self-control. ‘Thank you. I will look forward to going over the accounts with my grandfather. I trust you will provide us with a regular accounting.’

‘Of course, Miss Green,’ said Gerald Groom, with a supercilious grin.

* * *

Jade was quiet on her way home. She sat on the seat beside the Commodore, looking out the window, a faraway look on her face.

The Commodore watched her out of the corner of his eye, as he drove down the narrow lanes near home. ‘You’re awfully quiet, dear.’

She turned to him. ‘I was just planning my future. Up until now, I had no idea what I would do, but, with the money, I’ve decided to start my own business.’

‘What sort of business?’

‘Well, I like art. So I might open a gallery. What do you think?’

‘You can’t just rush into these things, Jade. If you do it will surely fail.’

She turned to the Commodore, and patted his hand. ‘Oh I don’t mean tomorrow. I think I’ll need to do an accountancy course at university first, with further studies in art, and art history.’

The Commodore smiled back at her, realising that she was being serious. ‘You seem to be on the right track, Jade.’

‘And when I come of age, I’ll look after the money myself.’ She smiled.