Read Online I Remember You by Harriet Evans - Free Book Online Page B

step. Who could she be today, to get her through this? Maria singing ‘I Have Confidence’ in The Sound of Music ? Too chirpy. Meryl Streep in The French Lieutenant’s Woman ? Too…prostitutey. Lizzy Bennet. Yes, when in doubt, think of J. Austen on the wall and Lizzy Bennet. Calm, funny, her own person. Tess set off down the street with something approximating a spring in her step; if Lizzy Bennet was alive today, she reasoned, she could easily be Tess, setting off to teach Roman history to a group of retired posh people. Actually, she was more convinced Lizzy Bennet would be an ethical trader at KPMG, storing up a handful of assets in advance of any impending market collapse which she would then redistribute to deserving causes, but never mind. Twirling her umbrella, she tripped across the uneven cobblestones to the end of the street, where Lord’s Lane met the high street, the main road that led out to the edge of town.
    ‘Tess?’ called a voice from behind her suddenly, and Tess swivelled round wildly. She was unsure where the voice had come from; that was the unnerving thing about living in Langford, she had realized. You were never quite sure who knew you and who didn’t. In London, no one knew you. It was kind of nice. Sometimes.
    ‘Tess! Yoo hoo!’
    Walking along the high street towards her was a vaguely familiar woman, neatly dressed in a Husky jacket and head-scarf.
    ‘Tess! Ah. I knew it was you,’ said the woman, smiling broadly, showing enormous teeth. ‘I said to myself, I bet that’s Tess!’
    Diana? Carolyn? Jean? Tess asked herself wildly. Somethinglike that. God, it’s on the tip of my tongue. Audrey? Jean? It’s Jean, I’m sure it’s Jean.
    ‘I’m doing your course!’ the woman said, proudly. ‘Present from Jeremy! Bless him.’
    Jeremy…Jeremy and…who the hell was it? Tess racked her brains for the magic formula of garbled couples’ names. Something and Jeremy…And then realization dawned.
    Jan and Jeremy! Jan Allingham! Of course. ‘You are? That’s great! Hello, Jan!’ Tess said, smiling brightly at Jan Allingham (for it was she), who held out her hand.
    ‘Well, here you are, here we are,’ said Jan, briskly patting her short, rigidly waved hair. ‘We’re going to be your first students, you know.’
    Tess looked at her watch in alarm. It was just before eleven. ‘The first class isn’t till three,’ she said.
    ‘Oh, I know, I know!’ Jan cried. ‘I wanted to come a bit early. Get my bearings, complete the registration forms, have a look round.’
    ‘Oh!’ said Tess, weakly. ‘That’s very…That’s great!’
    ‘You enjoying being back then, dear?’
    ‘Yes,’ said Tess. ‘It’s great. Very excited about teaching, too.’
    ‘You seen lots of Adam, then?’ Jan asked, tapping Tess’s arm. ‘Shall we carry on walking?’ she said, as she carried on walking. ‘The two of you when you were little—so adorable.’ Tess smiled politely. ‘Isn’t it funny, when I can remember you peeing into a potty! And now you’re going to be teaching me!’
    ‘You only moved here when I was a teenager,’ said Tess firmly.
    ‘Oh, well, details!’ Jan cried happily. ‘Now, who’s this flatmate of yours, that gorgeously glamorous girl, the one who I keep seeing with your Adam? Andrea’s seen them together a few times, says they’re quite the item.’
    Tess nodded. ‘Francesca. Yes. She’s absolutely lovely.’
    ‘So nice for Adam after everything —’ Jan mouthed the word everything . ‘It must be good for him.’
    Since there was no answer to this but a short, sympathetic Mmm , Tess said, ‘Mmm.’
    ‘A nice steady girlfriend. And rich too. I heard she was a banker .’
    They turned onto the high street, which was almost deserted, its shops dark and the houses forbidding, in the soft March rain. ‘I don’t think they’re actually boyfriend and girlfriend—’ Tess began timidly, but Jan interrupted her.
    ‘Diana! Hellooo!’ she called loudly, as a