Knave of Hearts

It was a few minutes before eight, and as she straightened the cushions in the sitting-room and turned up the control on the gas fire in a last vain attempt to make the bleak surroundings homely, she heard little footsteps on the stairs.

Oh, no, not now, she thought desperately.

‘Mummy?’

‘In here, darling.’

Beth’s little face appeared round the door. ‘I don’t really hate you,’ she said seriously.

‘Oh, Beth, I know you don’t!’ Anne held out her arms to her small daughter, and hugged her tight.

‘I missed you, Mummy.’

‘I know—I missed you, too. Still, it won’t be long before I don’t have to work so many weekends, and then we can be together.’

‘If it snows this weekend, can we build a snowman for my birthday?’ Beth asked, her wide eyes doubtful.

‘If it snows, then yes, of course. Now come on, you’ve got school tomorrow—run along up to bed, there’s a good girl.’

Beth lifted up her face for a kiss, and blinked.

‘You’ve got make-up on!’

Anne laughed a little awkwardly. ‘I usually have make-up on.’

Beth shook her head. ‘This is different make-up. You look—prettier.’

Anne blushed slightly.

‘Thank you, darling.’

‘Are you going out?’

She shook her head. ‘No, I’ve got a friend coming to see me——’

‘Is it Auntie Jo?’

‘No, she’s——’

‘Auntie Maggie?’

‘No, I——’

They both started slightly as a door slammed next door, and then seconds later their front doorbell rang.

‘I’ll get it!’ Beth yelled.

‘Beth, no!’ Anne wailed, but the child was already down the hall, fumbling with the catch.

Perhaps it’s the new next-door neighbours, Anne thought hopefully, but as the door swung open her worst fears were realised.

‘Oh!’ Beth said with characteristic lack of diplomacy as she eyed the big man lounging in the porch. ‘Are you Mummy’s friend? I thought you’d be a lady—Mummy doesn’t have men friends.’

Jake grinned lazily and shouldered himself away from the wall, shooting Anne a teasing glance over the child’s head. ‘Doesn’t she, now?’

‘Not usually—come in, you’ll let all the heat out and we can’t afford to heat the garden,’ Beth told him solemnly, parroting Anne’s frequent plea.

He laughed, and Beth laughed too, her head tipped back, her face alive with humour, the thick black lashes framing the dark chocolate eyes that sparkled with mischief.

And then it happened.

Jake looked at Beth, then looked again, and emotions one after the other chased across his face. Disbelief, and incredulous joy, and a terrible, fierce anger.

‘What’s your name?’ Beth asked him, her head cocked slightly to one side in a mannerism so familiar that Anne knew he would see it.

He looked across the child at her, his face still wearing a smile for Beth, but his eyes like cold steel, slashing through her.

‘Yes, aren’t you going to introduce me to your daughter?’ he said pointedly, only the slightest hint of a tremor betraying the emotions she could feel ripping through him.

She closed her eyes and counted to five.

‘Darling, this is Mr Hunter. He’s doing Auntie Jo’s work while she’s on holiday. Jake, this is—Elizabeth. We call her Beth.’

He held out his hand.

‘How do you do, Beth?’ he said gently, and a spasm crossed his face as Beth placed her hand trustingly in his and smiled.

‘How do you do, Mr Hunter?’ she echoed, and then giggled.

He almost glared at Anne above the slightly fixed smile. ‘I think Mr Hunter’s going a bit far, don’t you? I tell you what, Beth.’ He dropped to one knee conspiratorially. ‘Why don’t we make it Jake for now, eh? Since we’re going to be neighbours as well?’

‘Neighbours?’ Anne croaked.

He straightened. ‘Oh, yes. I’m going to be living in the house next door—won’t that be cosy? We’ll be able to get to know each other really well.’

Anne fled, almost dragging Beth with her up the stairs, aware with every step of Jake’s eyes boring into her spine.

‘We’re going to make a snowman at the weekend—would you like to help?’ Beth said over her shoulder.

‘My pleasure.’

Anne tugged at the reluctant hand. ‘Come on, young lady, it’s way past your bedtime. Say goodnight.’

She spent as long as she dared tucking Beth up again, but finally she had no choice.

Her heart in her mouth, she made her way downstairs.

Jake was in the sitting-room on the sofa, Beth’s latest drawing in his hands, and as she watched he straightened up and glared at her accusingly, his eyes blazing with anger and recrimination.